Connecting with the Audience in Season 10: A Plea to the Supernatural Writers
When we sit down to watch an episode of Supernatural, we do it with the same expectations that we have whenever we view a TV show (or read a book, or go to a movie, for that matter). We expect to be entertained. But beyond that, and perhaps more accurately, we want to feel something. We want the story (in whatever form it comes to us in) to move us in some way. We want to be fascinated, scared, or excited – made to laugh, brought to tears, and left to ponder the deeper meaning behind the narrative. Needless to say, it’s a tall order. But a high-quality story has the ability to do all that, and more. We know Supernatural has delivered these types of stories. But sometimes the show doesn’t live up to its potential to connect with us as deeply as it could. Unfortunately, Season Nine was, for me, one of those times.
This essay is an exercise in fantasy. It includes what I’d say if by some stroke of luck I got the chance to fly to LA, march into the writers’ room, represent the viewing audience, and give the Supernatural writers a piece of my mind for 15 minutes. To be clear, though, this isn’t about bad-mouthing the writers, or accusing them of hating particular characters, or not caring about the show. This article assumes the writers are interested in the story they’re telling and want to do a good job. And this isn’t about the storylines per say (which could be the subject of a whole other essay), but more about the execution of those storylines.
And yes, in this exercise I’ll be taking the liberty of speaking for the viewing audience (and more specifically for the fandom) by putting us all under the umbrella term of “we.” I know in reality I’m voicing only my own opinion, but on the other hand, I have been on enough boards and have read enough posts to get a general idea of what the fans have a consensus about regarding the story. So, if I could have the writers ‘attention for just a few moments before the start of Season 10, I would implore them to consider the following elements (discussed in no particular order) that would likely increase the audience’s connection with the characters and the story, allowing for greater investment in the narrative. And just as a point of clarity, the “you” of this essay is the group of writers. Keep in mind I’m talking directly to them.
Hello Jeremy and all of the Supernatural writing team (just go with me on this). First, let me say that I know how much you all care about what you do. And I know how hard you work. I’ve studied enough about writing to know that what you do is not easy. Writing is a difficult endeavor, and TV scriptwriting is a very specific, technical, fast paced format in which to tell a story. It certainly doesn’t allow for the kind of sweeping narratives that can unfold in a novel. Yet, writing a serialized TV show (especially a long running one like Supernatural) provides an opportunity to craft detailed stories and tackle in-depth character exploration. But in the haze of pitching, outlining, and rewriting, it might become difficult to see the forest for the trees. At its essence, Supernatural tells a very human story about two brothers who battle evil. That’s the story your audience has invested in, and your job is to keep us interested and connected through all the twists and turns (23 episodes worth) of that story, while maintaining the central focus of it. So if you will, allow me to make some suggestions that will help the viewers stay connected, no matter what the mythology brings.
Give Sam and Dean a Reliable Voice: By now, you’ve each acquired your own style and writing voice, which is as it should be. However, Sam and Dean shouldn’t have any of the writers’ voices – they should have their own. The Winchesters should be so well known to all of you that no matter what happens to these brothers, they should speak like themselves, and no matter who writes them, we should be able to recognize the traits that have long been established for Sam and Dean. That’s not to say the brothers’ behavior has to be predictable. But it shouldn’t be grossly out of character either. Whatever their actions, the reasons for those actions have to match the thoughts and motivations that are consistent with these characters.
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Let us See where Sam and Dean (and Castiel) are Emotionally in the Story: As fans, we’re already invested in these characters. Even so, in order to continue to relate to them, we have to have some insight into their thoughts and feelings. As you know, the only way to do that in a TV show is by way of the characters’ actions and through dialogue. We need Sam and Dean to talk to each other more. Or, they at least need to talk to other characters. Whichever way you choose to do it, show what they’re going through while they’re actually going through it. If Sam doesn’t look for Dean in Purgatory and throws away his phones, fine – but give him a few sentences to explain why he did so every time Dean (or another character) confronts him about it. If Dean says Benny is a better brother, let him explain the context of that statement. If Sam implies he and Dean can’t be brothers, show why he feels that way. For example, couldn’t you have had Sam tell Dean he was having nightmares about his hands killing Kevin before the season finale? Better yet, why not show Sam actually having the nightmares?
Though we fans like to engage in head canon, we shouldn’t have to do it so frequently. Because if we do, the story becomes less meaningful to the audience – namely because everyone is guessing what it actually means. It also seems to increase the anger and hostility on the message boards. Often times on Supernatural fan forums, discussion about the episode gives way to arguments when fans fight over what actually happened on screen. Yes, I know, all fiction is left to be interpreted by the audience to an extent, but if we’re constantly doing it because the writing is so vague, then maybe something’s missing. This can be fixed with more explicit action and dialogue from the characters, especially the brothers. At the very least, let Sam and Dean finish their own sentences. Sometimes men actually do have a whole conversation with one another.
Address Canon Inconsistencies: We’re all willing to suspend our disbelief to venture into the Supernatural universe. We would, however, like that universe to be consistent within the rules you created for it. Of course, you certainly have the right to add on to canon whenever you see fit. But we’re smart, and we know this world, so if you’re going to change it, please give an explanation (even just a short one) for why the rules have changed. More specifically, provide reasons for why something that was previously one way, is now another, different way. At the very least, have a character mention the discrepancy. For example, in episode 9.22 (“Stairway to Heaven”) when Dean encountered Tessa, if he had uttered even one line that expressed his surprise that Tessa was not just a reaper but an angel as well, it would have gone a long way with the audience.
Most often, fans will come up with our own explanations for canon inconsistencies, but it would be better if you addressed them for us. Otherwise, if reapers just go rogue, if Sam waltzes in and out of Hell easily, or if Sam is supposed to be 12 in a flashback but is played by a kid who looks to be about seven (I could list more, but you get the idea), it cheapens the world you created, and assumes the audience isn’t paying close attention. We’re more likely to accept changes to already established canon if you acknowledge, through the characters, that things are changing, or are not actually how they once appeared to be.
Let Humans Play a Part in the Story Again. Sam and Dean operate in a Supernatural world, but it’s always been humanity that they care about. Recently, though, except when they’re interviewing someone, the brothers have interacted more with supernatural beings than they have with humans. And while it’s good that Supernatural has grown beyond the person-in-peril, monster of the week episodes to an expansive mythology, we need to be able to connect with some regular people again. Even the recurring characters have moved into the supernatural world: Garth is now a werewolf, Charlie is in Oz, and Kevin (who was already a prophet) is dead and has become a ghost – at this point only Sheriff Mills is living a human life.
It would be interesting to revisit how the human world is affected by the supernatural one. Over the years, your predecessors (though Jeremy was here for some of it) have given us multi-layered guest-star characters that were easy to empathize with, even in just one episode. Remember Layla from “Faith,” Ronald Reznik from “Nightshifter” and the Carters from “Family Remains?” Remember when Sam and Dean were tasked with saving people, and those people played a big part in the episode (even if in the end they couldn’t all be saved)? Episodes like “Croatoan,” “Jus in Bello,” and “Good God, Y’All!” showcased the Winchesters working with humans throughout the whole story. And those stories produced memorable, emotionally powerful episodes.
This season, the angels falling to earth provided a good opportunity to show how people might be impacted by such a cataclysmic event. We saw a few people possessed by angels, but we didn’t delve deeper into how anybody was truly affected by supernatural forces. The exceptions were in “Mother’s Little Helper,” and “Alex, Annie, Alexis, Ann,” where you successfully gave us one-off characters we could empathize with and hope for, too. With so much death on Supernatural, it feels good to see someone saved, and we like when Sam and Dean get to put something in the “win” column.
Be Thoughtful When Writing Guest-Star Characters: I’m sorry to say this, but the majority of your guest-star characters seem to be written in extremes – either the clueless sort or over the top “Mary-Sues.” While that may sound harsh, let me explain. These days, most of the people Sam and Dean come in contact with are mere caricatures of actual individuals. They’re either portrayed as stereotypical “losers” who act exceedingly foolish, or folks so clueless about life in general that it’s a wonder how they functioned before The Winchesters came to town. It’s gotten so bad this season, that almost all of the episodes where Sam and Dean interview people, these individuals are portrayed as socially inept, outcasts of “normal” society, or labeled (by you) as physically undesirable. Think about it – the vegan bakery owners in “Dog Dean Afternoon,” the chastity members from “Rock and a Hard Place,” almost everyone in “The Purge” – heck, Dean even pegs certain physical traits of the “typical” nerd with the line “Let me guess, 5 foot 5, pasty white, black rimmed hipster glasses?“ (In “Captives”). Why is almost every human being who Sam and Dean meet portrayed this way? Listen – it’s okay to make the one-off characters regular, likeable, and even smart people. Don’t worry, they won’t overshadow our leads (though there is a threat of that which I’ll be discussing next).
Now onto the other extreme, seen in characters like Krissy and Charlie. Don’t get me wrong, we love having strong female characters on the show (previously Jo, Ellen and Pamela, and currently Jody, Mrs. Tran, and to some extent, Charlie). Just don’t trade Sam and Dean’s competence in to highlight the cleverness of these characters. We don’t like when one-off (or even recurring) characters figure it all out because Sam and Dean can’t, or when these same characters have to come in and save the Winchesters because the brothers screwed up a hunt. Why can’t everyone be capable at once? Why can’t Sam and Dean work together with these characters, who pitch in and help, but who don’t minimize the Winchesters’ abilities? Ben Edlund knew how to write such a character with the brilliant episode “Everybody Hates Hitler.” Aaron was smart and determined (and very funny), and the Winchesters still maintained their hunting skills throughout the entire episode.
But hey, it’s not all bad. You guys did a great job with the vulnerable character of little Timmy in “Bad Boys,” and Henry Winchester and Cain were excellent creations (though both of these characters weren’t quite “one-off” because they were fundamentally tied to the mytharc).
Guest-star characters who are supernatural entities don’t fare much better. We used to get compelling ones like the spirt Molly in “Roadkill,” Cole the ghost (and the reaper Tessa, of course) in “Death takes a Holiday,” and Jesse the Anti-Christ in “I Believe the Children Are Our Future?” And let’s not forget every Horsemen (but especially Death) in Season 5? Now we get Del (the demon in the storage facility) in “Captives”, Ezra (the angel who got interrogated) in “King of the Damned” and Tyrus (the angel from the bowling alley) in “Stairway to Heaven.” They’re just the supernatural equivalent of the “losers” you love to depict. Which begs the question: Why are you guys so fixated on that? Even the big bad Metatron was portrayed as “a nerd trying to be one of the popular kids.” It’s tiresome.
Ultimately, these one-off characters aren’t compelling. Or funny. They’re just – forgettable. You could (and should) do much better.
Make your Villains Menacing: I don’t want to stray too much into this territory, because it’s so closely intertwined with the main story arc every year and I said I wouldn’t go there. But needless to say, make your villains scary. Write them to be powerful and confident, not weak and insecure. Allow them to know who they are, what they want (obviously something very bad), and then let them go after it ruthlessly. And show them actually being bad, not just talking about it (think child Lilith in “Jus in Bello” and No Rest for The Wicked”). And remember, smarmy isn’t scary. For a perfect example of a great villain, look no further than your predecessors’ creation (including Jeremy Carver’s own take on the character) of Alastair.
Generate Conflict That Doesn’t Lead to The Brothers – Well, not Acting Like Brothers: We know, conflict can make for good drama. And we know watching the brothers always agreeing and fist pumping would get boring (though seeing it once in a while might be refreshing). Sam and Dean are lead characters, and we know conflict will be generated between them. But maybe that conflict doesn’t have to include them refusing to speak to each other. Maybe it doesn’t have to fracture their relationship.
We know the brothers can be dysfunctional (and to what degree they are is a source of contention for fans), but I think we can all agree that this story is built around the relationship of Sam and Dean. Putting them in such constant and serious conflict gets tedious for the audience. As writers, you know that conflict (which produces tension) is supposed to increase interest in the story. The tension in the Mark of Cain storyline worked because we honestly didn’t know what Dean would do as a result of the Mark. There was even talk among us that he might kill Sam. The tension from the fight between the brothers didn’t work (this season or last) because there was no uncertainty. We knew the brothers would continue to work together. If you’re going to create tension, you have to make the outcome questionable. So why do you insist on making the brothers have these huge fights?
In fact, maybe some of the story tension can come from the Winchesters’ inner conflict. We’ve seen some of this before with Dean’s self-loathing and Sam’s desire to live a normal life away from hunting, though much of it led to external conflict between the brothers anyway. But after 10 years, you can dig deeper into the interiors of these characters (if you know them well enough) and pull out other weaknesses that will lead to internal conflict. And then just maybe, Sam and Dean can lean on each other for support. Because after everything they’ve been through together, and the life and death stakes of their job, they have to realize they need each other. And if they do realize that, then constantly alienating one another wouldn’t make sense to them. You have the power to make them realize that.
Explore Themes Over More than One Episode. We understand it must be challenging to pace out a season that’s 23 episodes long. But so often, you writers like to save everything up until the last few episodes (cough – Sam’s hallucinations – cough –Dean’s Mark of Cain – cough oh, sorry). And while that can make for exciting episodes, it also makes for rushed storytelling. Pacing is key to keeping our interest. In season 10, please include more of the main themes of the season in each episode. For example, we could have used some more scenes of how Dean was affected by the Mark of Cain. Castiel’s human story could have gone deeper than just having to go to the bathroom and eating toothpaste. Sam’s concern over the changes he was seeing in Dean due to the Mark could have been shown earlier and more blatantly. Sometimes, even if a lot of “stuff” happens in an episode, it still doesn’t add up to much in the overarching stories of the season. If you pace them a little better (and that doesn’t necessarily mean the exact same amount of movement in each episode either), then you’ll lock in our interest, ensuring we’ll tune in to see what happens next.
Amp up the Mystery and/or the Scares for the Stand-Alone Episodes: We know every season there will be stand-alone episodes. They can, however, be just as good (or better) as mytharc episodes. We just need a bit more to chew on in them. If you look at “Something Wicked,” “Houses of the Holy,” and “Repo Man” these stand-alone episodes presented mysteries that once solved, were sometimes unnerving, and always absorbing. These types of “fillers” go a long way to tide an audience over when the mythology isn’t advanced – especially if they give us insight into Sam and Dean’s psyches. They can even indirectly advance a bigger storyline like “Repo Man” did. Even if they don’t, they provide the perfect opportunity for the brothers to work a case in sync with one another.
Use Quips, Snappy One-Liners, and Pop Cultural References Sparingly: Though you’ve written some great one-liners and injected some clever pop cultural references into your scripts, less is more. A few of these mixed into the regular dialogue makes it sound fresh and witty; constant ones make it sound forced and like you’re trying too hard. People don’t actually talk like that, and we all know the golden rule is that dialogue should sound like how people talk but more interesting. And just a reminder – there are other ways to be funny and ironic without even using a pop-culture reference.
Remember the Value of Respect: Another way to connect to the characters we’re supposed to be rooting for is if they’re consistently respectful toward others (and obviously this means you have to write them that way). We know the writers’ room is dominated by males, but the fandom isn’t. So please, no more jokes about how a dead woman who had no control over her body (as a reaper’s meatsuit) while Castiel “banged” her was hot. No more shots of characters who are supposed to be goofy but likeable (The Ghostfacers) walking over the bloodstained carpet of a murdered teenage girl to go through her closet, sniffing her bra in the process. And for the love of everything that is holy, please no more women in dog collars, even if she’s also a familiar.
Along the same lines, Sam and Dean used to have more empathy for the people they interviewed. Now they seem to have contempt for most of the people they encounter (of course, a lot of these people are written to inspire contempt). What ever happened to Sam’s puppy dog eyes of empathy and words of comfort to victims’ families? Also, in the beginning, Sam and Dean felt bad when they were forced to kill a possessed person. Now it’s never even mentioned, making them seem cold. And regardless of what condition many demons leave their meatsuits in, not every person who’s been possessed dies. We realize in the brothers’ line of work they have to make split second decisions and kill or be killed. But if we’re able to remember they’re actually killing innocent humans, Sam and Dean should be able to also.
One last point about respect: Though you’ve been creative in your Meta episodes, and a lot of your depictions of, or statements about, fans is most likely good-natured ribbing, it can appear like something more hostile. Between Becky’s delusional antics in the seventh season, to Metatron’s veiled digs to the audience about his “story,” to even Sam and Dean making a statement about fans (‘King of the Damned”), you run the risk of angering the very people you’re trying to get to laugh with you. And instead of feeling like we’re in on the joke, we’ll feel like you’re telling us we are the joke.
In the end, this is your story to tell. None of this is about the direction an overall arc should go in (well, maybe indirectly it is a little bit). The Men of letters, The Mark of Cain, Demon Dean – these storylines had, and continue to have, lots of potential. This has been about the execution of the smaller components of story that add up to make a big impact on your audience. So yes, write what you want, but write it in such a way that we connect emotionally to it, which will enrich our whole experience of the story, and ultimately allow you to tell it with more freedom. Thanks for listening.
So, after my spiel, the writers (who would take absolutely no offense to anything I said) would reply “what great ideas – you’ve opened our eyes!” and get busy implementing all these suggestions the instant I left the office. Well, this is a fantasy, after all.
Now it’s your turn. The big question is, did you find yourself consistently interested and emotionally connected to the story this season? And if not, what would you like to say if you could take a trip into the writers’ room?
I couldn’t agree with you more on every point you made. I hope Jeremy Carver or any of the writers for Supernatural read this and pay attention to what you have said. I hope this does get back to them. Thank you for giving voice to what many of us fans are feeling
Even if I had some issues most of the stuff didn’t bother me or I didn’t even see them. Gadreel possession and MoC were both interesting to me and only things that bothered me is killing off good quest star characters. The fan matter and woman matter I saw totally different and I see myself as a fan and I am a woman but that goes to the category of different view of things.
Anyway, some wishes I can agree on but do I think I will get them… Not really. So we will see. I am still eager to watch season 10 as I didn’t have too many glaring issues with the previous one. And maybe they do read some of the well put critique. That would be awesome.
– Lilah
I agree with many things but mot especially well…..aside from the pov thing and digging deeper into the boys psycological landscape and letting them RESPECT eachother. The thing that bugs the most after that is all the pop culture references. Seriously i get taken out of the story when i wonder why Dean was so upset about being in Purgatory and Hell cause its pretty obvious Dean had access to television and had a lot of time to watch movies, tv shows, and apparently cspan. And Crowly wouldn’t have to worry about his kingdom if he turned off the tv once in a while.
Not only does the incessent cultural and pop cultural refences feel cheap and lazy but it also dates the show.
Yes, Yes, Yes. A thousand times, Yes.
Thank you for writing this, Metamorphic Rocks. If it was in my power, I would make sure every writer read this – and re-read it, until I was sure they really UNDERSTOOD.
Thanks.
Metamorphic Rocks. Thank you! This has been what has been bothering me for 2 seasons now. I agree with every single word you have here. The story has gone missing while each writer finds his own voice and makes his own episode. It is all incredibly disjointed. And even the people portraying the characters don’t seem to have the remotest idea what they should feel about their character any more (except Mark Shephard who is playing some sort of meta-Crowley in his head 😉 – I want to know what HE thinks Crowley is / is up to). That is just not going to work for anyone for long. They have two seasons to pull the show into whatever JC’s vision is and honestly I still don’t get it.
I somewhat agree that the writers are not doing it on purpose and, while I do think that some of them have discovered some characters are easier to write and so more fun, I don’t think it is because they ‘dislike’ others. They say they discuss their scripts with each other and there is input from multiple people, but I just don’t see that any more. I do think that the writers who have least ability to write about the core of Supernatural are the ones who get all the kudoes for their side characters and writing style though, so it is sort of easy to see why the show has trouble keeping an even keel. The ones who get the least praise tend to be the ones who don’t rewrite canon for the characters (though they may rewrite canon for the monsters and the SPN universe). I really think this is the reason why there should be a single person making character related decisions and sticking with them. And there should be a season long framework for each character from the start (or have shorter seasons if we are only going to get insight at finale time! – we need more finales … maybe every 3-4 episodes … like in Season 1), not making exceptions in a given episode because they like an individual concept. If the concept rewrites canon with no explanation then the concept is wrong.
The points you make MR wouldn’t reduce the discussions and arguments because discussions and arguments are where a fandom is, otherwise we are just making lists and Aaron Sorkin has something to say about that (you think SPN writers make fun of us? You ain’t seen Aaron Sorkin’s episode-based reaction to being criticized). But it WOULD reduce what has happened which is the rewriting of the show among cliques of people where they Mary Sue their favorite and demonize the other(s) (happens on both sides). My frustration has always been both “Where’s the story”? and “How would a reasonable person REALLY react in this situation, what is an understandable type of behaviour in this situation”. The thing about impossible supernatural situations is that they should have human solutions (along with a McGuffin, to solve the supernatural bit).
If the behaviour is out of character for the character tell us [i][b]WHY[/b][/i] (I want to make this word bigger and give it flashing lights!). If a character is behaving in a way that would cause a therapist to decide that they are in need of a restraining order and some strong drugs then this also should be clear in the context of the show as being a bad thing and not confusing to the audience as being good because ‘they do what they have to do’. Maybe I should watch Breaking Bad and Hannibal and the Sopranos, I didn’t know I was watching SPN for anti-heroes. It never used be about anti-heroes. In SPN the state of mind of the character should be shown to be the bad thing, not the person. Oh and you can’t say x about a character for half a season and expect the audience to remember that the character used be y, if the character never has any way to remind us of that. The audience remembers what it wants to remember or what is reinforced. (For example: It is now fanon that Dean took the Mark of Cain because Sam said mean things to him in the Purge. But it was not the case. The Mark came first. So there must be another reason why Dean did it. Explore that!)
Personally I love the Monster of the Week stories, and A4, Mother’s Little Helper and The Purge are all good examples. MLH is my favorite as it had real character interaction – AG clearly CAN do this with ALL his episodes (not just every third one) so I hope he does. He really doesn’t seem to have any ability to write Dean interacting with Sam though, or them acting together in a story, this is something the show really seems to lack these days, and as it is the core point it is really a problem. And ever since the first episode of Season 8 neither brother has ever really heard the truth of what the other one was saying. Have we had a single conversation in 2 seasons where one brother was speaking the absolute truth in any detail and the other one heard exactly what he said and understood what he meant? I say no (and I am including Sacrifice in this) it is getting OLD. Someone should write a Tower of Babel episode where the guys DON’T speak the same language but just for once they end up understanding each other, because clearly English is failing them both.
MLH was helped by Misha’s directing because he allowed the story to stay with the characters in the scene for longer, meaning we settled in with them too. A lot of the directing / editing is really fast and choppy now in the episodes and the connection to the audience is gone, somehow this story avoided that and there was a sense of scares (with Sam dealing with a hunt alone), of wonder (with the release of the souls – that is a lovely scene) and of menace (Dean being manipulated by Crowley).
Anyway I really couldn’t agree more with what you have here MR. I hope that you would be offered coffee and a doughnut … but probably you wouldn’t. I DO think that the writers have made it clear that they think we complain too much, and we do, but they seem to have responded by deciding that since we are never happy there is no point in going that extra mile for us. But writers, we love your show and we love it when we see that you are trying to be there for us, the viewers. Most everyone isn’t following you on twitter and demanding you change the storylines to suit us. We just want the storylines you write to call to us and remind us why we fell in love with this show in the first place. We love all these characters as people. Don’t ever treat any of them as placeholders and we will follow along with your story.
I too wish with all my heart that the SPN writers could read (and internalize) your remarks. One thing I would add is an emphasis on [b]pacing[/b] – within each episode and throughout the season.
Within each episode there is too much back and forth from one developing sequence to another. That is distracting and even sometimes diminishes the impact of the action. In seasons 1 through 5, the writers didn’t try to have so much happen in each episode. Instead, they held to a slower pace that allowed for more conversations (between the brothers and with other characters) that made the fans identify more with everyone. If you introduce a new character, tell us one line of how they fit in to the story then never let us see them in meaningful dialogue, why do you think we would care about them? SLOW DOWN, give us a chance to get to know them a little. And more importantly, in EACH EPISODE give us a chance to see Sam and Dean share simple moments of brotherly interaction. What ever happened to “bitch” and “jerk” or “rock, paper, scissors” moments? It was those brief exchanges that solidified our interest in the main characters and without those moments all we see are Sam and Dean on auto-pilot.
The current writing staff seems to jam too much myth arc advancement in to one episode while having absolutely none in the five episodes prior. There is no sense of anticipation anymore. The big action scenes happen so quickly that they are meaningless (like the death of Abaddon). There should be more build up, more suspense over several episodes. Many times I have wondered why they didn’t use two episodes to do the story right rather than jamming it in to just one 42 minute episode.
So my addition to your wonderful article would strongly emphasize better PACING. That would go a long way in improving my enjoyment of SPN.
This was a tremendous article Metamorphic Rocks. Very well presented. Many of us who still love the show and the main characters and intend to be here until the end, agree with your points. I could never articulate any of this as well as you have but it is a relief to see it presented in such a rational way. Any post that takes the position that theses things are being done on purpose or because of a conspiracy against a character loses credibility with me. I do not believe the writers should ever bend to fans demands but honest and fair critiques such as yours should be taken into consideration. The writing for both leads, and the supporting cast has been ‘off’ for some time now. I also miss menacing villains. So much. Alastair was an example of one I used not long ago in a conversation I had! YED, Lilith, Meg 1, all interesting and fun. Sorry, whiney villains and monsters who like to hear themselves talk are boring.
Thanks
Wow. You just explained all of the problems I’ve had with the show…and I didn’t even know I had them. I just kept thinking something was off about the last few seasons. But I don’t think I could have ever put it into words like you did, awesome job!
Amen, sister! Love, love the the thoughtful intelligence of this article!
Personally I sometimes wonder if the writers want to write for THIS show with THESE characters. I understand that writing is difficult and working with already established characters and canon makes it that much harder, not to mention a passionate, devoted fan base adding even more pressure. I understand how a writer might feel stifled creatively, but it is their job to work through that and to, if not love the characters then, at least, to respect them and the world in which they exist. As much as I love Cas, Crowley, Charlie, Sheriff Mills, I love Sam and Dean more and I want the show to stay focused on them. There are so many avenues a writer can pursue while doing so – exploring their heritage, their years growing up together, working with other hunters on a case, exploring the MoL files. Perhaps employing a full time researcher of international supernatural entities would be a wonderful addition to the writing room staff. I also don’t think that the writers need to create artificial tension between the brothers. They are very different characters with different ways of looking at things – they can’t even agree on the best movie snack! – and that creates tension. Their relationship needs to be the one safe place that they can feel free to argue, disagree, admit wrong, show vulnerability…I’m pretty sure viewers would continue to tune in to see that. No more lying, not talking, not understanding, choosing others over one another necessary.
A big thank you to Alice, Elle2 and all the other WFB writers for writing so many intelligent and thought-provoking articles. They keep me coming back!
Quoting Booklady
“They are very different characters with different ways of looking at things – they can’t even agree on the best movie snack! – and that creates tension. Their relationship needs to be the one safe place that they can feel free to argue, disagree, admit wrong, show vulnerability…I’m pretty sure viewers would continue to tune in to see that. No more lying, not talking, not understanding, choosing others over one another necessary.
A big thank you to Alice, Elle2 and all the other WFB writers for writing so many intelligent and thought-provoking articles. They keep me coming back!”
I very much agree with these statements Booklady! 🙂
Thank you – great article – in complete agreement. This was presented in a very constructive and logical manner; here’s hoping the show writers see this.
What a fantastic article, thank you so much for writing it.
[quote]
The big question is, did you find yourself consistently interested and emotionally connected to the story this season? And if not, what would you like to say if you could take a trip into the writers’ room?[/quote]
I was for the first half of the season then I had to drag myself through the second half due to boredom with the angels/Metatron stuff and also increasing levels of unhappiness with Sam’s story/POV. What would I do if I took a trip to the writers room? I would wave this fantastic article under their noses and make sure they read and thoroughly digested and understood every word of it. I agree 100% with everything you have written and I dearly wish the Jeremy Carver and the other writers might read this and pay attention to what has been said here.
[quote]Personally I sometimes wonder if the writers want to write for THIS show with THESE characters. I understand that writing is difficult and working with already established characters and canon makes it that much harder, not to mention a passionate, devoted fan base adding even more pressure. I understand how a writer might feel stifled creatively, but it is their job to work through that and to, if not love the characters then, at least, to respect them and the world in which they exist. As much as I love Cas, Crowley, Charlie, Sheriff Mills, I love Sam and Dean more and I want the show to stay focused on them.[/quote]
A huge yes to this too. Another wish of mine would be that the writers go back to focusing more on Sam and Dean and their stories now.
I agree with everything. The writers write like they haven’t seen the first five to seven years of the show. Maybe Jeremy Carver should sit them down and make them watch every episode from the very beginning. Maybe he should too. Maybe then they would have an idea about the show and its characters. Even though this was a great article, I doubt seriously if it will make any difference. Will Carver even see it? Would he care of he did see it?
Well stated. I am in complete agreement. Hope Chuck is paying attention. And in regard to one of your topics….. humans, Dean needs to be redeemed HUMAN!!!!!
I’m a viewer and I endorse this article. Parts I’m tempted to etch into a baseball bat so I can see if I can beat them into the heads of the writers…
[quote]Though we fans like to engage in head canon, we shouldn’t have to do it so frequently. Because if we do, the story becomes less meaningful to the audience – namely because everyone is guessing what it actually means. It also seems to increase the anger and hostility on the message boards. Often times on Supernatural fan forums, discussion about the episode gives way to arguments when fans fight over what actually happened on screen. Yes, I know, all fiction is left to be interpreted by the audience to an extent, but if we’re constantly doing it because the writing is so vague, then maybe something’s missing. This can be fixed with more explicit action and dialogue from the characters, especially the brothers. At the very least, let Sam and Dean finish their own sentences. Sometimes men actually do have a whole conversation with one another.[/quote]
Amen!
[quote]Let Humans Play a Part in the Story Again.[/quote]
This so much. It’s like they’ve gotten to fighting for the “idea” of people so much, the boys have forgotten the real flesh and blood folks they once actually fought for.
[quote]Be Thoughtful When Writing Guest-Star Characters: I’m sorry to say this, but the majority of your guest-star characters seem to be written in extremes – either the clueless sort or over the top “Mary-Sues.” While that may sound harsh, let me explain. These days, most of the people Sam and Dean come in contact with are mere caricatures of actual individuals. They’re either portrayed as stereotypical “losers” who act exceedingly foolish, or folks so clueless about life in general that it’s a wonder how they functioned before The Winchesters came to town. It’s gotten so bad this season, that almost all of the episodes where Sam and Dean interview people, these individuals are portrayed as socially inept, outcasts of “normal” society, or labeled (by you) as physically undesirable. Think about it – the vegan bakery owners in “Dog Dean Afternoon,” the chastity members from “Rock and a Hard Place,” almost everyone in “The Purge” – heck, Dean even pegs certain physical traits of the “typical” nerd with the line “Let me guess, 5 foot 5, pasty white, black rimmed hipster glasses?“ (In “Captives”). Why is almost every human being who Sam and Dean meet portrayed this way? Listen – it’s okay to make the one-off characters regular, likeable, and even smart people. Don’t worry, they won’t overshadow our leads (though there is a threat of that which I’ll be discussing next).[/quote]
You know I’ve never thought about that but I think you make a solid argument and am forced to concur with your findings. To prove I’m not excessively harsh, I will say there may be ONE explanation from this. Early seasons had a frequent charge of… well let’s just see how cracked.com put it:
http://www.cracked.com/funny-112-supernatural/
“At no point in the show does either Sam or Dean turn to the other and say ‘Hey, have you noticed that all of the females we interact with are extraordinarily hot?’ There are two explanations for this:
1) Like the rest of the shows on the CW, Supernatural takes place in a world where everyone is ridiculously good looking, unless something about the episode (of their lives!) specifically calls for them to be otherwise.
2) Sam and Dean are avoiding all the ugly people who need rescuing.”
(and that was written by a big fan, btw, no, not me)
However, you are right, they’ve now gone too far the other way. Some attractive, some losers, we can survive having a balance in this show!
[quote]Now onto the other extreme, seen in characters like Krissy and Charlie. Don’t get me wrong, we love having strong female characters on the show (previously Jo, Ellen and Pamela, and currently Jody, Mrs. Tran, and to some extent, Charlie). Just don’t trade Sam and Dean’s competence in to highlight the cleverness of these characters. We don’t like when one-off (or even recurring) characters figure it all out because Sam and Dean can’t, or when these same characters have to come in and save the Winchesters because the brothers screwed up a hunt. Why can’t everyone be capable at once? Why can’t Sam and Dean work together with these characters, who pitch in and help, but who don’t minimize the Winchesters’ abilities? Ben Edlund knew how to write such a character with the brilliant episode “Everybody Hates Hitler.” Aaron was smart and determined (and very funny), and the Winchesters still maintained their hunting skills throughout the entire episode.[/quote]
Not to mention that, as I repeatedly point out (since I write for fun), but when you have someone strong in whatever manner contrasted against Sam & Dean being competent, then that makes the former character seem THAT much better & stronger.
[quote]Explore Themes Over More than One Episode.[/quote]
So, so much.
[quote]Now they seem to have contempt for most of the people they encounter (of course, a lot of these people are written to inspire contempt).[/quote]
Like above, I didn’t think about it but you’re right. They’ve forgotten that the family business was first and foremost about saving other families. The bros have lost the heart of what Dad trained them to do.