Eric Kripke’s Heart and Soul
Sometimes it’s difficult to be transparent with the one who knows you and loves you the best; Sam and Dean evidence that. Now, imagine trying to do it with millions who think they know you and openly profess to both love and hate you. Eric Kripke, your willingness to be transparent is why I love you, as a showrunner, producer, writer and creator. As a person, I cannot say simply because I don’t know you and thus will not presume; I do, however, appreciate your openness.
The premise for this mental journey is based on Pages 8 – 17 of Supernatural, The Official Companion: Season 3. If you haven’t gotten your copy, I suggest after completing this 1000 or so word article you head off to pick yours up; I got mine yesterday. After Alice asked me to become a contributor, I decided such an honor requires research and sacrifice; I picked up a copy and began marathon viewings of Supernatural episodes; I’m nothing if not dedicated.
Eric on Bela:
“But I think we did a great disservice to the character because we didn’t spend enough time thinking about how to tie her into the boys’ story.” [Page 10 of the Season 3 Companion, Eric Kripke]
“The other mistake we made was we had so much fun with an antagonistic female”¦were so taken with a woman who could screw the boys over at every turn”¦we weren’t careful about balancing it and made her screw over the boys so badly”¦she became unlikable to the fans because she was irredeemable.” [Page 10/11 of the Season 3 Companion, Eric Kripke]
“We didn’t really think through the implications [of having her shoot Sam] as carefully as we should have. For a character that’s going to come back and slow dance with Dean, that’s not the best notion”¦.People watch the show for Sam and Dean, so a character who makes them feel like idiots is not a character that people are going to warm up to”¦Had we figured it out in time, I think we could have made Bela work. You create all these things with enthusiasm and the best of intentions, but hindsight is twenty-twenty.” [Page 11 of the Season 3 Companion, Eric Kripke]
He goes on to discuss the creative turbulence of having killed off the YED, trying to write the “˜politics’ of a demon war that no longer has a leader all the while balancing notes from the well-meaning [yeah, right] PTB: more women, brighter colors/lighting, bigger scope – less of two guys and “creepy little rooms” open it up more; as in more characters, more scope, more, more, more – all with the same budget; which really means less as the dollar shrank, shrank, shrank.
Pages 8 through 17 of the Season 3 Companion are revelations into the heart and mind of Eric Kripke, his vision of and heart for the show breathe through the lines. I wonder how someone like that can fits into the narrow vision of Hollywood TV which is about “˜ships’ and formulas and cookie cutter shows such as “¦. [I won’t name names but you get my point.]
Genre shows take risks, they make you think, they’re the embodiment of entertainment be it surface or hardcore: “I’ve got a demon-fighting tattoo on my chest” [or elsewhere *ahem*]. Genre shows take risks with their storylines: Who kills off not one but both of the two lead characters? Then after actually “going there” had the nerve [or intelligence, my opinion] to make that have an effect [or is it affect – I always get that wrong] on the other. Sam dies in Dean’s arms; Dean goes off and makes a deal to save his brother. Dean dies in front of Sam; the resulting separation and experiences have had real, lasting and continuing ramifications all of Season 4.
Genre show writers challenge themselves as well, note: Ben Edlund’s recent triumph of “On the Head of a Pin” to Sera Gamble’s “It’s a Terrible Life.” If that wasn’t enough, they go all out and poke fun at not only their early clunkers and oh-so-forgettable episodes [to which we even almost get an apology] but also poke fun at the fandom, the very fandom that has kept the buzz and very likely the show going for four seasons. Awesome!
As a former television junkie — I had two to three shows charted for each of the seven days per week to watch, rewatch, hash and rehash to now having one, and only one that I watch, rewatch, hash and rehash — I can appreciate this show on all its levels, superficial to deep. I love rewatching S1 as much as watching the latest episode; clunkers to classics they’re all worth something.
I’ve got lots of ideas to explore; hopefully I’ll have the time and creative energy to do so. I’ll explore Sam’s “daddy issues” in seven episodes from S1 and S2, I’ll explore why clunkers are worth viewing, how S1 set us up to where we are now, what makes a classic [I think] and more.
For now may I suggest something, enjoy the remaining four episodes. Breathe them in deeply, savor them and settle in for the long, hard wait until the start of Season 5. We’ve made it, my SPN friends, the CW somehow had the intelligence to renew this show for it’s fifth and perhaps final season. I’ll not worry about whether there’s a sixth [Eric says no, the 2J’s say no, or yes, or not sure – I’m not worried.] Let Season 4 finish and Season 5 come when it comes. Enjoy the now. Enjoy the show.
Coming next, my review of The Monster at the End of the Book.
Yes, the companion guides are fantastic. So are the commentaries on the episodes on the DVD’S (man I was so disappointed when we didn’t get any on the season 3 set) and the magazines, comics and the tie in novels. Oh and the other books, the one on monsters and John Winchester’s Journal.
If you really enjoy thinking about the show and mulling over concepts and ideas and where this show is going then all those things help “flesh out” the universe even more.
I have said it before (probably here as well as other boards) I get the feeling that I am watching something very rare. Like a comet that you know only comes around every 30,000 years or so. This show is so special in every aspect, from it’s cast and crew to it’s writers and then how all of them seem so willing to interact with us (the fandom) – I am just in awe.
So, elle2, I look forward to reading your point of view on this amazing show called Supernatural. Thank you Alice, for sharing your space so we can have this amazing dialogue.
Hi, Tigershire,
Thanks for the welcome. Like you I think there is something special here and I’m enjoying the exploration of it. It’s nice to have that one unique thing that you can hide away in and explore purely for the fantasy side and for me that thing is Supernatural.
I really enjoy going back and seeing the little threads that weave their way through the seasons and the characters and watch how the blossom and some disappear. I also enjoy experiencing the writers as they have learned to develop the show and the characters. And, as much as the fandom can be just looney, it’s fun sometimes to watch [or read] the hysteria and the commentary and see the lengths some will go with an idea. It’s a lot of fun in this looney world of Supernatural.
🙂
So…I’ve been thinking about trying the tie-in novels but am afraid that they’ll be too far off from the show or give a skewed view of the show. Has anybody out there read them? If so, do you think they add to or take away from the show itself?
I’m with Mae on wondering about the tie-in novels. I’ve never read any and I too wonder…anyone out there have ideas? Anyone?
I’ve read all of the tie-in novels; loved all three. The writers made an effort to keep the story in line with the series as well as the character. There were a few aspects of Witch’s Canyon and Bone Key that stretched the realms of possibility a bit more than the show. I would attribute that more to the show’s lack of big expendable budget. They’re definitely worth a read.