No Writer's Strike messup for Supernatural Season 3

[Joe Washington]

Imagine that the Writer's Strike never happened. How different Supernatural would be if it had 22 episodes for its third season instead of 16?

 

[startrekwatcher]

Most shows have a hard time churning out 22 episodes a season so I frankly think it would have not helped strengthen the series-if anything fewer episodes are better usually. I mean look at season 5--there was a lot of wheel spinning, filler to drag out the season, lots of dumb comedies. I would have to think there would be more of that with six extra episodes in season three. I'm sure there would be one or two decent episodes in the mix but frankly I'm in the camp that prefers shorter, tighter seasons.

 

[Starbreaker]

For the third season, Kripke and the writing staff tried to mix the style of the "simple, pure, emotional" first season mythology with the "intensity" of the second season's self-enclosed episodes. As well, the studio wanted the writers to "open up the scope of the story and make things more epic". Though Kripke warned that doing so would cost much more money, the studio gave its blessing to exceed the allotted budget. However, the season premiere came in "way, way over budget", prompting the studio to change its mind. While writer Ben Edlund's pitch that demons are in actuality the corrupted souls of humans "opened up the mythology in an interesting and complicated way", other planned expansions of the mythology, such as Mary Winchester's connection to Azazel and the escalating demon war, were cut from the season due to the writer's strike. Despite this, Kripke felt it ended up making the series "meaner, leaner, and more concise".

...

 

[startrekwatcher]

CW really held back SN. If only it had been on a better network and given a larger budget--oh the series it could have been.

 

[Joe Washington]

Maybe it would have had a better chance at HBO.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

Leaner, meaner and more concise. Probably similar to True Blood in tone. I hear Preacher might come to HBO is that still true? I kind of wonder what SN on FX or AMC could be like too. Hopefully The Walking Dead will be good.

 

[James Bond]

Maybe it would have had a better chance at HBO.

In all seriousness, that could have been *amazing*.

 

[Joe Washington]

If Supernatural was a HBO show, it would have undergone the following changes:

• Each season would be 12-13 episodes long instead of 22 with tighter season-long arcs.
• The show would have more graphic sex scenes and violence and room for adult language.
• The tone and humor of the show would be almost similiar to True Blood's.
• Certain parts of the show would be darker, if possible, and more twisted.

 

[Skywalker]

If Supernatural was a HBO show, it would have undergone the following changes:

• Each season would be 12-13 episodes long instead of 22 with tighter season-long arcs.
• The show would have more graphic sex scenes and violence and room for adult language.
• The tone and humor of the show would be almost similiar to True Blood's.
• Certain parts of the show would be darker, if possible, and more twisted.

So...basically, it would be TOTALLY AWESOME! ​

 

[Starbreaker]

Supernatural doesn't need graphic sex and adult language. It works just fine the way it is.

 

[startrekwatcher]

The show would have more graphic sex scenes and violence and room for adult language.

Oh I would love to see some naked Jared, Jensen and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

So before True Blood would it have been like The Sopranos? I mean maybe it'd be like True Blood but I wonder if there's any actual truth to that.

As is, I do like SN's small town/road trip motif, there isn't much like that on TV right now.

As to the writer's strike, I tend to agree with the leaner and meaner opinion as SN does end up with a decent amount of filler. Then again, some of those diversions are fun so it's not so bad either way.

 

[hyzmarca]

Sam would have killed Lillith at the end of Season 3. This might have started an apocalypse arc in Season 4, though there would be no Angel arc most likely. The Sam going darkside and the brother vs brother arc would have been bigger and longer, most likely.