Ten Things I Love About Supernatural

As the tenth season premiere approaches, I’ve been thinking about why and how I still remain a fan of the show. Now I have not been here since the beginning, like many of you, but this premiere will mark my fifth live viewing season and that’s a long time by television standards. There are only two other shows I’ve stayed with through this many seasons, LOST and The X-Files. And Supernatural will have to go another four seasons to match my live viewing record for the story of Mulder and Scully. But even with the X-Files I wandered off from its fandom way before the show ended – in fact I’d say I was only a fan of the X–Files for no more than three seasons, from season 4 through season 6. Through all of the other seasons I was simply a committed viewer.

But for Supernatural my entire live viewing experience has coincided with my fandom experience. I am both a viewer and a fan. I began writing meta for this site only a month or two into my live viewing and I continued on into the glorious depth and breadth that is this fandom, and have not found my way back out. And even when I am in the midst of a hate arc about the show, I never stray too far from my love for it. So I thought this week I’d take the opportunity to share the things that keep me here.

Let me tell you about my Supernatural.

10. The History – My very first meta about Supernatural argued that this show is part of an American literary tradition and I have not abandoned that opinion. I think the story, even more so than the current comic film/tv trend, portrays an America in transition and does so in a way that is allegorical. Sometimes it misses, but most of the time it hits hard at contemporary topics like terror, immigration, gender, etc.  And in many ways, sustainable literature does that without hitting you over the head with a lesson plan.

9. The Production – From the early years of mood lighting and grainy film to the current HD, crisp special effects, the show has a look, and one that is not easily copied. Most of us know Supernatural when we see it and that is a nod to the long standing and quality crew behind the show. They are the unsung heroes of our story.

8. The Setting – Like its history, Supernatural portrays an America that is rolling hills and urban landscapes. And while we know it’s filmed in and around the greater Vancouver area, the show has a particular Americana feel to it, which it has maintained for almost ten years.

7. The Women – Jody, Meg, Lisa, Abaddon, Ruby, among others, bring strength to a predominantly male landscape. And yes, while I have often criticized the show for its treatment of women in general, specific characters remind us that women are empowered and have power in this show. Of course, sometimes, that power is evil but hey, what can you expect from a show that uses patriarchal Western traditions as its core mythologies?

6. The Monsters – From Wendigo to Leviathan to Rugaru and beyond, the monsters on this show can be frightening, sympathetic, pathetic, and downright malicious. And sometimes the monster is human and that is when the show hits brilliant heights.

5. The Humans – Jody, Bobby, even Samuel Colt – the humans of Supernatural remind us what the Winchesters are fighting for. Without these humans in the background, the show risks losing its humanity.

4. Demons and Angels, Hell and Heaven – Both Castiel and Crowley represent large and unexplored worlds that work underneath and against the Winchester’s Earth. The host of other characters and the brief glimpses we get of these mysterious places add to the intrigue. We know the world is not alone and neither are the Winchesters.  And it doesn’t hurt that Mark Sheppard and Misha Collins are pretty badass guys who play badass characters.

3. The Writers – They are the drivers of the car we sit in. Sometimes I don’t like the cassette they are playing but as Dean says, “I’m at my best driving down this road with you at my side.” From Kripke’s frenetic energy to Edlund’s questionable sanity to Gamble’s sentimental love to Glass’s need for nostalgia to Thompson’s stinging humor to Carver’s….well to Carver, the writers of the show (and I won’t name all of them but there are many, both past and present) give us worlds and plots that make the journey worth the ride. 

2. Jared and Jensen – It’s Jared and Jensen, y’know? They are Sam and Dean and I couldn’t imagine other people in these roles. And they are Jared and Jensen. Their friendship is vital to the brothers’ chemistry and their respect for the story and its fans has no rival in contemporary fandom.  There would be no us without them, plain and simple.

1. The Fandom – Finally, you, you are the thing I love most about Supernatural. The show has often made story choices that threatened my continued viewership but it is the fandom and the friends I have made in this crazy town that keep me here.  I love your thoughts. I love your art. I love your work. When this show is long over I will take my friends with me and that is the greatest gift Supernatural has given to me. And while we may war over ships or disagree about story quality, the fact remains that we are a thing in the world and that’s pretty damn incredible. We exist and let’s be honest – there would be no them without us.

So that is “My Supernatural”. Tell us about yours. And let’s all be excited for the Season 10 premiere!  But a reminder to my twitter followers, Carver is still the devil : )

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