Five Years, 100 Episodes: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Five years. 100 episodes. This is a majority of my life, and I can’t think of a better time to post about it. Supernatural has its good and bad moments, but I think that, overall, it’s remained pretty true to itself. Say what you will, but I don’t think the show has really changed that much. It’s still about two brothers saving people and hunting things; the stakes have just gotten a little higher.
So, let’s do this thing.
The Good
*My life in a nutshell. When Supernatural premiered, I was a sophomore in high school. When Supernatural hit its hundredth episode, I was a sophomore in college. When the show was transitioning from one storyline (WTFSamhaspowers?) to another (OMFGApocalypse?), I was transitioning from high school to college. And I was scared. I was looking at moving away from home, having to make all new friends for the first time since kindergarten, and taking on and English-Writing major that would get me nowhere. I wanted to be an author, but I didn’t know if I had it in me. And then I got a review on a fic asking if I was really graduating high school because the reader had thought I was much older than that based on my writing. It gave me the confidence to pursue the major. Later on that first year, I found out I was a runner up in the “In The Hunt” essay contest.
By the end of my freshman year, season four was in full-swing and I’d realized that I was doing a lot of research on angels, demons, Lucifer, and Lilith. So I decided to get credit for that. I can confidently say that, thanks to Supernatural, I am an English/Religion double major, and I’m loving every minute of it. The show helped me find my passions like nothing ever has before, and I’m currently working on my first novel… about Satan. So thanks, Super, for all that.
* #luciferiscoming. Guys, we started a religious war on Twitter. I think that means we win. It also makes for an epic intro for a speech about the benefits of the cult mentality when it comes to entertainment.
*Misha and Marksha. Come on. Lots of people hate Misha, I know, but I haven’t come across one person who complains about Mark (unless they’re making fun of the way he looks). Admit it, Supernatural fandom wouldn’t be as exciting without the Overlord and that guy who chased Billy Zane around pantless. It just wouldn’t.
*Where’d the Fourth Wall go, and why is Misha standing over that pile of rubble with a sledgehammer in his hands?
*Jensen and Jared. Are these not the most understanding guys you’ve ever met? Crazy fans and slash and awkward moments abound, but they deal with it. They must really like money.
* That fucking clock. You know the one I’m talking about. Bitch, if it isn’t in the 100th episode, Kripke’s getting cut. It’s kinda an obsession of mine.
*The fandom. I can seriously say that I love this fandom. Not only do we embrace the show and its characters, but the actors as well. I can go onto any Lost board and ask who’s seen Mark’s porno and people will be like “??? o___0 ???” But not in our fandom. In our fandom, we embrace things like “Blood and Concrete,” “Devour,” “House of Wax,” and even “Karla.” We embrace them because we have a lot of free time on our hands.
* The meta. Just… wow. Whether in show or in fandom, it’s epic.
*THE FANDOM. You guys. The fic, the art, the vids, the comms, the everything. Even the crazies. This fandom is the nicest, most helpful fandom I’ve ever been part of. Call us crazy, but at least we care.
* Fans being included in the show. Love it or hate it, it’s unique. And, love it or hate it, it’s us.
* PWT. ‘Nuff said.
* No matter how awkward the actors look (Jared’s big forehead! Jensen’s bowlegs! Misha’s weird mouth! Mark’s… face!) we still love them. <3
* Charlie. Everybody knows this. I made the Supernatural Charlie the Unicorn videos, and it’s my crowning fandom moment. Do I even need to tell you how surreal that was?
* The tattoos. The fact that they can be so fannish, but still be so subtle. No one even knows what mine's for unless I tell them. Its just a pretty (often hidden) design otherwise.
* The ships. Whether you prefer Wincest, D/C, Sam/Gabriel, or (like me) Dean/Lucifer as your OTP, there’s a little something out there for all of us… even if we sometimes have to write it ourselves.
* Friendship. You know how many cool people I’ve met because of this show? You know how many people I’ve converted? Do you know that I live with three other Supernatural fans? Yeah. It’s like that.
The Bad
* The CW. ‘Nuff said.
* Kripke’s five-year-plan. Yeah, no one actually believes that. Oh, I still trust Kripke. He’s gotten us this far by pulling shit out of his ass. It might not always be spot-on, but the man hasn’t given up yet. And you’ve gotta give him that.
* “Slut/bitch/whore.” “Oh noes, they called that poor girl a whore.” She’s not a whore; she’s the whore. The Whore of Babylon. Fucking look it up, people. “Ruby’s a bitch.” Do you know why Ruby and every other female character we met in season three were bitches? I’m pretty sure that standards for TV changed that year. “Criss Angel is a douchebag? Hahaha! Funny.” No. Double standard. This is what it looks like.
* Crazy fans. It’s a wonder Jensen Ackles attends Asylum anymore.
* Show is racist. Shut up. There are still black people on the show. Like Joshua. And Missouri. And Rufus. Maybe Cassie’s even still alive. And that first crossroads demon who got killed in 1.07.
Yeah, Show is pretty racist. I’ll give you that one.
* “Adam fucking Milligan.” Season four introduced us to a new Winchester. He was pretty pointless because he was dead the whole time. But now he might matter. So, you know, his existence has purpose. Just saying.
* Sam and Dean are too emotional and should man up. Yeah. They should. I mean, they should be steady as she goes, considering they’ve both died multiple times, one has been to Hell, one was addicted to demon blood, they started the Apocalypse, they’re supposed to kill each other, they were raised as nomads and taught that nightmares were real. But they shouldn’t have breaking points. No. Because they’re not like real people. They should be like every character in Smallville and stay the same all the time. Character growth is overrated, right? Right.
* Jump The Shark! You wanna know what my JTS moment was? Sam latching onto Ruby’s arm and slurping down some demon blood. But you know what? It’s still enjoyable. Say what you will about episodes like 4.08, 5.06, 5.12, and others, but for every bad episode, there’s a good one. Like 4.22, 5.16, 5.10.
I hate to say it, but I’m with Becky The SuperFan. If you don’t like it, just stop watching. And if you do, don’t tell us all. Because I stopped caring that you stopped caring a long fucking time ago.
The Ugly
* “I hate this character, and this is why.”
I hate Sam Winchester. I do. I openly admit that. He’s annoying, bratty, and self-centered. But everything he does, he does for a reason. I understand that, and I can sympathize, even if my writing doesn’t show it. He’s trying to be his own person, stand up and assert himself, save his brother and save the world. Sam Winchester is a good person at his core, he has the best intentions at heart, and I can see that. I just don’t like the way he goes about doing things.
You hate Dean Winchester. He’s gotten selfish and whiny and pathetic. But you know what? He’s literally been to Hell and back. He was told to kill his own fucking brother, not just by his father, but by Heaven itself. His only real purpose in life is protecting his family, and he feels that he always fails. That he leads people to damnation. Tell me that you could live his life for 31 years (71 if you count Hell time) and not finally just want to give up. Tell me, honestly.
You hate Castiel. He does nothing and his story goes nowhere. But he’s an angel of the Lord. He tells us this two different times. The first, with a straight posture, confidence, and righteousness. The second, with a slump, alcohol on his breath, and the tone of one who doesn’t really care anymore. But you’re totally right. The character’s stagnant.
So this is it. My little rant/vent/happy 100th post. And here’s my assignment for you, loyal followers: comment and tell me your good, bad, and ugly. Or post them at your own journals. After all, with 100 episodes under our belts, I’m sure there’s something I missed.
So, let’s do this thing.
The Good
*My life in a nutshell. When Supernatural premiered, I was a sophomore in high school. When Supernatural hit its hundredth episode, I was a sophomore in college. When the show was transitioning from one storyline (WTFSamhaspowers?) to another (OMFGApocalypse?), I was transitioning from high school to college. And I was scared. I was looking at moving away from home, having to make all new friends for the first time since kindergarten, and taking on and English-Writing major that would get me nowhere. I wanted to be an author, but I didn’t know if I had it in me. And then I got a review on a fic asking if I was really graduating high school because the reader had thought I was much older than that based on my writing. It gave me the confidence to pursue the major. Later on that first year, I found out I was a runner up in the “In The Hunt” essay contest.
By the end of my freshman year, season four was in full-swing and I’d realized that I was doing a lot of research on angels, demons, Lucifer, and Lilith. So I decided to get credit for that. I can confidently say that, thanks to Supernatural, I am an English/Religion double major, and I’m loving every minute of it. The show helped me find my passions like nothing ever has before, and I’m currently working on my first novel… about Satan. So thanks, Super, for all that.
* #luciferiscoming. Guys, we started a religious war on Twitter. I think that means we win. It also makes for an epic intro for a speech about the benefits of the cult mentality when it comes to entertainment.
*Misha and Marksha. Come on. Lots of people hate Misha, I know, but I haven’t come across one person who complains about Mark (unless they’re making fun of the way he looks). Admit it, Supernatural fandom wouldn’t be as exciting without the Overlord and that guy who chased Billy Zane around pantless. It just wouldn’t.
*Where’d the Fourth Wall go, and why is Misha standing over that pile of rubble with a sledgehammer in his hands?
*Jensen and Jared. Are these not the most understanding guys you’ve ever met? Crazy fans and slash and awkward moments abound, but they deal with it. They must really like money.
* That fucking clock. You know the one I’m talking about. Bitch, if it isn’t in the 100th episode, Kripke’s getting cut. It’s kinda an obsession of mine.
*The fandom. I can seriously say that I love this fandom. Not only do we embrace the show and its characters, but the actors as well. I can go onto any Lost board and ask who’s seen Mark’s porno and people will be like “??? o___0 ???” But not in our fandom. In our fandom, we embrace things like “Blood and Concrete,” “Devour,” “House of Wax,” and even “Karla.” We embrace them because we have a lot of free time on our hands.
* The meta. Just… wow. Whether in show or in fandom, it’s epic.
*THE FANDOM. You guys. The fic, the art, the vids, the comms, the everything. Even the crazies. This fandom is the nicest, most helpful fandom I’ve ever been part of. Call us crazy, but at least we care.
* Fans being included in the show. Love it or hate it, it’s unique. And, love it or hate it, it’s us.
* PWT. ‘Nuff said.
* No matter how awkward the actors look (Jared’s big forehead! Jensen’s bowlegs! Misha’s weird mouth! Mark’s… face!) we still love them. <3
* Charlie. Everybody knows this. I made the Supernatural Charlie the Unicorn videos, and it’s my crowning fandom moment. Do I even need to tell you how surreal that was?
* The tattoos. The fact that they can be so fannish, but still be so subtle. No one even knows what mine's for unless I tell them. Its just a pretty (often hidden) design otherwise.
* The ships. Whether you prefer Wincest, D/C, Sam/Gabriel, or (like me) Dean/Lucifer as your OTP, there’s a little something out there for all of us… even if we sometimes have to write it ourselves.
* Friendship. You know how many cool people I’ve met because of this show? You know how many people I’ve converted? Do you know that I live with three other Supernatural fans? Yeah. It’s like that.
The Bad
* The CW. ‘Nuff said.
* Kripke’s five-year-plan. Yeah, no one actually believes that. Oh, I still trust Kripke. He’s gotten us this far by pulling shit out of his ass. It might not always be spot-on, but the man hasn’t given up yet. And you’ve gotta give him that.
* “Slut/bitch/whore.” “Oh noes, they called that poor girl a whore.” She’s not a whore; she’s the whore. The Whore of Babylon. Fucking look it up, people. “Ruby’s a bitch.” Do you know why Ruby and every other female character we met in season three were bitches? I’m pretty sure that standards for TV changed that year. “Criss Angel is a douchebag? Hahaha! Funny.” No. Double standard. This is what it looks like.
* Crazy fans. It’s a wonder Jensen Ackles attends Asylum anymore.
* Show is racist. Shut up. There are still black people on the show. Like Joshua. And Missouri. And Rufus. Maybe Cassie’s even still alive. And that first crossroads demon who got killed in 1.07.
Yeah, Show is pretty racist. I’ll give you that one.
* “Adam fucking Milligan.” Season four introduced us to a new Winchester. He was pretty pointless because he was dead the whole time. But now he might matter. So, you know, his existence has purpose. Just saying.
* Sam and Dean are too emotional and should man up. Yeah. They should. I mean, they should be steady as she goes, considering they’ve both died multiple times, one has been to Hell, one was addicted to demon blood, they started the Apocalypse, they’re supposed to kill each other, they were raised as nomads and taught that nightmares were real. But they shouldn’t have breaking points. No. Because they’re not like real people. They should be like every character in Smallville and stay the same all the time. Character growth is overrated, right? Right.
* Jump The Shark! You wanna know what my JTS moment was? Sam latching onto Ruby’s arm and slurping down some demon blood. But you know what? It’s still enjoyable. Say what you will about episodes like 4.08, 5.06, 5.12, and others, but for every bad episode, there’s a good one. Like 4.22, 5.16, 5.10.
I hate to say it, but I’m with Becky The SuperFan. If you don’t like it, just stop watching. And if you do, don’t tell us all. Because I stopped caring that you stopped caring a long fucking time ago.
The Ugly
* “I hate this character, and this is why.”
I hate Sam Winchester. I do. I openly admit that. He’s annoying, bratty, and self-centered. But everything he does, he does for a reason. I understand that, and I can sympathize, even if my writing doesn’t show it. He’s trying to be his own person, stand up and assert himself, save his brother and save the world. Sam Winchester is a good person at his core, he has the best intentions at heart, and I can see that. I just don’t like the way he goes about doing things.
You hate Dean Winchester. He’s gotten selfish and whiny and pathetic. But you know what? He’s literally been to Hell and back. He was told to kill his own fucking brother, not just by his father, but by Heaven itself. His only real purpose in life is protecting his family, and he feels that he always fails. That he leads people to damnation. Tell me that you could live his life for 31 years (71 if you count Hell time) and not finally just want to give up. Tell me, honestly.
You hate Castiel. He does nothing and his story goes nowhere. But he’s an angel of the Lord. He tells us this two different times. The first, with a straight posture, confidence, and righteousness. The second, with a slump, alcohol on his breath, and the tone of one who doesn’t really care anymore. But you’re totally right. The character’s stagnant.
So this is it. My little rant/vent/happy 100th post. And here’s my assignment for you, loyal followers: comment and tell me your good, bad, and ugly. Or post them at your own journals. After all, with 100 episodes under our belts, I’m sure there’s something I missed.