Supernatural Season One

[lvsxy808]

Hmmm... I hadn't made that connection - that the powers are mystically tied to the demon who engendered them - but I guess it makes sense in retrospect. Likewise no more demon-killing powers once Ruby died at the end of season 4. Okay, I guess I can get behind that.

It's my first re-watch since original broadcast, so it's entirely possible I'm rusty on some details.

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[Mr Light]

I just finished Season Two. That was a really epic season finale! Did they think they were being canceled, because they basically resolved the entire storyline there.

Also, they haven't named the Yellow Eyed Demon on the show at this point, yet the websites call him Azazel. Do they only name him after the fact? I always thought it was really dumb that the main series villain didn't even have a damn name.

I had no idea how often they pulled the "one brother dies and someone resurrects him" schtick, though. Jeez it happens like once every season.

[Dorian Thompson]

Dawn Ostroff wanted to cancel Supernatural at the end of season two, yes. She wanted to focus on the Gossip Girls and Melrose Place 2.0s of the network. The studio execs at Warner actually intervened, because SPN brings in a shitload of revenue from overseas markets for the studio. Warners owns half the CW. Ergo, the reprieve, but Kripke acknowledged that they wrote the season two finale that way for a reason.

[mswood]

Well in fairness to Dawn, Since she works for the Cw (and is considered with revenue earned for the CW) and not for either Warner Brothers (Supernatural) or CBS television (the other production partner). SPN earned the least amount for ads of any show that did survive for another season. We had huge declines in both adults 18-49 and even worse for this network adults 18-34, the largest declines of any show that season that survived the worst general adults 18-34 of any show that got renewed.

Now after that SPN has been renewed early each season and not surprisingly there is solid ratings reasons for it, smaller year to year declines during season 3-6 of any show on the CW, some actual increases in adults 18-34, ect.

Since Dawn job doesn't cover things like DVD sales 9SPN does great), overseas rights (SPN used to do quite good there but its been years since we had solid numbers so who knows now).

And as much as total viewers for the female driven shows generally (TM and VD excluded) sucked they still have historically earned more due to their stronger adults 18-34 performance.

This is the first year where are adults 18-34 numbers have equalled some of the female driven shows.

It will be very curious to see how Nikita impacts are ratings as they are the oldest age (or viewer) for the CW, and the older you are the less money you bring in for the network from ads.

[mswood]

lvsxy808 wrote:

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Hmmm... I hadn't made that connection - that the powers are mystically tied to the demon who engendered them - but I guess it makes sense in retrospect. Likewise no more demon-killing powers once Ruby died at the end of season 4. Okay, I guess I can get behind that.

It's my first re-watch since original broadcast, so it's entirely possible I'm rusty on some details.

.

Not quite.

Sam's ability to harness powers were seeded by Azazel (not Ruby), and his normal random vision induced power seemed directly keyed to Azazel (each and every use) and seemed fueled by the living blood of Azazel.

Once Azazel died, no generic abilities. And unlike all most of the other "Special" kids Sam never tried to master those visions. The only exception was in Salvation where he tries to dig deeper into the vision. But he never initiated them.

Ruby taught Sam two things. That his powers are fueled by blood. And that means consumption of normal demonic blood (Which is like putting gas in his fuel tank) it seemed to stay there until he used it all up (or that blood was drained from him).

But the normal demons Sam feed off of didn't seem to have any connection on when that demon died. Azazel seems to be the only one that occurs with and frankly since Azazel is a vastly different or more powerful demon then the generic black eyed ones that makes sense to have it having a different impact.

The other thing Ruby taught him is how to harness that power into specific skill sets. And she seemed to focus on ones that had very real specific uses in both getting Sam ready to kill Lilith and the ability to protect himself from demons who want to kill him.

Ruby's life had no direct impact on Sam's ability to harness power. Her death simply cut off his most available source of demon blood.

[mswood]

Alicia

Wow with one major exception I seriously disagree.

Let's start there. The tone of the show (minus a few points here and there is fairly bleak. But the line has been for a long time that hunters die young, that their personal lives are fairly crap. And thats average hunters (again all seem to get into the business due to something extremely traumatic occurring to them or their loved ones). Dean and Sam from very much the first episode were shown to be more touched by these PN forces then just a random SPN encounter (say for example what got Bobby's into the life). Their life has always been shown to be harder then the average hunter. So bleak is going to be a very big part of their lives.

On to character of Sam (my favorite character of the show, though Jensen is my favorite of the two actors).

First just because Sam was never the shot first type doesn't mean he cared more. In fact the early season showed on more then one occasion that he didn't care more. He choose to have a safe personal life over helping others. Even when he rejoins Dean is first instinct is revenge or finding Dad (to help lead to the revenge he is seeking) then to help other's.

Sam didn't fully make that jump into needed to save others until season 2's "Hunted". And what was his reason. Because he wanted to selfishly help others just to help others? No. It was because he thought the only way to redeem himself was to save as many people as possible.

Gives you great end results, but the motivations aren't selfless at all.

We see even from the first season (and pre first season ie his reasons to go off and lead a normal life), and second and third season (the seasons you like) that a lot of what motivates him is controlling his own life.

Pre series he hates living the life JOhn forced upon him, he makes his own choice. When he finds out there is a "plam" for him, he seeks what he sees is his own way out of it (ie by saving others to save himself). When Dean's deal threatens to take Dean away we see Sam not take the road Dean says he should take, but one he feels will help save his brother, even at great risk to his own life (seriously willing to turn himself into an immortal organ stealing machine is pretty serious). But all to can some control over his own life. That's really consistent for the character.

THat doesn't mean he doesn't care about random strangers, but it isn't the driving motivation in his life.

And really besides soulless Sam that still has been one of the defining parts of his character.

Dean, who is a womanizer, likes to drink and party has been shown to be the one who actually does care more for the common man. He just doesn't show it on his sleeve. Does he have bad habits, oh god yes. Is his self worth tied down to John's approval and Sam's safety to an extremely codependent level, absolutely.

As for the show saying Dean is good, Sam is bad. With really one exception they have shown both to do bad, and both to do great good.

The one exception is Dean's impact on starting the apocalypse and Sam's role in starting it. Even though the character of Dean does eventually say yes he played his part as well.

But you also have to remember (see it from the character's point of views), Dean's deal and break in hell (which started teh events) were also paid for by a decade of him being a monster to others and him already having to leave with that. And both Sam and Dean (and even Castiel) are all aware of that.

Dean is always going to lash out at Sam for his actions (its in character for him) and he is also going to take part of the blame for them as feelings that he failed his brother. But Dean does not only admit his actions, but we see later that he absolutely forgives Sam as well (as Sam has his had to suffer mightly for his actions).

Next point, ANgels good thus Dean being their vessels means Dean is good. Well cause in point the angels haven't been good (well maybe the gardner), but even Castiel has done many a things (season 4 and 5) that one would classify as being absolutely wrong. And he's the good angel.

The show has made, many, many examples that Angels' aren't good in SPN, and that Dean and Sam's roll were picked long before they were born.

WHy does Dean get rewarded with a family for year, because Sam whats him to have one. Remember Dean is the only character that really doesn't ever have a real normal life (at his age he should have almost no real memories of the events before Azazel seeded Sam). Sam in fact did get his, he had some time to experience a normal life.

[Starbreaker]

I'm one of Supernatural's biggest fans now, but I have to agree that Season 1 is pretty weak. There were a few good episodes, but it didn't really get awesome until Meg showed up. Her cutting her hand and summoning the demon was the first episode that left me wanting to watch more

[startrekwatcher]

S1, 2 and 4 are my favorite seasons with 4 being the show's best. S6 was a waste--really not rewatching any of it. S5 was uneven with a handful of episodes worth rewatching with a fair but hardly excellent season finale and S3 was pretty weak with only a handful of really good episodes(Fresh Blood, Jus in Belo, Supernatural Xmas, No Rest for the Wicked) with too much fluff.

And while the season 6 finale had a fairly intriguing cliffhanger I can't say I'm looking forward to the show's run--it should have ended this yer if not after S5/

[Mr Light]

I liked Season Six. I was definitely worried it would jump the shark, after averting the apocalypse and the main writer leaving, but I was interested in the travails of Castiel, the war in heaven, and uh the cool cat Irish demon guy, forget his name. The mystery of New Sam maybe went on a bit long, but I was always entertained. Definitely better than Season One!!!

[Dorian Thompson]

Crowley is his name. I really enjoyed season six as well. I was really afraid it was going to suck and was on record as opposing it. I was pleasantly surprised.

[Skywalker]

Yeah, I actually thought Season Six was better than Season Five. I'm looking forward to next season, though I'm kind of hoping they end it after that.

[mswood]

I thought season 6 was far more consistent then season 5 (but to this day I hate the fact that only one episode I was rate 5 out of 5, and a freaking comedy episode at that, go figure). Of course by the same token, there wasn't anywhere near the level of bad as some of the episodes of season 5 either.

[Dorian Thompson]

Season six WAS better than season five.

[startrekwatcher]

S6 was consistent but consistently bland. S5 was wildly uneven and the arc was not nearly as central as I would have liked but it had higher highs with Children are Our Future, Abandon All Hope, My Bloody Valentine.

Not a single episode in S6 came close to those episodes, the arc took too long to com into focus--they waited until the last minute and by then I didn't care.

[Mr Light]

I'm up to the third season finale now. Season Three was definitely where the show found its consistency. Also, I just saw the BEST episode of the series EVER, "Mystery Spot"!!! I was dying laughing at the many inept deaths of Dean Winchester. "Does this taste funny to you?" That was comedy gold, man.