Let’s Discuss: What Do You Want to See in Supernatural’s Season 10?
What do you want to see in Part 2 of Season 10?
Jeremy Carver said this season would be more personal and he has been true to his word. Dean, Sam, Castiel and Crowley are all fighting the demons within themselves rather than waging larger-than-life battles. The conflict is internal, while they all examine the age-old philosophical question of “Who am I”.
Do I have the strength to prevail over an ancient evil trying to win my soul (Dean)? Have I gone too far and lost myself in trying to save my brother (Sam)? Have I done more damage than good, and can I gain forgiveness and redemption before I die (Castiel)? How do I deal with human feelings of loneliness and boredom when I’m supposed to be a callous force of evil (Crowley)?
The issue for many fans, though, is that watching these internal conflicts is not exciting. Season 10 has presented a few exceptionally good episodes, and some exceptionally good scenes. The brothers are getting along and there is peace in the supernatural world. Overall, though, the season is having diffuculty gaining traction. The WFB poll that is open right now asks what fans think of season 10. With 241 votes, 42% rate the season A, A- or B while 39% rate it as B-, C, or C- (16% give it a D or F). That’s a very even split between love it and kinda like it. This is absolutely positive…but not overwhelmingly so. Reflecting more on ratings and fan reactions to the 1st half of season 10, I had a bit of an epiphany, which I expressed in comments to my “Bottom Line” article:
“Why does s10 feel different? What about it is throwing off the momentum? Why are so many people not excited about the season? I am NOT saying I think it is bad; I’m just saying the season as a whole so far hasn’t been exciting. I haven’t had the heart pounding, fall of the couch reaction to anything since episode 3.
…It may be [partially] due to the Castiel and Crowley plot lines. I love both actors and characters, and don’t at all mind them getting more screen time, but their stories have been milk toast. They’ve wandered about aimlessly with no excitement, no real compelling story, drama or challenge. The characters themselves have been castrated (if you’ll excuse the expression). Both were powerful beings who waged wars. They were strong and opinionated, they had purpose and they posed a threat or were a strong ally. Now one is pining for a lost …..something…friendship? companionship?…and they introduce his mom?? The other goes to find his “daughter”? They gave them families, so now instead of being larger than life, they are dealing with all the same family issues we all have. … they have been reduced to dealing with family drama! …I think each episode’s momentum is being sucked into the passiveness and doldrums that Castiel and Crowley are feeling, every time they appear in the story. We leave the hour feeling the same way they are being portrayed, lackluster and blah.For a while, Cas even slept a portion of his time on screen! That really kills momentum!”
So far in season 10, I have felt like the writers have been stalling for time, waiting for something to happen. The season has felt tentative. The stories have been small and self-contained. Even the larger arcs of the Mark of Cain and Castiel’s missing grace have received only a few minutes of time between the one-off monster-of-the-week plots.
Is the fact that Jared and Jensen have been unsure how much longer they will do the show affecting the storyline? Their 3 year contracts expire at the end of season 10. Have the writers been walking a fine line, not knowing if they have to end the show this year (or now next year), or whether they can position the show for a longer run? Maybe with season 11 signed, the writers have the stability they need to commit to bigger stories? Tiny seeds of a much larger story have been sown into the weekly hunts. Do we just need to be patient as the board gets reset for a much larger drama?
So what does season 10 need to do to be great?
Sam and Dean: put some urgency into looking for the “cure” for the Mark of Cain! Dean has killed people, not monsters, now. Stop watching “The Three Stooges” while the ticking time-bomb is raging inside of Dean and get moving!
…and get real with each other! Stop walking on egg shells wondering if your relationship will break again if you raise the tough issues! Talk about what is happening with the urgency and seriousness you both deserve. You can handle the no-win situations – you’ve done it before. Find that inner strength that makes you Winchesters, talk, bond and work together!
Castiel: You are a celestial being who has had immense power and lived millennia. You have faced death countless times (well, in fact you have actually died several times). All of a sudden, you are acting like a terminal patient reflecting on his life and trying to make amends before he dies. I love that you are seeking personal redemption, but how about fighting for life instead of accepting death? You can right your wrongs along the way to saving yourself!
Crowley: Really? How long are you going to pine like a teenager who isn’t included in the “cool group”? Get over your adolescent stage of blaming your mum for how you turned out. You are the King of Hell. Quit pouting and find your voice and your spine again!
What do you think? What does the next part of season 10 need to deliver to make it one of the best in Supernatural’s long, distinguished history? What do you want to see?
I completely disagree, respectfully of course. I’ve been really enjoying the personal journeys of the quartet. SPN is best when it not only explores the, um, supernatural, but also more complex issues and story arcs. Monster-of-the-week gets pretty old pretty fast. The show only started to get really interesting in Season 4 because of the complexity and the addition of Misha and Mark. No offense to Jared and Jensen, their performance has greatly improved as well due to this complexity.
I respectfully disagree, Gail. I think the show has suffered this season with the extra addition of Misha & Mark because I think it has messed with the traditional format of the show that has historically always been a duo show. While both Misha & Mark are fantastic actors (obviously!), I don’t think Cas & Crowley are able to carry the show like Sam & Dean can.
Rather than see Cas & Crowley as much as we do, I would much rather have a larger supporting cast that revolves more. SPN has so many great characters, and I think those characters work best when they interact directly with the Winchesters – not as stand alones off doing their own things like Cas & Crowley are now.
I get J2 need time off, which is why I would love for Misha & Mark to stick around & appear on the show (obviously!), but also add more characters that appear on a regular basis. I would like to see Jodie more, Donna more, Charlie more. I want more Ellen’s and Jo’s and Bobby’s and Kevin’s. I want these characters to all be in more episodes, but with less focus & screen time in each episode (i.e. rather than having one “Jodie” episode a season where Jodie is centerstage, we see her for 3 or 4 episodes in smaller doses) – that way they are woven more seemlessly into the story. I feel like this is why characters like Ellen and Bobby worked so well, and as still so missed.
I know logistically this could be an issue, but ahh. In a perfect world, I would love it!
[quote]I would much rather have a larger supporting cast that revolves more.[/quote]agree agree agree.
I didn’t know what to expect from S10 honestly. I knew that Dean needed to be saved and we all wanted Sam to be the one to save him. After that I knew they had to deal with the MOC. The first 9 episodes do seem to be setting up the second half. I feel that all the pieces are being put into place. We have Crowley still feeling the effects of the cure and now Mom issues, Cas is now set on his path of trying to right some of the wrongs he committed in his misguided mission, Dean is now going to have to deal with the MOC and how to get rid of it and Sam while still a mystery I feel is going to have to go to extremes to save Dean from himself. It has been a slow build and that is what Carver has said, the real story is going to creep up on us and we won’t see it coming. I am dam curious.
[quote]that is what Carver has said, the real story is going to creep up on us and we won’t see it coming.[/quote]May be it involves Demon tablet and whatever plan cas has (I really hope it Sam (only Sam) talking to Death)
“May be it involves Demon tablet and whatever plan cas has (I really hope it Sam (only Sam) talking to Death)”
I can buy that the demon tablet might be involved but that is what Cas mentioned and the boys may grill Metatron on its location. But that’s all Cas and I want Sam to have a substantial contribution, too. Talking to Death is a good idea but I don’t think Death would know as much as Metatron. As to the quote you were replying to (I can’t figure out how to ‘quote’ obviously 🙂 ) Carver has surprised me only once – the whole Season 8 finale was brilliant but I felt the whole final post 9.11 mytharc episodes were completely predictable – I knew Dean was going to become a demon.
I’m REALLY not liking S10. Like at all. I’m bored.
I think you summed up my Cas & Crowley issues so perfectly with “[Cas & Crowlet] wandered about aimlessly with no excitement, no real compelling story, drama or challenge.”
I miss Sam & Dean. I like Cas & Crowley alright, but I LOVE Sam & Dean, and this season, it feels like the writers are shifting the focus away from a duo (Sam & Dean) and expanding to a quad (Sam & Dean & Cas & Crowley). Which would be fine. IF the writers wrote engaging story lines for ALL four. Which they just aren’t. When Sam & Dean are on my screen it feels like Supernatural. When it is just Cas or Crowely off doing their own thing – completely separate from the brothers – it does not feel like the show I signed up for.
I really think Sam & Dean are getting shafted this season. I still can’t get over how little the storyline revolved around the brothers in the mid-season finale until the last five minutes. Like who on the writing staff thought that side-lining the Winchesters in such a pivotal episode was a good idea?
On the topic of the mid-season finale, I have NOTHING good to say about the Cas & Claire thing. I don’t like that the writers are trying to paint Cas as a Dad or father-figure to Claire. To me that is so ridiculous. Cas took Jimmy away from his family, & triggered the entire downward spiral of Claire’s life. He can’t just show up, have a heart-to-heart & expect all to be forgiven. It’s just plain silly. I just think this whole storyline is melodrama that does not belong in my show. And call me a bad fan, but I just don’t really care about Cas’ (& Crowley’s for that matter) relationship & interactions outside the Winchesters & their orbit.
To sum up my main issue with S10: I can’t help but feel like more & more, Sam & Dean are playing the supporting characters in their own show. Dean has the Mark of Cain (which has SO much potential), but 10 episodes into the season, we have only been given crumbs – since Dean was demon!cured (way too soon) there has been no real movement. & I’m not sure what Sam’s storyline/arc is suppose to be this season. I thought it was to play the support role to Dean, and to crusade with Dean to find a cure for the Mark. Which I was SO excited about. It was a complete role-reversal for the brothers. But I feel like that’s no longer his own, exclusive role ever since Cas swooped in during episode 3, restrained Dean & got credit for helping to cure Dean. Cas already has how many other story lines – Hannah, Metatron, Heaven, Claire – and I can’t help but feel bitter that Sam now has to “share” this only real arc/storyline with Cas. I would have no problem with Cas helping in the MoC crusade, if he wasn’t already being given 50-something other things to do…that I don’t care about. Granted Cas’ storylines have all been really weak, but like it’s Sam, writers! One of your two leads. He NEEDS more. And we need more of his POV. Desperately.
I can’t help but chock all my issues it up to poor showrunning, and the a writing staff that does not know how to properly balance the story or remember the (heavy, deep) history of the show they are writing for. It’s like rather that keep writing that show based on a formula that fans feel in love with, they want to create their own formula. Make it their own. Use a new recipe. And it’s just not working. I miss the old recipe.
SPN has such great, rich characters. And the writers are not doing any of them justice this season. It’s frustrating/maddening/depressing/sad.
[quote]I really think Sam & Dean are getting shafted this season.[/quote]agree.[quote]To sum up my main issue with S10: I can’t help but feel like more & more, Sam & Dean are playing the supporting characters in their own show. Dean has the Mark of Cain (which has SO much potential), but 10 episodes into the season, we have only been given crumbs – since Dean was demon!cured (way too soon) there has been no real movement. & I’m not sure what Sam’s storyline/arc is suppose to be this season. I thought it was to play the support role to Dean, and to crusade with Dean to find a cure for the Mark. Which I was SO excited about. It was a complete role-reversal for the brothers. But I feel like that’s no longer his own, exclusive role ever since Cas swooped in during episode 3, restrained Dean & got credit for helping to cure Dean. Cas already has how many other story lines – Hannah, Metatron, Heaven, Claire – and I can’t help but feel bitter that Sam now has to “share” this only real arc/storyline with Cas. I would have no problem with Cas helping in the MoC crusade, if he wasn’t already being given 50-something other things to do…that I don’t care about. Granted Cas’ storylines have all been really weak, but like it’s Sam, writers! One of your two leads. He NEEDS more. And we need more of his POV. Desperately. [/quote]Again I agree.
Completely agree with [b]Jenny’s[/b] post too.
What do I want to see in the rest of S10? I want to see Sam POV, it’s so desperately lacking and needed. I was excited that Dean now had the mytharc because I thought it would mean that Sam would get the POV but it hasn’t worked out like that. I want a Sam storyline. I want to see more Sam and Dean – as much as I like some of the other characters I watch this show for Sam and Dean. I’m not really interested in watching episodes about, say, Jodie or Charlie. I also would like to see Dean’s MOC storyline kick into gear and start to interest me because right now it’s not really grabbing my interest. I want to see something done with Crowley’s storyline as right now the character is just boring me and I hate feeling like this about Crowley as I have always adored the guy. I want less of the angel stuff, the angel storylines have bored me senseless for years and I’m certainly not interested in Claire Novack.
I’d love to see more about the MOL, so much could be done there.
Basically, I want to be excited again by Show, to be gripped by the storylines, to agonize over Sam and Dean.
I loved the first 3 episodes of S10 and I loved Fan Fiction (which surprised me as I had been dreading it) and I thought Ask Jeeves was fun but for the most part I’ve been bored. 🙁 I hated the first half of S8 and the latter half of S9 with a passion but I’d almost prefer to be feeling like that again, rather than just the apathy I’m feeling at the moment. *Cries*
Hi Nightsky – saw your epiphany in the reply you posted to my comment in your prior article but hadn’t had a chance to respond. I agree with much of what you had to say.
Won’t go over my laundry list of issues since the latter part of S9; even though I disagreed with the direction they took with Demon Dean, S10 started out with a lot of promise. It’s fine to have the theme of family, with each of the characters on a personal journey. But, I think this is only being portrayed for Dean and Castiel. And, to be honest, Castiel’s journey is boring; I miss bad-ass Castiel, the angel warrior from earlier seasons. And I have no idea what’s going on with Sam or Crowley. As far as I can tell, Crowley is pining for his glory days with his BFF Demon Dean and is now falling for Rowena’s deception? I’m sorry, Crowley isn’t a moron – the Crowley of prior seasons would never fall for something like this, even when he was hooked on human blood last season.
And this whole “Sam does things to save his brother that makes you question who the real monster is” was a load of crap. Carver only brought it up was because he needed to have something to say about Sam for S10.
The fact that Carver keeps having to tell us what the story is about tells me there is a problem with the storytelling. If I wanted to watch something where everything is left open for interpretation, I’d go see Waiting For Godot.
I don’t mind less screen time for the brothers IF the other characters/stories being told are interesting or compelling, but they aren’t. I keep hoping they’re setting up for a big reveal, or twist in the myth arc. Carver and the team of writers did a great job of opening up a world of possibilities in S8, with expanding on the tablets from S7, Men of Letters, etc., but, IMO, haven’t followed thru.
One final thought on what is starting to read like a rant. If the story arc is going to more family-driven, personal, and not on a grand scale, then you need to move the story along, and not have it play out for as long as the bigger myth arcs like the apocalypse, Michael and Lucifer, etc.
This season is over reaching with sub-plots. It is a shame that the writers believe we needed to deviate from sam and dean as central characters. Why on earth are people under the impression that castiel saved the show’s ratings? That is absurd. The ratings were literally the highest in seasons 1-3, literally 5 million viewers. When they dipped, he was already on the show. His personal journey is not needed or interesting and it is irrelevant and worn out. Neither is Crowleys needed. He is a villain. This show is about two brothers and it needs to stick to that. The midseason finale was an ultimate fail. No one, not even cas fans care about claire novak. Who on earth was in charge of that idea? Please give me original supernatural with sam and dean not being supporting characters!
[quote] His personal journey is not needed or interesting and it is irrelevant and worn out. [/quote]
Also, that’s your [i]opinion[/i]. It’s not fact. And it isn’t the opinion of a lot of other fans [deleted].
[quote] The ratings were literally the highest in seasons 1-3, literally 5 million viewers.[/quote]
[deleted] No they weren’t. They started out at about 5m in season 1 but had dipped to about 4m by the end of that season. They never again reached those heights.
[quote] When they dipped, he was already on the show.[/quote]
Funny how they dipped even more in season 7, when he wasn’t on the show.
Ratings go up and down for a variety of reasons. Just like ratings highs can’t be credited solely to Cas, nor can ratings lows. Like, I just used s7 as an example, but Misha not being in the show was one of several reasons why it didn’t do so well. Anyway, it’s the demo that matters, not live viewers.
Maddie, I toned down your comments just a bit. I love that you are included in the dialog, but we try to ensure that no one gets attacked or embarrassed for what they say here.
You are absolutely correct that ratings vary from season to season for innumerable reasons. Preemption in some markets, changing networks, opposing programming are just a few. I have been wanting to look at this for a long time, so I decided to calculate the average Live+SD ratings per season:
1 – 4.52
2 – 3.29
3 – 2.92
4 – 3.19
5 – 2.70
6 – 2.24
7 – 1.74
8 – 2.13
9 – 2.19
10 – 2.29
As you can see, average viewership decreased fairly evenly from season 1 through 7, then it started to rebound and has been increasing steadily in season 8, 9 and 10. It would take a very long essay to name all the reasons but I don’t think Misha/Castiel can be blamed or credited solely for the movement.
Less milquetoast Cas – this 1st half when it came to the Gas/Hanna variety hour??? Sorry, I love Misha but even he couldn’t save that train wreck. That entire storyline could have been condensed, played out and put to bed in one, maybe two episodes tops. If you aren’t going to write something more compelling than that snoozefest then why even bother?
Crowley? Love him interacting with the guys, especially DDean. More badass, less family drama please! Same with Cars/Claire – its so hard to buy into the 180Cas has taken simply because of Hanna’s epiphany. So don’t care about another smart mouthed teenager who thinks she knows so much more and is so much smarter than the adults around her. No thanks, I have one of my own, that’s not what I’m looking for on my show.
Seems like the general concensus was most people were on board loving the first 3 episodes, really wondering where it would take Sam and Dean and just as it was getting interesting – they cure DDean just so they can have Dean back by Same side for the 200th episode. I thought Fan Fiction was okay to good but the way it affected and brought to a halt the one hot storyline that involved both the guys was just lame. Way to kill our enthusiasm there Show.
I this k we will be seeing more where Sam is going to fit into this when the second half starts back up. I never can understand why people protest the lack of Same POV. How do you guys not see it? I rarely wonder what’s going on with him. I don’t always like it but I still have a good idea where he’s at. Could it be Deans more easily readable because his facial expressions are not as subtle? Could it be what you are seeing is just not what you want to see happen? I’m not trying to start an argument or anything, I just don’t really understand. They are just two very different personalities one more verbose than the other. Now if you want to raise a card about how stupid and unlikely a Hunter with Sammys skills and experience would end up knocked out, choked or tied up every friggin episode and that it is a extreme case of lazy writing? I’ll be marching in the streets with you!!!
I mostly just want to see the MOC last longer in this season, seeing the new sneak peek for the Hunter Games is getting me worried that it’s going to get cured in that episode or the one after. The MOC is my favorite thing in this season and I’m sure others will agree with me. I like Sam as well but think about it, season 4 was about him, season 6 was about him and season 9 was mostly about him. He didn’t have a soul for season 6 well half of it and season 4 the entire thing was him with demon blood. Season 10 Dean was only a demon for 3 episodes and boom he’s cured already…that’s not really fair since they could of made Demon Dean last longer if they wanted to. I just hope the MOC doesn’t get cured anytime soon.
Dark chief – I’m right there with you! If we can’t have Demon Dean at least let him bear the MOC for a good while! I don’t think that he will be cured anytime soon. When does Cain return – episode 17? You know he’ll have it until then at least. Since its a popular storyline and they got Season 11 as a guarantee now, I wouldn’t be surprised if they carry it into next year. I’m hoping that it’s something Dean is stuck with that he will have to learn to live with it and keep it under control. Obviously storyline wise they would have to come up with a logical limit to its use, otherwise Dean will be MOC deus xing all over the bad guys and that would never work. I want to see Dean have some consequence to taking on the MOC. Cain told him it was what some would call a curse so let’s see what that entails. I love our elder Winchester but I want to see more lean, mean, dark Dean just to watch Jensen tear it up! Show has teased for years now (Dean after Hell, Dean after Purgatory…) but never really delivered (tho the massacre scene was a good step forward) so they now need to put up or shut up!!! ;). Nothing scarier than an off the rails Dean…
Alycat, Cain returns in 10.14 The Executioner’s Song – last new episode before the show returns with new episodes on Wednesday, March 18. I’m pretty sure Dean will have the Mark until at least then and possibly the rest of the season.