Edlund is still writing the same amount of episodes as always - and he is still in on all the story meetings (from what I've heard)...so I wouldn't worry too much. I think he just wanted to do some stuff on the side, and it was easier to do that if he was a "consulting producer" - either legally, or because as a consulted maybe he didn't have as much administration stuff to do? I'm not sure how it works. He's directing again this year too - so, really, I think he's still very much involved.

I think the show is building up to something with Dean. Steven Williams (Rufus) commented at VanCon that he watched the show and realized that if Dean is a psycho-killer - I think it's ALWAYS been a slight undercurrent of the show, from Skin to now. Even last season, Dean thought Soulless!Sam was just acting like Dean. (Was that a Dabb Laflin episode too?) Anyway...I'm waiting it out, seeing where they are going, because they have to be going somewhere.

I think the way Amy selected her victims was quite apparent by the directing myself, and didn't need to be reiterated through dialog (which would be a script issue, not a directorial choice.)