It’s almost become an in-joke on Supernatural that the core cast of characters don’t tend to stay dead for very long – heck, Dean and Sam have been past the brink and returned to tell the tale more times than we can count. But if there’s one core tenet of The CW series that has been sorely missed, it’s Jim Beaver’s pseudo-father figure, Bobby.
While a brief cameo in Season 10’s “Inside Man” was a welcome surprise, TVLive brings good news that Beaver will reprise his role as the expert demon hunter in season 11. Rather than appearing as a ghost, as ex-Supernatural characters tend to do, Bobby will be incorporated into the story arc of episode 16 via flashbacks – and he’s bringing along an old friend for the ride.
Speaking to TVLine, the show’s Executive Producer Jeremy Carver revealing that “[Dean and Sam] are going to be investigating an old case that was once investigated by Bobby and Rufus. There’s a lot of great throwbacks to things that happened” during that season, the EP continues, including “the wonderful relationship between Bobby and Rufus. That’s going to be a really neat episode.”
That’s right, not only is will the Winchesters be revisiting an old case left unsolved by their grouchy uncle, but Supernatural season 11 will also welcome back Steven Williams as the indelible demon hunter Rufus. In past episodes, Bobby and Rufus have forged an effortless and snarky chemistry with one another, and it’ll be fascinating to see the buddy cop formula applied to the show’s more seasoned hunters.
Supernatural returns on the airwaves for another bout of monster-hunting escapades on Wednesday, January 20.