Demand actual ensemble dramas: This means you, SPN.

[newredshoes]

Note: This started as a ramble on one thing, and then it morphed into something totally different and way bigger. I sometimes come to conclusions in the process of writing them out, so these thoughts might not be fully formed yet.

The more I think about last night's SPN, the more irritated I get about it.

Comments

[brewsternorth]

1) excellent thinkies in general (and yeah, it's one thing to wibbly-wobbly science in the name of drama, it's quite another to handwave peoples' Aksull Kulchas Like);
2) *thank you* for linking to the Protagonist Privilege post. I'd spotted it on friendsfriends and forgotten to mem it (on DWth or otherwise).

[newredshoes]

Thank you! Yeah, just -- the laziness with the Norse mythology was bad enough. Baldur and Loki being alive/loose? Are evidence of Ragnarok. They're not just cruising around all this time! I can't imagine/begin to think about how poorly they wrote the others.

Happy to help!

[greyandgrey]

I agree with you a lot. I really enjoyed the episode, and also felt that it could have been done better. The Collecting of the Gods should have at the very least been a multi-episode arc, and they should have been shown as a lot more powerful

[newredshoes]

I think I said it somewhere else, but I want an actual trickster god to be on the show, and I want him to be played by Rick Gomez. COME ON.

A multi-episode arc would have been amazing. I really like how that approach has worked out on Chuck, and I think it would be good on SPN too.

It's sort of the same complaint people had about Bela, in a way: in order to make her look awesome, the boys got stupid. (I thought she was pretty awesome on her own, but this is another thing altogether.) As for Lucifer, I mean... it's hard to judge. The gods are supposed to be run-down and neglected, which in some cases is a whole other boondoggle (thanks, show), and Lucifer is a show-stopper, the second-most powerful being after God. But I wish there'd been more of a fight there.

[angelislington]

I love this so much Esther. *hugs you tight*

I just deleted an enormous waffling wall of text, because I don't feel I quite have the words to respond to your eloquent post, but I still wanted you to know how much I understand and agree with your point of view. ♥

[newredshoes]

*HUGS* I always want to hear what you have to say, lovely. <333333

[pneumatique]

yeah, i agree so much. as mumblemutter once said: you don't get to kill the pagan gods. i really never watch spn anymore, haven't in two seasons, but that was something that always bothered me. i think "a very supernatural christmas" was one of the things that sort of made me go "oh, damn, i can't deal with this anymore." it isn't actually about offending anyone, although if you're going to take on a major world religion you had better be pretty damn careful of that too (it made my friend cry. just saying.) even the dead gods deserve more respect than this. and the story could be so brilliant if it were done with even half a glance at respect for cultural identity.

on the upside, that would be an amazing ficathon, and you've just reminded me somehow of the qallupilluit, who absolutely terrified me as a child. i want inuit hunters! but, er, not actually in the show, as i suspect it would make my eyes bleed (i predict: sedna in a very small dress and liberal use of the word "eskimo.")

[newredshoes]

If I was not already overcommitted like crazy, I would set up that ficathon in a New York minute. And I just looked up the Qallupilluit, and oh wow. Fans, I think, could really do them right. I don't really trust the show either, alas.

[rodlox]

I'd like to sign up for this ficathon as well, if I may.

[newredshoes]

Oh man, if I am crazy enough to put it together, I will keep the world posted.

[clayworshippers]

Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes. I wish they weren't portrayed as so barbaric, yet I'm not sure the current writers (with the exception of Ben Edlund. Damn, he needs to write more.) would be able to reconcile the Christian vs. pagan vs. Buddhist/Hindu/whatever worlds very well. I don't understand this show sometimes: in things like Faith and 99 Problems, they clearly weren't a fan of devout Christians, yet they seem to treat Christianity as the all-powerful religion. The Trickster couldn't be as powerful as he is without hosting an archangel. I mean, really?

Only one thing: Instead, in the end, Kali the Destroyer looked foolish and deluded, and had to be rescued. Alas.

I didn't really see it that way, maybe because I didn't want to, haha. I think Gabester cared about her enough to yank her out of there and not take the risk of losing her. Oh, I so hope Kali comes back. I really loved that actress.

[newredshoes]

they clearly weren't a fan of devout Christians, yet they seem to treat Christianity as the all-powerful religion.

So much word.

Kali coming back would be awesome. More Kali, please.