pinned: the (almost)complete guide to how I feel about Supernatural and fandom
I don't always feel the need to explain myself, but since I consider myself a member of a fandom that has been known to be partially batshit crazy at times, I think it's better to be as clear as possible. Plus I just feel like getting everything out in the open. :)
Am I too obsessed with the show? Probably. I used to sit in class and compare Milton and Doctor Faustus to Supernatural, I used to write fanfic when I was bored in class, and my vocabulary consists of dozens of references to the show. ("Douchnozzle" is my current favorite.) I've paid hundreds of dollars and drove several hours out of my way to see Jared and Jensen in Chicago in November two years in a row. I agree to do(mostly legal) things just to get other people to watch the show and spread the word. I realize some people consider this obsessed, and sure, maybe it is. But I still feel like I retain perspective.
Now that that's out there, the rest of this post is about said obsession. :) I give you:
Supernatural to me boils down to the brothers. It's THEIR show, two brothers, saving people, hunting things, the family business. While I do enjoy the apocalypse story they've got going on in seasons 4 and 5, like any other person, I do miss that. I miss it before it was angels and the apocalypse and "the righteous man" and all this mythology.
I didn't mind when Sam was the special child, but making both Winchesters such an integral part of the mytharc of the show bothers me a bit. The whole reason Dean was such an amazing character was because he was just an average dude who's life had put him in a shitty situation, you know? And now he's the only one who can stop the apocalypse? I'm not sure how I feel about that. He's done enough self-sacrificing already. I DO like that it appears that ANY righteous man could've broken the first seal and he was just unlucky enough to be the man to do it. That said, yes, I'm unsure of the direction of this season, but I'm SO excited to see how it ends. Basically, I'm reserving complete judgment until it's over. It's over, and I enjoyed the season as a whole, but it had its fair share of ups and downs, and I don't consider it THE BEST season of Supernatural at all.
Favorites Episodes:
Season 1: Wendigo, Asylum, Faith
Season 2: In My Time of Dying, Nightshifter(purely for the music cue at the end. Like Jensen and Jared, it is my favorite of the show), Heart, What is and What Should Never Be, All Hell Breaks Loose part 2
Season 3: The Kids are Alright, Malleus Mallificarum, Dream a Little Dream of Me, Mystery Spot, Jus in Bello, No Rest for the Wicked
Season 4: In the Beginning, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Heaven and Hell, On the Head of a Pin, The Monster at the End of This Book, When the Levee Breaks
Season 5: The End, Changing Channels, The Song Remains the Same, My Bloody Valentine, Dark Side of the Moon,
Favorite Character:
Dean. Hands Down, always has been, always will be. I'm sorry for all the Sam fans, I love him too, but I lean towards Dean. I identify more with him than Sam, I think, is what it boils down to. He tries to keep things in, tries to protect the ones he loves and only take care of himself after taking care of everyone else, and I've been told I have that tendency too. That and I've known and loved Jensen longer than Jared, and he's just such a good actor I can't help loving Dean more.
Of everything that has aired, I still consider What is and What Should Never Be as my favorite of all, because of the scene in the graveyard, mainly just because of how much it shows that Dean will be a hunter no matter what life he's put in, much like It's a Terrible Life did.
The End runs a close second in the running for favorite episode. For thoughts on that, read my crazy episode review here.
I couldn't pin down a favorite quote if I tried, frankly, so I'll probably never include that category. About the same with favorite scenes/moments, there are so many. Most of my favorite episodes contain my favorite scenes, but there are exceptions (i.e. the ends of Bloodlust and CSPwDT). Maybe one day I could compile a list, but I doubt it. I can't do it with Buffy to this day, and doubt I ever will be able to. There's moments of every episode that are just amazing.
Other opinions on the show:
Ruby. I realize she's hit or miss for tons of people, and that the show is about TWO BROTHERS, so on, so forth, but I LOVE that there's a strong female character who can hold her own against the amazingness of Winchesters. Now, yes, I loved Katie Cassidy's Ruby, but now we have Genevieve, and I do admit I did NOT at all like her portrayal of Ruby at first AT ALL, but I reserved judgment because of my love for the character. And you know what? I may just be a sucker for some Sam/Ruby het but I grew to like New!Ruby, too. And the ending twist just made her awesome, frankly. Yeah, the attempts to make her more "likeable" are obviously what ruined her character more,, but the fact that she was bad the whole time was just cool. Plus, come on: "You didn't need the feather to fly. You had it in you the whole time, Dumbo." Best speech ever. I think she could've been really cool had they not killed her. :(
Castiel. I find Castiel an incredibly enigmatic character, but I'm not apeshit gaga over him like most of the fandom. I was at first, because he was new and shiny, but now he's just another plot device to me. A GOOD device. Do I 'ship Dean/Cas? No, not unless it's epically well-written. Do I believe that Cas cares too much for Dean for what an angel should care? YES. I do believe there's a relationship between them that an angel and a human shouldn't have, but it's a far stretch to me to say that it's sexual. And yes, I enjoy calling him Cas. And I do agree that Misha Collins is himself is pretty awesome, but again, I'm still too in love with Jared and Jensen to be truly Team Misha.
Uriel. There was nothing about Uriel that was not awesome. Angels that are Dicks? CHECK. I am a little miffed at the way his character ends, however, simply because it screws up what we know about angels so far, to me. For starters, the only thing to kill an angel is that sword? Then how come in 4.02 Cas tells Dean he lost soldiers in battle that day? IDK. I liked Uriel, is all.
Anna. I know people don't like her, I know some HATE her, that she's a Mary Sue, unnecessary, so on, so forth. And to a certain extent, I can see and even agree on their points. She was very interesting as 1-900-Angel, when she became a fallen, again, I think it made the mythology more complicated than it needed to be. And now that she's just a rebel angel floating around, urging Cas to fall, I don't know. Again, I reserve judgment, but I think her character has great potential. I like her enough to have created a community for her, for sure. (Shameless plug for spn_anna.) Plus again, I'm a sucker for some Dean/Anna het love. And red hair, and Julie McNiven because she's cute. The only thing I point out to the Anna haters is: Without Anna to tell Dean that she knew what he'd done in hell, that it was OKAY, he would've never opened up to Sam at the end of Heaven and Hell.
Alastair: Dude. Creepiest bad guy ever. A hint of YED with much more malice. I was sad he got offed so soon and that we didn't get to see Dean torture him more, frankly. Plus Dean should've been the one to kill him.
John Winchester: Frankly, I don't like the man, I don't like what he did to his sons, how I'm sure both Dean and Sam carry guilt around to this day that they needn't because of him. But he was a BAMF.
Jess: I wish we could've seen more of her, basically. I would love to know more about her, and her relationship to Sam, her similarities to Dean.
Cassie: I know people hate her too, and I agree, the acting was terrible. But as a character, as the one girl we know of that Dean's loved, that he's wanted to be honest with, that means something. And we can't just forget her.
Adam: Suppose I neeed to throw him in this too. I realize we didn't actually get to know the REAL Adam, and we don't know if the ghoul's impersonation of him was anything similar to his actual personality, sadly. I'm not bothered by the fact that Sam and Dean have a third brother. John was still in love with his dead wife, sure, but he's still a man and men had needs. I thought it was sad that Adam died before they got to know him. Tragic. An unnecessary storyline, but it did show how much Sam has become John. And I am glad it didn't become the Sam, Dean, and Adam show.
Lucifer: I absolutely love, love, what they've done with Lucifer so far. As someone who hates having Christianity forced upon me, I really like the option of showing Lucifer as a sympathetic character. Paradise Lost is one of my favorite pieces of actual "literature" and Satan's story in that is one I didn't mind writing papers on in college. Watching Jared play Samifer in The End sent chills up my spine. It was everything I'd want a Lucifer to be.
Uhm...I don't know what else. Going through individual guest star characters would take much too long, and really, I don't care THAT much.
All episode reviews are located under the tag spn: in retrospect. I don't do them every week, but I do do them frequently. I said do-do, haha.
Onto Fandom. Dun Dun Dun.
Wincest: I admit, I read it, I love it. But like most things I read, I am hugely picky. For instance, the boys should never call each other "baby." And if your fic...nah, I won't get into the details of homosexual sex, that's just weird. But read THIS please and take into consideration before you write fic. Do some research. That's all.
Do I truly believe Sam and Dean are SamnDean? Not so much. There's nothing in canon that shows me without a doubt that they are. In fact, now that The Monster at the End of the Book has poked fun at fandom, I think it's highly unlikely. But I think the possibility is there, and that with the right circumstance (aka the right fic writer's plot) it could easily happen or have happened. I love the idea of the two of them ONLY having each other, because let's face it, with the life they lead, there's not much time left for romance. I think its a perfectly feasible idea that the two of them, on the road and each other as the only constant in one another's life, could have some sort of relationship that goes deeper than siblings. Does that mean I condone incest? Not at all. However, unlike probably the majority of people in the world, I don't actually have a problem with consensual incest, although I do pity the poor souls who would try to make a go of it in today's close-minded world.
J2: I've found myself trying to explain how I feel about this a lot recently, which is the reason I think I finally got around to making this post. And honestly, I still don't think I can explain, lol. For starters, J2 can either mean Jared and Jensen, or Jared/Jensen, depending on the context. Do I think Jared and Jensen are having a secret relationship other than just friendship? I think they've at least thought about it, yeah. They really can't have NOT with all the flack they take about it from fans (and you can't tell me they don't know). But my definition of a relationship can be just an emotional connection and not necessarily a sexual one. I'm not comfortable assuming enough about them to say without a doubt that "OMG THEYRE DOIN IT." And I doubt I ever will be, frankly. I wouldn't want people making that assumption about me and my best friend just because of the way we look at each other and speak of each other and so on, so I can't honestly do it about anyone else. Granted, I do squee along with everyone else when they say things like "WE were late because Jensen hit off instead of snooze" (First example that popped into mind), but overall, I'm just a girl who wants them to be happy, however that may be, but I can indulge in hope with everyone else. I just don't get too invested in it one way or the other. I don't even know if that makes sense.
Genevieve: I haven't watched Wildfire or anything else. I only have Supernatural with which to judge. And while she's not the greatest actress ever, she's held her own on the show. Little shaky at first, but I'm sure it's improved since she became more comfortable with the character. I DON'T think it's right to bash an actress just because you don't like the character she portrays. And while I don't particularly care for the shape of her mouth, she is a very attractive individual. That's about all I have to say there.
Danneel: I've only seen her acting in One Tree Hill, Fired Up, and Ten Inch Hero, and while she's not up to Jensen's acting, she can certainly cry well. Also, she's a beautiful individual, so much so that I'm a little jealous of Jensen. I've watched some interviews with her, and while her voice annoys me a bit and at times she does come off a little fake, there's nothing to suggest she's anything but a nice girl who just happens to be unlucky enough to date a guy with a very protective fandom. I like her, okay? She's fucking gorgeous.
Jared/Gen: I'm a big believer in taking what you see at face value, so until Jared and Genevieve say "We're together" I'm going to keep thinking they're just good friends. WELL THEN. I understand the need to keep a relationship private, I do, but I also understand that if you're happy, you want to share that with other people. I don't quite feel they're doing that. But irregardless, I have no opinion. I just want them happy.
Jensen/Danneel: I think anyone who sticks together for 2+ years has a relationship of some sort. Bottom line. Plus, god, aren't they gorgeous together? I was absolutely thrilled to hear they are engaged, and while yeah, I might be a little disappointed that Jared and Jensen didn't propose to each other, I will be absolutely thrilled if these two do make it to the alter. I love the idea of them making each other smile 'til death do they part because they both have beautiful smiles. And will have beautiful children.
(I started out much more articulate and wanting to be more articulate about this, but I'm tired now and this post is getting really long).
Actually, I think my bottom line is I want the boys happy, whoever they're with.
I'm sure more could be said in this post, and I imagine I'll come back and edit it from time to time, but it's so long and I don't know what else I can say right now. If any of this offends you in any way, first I ask that you try to agree to disagree with me, as it's what I try to do with everyone I don't agree with, but if you find that too difficult, please feel free to defriend me, no hard feeling here. I do ask that you tell me why you're defriending, but it isn't necessary. I'm just one of those people who hates making others unhappy in any way.
I'd leave pictures, but this post is long enough already. Plus I wouldn't be able to pick just one. I'm very indecisive, if you haven't noticed.
Got anything else you want my opinion on? Or think should be included in this post? Feel free to let me know. :)
I realize this is long, but I hope everyone takes the time to read it and comment. I'm really interested in hearing other people's thoughts, even when I don't agree. :) Feel free to point other people over here, too.
last updated: 22 Feb. 2010
Am I too obsessed with the show? Probably. I used to sit in class and compare Milton and Doctor Faustus to Supernatural, I used to write fanfic when I was bored in class, and my vocabulary consists of dozens of references to the show. ("Douchnozzle" is my current favorite.) I've paid hundreds of dollars and drove several hours out of my way to see Jared and Jensen in Chicago in November two years in a row. I agree to do(mostly legal) things just to get other people to watch the show and spread the word. I realize some people consider this obsessed, and sure, maybe it is. But I still feel like I retain perspective.
Now that that's out there, the rest of this post is about said obsession. :) I give you:
Supernatural to me boils down to the brothers. It's THEIR show, two brothers, saving people, hunting things, the family business. While I do enjoy the apocalypse story they've got going on in seasons 4 and 5, like any other person, I do miss that. I miss it before it was angels and the apocalypse and "the righteous man" and all this mythology.
I didn't mind when Sam was the special child, but making both Winchesters such an integral part of the mytharc of the show bothers me a bit. The whole reason Dean was such an amazing character was because he was just an average dude who's life had put him in a shitty situation, you know? And now he's the only one who can stop the apocalypse? I'm not sure how I feel about that. He's done enough self-sacrificing already. I DO like that it appears that ANY righteous man could've broken the first seal and he was just unlucky enough to be the man to do it. That said, yes, I'm unsure of the direction of this season, but I'm SO excited to see how it ends. Basically, I'm reserving complete judgment until it's over. It's over, and I enjoyed the season as a whole, but it had its fair share of ups and downs, and I don't consider it THE BEST season of Supernatural at all.
Favorites Episodes:
Season 1: Wendigo, Asylum, Faith
Season 2: In My Time of Dying, Nightshifter(purely for the music cue at the end. Like Jensen and Jared, it is my favorite of the show), Heart, What is and What Should Never Be, All Hell Breaks Loose part 2
Season 3: The Kids are Alright, Malleus Mallificarum, Dream a Little Dream of Me, Mystery Spot, Jus in Bello, No Rest for the Wicked
Season 4: In the Beginning, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Heaven and Hell, On the Head of a Pin, The Monster at the End of This Book, When the Levee Breaks
Season 5: The End, Changing Channels, The Song Remains the Same, My Bloody Valentine, Dark Side of the Moon,
Favorite Character:
Dean. Hands Down, always has been, always will be. I'm sorry for all the Sam fans, I love him too, but I lean towards Dean. I identify more with him than Sam, I think, is what it boils down to. He tries to keep things in, tries to protect the ones he loves and only take care of himself after taking care of everyone else, and I've been told I have that tendency too. That and I've known and loved Jensen longer than Jared, and he's just such a good actor I can't help loving Dean more.
Of everything that has aired, I still consider What is and What Should Never Be as my favorite of all, because of the scene in the graveyard, mainly just because of how much it shows that Dean will be a hunter no matter what life he's put in, much like It's a Terrible Life did.
The End runs a close second in the running for favorite episode. For thoughts on that, read my crazy episode review here.
I couldn't pin down a favorite quote if I tried, frankly, so I'll probably never include that category. About the same with favorite scenes/moments, there are so many. Most of my favorite episodes contain my favorite scenes, but there are exceptions (i.e. the ends of Bloodlust and CSPwDT). Maybe one day I could compile a list, but I doubt it. I can't do it with Buffy to this day, and doubt I ever will be able to. There's moments of every episode that are just amazing.
Other opinions on the show:
Ruby. I realize she's hit or miss for tons of people, and that the show is about TWO BROTHERS, so on, so forth, but I LOVE that there's a strong female character who can hold her own against the amazingness of Winchesters. Now, yes, I loved Katie Cassidy's Ruby, but now we have Genevieve, and I do admit I did NOT at all like her portrayal of Ruby at first AT ALL, but I reserved judgment because of my love for the character. And you know what? I may just be a sucker for some Sam/Ruby het but I grew to like New!Ruby, too. And the ending twist just made her awesome, frankly. Yeah, the attempts to make her more "likeable" are obviously what ruined her character more,, but the fact that she was bad the whole time was just cool. Plus, come on: "You didn't need the feather to fly. You had it in you the whole time, Dumbo." Best speech ever. I think she could've been really cool had they not killed her. :(
Castiel. I find Castiel an incredibly enigmatic character, but I'm not apeshit gaga over him like most of the fandom. I was at first, because he was new and shiny, but now he's just another plot device to me. A GOOD device. Do I 'ship Dean/Cas? No, not unless it's epically well-written. Do I believe that Cas cares too much for Dean for what an angel should care? YES. I do believe there's a relationship between them that an angel and a human shouldn't have, but it's a far stretch to me to say that it's sexual. And yes, I enjoy calling him Cas. And I do agree that Misha Collins is himself is pretty awesome, but again, I'm still too in love with Jared and Jensen to be truly Team Misha.
Uriel. There was nothing about Uriel that was not awesome. Angels that are Dicks? CHECK. I am a little miffed at the way his character ends, however, simply because it screws up what we know about angels so far, to me. For starters, the only thing to kill an angel is that sword? Then how come in 4.02 Cas tells Dean he lost soldiers in battle that day? IDK. I liked Uriel, is all.
Anna. I know people don't like her, I know some HATE her, that she's a Mary Sue, unnecessary, so on, so forth. And to a certain extent, I can see and even agree on their points. She was very interesting as 1-900-Angel, when she became a fallen, again, I think it made the mythology more complicated than it needed to be. And now that she's just a rebel angel floating around, urging Cas to fall, I don't know. Again, I reserve judgment, but I think her character has great potential. I like her enough to have created a community for her, for sure. (Shameless plug for spn_anna.) Plus again, I'm a sucker for some Dean/Anna het love. And red hair, and Julie McNiven because she's cute. The only thing I point out to the Anna haters is: Without Anna to tell Dean that she knew what he'd done in hell, that it was OKAY, he would've never opened up to Sam at the end of Heaven and Hell.
Alastair: Dude. Creepiest bad guy ever. A hint of YED with much more malice. I was sad he got offed so soon and that we didn't get to see Dean torture him more, frankly. Plus Dean should've been the one to kill him.
John Winchester: Frankly, I don't like the man, I don't like what he did to his sons, how I'm sure both Dean and Sam carry guilt around to this day that they needn't because of him. But he was a BAMF.
Jess: I wish we could've seen more of her, basically. I would love to know more about her, and her relationship to Sam, her similarities to Dean.
Cassie: I know people hate her too, and I agree, the acting was terrible. But as a character, as the one girl we know of that Dean's loved, that he's wanted to be honest with, that means something. And we can't just forget her.
Adam: Suppose I neeed to throw him in this too. I realize we didn't actually get to know the REAL Adam, and we don't know if the ghoul's impersonation of him was anything similar to his actual personality, sadly. I'm not bothered by the fact that Sam and Dean have a third brother. John was still in love with his dead wife, sure, but he's still a man and men had needs. I thought it was sad that Adam died before they got to know him. Tragic. An unnecessary storyline, but it did show how much Sam has become John. And I am glad it didn't become the Sam, Dean, and Adam show.
Lucifer: I absolutely love, love, what they've done with Lucifer so far. As someone who hates having Christianity forced upon me, I really like the option of showing Lucifer as a sympathetic character. Paradise Lost is one of my favorite pieces of actual "literature" and Satan's story in that is one I didn't mind writing papers on in college. Watching Jared play Samifer in The End sent chills up my spine. It was everything I'd want a Lucifer to be.
Uhm...I don't know what else. Going through individual guest star characters would take much too long, and really, I don't care THAT much.
All episode reviews are located under the tag spn: in retrospect. I don't do them every week, but I do do them frequently. I said do-do, haha.
Onto Fandom. Dun Dun Dun.
Wincest: I admit, I read it, I love it. But like most things I read, I am hugely picky. For instance, the boys should never call each other "baby." And if your fic...nah, I won't get into the details of homosexual sex, that's just weird. But read THIS please and take into consideration before you write fic. Do some research. That's all.
Do I truly believe Sam and Dean are SamnDean? Not so much. There's nothing in canon that shows me without a doubt that they are. In fact, now that The Monster at the End of the Book has poked fun at fandom, I think it's highly unlikely. But I think the possibility is there, and that with the right circumstance (aka the right fic writer's plot) it could easily happen or have happened. I love the idea of the two of them ONLY having each other, because let's face it, with the life they lead, there's not much time left for romance. I think its a perfectly feasible idea that the two of them, on the road and each other as the only constant in one another's life, could have some sort of relationship that goes deeper than siblings. Does that mean I condone incest? Not at all. However, unlike probably the majority of people in the world, I don't actually have a problem with consensual incest, although I do pity the poor souls who would try to make a go of it in today's close-minded world.
J2: I've found myself trying to explain how I feel about this a lot recently, which is the reason I think I finally got around to making this post. And honestly, I still don't think I can explain, lol. For starters, J2 can either mean Jared and Jensen, or Jared/Jensen, depending on the context. Do I think Jared and Jensen are having a secret relationship other than just friendship? I think they've at least thought about it, yeah. They really can't have NOT with all the flack they take about it from fans (and you can't tell me they don't know). But my definition of a relationship can be just an emotional connection and not necessarily a sexual one. I'm not comfortable assuming enough about them to say without a doubt that "OMG THEYRE DOIN IT." And I doubt I ever will be, frankly. I wouldn't want people making that assumption about me and my best friend just because of the way we look at each other and speak of each other and so on, so I can't honestly do it about anyone else. Granted, I do squee along with everyone else when they say things like "WE were late because Jensen hit off instead of snooze" (First example that popped into mind), but overall, I'm just a girl who wants them to be happy, however that may be, but I can indulge in hope with everyone else. I just don't get too invested in it one way or the other. I don't even know if that makes sense.
Genevieve: I haven't watched Wildfire or anything else. I only have Supernatural with which to judge. And while she's not the greatest actress ever, she's held her own on the show. Little shaky at first, but I'm sure it's improved since she became more comfortable with the character. I DON'T think it's right to bash an actress just because you don't like the character she portrays. And while I don't particularly care for the shape of her mouth, she is a very attractive individual. That's about all I have to say there.
Danneel: I've only seen her acting in One Tree Hill, Fired Up, and Ten Inch Hero, and while she's not up to Jensen's acting, she can certainly cry well. Also, she's a beautiful individual, so much so that I'm a little jealous of Jensen. I've watched some interviews with her, and while her voice annoys me a bit and at times she does come off a little fake, there's nothing to suggest she's anything but a nice girl who just happens to be unlucky enough to date a guy with a very protective fandom. I like her, okay? She's fucking gorgeous.
Jared/Gen: I'm a big believer in taking what you see at face value, so until Jared and Genevieve say "We're together" I'm going to keep thinking they're just good friends. WELL THEN. I understand the need to keep a relationship private, I do, but I also understand that if you're happy, you want to share that with other people. I don't quite feel they're doing that. But irregardless, I have no opinion. I just want them happy.
Jensen/Danneel: I think anyone who sticks together for 2+ years has a relationship of some sort. Bottom line. Plus, god, aren't they gorgeous together? I was absolutely thrilled to hear they are engaged, and while yeah, I might be a little disappointed that Jared and Jensen didn't propose to each other, I will be absolutely thrilled if these two do make it to the alter. I love the idea of them making each other smile 'til death do they part because they both have beautiful smiles. And will have beautiful children.
(I started out much more articulate and wanting to be more articulate about this, but I'm tired now and this post is getting really long).
Actually, I think my bottom line is I want the boys happy, whoever they're with.
I'm sure more could be said in this post, and I imagine I'll come back and edit it from time to time, but it's so long and I don't know what else I can say right now. If any of this offends you in any way, first I ask that you try to agree to disagree with me, as it's what I try to do with everyone I don't agree with, but if you find that too difficult, please feel free to defriend me, no hard feeling here. I do ask that you tell me why you're defriending, but it isn't necessary. I'm just one of those people who hates making others unhappy in any way.
I'd leave pictures, but this post is long enough already. Plus I wouldn't be able to pick just one. I'm very indecisive, if you haven't noticed.
Got anything else you want my opinion on? Or think should be included in this post? Feel free to let me know. :)
I realize this is long, but I hope everyone takes the time to read it and comment. I'm really interested in hearing other people's thoughts, even when I don't agree. :) Feel free to point other people over here, too.
last updated: 22 Feb. 2010