Checking out news from EW.com’s Michael Ausiello that Mitch Pileggi will be reprising his role as Sam and Dean’s grandfather on Supernatural for Season 6 got me thinking. Mitch Pileggi needs a home. Since the (dreadful) end of The X-Files, the erstwhile Horace Pinker has been a TV vagabond, appearing in everything from Castle, to Stargate Atlantis, Human Target, Grey’s Anatomy, Sons of Anarchy, Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed, In Plain Sight, to the aforementioned Supernatural and a shload of other guest and recurring spots.
Now I’m happy that Assistant Director Skinner is keeping busy, but I’d really like him to find something more stable where he can really entrench himself in a character again. Skinner became one of the bright spots in X-Files‘ latter seasons, especially when he finally became a believer like Scully. Supernatural is a perfect fit for someone of Pileggi’s presence and versatility. I’d like nothing better than to see Grandpa Campbell helping Sam and Dean out on hunts. Lord knows Pileggi already has plenty of monster experience. New Supernatural show runner Sera Gamble commented on Pileggi’s return: “I’m a longtime fan of Mitch’s work…. And we all thought he did an amazing job the
first time around, so we’re excited he was game to [return].” I agree.