First Thoughts on Supernatural

[fangirljen]

I decided to start S4 (never having seen S1-S3 except a few eps here and there) because I want to be educated on the latest happenings before I go to a SPN convention with my friend brokenbacktango.

I have to admit that the first five minutes of ep 4.01, with the catch up and Dean coming out of his grave, was better than any of the Heroes eps I've seen in a long time. This show runs so smooth. Stuff happens. People die. I imagine if your profession is hunter and people don't die, then something is clearly wrong.

Things really don't feel contrived. And I really hate to say this, but I am wondering if Heroes is written for someone who doesn't want to think about their Scifi but be spoon fed it because they don't have the brains to get it/don't want to think that much to get it.

Supernatural is cool because it makes both Star Trek and Star Wars references, even coming from Dean, and even after he came back from Hell. And how about his line about going to Hell again because he thought his mom was hot? LOL I liked the one about having to go to the Star Trek Experience because of the impending Apocalypse. Hate to break it to you, Dean, but the Star Trek Experience's last day at the Hilton was Sept. 1st, 2008, a month before you came back from the grave. :(

I am also delighted that there is incest, and it's not just in the subtext way. It's in the "we know what you're saying and we know that you know we know what you're saying" way. Ruby with her "are you two together?" comment and then, the big one, The yellow-eyed demon, who had just murdered Deanna (I love that the grandparents' names!), made Samuel stab himself, and then killed John Winchester, and then had Mary give up herself and Sam, started making out with her while he was in her father's body! Dood! That's some hardcore stuff there. Makes me wish we had some making out between Sylar!Nathan and Angela on Heroes. Because levels of fucked up when they do not involve blonde cheerleaders who are pretty much used as pieces of meat are kinda cool. Damn. I feel a little bad that part of my enjoyment from watching SPN is judging Heroes for the bad path it has been made to go on, but it's fun.

I hadn't realized that Ben Edlund is a staff writer for SPN. That is part of the coolness factor. I have adored his writing since The Tick. And then on Angel he did the awesome Smile Time. Guy has been around and knows how to mix humor with drama. This is good crack. I was watching an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with my parents the other day and told them that you don't get shows like that anymore. I think in Supernatural I am proven wrong. You get a good mix of (meta?)humor, drama, good pacing, character development, all the stuff that makes me really dig a show. I have avoided SPN so far because my mom is uncomfortable with the subject matter. But being how I am watching the show on my comp, she doesn't have to see it. I knew the boys are pretty, but the quality of the show goes well beyond that.

To be honest, I've wanted to know what the whole thing with Castiel was about for a while. Both character and actor seem to be beloved. I also am really digging Angels right now, so seeing him is really cool for that.

I'll post more as I go through the series. I hope the rest of S4 and S5 hold up

Comments

d'oh

[brokenbacktango.livejournal.com]

I am so relieved you're enjoying it! To be honest, when I moved on from Heroes to Merlin, I was making crazy comparisons between the two as well. It's the nature of a beast as mightily fucked up as Heroes; it leaves a mark! As for Supernatural, I honestly don't think enough credit is given to the show considering how good it is. Of course it has its problems but beyond that, the writing is pretty damn solid.

If I may ask, what is it about the show that makes your mom uncomfortable? Is it the way the angels are portrayed? My mom can't stand it because she hates Jensen Ackles. He makes her skin crawl.

Have you seen this new Profit music video?

Re: d'oh

[fangirljen.livejournal.com]

Yeah. You just...yeah. And there have always been some similarities between Heroes and Supernatural. I'm still a fan of Heroes, just of what was. I've heard of some of Supernatural's problems, yes, but it's refreshing to see some things working too. Heroes has EPIC problems with female characters, too. And at least Supernatural has (erm, had?) Ellen. And I really don't mind Ruby. I thought Cassidy was in more episodes than she was. IMDB says something like 8? Wow. ilikethequiet had me thinking she was in a lot more than that.

My mom doesn't like the demons or the idea of them. They scare her.

Re: d'oh

[brokenbacktango.livejournal.com]

I hear you about Heroes. I still consider myself a big fan of season one but beyond that, I just can't.

Cassidy's interesting... it was popular to hate her until she left, then it seemed like the fandom loved her but hated the new Ruby. I liked both but that's apparently really rare. IMHO I think a large percentage of the show's fandom has as many issues with women as the show itself does, based on how they react to certain characters. Jo's perception in fandom was like a roller coaster of hate-love that could rival some of the insane shit they have at Magic Mountain. Other females were always hated--and their deaths are still celebrated. And then we get characters like Castiel, who have comms pop up for them overnight... Buuut now I'm soap-boxing, sorry. Just keep an eye out if you decide to join the fandom.

Oh, that sucks. The idea of possession is really frightening, especially the way in which it's described in the show.

Re: d'oh

[brokenbacktango.livejournal.com]

Oh, and did I ever link that Miracles music video I mentioned to you waaaaaay back in the day? It's here under Miscellaneous Fandoms, called "Darkness, Darkness." Not the best video quality but the story encapsulated in that four minute video is enough to make me want to go out and buy the series.