Supernatural is at its best when it reaches into its history and adds new textures through brilliant acting and incredible writing. The May 4th episode, “Don’t Call Me Shurley,” was a winning hour of television in large part due to the performances of guest stars, Rob Benedict and Curtis Armstrong.

When Rob Benedict first appeared in the Season 4 episode “The Monster At The End Of This Book” as writer Chuck Shurley, the character immediately endeared himself to fans. Chuck was adorably awkward. For the struggling author of the underground cult Supernatural books (and later revealed as a prophet of the Lord penning The Winchester Gospels), Chuck was a character full of possibilities.

Along the way, a theory was bandied about within the Supernatural fandom: Chuck is God. The Season 5 finale Swan Song appeared to lend credence to this theory. Now you see Chuck, now you don’t. Chuck inexplicably disappeared, resurfacing years later at the end of the Season 10 (and 200th episode) “Fan Fiction.”  Throughout his appearances on Supernatural, Benedict was consistently amazing.

Curtis Armstrong initially graced our screens in the Season 8 episode “The Great Escapist” as the book hoarding, story obsessed, Scribe of God. Over the next three seasons, Metatron became the angel Supernatural viewers loved to hate through his roster of dastardly deeds: stealing Castiel’s grace, causing the angels to fall from Heaven, ordering Gadreel to kill Kevin Tran and later killing Dean Winchester. Crowley was probably happy about Metatron killing Dean because the King of Hell got a temporary “bestie” with Demon Dean. But I digress. Whatever the Supernatural writers handed Armstrong to do as Metatron, the actor brilliantly rose to the challenge.

But the Supernatural writers are clever. Putting Chuck with Metatron was pure genius!  With the reveal of Chuck as God, love starved Metatron was given the opportunity to spend time with his formerly absentee father. Would he be a disappointment or an asset to God?

Together, Benedict and Armstrong were a dynamic duo in an episode full of drama, humor and revelation.