'Supernatural' Criss Angel is hated

Sometimes when I watch Supernatural, I cover my eyes. Other times, I wince, jump, squeal, cheer or shout at my TV. Tonight, however, I had to ask this: can you really say 'douchebag' on prime-time?

The answer is apparently yes, because it was said no less than a half dozen times. And that's not including the title, which was "Criss Angel is a Douchebag'. And you can't argue with. I mean, it's science. Tonight, the part of Criss Angel has been renamed Jebb Dexter, but we'll go for DB instead. Fully aware of DB's status as a douchebag are Jay, Charlie, and Vernon - 3 "wicked cats" who predate magical douchbaggery. They are from back when Magicians wore tuxedos and used straitjackets rather than dressed in Hot Topic's finest and use black nail polish.They are all thrown together by a Magician Convention in that Mecca of Magic, Iowa.

But I've gotten ahead of myself. Or rather, of Vance. Who is a drunken jerk who gives Jay a hard time at a bar. This leads to Jay's suicidal depression and his decision to attempt the "Table of Death" trick, against the warnings of Charlie and Vernon. The trick involves Jay getting strapped to a table and trying to free himself before being impaled by 10 massive spikes. He manages the escape, but outside, Vance drops dead from 10 puncture wounds without a single tear in his shirt. And a Tarot card clue.

The next night, Jay, invigorated by his success,  decides to go for "The Executioner". Before the show, despite his vocal and rude complaints, DB drags his camera crew to interview "Jim". It goes as well as it can. Dean and Sam have a few questions of their own, and posing as FBI agents, the magicians give up a source of their gadgets - "The Chief". Dean goes to check it out while Sam scopes for more info. I won't go into who "The Chief" is, or what he's master of...but let me just say that I am a bit disturbed that the old guys had his address on the tips of the tongues so easily. Also, never try to con a con.

Ruby shows up briefly to confront Sam about going after Lilith, but he remains adamant about not using his power. Jay's performance of The Executioner later that night involves a straight jacket and a noose. Again, he escapes, but DB doesn't. Another Tarot card is found at the scene and the brothers put together that Jay's act is killing people. They wonder how he got caught up in real magic and discuss if they will still be demon hunting in their 60's. Dean is convinced their end will either be sad or bloody, but Sam wishes for a much cleaner and happier end. He quotes Ruby's earlier sentiment, that perhaps they should cut off the serpent's head and Dean points out that she has about a thousand of those.

Sam agrees that it's probably not realistic and gets back to the task at hand: tracking down Jay and the deadly Tarot deck. They burst into Jay's hotel room, guns blazing, and confront him about his evil deeds. But when he's clearly in the dark about those deeds, the tie him up to figure out what their next move is. Of course, he gives them the slip. They charge downstairs, hoping to chase after him. Only he's upstairs, calling the cops.

However, their theory gives Jay pause and he voices his concerns to Charlie, who gives him a true "the show must go on' speech. He goes for the Table of Death again and for a moment it looks like Death is what he got. Only when the curtains draw back, he's smiling, the perfect showman. Until there's a scream backstage. He rushes back to find Charlie dead, 10 punctures. Jay drops the charges against the Winchesters and they all sit down for a talk. The boys lay out their theory that the real killer is someone close to him. Which leaves only Vernon.

Jay calls Vernon to meet him at the theater and the boys sneak into his room to find the Tarot deck. As jay confronts one his oldest friends, he's met with the same disbelief he displayed himself. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean don't find the cards but they do find a poster of Charlie is his younger days. And the man in the image looks startlingly familiar.

Young Charlie steps from backstage at the theater and tells Jay and Vernon that he was behind the deaths. While he may appear 28, he's actually far older, thanks to a true grimoire gifted to him by Barnum. He flashes a Tarot deck and explains how he learned to harness the power. The grimoire also contained a spell of immortality and now he wants to share that with his friends. Jay wants to know the price is for immortality, but Vernon is less concerned. The boys show up and Charlie uses his nefarious powers to string Dean up and strap Sam to the Table of Death.

Just when it looks like our heroes are done for, Jay stabs himself in the gut and Charlie keels over, bleeding from the same location. He looks up in shock to see Jay holding his Tarot deck. He asks why he picked strangers over him and it's apparently a question Jay will ponder for the rest of his years, as he mourns not only killing one best friend, but the loss of Vernon as well. Because Vernon rather liked the idea of living forever and can't accept what Jay did. 

The episode seems like it's going to end on a serious down note, as Dean goes for a beer and Sam opts to take a walk instead. However, what we actually get is a note of foreboding, as Sam meets up with Ruby and agrees to go after Lilith. When she asks what changed his mind, he responds that he doesn't want to be doing this into his old age.

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