The First Supernatural Season Eight Spoiler Has Surfaced!
This was published in this week’s issue of TV Guide (we’ll have the screen shot up of it later). There’s a bit in there about what to expect at the beginning of Supernatural season 8 from Executive Producer Robert Singer and how the ending of the season 7 finale ties into it. It’s interesting! Certainly enough to wildly fuel speculation. Keep in mind only the items in quotes are Robert Singer’s words. The rest belongs to the writer of the piece.
Why did Crowley send Dean to Purgatory and leave Sam alone?
The demon doesn’t like either brothers but unfortunately, "Dean was with the angel Cas," Crowley’s sworn enemy, "when they found Roman," explains exec producer Robert Singer. "That decision plays well into next season because Sam (Jared Padalecki) has generally been the more sensitive one, and to have him deal with a human problem rather than a supernatural one just seemed right to us." But as soon as Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Cas (Misha Collins) found themselves in Purgatory, the angel dematerialized. Misha’s minions can relax –that doesn’t mean fan favorite Cas is gone for good when the show returns next season. "Our intention is to have Cas back for a number of episodes," Singer promises.
Then…, there’s this stray quote in the corner of the blurb.
"The brothers are reunited on screen quickly, but much time will have passed," says executive producer Robert Singer.
Okay, time to speculate away!
Alice Jester is the founder, editor-in-chief, head writer, programmer, web designer, site administrator, marketer, and moderator for The Winchester Family Business. She is a 30 year IT applications and database expert with a penchant for creative and freelance writing in her spare (ha!!) time. That’s on top of being a wife, mother of two active kids, and four loving (aka needy) pets.
For me, this spoiler was a wet blanket thrown over all the possibilities of S8 and my excitement for a Purgatory story.
First, no mention of a story for Dean, only that he was collateral damage to Crowley going after Cas. It’s too early to speculate on what that means, but I was rather hoping that Purgatory would see a return of badass hunter Dean and be a significant storyline for him. Sure, we could see some flashbacks here and there, but flashbacks could just mean Dean is given some screen-time, something as a reason for him being in the show. It could also mean that saving Cas from Crowley is the mytharc of the season (which, to me, is back to the focus of the show being on Cas.)
I wasn’t at all in favor of a time jump. The spoiler, to me, means Cas will be in Crowley’s clutches and the Purgatory story will only be shown occasionally when there are episodes with Cas.
I have no idea what the human story sensitive Sam will be getting means; but, again, it is indication that Sam has a story this season. That’s a step forward. Perhaps that human story has something to do with Dean? We’ll see.
Mostly, though, I cringed that so much emphasis was put on Crowley going after Cas. I have this vision of support characters getting the storyline again this year, of the brothers trying to save Cas, or something mundane like that. If the emphasis is put on support characters again this season, I am so done with this show.
So, for me, this spoiler was a real bummer, but I keep putting my faith in Jeremy Carver and hope that he does something good with the J2s and the series.
Oh, well….shrugs and throws wish list in the trash.
It sounds to me like Dean might be getting a supernatural story and Sam a human story – which could mean season 4 all over again. Dean got the mytharc and the human story. And also season 6 but with the brothers just flipped over, like the show tends to do, usually at Sam’s expense.
Unless Sam is now the Show’s Primary POV like Dean has been, these spoilers mean nothing for Sam. Sam has had a human story all along, but because he had that demon blood in him, the writers chose to frame it all negatively, and with racism, even as late as last season with Dean killing Amy. SPN has simply killed too many monsters that Sam relates to for it not to be racist anti-Sam swill by this point. Sam went crazy last season, how much more human could you get? But we saw NONE of it!!!! Nothing but 4 episodes and nothing in between. That is NOT a story line, a story, or an arc. It’s two tent poles with no tent to hold up in between.
There is a lot of bad writing to make up for in season 7, but I doubt the writers even know how badly they failed. All of them. I blame Ben Edlund for introducing the idiotic hand rub idea in the first place, even though HCW was a great episode.
Also, Season 7’s episodes 1 and 2 were among the best this show’s ever had. But then you could see it all collapsing in the first 5 minutes of episode 3. And it really did ruin the entire season, because the show never recovered it’s heart and mental faculties.
clapping so hard in agreement with your post Blue Steel my hands hurt!!!
This spoiler sounds weird cause nobody knows whats up.
This is just speculations to me things change.
The interviewer sounds confuse a bit in just jot down something.
For Me, it would be ok if the story of Purgatory is told in flashbacks as long as it gets told. (Like the episode I know What You Did Last Summer)
Told in flashback is a good idea! You clever thing, you!!! It would be a canny way to slow-release character change or information, whilst maintaining an ongoing story. And more like internal depth instead of just external detail because it comes from past/memory. Hope you’re right.
I read somewhere, from someone who has followed Carver’s work, that he’s very good at tracking various plot lines and maintaining development for all his characters, so I think you’re right to stay optimistic.
🙂
Is this real or someone’s photoshop?? There’s something odd about it.
I mean, what has Crowley to do with Dean and Cas being sent to Purgatory? The question is either cracked, or too knowing. It’s possible but how would you get to that so automatically? I’m also puzzled by the ‘more sensitive one’.
I sincerely hope it’s a fake or else early thinking, soon to be superseded. Have the writers written yet? The Winchesters’ separate storylines that seemed promised by the finale were intriguing, good for character and plot development, something fresh for the show in its 8th season, and welcome to the actors too. Plus I was looking forward to having our angel back for a few episodes in a new and challenging setting. What can I say? Along with John Winchester, Cas is my second-favourite character on the show. Bless his wings.
But I guess we have to see how it plays. The best of these actors can make a great deal out of little and I still want to (and do) believe in Jeremy Carver’s approach. I’m hoping he values the brothers equally.
Blue Steel, I’m confused by your charge that the show is racist against Sam? You mean the Polish reference? Surely not!
This is real. Several people can confirm it was in the TV guide that arrived in the mail yesterday. I believe it hits newstands today.
Oh yes, you better believe they are writing season 8 now. Writers go back to work in May, much sooner than everyone else. Pre-production for the first ep starts in late June, they start shooting the first week of July.
Ta for the info, Alice. In in the UK so no way of checking these things.
It’s a puzzling article. Perhaps as you imply, kind of, there’s some slippage between the quoted stuff and the commentary.
Those writers… What a fantastic job they have!!
people need to chill out SPN fans go crazy with spoilers.
But these people can’t just bust out in say “oh sam and dean will be apart for 3 days”. That would seriously be a spoiler in to much info cause season 8 hasn’t started.
A return of sensitive Sam? Woohoo!! Soulless Sam was sexy but sensitive Sam is sweet. And a ‘human’ story? Awesome. Though I do agree with Blue Steel. All Sam’s problems thus far have been quintessentially ‘human’; disease, dependence, destiny etc just presented in a negatively supernatural way.
I’m not too keen on the idea of a time jump. I’d have liked about 3, maybe 4 episodes of separation to explore how the boys cope on their own (though in fairness, when have the boys ever been separated for long periods of time? It’s very seasons 3 and 5 finales in that regard). Plus, it’d be a chance to have two separate yet equal storylines going at once. Still though, might be the cue for a lot of flashbacks? Maybe Dean to come back a bit supernaturally….
And Castiel dematerialised? That yellow bellied, lily livered son of a God. Should be fun.
I don’t know whether or not to put too much faith in it as a spoiler though. Might be more ponderings. Plus, these things are very subjective. Very little of what were given as spoilers in the aftermath of season 6 actually panned out.
[quote]
If the emphasis is put on support characters again this season, I am so done with this show.
[/quote]
Me too. I hope the focus is well and truly back on the brothers next season.
I’m torn on the time jump. As much as I wanted them reunited quickly I was also hoping for a few weeks of watching Sam coping/not coping with being alone again and working to get Dean back and of watching Dean getting his badassness back again in Purgatory. Hopefully, seeing as much time has passed, we’ll get a massive reunion hug.
On the plus side I’m intrigued by Sam having a ‘human’ story. Although, as the question concerned the cliffhanger (and there’s a time jump) I’m guessing this ‘human problem’ is him being Dean-less and that it will be resolved in the first episode when Dean comes back. And we’ll then see more of this time jump period, both Sam’s experiences and Dean’s, in some later flashback episode. Then again… that sounds just like a variation of his storyline after Dean went to Hell so maybe it will be a completely different story. Heck, I need more spoilers like now!! 😆
Every year I tell myself I’m not going to get sucked into the summer spoiler frenzy but as soon as the first hints of new season spoilers come out I’m glued to my computer screen in seconds. I love summer spoilers. 😆
Another time jump? They don’t even recognize the year we had in s6! Really they need to let go of all that stuff.
Vague spoiler is vague! So as usual, I’m going to do what I always do, I’m going to wait to see the show. I’m not going to start to judge a season that has only just gone into development, is a month away from shooting and several months away from on-air! A TV show is a living, breathing, evolving creature. So I will (not) wait patiently for my favorite show to come back on and then I’ll let it breathe as it settles into its story line. Like I always do…. I’ll be excited, because it’s Supernatural and I love it, if I didn’t I wouldn’t be watching it anymore.
I like the flashbacks idea. They done well with that in past seasons with flashbacks of young Dean and Sam/John and Mary. I would also give Jared and Jensen some time off with different episodes focused more on one brother than the other. I would love flashbacks of Dean in Purgatory dealing with surviving..and Cas and Sam here dealing with finding a way to get Dean out and what’s left of the Leviathan. I don’t want this every episode, but occasionally would be ok. Can’t wait to see what Jeremy Carver has planned. 🙂
Is Cas not in Purgatory with Dean? and if he can get out can’t he get Dean out too?.
To be honest I would like Sam to be able to retrieve Dean without Supernatural help but I cant see how he can get his brother out ? but I suppose that is for the writers to work out.
The posts crack me up sometimes!! It’s a make believe show about creatures that don’t exist, but people get upset when they don’t think that the “one hour” show (that shows weeks worth of action for the characters in that one hour),shows the correct time line.
Plus they get upset when the brothers are apart,but now are upset that they are going to be reunited quickly (but for story purposes, a lot of time will have passed).
Sounds like a GREAt set up to some GREAT stories to me. Like sweetondean, I can hardly wait to see what they do with it. BUT, anticipation makes it all the sweeter
I have to admit I panicked when I first read this. Partly because I thought the killing of Dick Roman was what blasted/sucked/transported Dean & Cas to Purgatory. Crowley??? I’m confused. He showed up after they were gone.
What is a human problem exactly? Like Tim, I thought if you were a homo sapien dealing with an issue, that would de facto make it a “human problem”.
And the word “quickly” depends somewhat on its frame of reference. Molasses pours “quickly” in January, as compared to the rate of growth of grass in January, when observed north of the 50th parallel! (Little Canadian reference there. I hope Crowley isn’t offended now that we’re the Dominion of Crowley!)
To calm myself, I reminded myself.. I’ve had to create promotional material for something I’ve only started to write or plan out. When I look back on it, its’ usually vague, doesn’t make a lot of sense, and often doesn’t really describe the finished product.
Given production schedules to get the TVGuide magazine out (a couple of weeks of prep time before being mailed out, so probably mid-May) versus when the SPN writers were actually mapping out Season 8, I’d hazard a guess Robert Singer gave these quotes just as they were starting to craft the overall vision for next year. I expect much will change.
Sometimes it’s such a curse to be a Spoilerphile!
Pragmatic Dreamer
So, the frenzy begins…. 🙂
Personally, I’m going to sit back and take in the spoilers, but hold on making any judgments until the beginning of the season. There’s a lot of time between now and the finished project and a lot of things can change. Anyone who’s ever written any fiction knows that one!
With that being said, go grab a cold one, find a nice comfy seat and chill. We’ve got the whole summer to discuss this and I’m sure there will be many more juicy tidbits to come. 😆
I think I’m just going to take a breather, rewatch all of SPN from season one to the end of season seven, and wait patiently (okay, maybe not so patiently) for season eight to begin. I like spoilers, but lets cool our jets before jumping to conclusions too fast. As Sweetondean said, a television show is a living, breathing, evolving entity, so many things can change from one day to the next.
I read that in the tvguide yesterday and I was like right like the ‘year’ that Soulless Sam was doing Chuck knows what. Sablegreen, I agree, exactly what year is SPN taking place in?
Maybe time in Purgatory is like time in Hell?
And what is ‘much time’?
It is going to be a long summer.
“The brothers are reunited on screen quickly, but much time will have passed,” says executive producer Robert Singer.
I am surprised that every body is surprised at the time jump.
Something Supernatural always tried to do is stick to the timeline. For example a Halloween ep during Halloween, a x-mas ep between Thanksgiving and Christmas etc. Therefore we need a time jump to pass the time between the last ep in May and the first one in October – logical – don’t you think so. Plus we been there before.
Remember Swan Song and then the first ep during the next season over a year has past. I think that time jump of more than a year worked for the show. Plus we got flashbacks. Ok, I admit, only a few Dean flash backs in the first ep of that season but common, what is there to tell about a boring live of a guy who leads an ordinary family live with an ordinary job. But we got quite a few flash backs of Sam’s year away from Dean. So I expect to see a few flashbacks this time of both brothers.
And the quote that the brothers will be reunited quickly doesn’t mean it will happen during the first ep not even during the second. It might as well be the third or fourth ep. We don’t know. I actually don’t think it will happen during the first ep since Jensen is going to direct that one and he has voiced on more than one occassion that he prefers to direct an ep with not so much Dean in it. Therefore I think we will not see that much Purgetory during the first ep and the brotherly hug will have to wait till a later ep.
I love these teaser and how everybody gives away stuff that tells you nothing but still they always stick to the truth.
[quote]Sam (Jared Padalecki) has generally been the more sensitive one, and to have him deal with a human problem rather than a supernatural one just seemed right to us.[/quote]
This line scares me a little. I have no idea how they define “sensitive.” I just hope they don’t further butcher his character by regressing him back from adult to little brother. As for the “human problem,” we’ll have to wait and see whether this is much of a story.
The two concrete things that I got out of this is that Cas isn’t going to be keeping Dean company in Purgatory. He’ll be back, but if they’re only talking a few episodes, his disappearance doesn’t sound like it was just a scouting expedition. The other is that we won’t see much of Purgatory, which wasn’t a huge shock to me because SPN doesn’t have the CGI budget to pull something like that off.
I don’t understand. From which Singer’s words have you taken the idea that Cas won’t be in Purgatory as much time as Dean? Singer said only that they want “to have Cas back [u]for [/u]a number of episodes”, but he didn’t say after how many episodes he (and Dean) will be back, or if he will be with Dean when he’ll escape/will be saved from Purgatory. Maybe he’ll stay in Purgatory after Dean’s escape, and he’ll be saved afterward, or they’ll escape from Purgatory together, but then Cas will go away (or he will have to run away from Crowley) and will be again an occasional presence.
And from which words do you take the idea that the focus of the season will be Crowley going after Cas? Or Cas having to be saved from Crowley? Yes, Crowley IS after Cas, but he’s after the brothers too. And after Meg. And he was after Dick. He’s just being Crowley, nothing new. So?
Dont’ know, I think it’s a bit too early for tearing your hair out.
They won’t do it, but it would be nice if Sam and Dean were reunited IN Purgatory.
Ginger [quote]If the emphasis is put on support characters again this season, I am so done with this show.[/quote]
Gwen [quote]Me too. I hope the focus is well and truly back on the brothers next season.[/quote]
I don’t.
(Yikes, side character hate much?) Personally, I think it would be incredibly boring to just focus on the two brothers. Note, I [i]love[/i] Dean and Sam, but I wouldn’t watch the show if it was just them.
Why? Because while the main characters of the show (Dean and Sam) are very important, side characters add spice to the story. Bring in a new breeze when the air gets to stuffy. And shows focusing on only the hero(s) and a main villain [b]will[/b]get stuffy and boring. Also, most shows that go down that path tend to get repetitive. Something I’d hate to see happen to SPN. I loved Castiel and Crowley, I thought their stories were really interesting. And I really enjoyed Castiel’s character changing the more he interacted with the Winchesters. Side characters are what make a good story great.
(btw, I hope we’ll get to see Castiel a lot more in Season 8 then Season 7. )
I’m [i]very [/i]excited for Season 8, though I am a little disappointing seeing that it seems their doing another Time Jump. But until Season 8 starts that’s up in the air so I can still hope we’ll get a few episodes in Purgatory.
It’s not that we want “just the brothers” or no one else to fill the world, it’s the “focus” of the show that is lacking. Sam & Dean are all too often not the focus of the story anymore. And often not the real heroes and way too often too stupid to figure out the solutions to their problems.
I’m more than happy to have Cas, Bobby, Meg, John and Lucifer, they make the world rich and are the foils the brothers play off of. But I am done with Sam and Dean the pretty wallpaper in the background.
There are many angry fans about this. Good writers used to have stories for all, and developed all the characters, but not anymore, and it has to stop.