John Shiban Interview
To see the source of the article along with some pretty pics, go here: http://www.eclipsemagazine.com/?q=node/4385
Supernatural Goes Lockdown - Eclipse Speaks Exclusively with Executive Producer/Writer John Shiban
By Cordell01
Created 2007-04-25 15:43
Supernatural is the hit CW series about Sam and Dean Winchester --two brothers with a classic car with a trunk full of crazy weapons who are going from one American town to another and finding problems of a supernatural nature that need to be solved. In the latest episode, Folsom Prison Blues, written by John Shiban the Winchester brothers, played by the talented and smoking hot Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester) and Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester) deliberately put themselves behind bars in a county jail to investigate a haunted prison and repay a debt their father owes to an old friend. John Shiban, Executive Producer and series writer, took time out of his busy schedule to speak exclusively to Eclipse Magazine about the challenges of putting Sam and Dean Winchester, whom are also wanted by the FBI, behind bars and about writing the characters and the series in general.
There’s No Escape:
Creating the unique and often times deadly situation that Sam and Dean Winchester find themselves getting into on Supernatural every week and making it into something plausible has its challenges and John Shiban, writer and co- executive producer of the hit CW Network series says that this week’s episode, Folsom Prison Blues, in which the Winchester brothers find themselves breaking into a prison to hunt a supernatural threat, is no different.
John Shiban tells Eclipse Magazine that in Folsom Prison Blues, the boys are also settling an old debt of their father’s and at the same time they have an inside man waiting to help them escape when the time comes. So what was the most difficult challenge about writing this episode of Supernatural? “Honestly, the most difficult thing about this episode was finding a way to not make Sam and Dean look like idiots for conning their way in to a prison,” Shiban says of the storyline.
Rather then trying to side-step the whole issue of why two men already wanted by the law, would do something as risky as break into a prison where they run a greater risk of being cornered, John Shiban says that he chose to hit it head on. “Of course, the fact that Sam keeps pointing out to Dean how stupid his plan is certainly helps take the curse off an incredible situation. Ultimately it worked great - I think the audience will buy this “Prison Break-in” as a viable plan.”
So what attracted John Shiban to writing a story about a haunted prison and what elements of this type of story did he feel made it a good fit for the Supernatural universe and the characters of Sam and Dean Winchester, who were already wanted by the law. “We’re always looking for extreme settings and situations to throw Sam and Dean into - prison is a natural,” John Shiban explains. “It’s inherently rife with drama - and there’s no escape.” Shiban further elaborates by telling us that ever since the first season of Supernatural there has been the idea in the writer’s room of landing the Winchester boys into a haunted prison.
“There’s plenty of lore out there on ghostly apparitions in and around prisons and jails - it was just finding the right story and the right time to do it.” John Shiban tells Eclipse Magazine that as they began plotting out the last third of Supernatural’s season two the writers knew they wanted to turn up the heat on the boys via Agent Henriksen the FBI agent who first appears in the season two episode Night Shifter and who has been seriously tracking the Winchester brothers’ ‘crime spree’. “Landing them in jail seemed the perfect way to do that” Shiban says about the process behind the writing of the episode Folsom Prison Blues.
Of Ghost Motivation and Sibling Rivalry:
Of course this being an episode of Supernatural, there is a very nasty ‘supernatural element’ for the Winchester boys to go up against that may complicate their plans to stay alive long enough to get back out of prison. While trapped behind bars, they find themselves dealing with the vengeful spirit of the long dead but still deadly Nurse Glockler played by the very versatile and talented Andee Frizzell (read Eclipse Magazine’s exclusive interview with Andee Frizzell about her role in Folsom Prison Blues).
So why the spirit of a vengeful prison nurse and not a prisoner Eclipse Magazine asked John Shiban about his choice of supernatural threat in this episode. John Shiban explains that Nurse Glockler was inspired by some real American folklore. “There are several documented hauntings involving prison matrons - we combined that with the idea of an Angel of Death - someone exacting their own brand of justice when the system fails to do so.”
John Shiban says that the writers of Supernatural spend a lot of time in the writer’s room arguing ‘ghost motivation’ and the like. He adds a ‘no, really they do’ to emphasis how seriously the writers and producers take the writing and creating of this series. “It’s important that even a spirit be a well-rounded character. We try to bring a complexity to our ghosts and demons - makes for better mysteries and better dramas.”
In almost every episode of Supernatural, whether they are taking on the risk as a team or as individuals, there is usually one of the two Winchester brothers who are more involved in the direct confrontation with the ‘supernatural threat’. In Folsom Prison Blues, it’s the wisecracking ‘bad boy’ brother, Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), who faces the showdown with the ruthless Nurse Glockler. Eclipse Magazine asked John Shiban about the creative process behind choosing which of the two Winchester brothers will play the larger role, if any, within a confrontation situation like this in an episode of Supernatural. Once one of the brothers was chosen to play a larger role, do the writers have any type of template about how Sam or Dean will approach the situation?
John Shiban is quick to point out that both of the Winchester brothers are well-trained, smart, resourceful - at the same time each has their pet peeves, phobias and fears - like we all do. That the writers don’t have a template for who does what, that they go over the story being written and look for the most intriguing or challenging match-ups between the brothers and the threat/challenges to be faced. “To be honest, often it’s a gut-call on our parts as writers. It just felt right that Dean end up locked in the infirmary with Glockler coming for him - the plan for them to be incarcerated in the first place was his plan, he was the one playing the prison system like a pro, etc.” John Shiban says of the writer’s choice to put Dean Winchester in the hot seat for this episode.
Lest the audience think their might be favoritism going on in the writer’s room at Supernatural, John Shiban is quick to point out that in an equal number of other stories, Sam has been the one in the fray’
“We do try to be ‘fair’ - after all we’re dealing with some sibling rivalry here - wouldn’t want to favor one brother over another,” Shiban says expressing the genuine sense of dedication to Supernatural’s lead characters the writers have and their determination to give both of these lead characters an equal chance to stand out for the audience. To further elaborate on the dedication the writing team of Supernatural has for their lead characters of Sam and Dean Winchester, John Shiban says that from a writer’s perspective that, “each of the boys presents his own challenges to the writers and that this is what makes them good characters.”
They Truly Make a Team
In speaking about writing for Supernatural and creating aspects of Sam and Dean Winchester’s personalities and behaviors, John Shiban says, “to be honest, it’s never easy and that’s how it should be.” Shiban points out that there’s a lot of baggage being carried around by these two characters on the show and he is also quick to give kudos to Supernatural’s lead actors Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles for carrying it on screen with such grace. “We’re constantly reminding ourselves of where these characters have been and where they’re headed.” Shiban explains and says that, for him, the great thing about writing Sam and Dean is that they’re both essential. “They truly make a team - so much about writing one brother hinges on writing the other. In other words, it ain’t easy, but it can sure be fun.”
One thing that seems to have been in place in Supernatural since the pilot episode has been Sam Winchester’s ‘special abilities’ and the plans a ‘Yellow Eyed Demon’ has for him. That there may be some latent darkness lurking inside of Sam that could become more and more of a potential problem for both he and his brother Dean. Eclipse Magazine asked John Shiban if this aspect of Sam Winchester’s storyline was something that the writers need to keep in play in all the episodes? Would the audience be seeing any advancement on this plot element in Folsom Prison Blues?
“Sam’s ‘abilities’ and the plans the Yellow-Eyed Demon has for him is, of course, central to the series and to Sam as a character,” John Shiban says in response. “We never ignore it… however, we never force the issue into an episode, either.”
John Shiban explains that when it comes to this overall element of story arc that the Supernatural writers approach to playing this storyline out within the series is to keep it as realistic as possible in terms of how things happen for people in real life situations. “Just like in real life, personal problems and/or issues sometimes invade one’s public life -- other times, they’re just hiding under the surface. So only when it feels appropriate do we let their issues bubble up into the forefront of the story being told. After all, Sam and Dean have the “family business” to attend to and they, heroically, put the personal aside as much as possible.”
However lest the audience think things regarding this very personal issue for Sam and Dean Winchester isn’t going to be heating up as Supernatural heads towards it’s second season finale, John Shiban adds on a cryptic note: “ Of course, the demons have a nasty habit of catching up to the boys… so stay tuned.”
Meanwhile don’t forget to ‘catch-up’ with Sam and Dean Winchester as the Supernatural boys head off to jail in Folsom Prison Blues airing on the CW Network this Thursday night at 9PM (EST).
Supernatural Goes Lockdown - Eclipse Speaks Exclusively with Executive Producer/Writer John Shiban
By Cordell01
Created 2007-04-25 15:43
Supernatural is the hit CW series about Sam and Dean Winchester --two brothers with a classic car with a trunk full of crazy weapons who are going from one American town to another and finding problems of a supernatural nature that need to be solved. In the latest episode, Folsom Prison Blues, written by John Shiban the Winchester brothers, played by the talented and smoking hot Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester) and Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester) deliberately put themselves behind bars in a county jail to investigate a haunted prison and repay a debt their father owes to an old friend. John Shiban, Executive Producer and series writer, took time out of his busy schedule to speak exclusively to Eclipse Magazine about the challenges of putting Sam and Dean Winchester, whom are also wanted by the FBI, behind bars and about writing the characters and the series in general.
There’s No Escape:
Creating the unique and often times deadly situation that Sam and Dean Winchester find themselves getting into on Supernatural every week and making it into something plausible has its challenges and John Shiban, writer and co- executive producer of the hit CW Network series says that this week’s episode, Folsom Prison Blues, in which the Winchester brothers find themselves breaking into a prison to hunt a supernatural threat, is no different.
John Shiban tells Eclipse Magazine that in Folsom Prison Blues, the boys are also settling an old debt of their father’s and at the same time they have an inside man waiting to help them escape when the time comes. So what was the most difficult challenge about writing this episode of Supernatural? “Honestly, the most difficult thing about this episode was finding a way to not make Sam and Dean look like idiots for conning their way in to a prison,” Shiban says of the storyline.
Rather then trying to side-step the whole issue of why two men already wanted by the law, would do something as risky as break into a prison where they run a greater risk of being cornered, John Shiban says that he chose to hit it head on. “Of course, the fact that Sam keeps pointing out to Dean how stupid his plan is certainly helps take the curse off an incredible situation. Ultimately it worked great - I think the audience will buy this “Prison Break-in” as a viable plan.”
So what attracted John Shiban to writing a story about a haunted prison and what elements of this type of story did he feel made it a good fit for the Supernatural universe and the characters of Sam and Dean Winchester, who were already wanted by the law. “We’re always looking for extreme settings and situations to throw Sam and Dean into - prison is a natural,” John Shiban explains. “It’s inherently rife with drama - and there’s no escape.” Shiban further elaborates by telling us that ever since the first season of Supernatural there has been the idea in the writer’s room of landing the Winchester boys into a haunted prison.
“There’s plenty of lore out there on ghostly apparitions in and around prisons and jails - it was just finding the right story and the right time to do it.” John Shiban tells Eclipse Magazine that as they began plotting out the last third of Supernatural’s season two the writers knew they wanted to turn up the heat on the boys via Agent Henriksen the FBI agent who first appears in the season two episode Night Shifter and who has been seriously tracking the Winchester brothers’ ‘crime spree’. “Landing them in jail seemed the perfect way to do that” Shiban says about the process behind the writing of the episode Folsom Prison Blues.
Of Ghost Motivation and Sibling Rivalry:
Of course this being an episode of Supernatural, there is a very nasty ‘supernatural element’ for the Winchester boys to go up against that may complicate their plans to stay alive long enough to get back out of prison. While trapped behind bars, they find themselves dealing with the vengeful spirit of the long dead but still deadly Nurse Glockler played by the very versatile and talented Andee Frizzell (read Eclipse Magazine’s exclusive interview with Andee Frizzell about her role in Folsom Prison Blues).
So why the spirit of a vengeful prison nurse and not a prisoner Eclipse Magazine asked John Shiban about his choice of supernatural threat in this episode. John Shiban explains that Nurse Glockler was inspired by some real American folklore. “There are several documented hauntings involving prison matrons - we combined that with the idea of an Angel of Death - someone exacting their own brand of justice when the system fails to do so.”
John Shiban says that the writers of Supernatural spend a lot of time in the writer’s room arguing ‘ghost motivation’ and the like. He adds a ‘no, really they do’ to emphasis how seriously the writers and producers take the writing and creating of this series. “It’s important that even a spirit be a well-rounded character. We try to bring a complexity to our ghosts and demons - makes for better mysteries and better dramas.”
In almost every episode of Supernatural, whether they are taking on the risk as a team or as individuals, there is usually one of the two Winchester brothers who are more involved in the direct confrontation with the ‘supernatural threat’. In Folsom Prison Blues, it’s the wisecracking ‘bad boy’ brother, Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), who faces the showdown with the ruthless Nurse Glockler. Eclipse Magazine asked John Shiban about the creative process behind choosing which of the two Winchester brothers will play the larger role, if any, within a confrontation situation like this in an episode of Supernatural. Once one of the brothers was chosen to play a larger role, do the writers have any type of template about how Sam or Dean will approach the situation?
John Shiban is quick to point out that both of the Winchester brothers are well-trained, smart, resourceful - at the same time each has their pet peeves, phobias and fears - like we all do. That the writers don’t have a template for who does what, that they go over the story being written and look for the most intriguing or challenging match-ups between the brothers and the threat/challenges to be faced. “To be honest, often it’s a gut-call on our parts as writers. It just felt right that Dean end up locked in the infirmary with Glockler coming for him - the plan for them to be incarcerated in the first place was his plan, he was the one playing the prison system like a pro, etc.” John Shiban says of the writer’s choice to put Dean Winchester in the hot seat for this episode.
Lest the audience think their might be favoritism going on in the writer’s room at Supernatural, John Shiban is quick to point out that in an equal number of other stories, Sam has been the one in the fray’
“We do try to be ‘fair’ - after all we’re dealing with some sibling rivalry here - wouldn’t want to favor one brother over another,” Shiban says expressing the genuine sense of dedication to Supernatural’s lead characters the writers have and their determination to give both of these lead characters an equal chance to stand out for the audience. To further elaborate on the dedication the writing team of Supernatural has for their lead characters of Sam and Dean Winchester, John Shiban says that from a writer’s perspective that, “each of the boys presents his own challenges to the writers and that this is what makes them good characters.”
They Truly Make a Team
In speaking about writing for Supernatural and creating aspects of Sam and Dean Winchester’s personalities and behaviors, John Shiban says, “to be honest, it’s never easy and that’s how it should be.” Shiban points out that there’s a lot of baggage being carried around by these two characters on the show and he is also quick to give kudos to Supernatural’s lead actors Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles for carrying it on screen with such grace. “We’re constantly reminding ourselves of where these characters have been and where they’re headed.” Shiban explains and says that, for him, the great thing about writing Sam and Dean is that they’re both essential. “They truly make a team - so much about writing one brother hinges on writing the other. In other words, it ain’t easy, but it can sure be fun.”
One thing that seems to have been in place in Supernatural since the pilot episode has been Sam Winchester’s ‘special abilities’ and the plans a ‘Yellow Eyed Demon’ has for him. That there may be some latent darkness lurking inside of Sam that could become more and more of a potential problem for both he and his brother Dean. Eclipse Magazine asked John Shiban if this aspect of Sam Winchester’s storyline was something that the writers need to keep in play in all the episodes? Would the audience be seeing any advancement on this plot element in Folsom Prison Blues?
“Sam’s ‘abilities’ and the plans the Yellow-Eyed Demon has for him is, of course, central to the series and to Sam as a character,” John Shiban says in response. “We never ignore it… however, we never force the issue into an episode, either.”
John Shiban explains that when it comes to this overall element of story arc that the Supernatural writers approach to playing this storyline out within the series is to keep it as realistic as possible in terms of how things happen for people in real life situations. “Just like in real life, personal problems and/or issues sometimes invade one’s public life -- other times, they’re just hiding under the surface. So only when it feels appropriate do we let their issues bubble up into the forefront of the story being told. After all, Sam and Dean have the “family business” to attend to and they, heroically, put the personal aside as much as possible.”
However lest the audience think things regarding this very personal issue for Sam and Dean Winchester isn’t going to be heating up as Supernatural heads towards it’s second season finale, John Shiban adds on a cryptic note: “ Of course, the demons have a nasty habit of catching up to the boys… so stay tuned.”
Meanwhile don’t forget to ‘catch-up’ with Sam and Dean Winchester as the Supernatural boys head off to jail in Folsom Prison Blues airing on the CW Network this Thursday night at 9PM (EST).