It’s hard to believe there’s anyone anywhere who’s more excited about Supernatural Season 10 than me. But this past weekend at DallasCon I found lots of fans who could match me for hyper-ventilating, anticipatory squeeing, hand-wringing, bouncing excitement – and I have to admit, Jensen Ackles might give me a run for my money too. Which, needless to say, just made me MORE excited!
I’ve been struck with Jensen’s palpable enthusiasm for playing DemonDean for a while, but he seems to be equally excited about the rest of the season and Dean’s arc too. His energy – and Jared’s – has been so positive since last season ended, and especially since filming has begun. They’re both clearly enjoying using Twitter to put fandom into paroxysms of glee as they tweet photos during the Show’s 200th episode of Sam and Dean “where they belong” or of the two of them hanging out while we all celebrated the Show’s tenth anniversary. Season 10 seems to be agreeing with them both.
I shared my observations with Jensen at DallasCon.
Lynn: This is sort of extraordinary for a Show in its tenth season, but it almost seems to me like you’re more excited for this season than you’ve been for quite a few others. Is that true, and if it is, why do you think that is?
Jensen smiled and agreed that yes, it is true – partly because Season 9 was so difficult. That season, and Dean’s arc especially, was so dark that it really took a toll. He was working twelve hour days in that very dark place, and then he’d go home and be all alone, and it was really difficult. Not that he wanted to say that he was depressed, but it was hard. Jensen said he realized that he could have asked Danneel to come up with JJ, and she would have done that, of course.
Jensen: But that would be asking for help, and I can’t do that…
Lynn: You do remember you’re talking to a psychologist, right?
Jensen: (laughing) I know, I know — and I’m sure you could probably tell me why…
Luckily, I don’t think Jensen needs an intervention. He was practically glowing as he talked about the new season. And now that his weekends are spent in Austin with his family (and Jared and his family right around the corner), “Lonely Jensen” is just a brilliant pair of tweets from Jensen and Jared.
Oh, and an internet meme gone viral.
Supernatural fandom – not only do we have a gif for everything, but give us some creative tweets from our boys and we’ll take it and run with it. “Lonely Jensen” is now appearing anywhere and everywhere you look, assuming you’re looking on Twitter or Tumblr…
Kudos to @TheGreenCooler for these two — and many more. Some of which I wouldn’t mind seeing in real life, btw…
Anyway, back to Demon Dean.
Jensen also talked in his meet and greet [snippets only, this is not a transcript – just my memory of a few interesting moments] about his choices in playing Demon Dean. He said he didn’t want to sort of take the easy way out and play him totally dark, so instead played him as just not caring – because really, what’s scarier than someone who just does not care? As he often does, Jensen was following the advice of Kim Manners, who clearly shaped the way Jensen acts, directs and lives his life in a profound way. Kim would say ‘give them what they expect in a way they never expected,’ and that’s what he tried to do with Demon Dean.
A fan asked what his favorite scene as Demon Dean was. Jensen said it was the one with Jared, when Sam finally confronts Dean. We (the audience) is expecting Sam to be able to draw out Dean’s love for his brother, and it’s really hard on Sam as he tries to do that – and Dean is enjoying watching his brother go through that.
Talk about chilling. I have a feeling that Jared and Jensen played the hell out of that scene, which will probably be so intense I’ll need CPR by the time it’s over. Somebody be standing by, please?
When Dean goes from being a demon to being a man with a problematic mark again (whenever that might be…no spoilers!), Jensen is excited about that version of his character too. It sounds like Season 10 has the brothers eventually getting back to where they were, which will allow Dean to be Dean – with some of his trademark humor. Jensen is excited about that too.
Lynn: (perhaps bouncing a bit on her chair) OMG me too! About all of that!!
Everyone: Ditto!
Have I mentioned I’m excited about Season 10??
A few other favorite M&G moments:
Jensen telling the story of the gigantic centipede that somehow made its way into the Padalecki house. Poor Gen freaked out (I would have run away and never come back…) – and since the Supernatural cast takes the term “SPN Family” literally, who did Gen call to come help? Danneel, of course – who should have said, what? No way! Call 911! Turns out pest control doesn’t do “insects”, though Jensen rightly pointed out that this thing was big enough to belong in a zoo. Gotta say, that story and Jensen’s vivid description of the monstrous centipede were enough to give me nightmares. Ewww.
On a much more pleasant topic, one inquisitive fan asked about the “Daisy Dukes” that Jensen wears on the gag reel. He apparently cut off some jeans when the crew was having a short shorts day on set and all the camera operators and grips were dressed like that (“white legs everywhere…”)
Jensen: Hey, don’t ask me to have a good time, I’ll do it! They were still in my drawer, so…
Wardrobe helpfully washed them and put them back in his trailer (because hey, you never know when you’ll need shorts that short…) So he pulled them out for the mockumentary and the rest is history. And yes, I think they’re back in his trailer once again. Or at least I’m hoping they are…
There was another question about My Bloody Valentine, which originally had a different scripted ending where Jensen’s character, Tom, dies. They shot the alternate ending too, and that’s the one they kept – which I loved. Jensen said that Phil Sgriccia likes to do that on Supernatural too. Sometimes after they’ve shot a take, he’ll say “Jensen, do something different this time,” and Jensen will just be like, okay, and go for it. It doesn’t work so well with guest actors, who of course don’t realize that the Supernatural set is a bit different than most others.
Phil to guest actor: Okay, do something different this time.
Guest actor: (looking petrified) Um, like what??!
I love our Show, have I mentioned?
Perhaps the most amusing moment was when Jensen talked about Jared’s son Tom and his daughter JJ playing together. Tom likes to dance to a little Elvis (“Hound Dog”) and the other day he pulled JJ in to dance with him. Which apparently consists of JJ standing still and waving her arms from front to back repeatedly – Jensen helpfully demonstrated. If JJ looks anywhere near as adorable as her daddy while ‘dancing’, it might be hazardous to watch.
I had an amazing time at DallasCon. I got to hang out with so many fellow SPN fans from all over the country and the world, including some who have become cherished friends. I also got the chance to meet the Dallas Women of Letters (and have a delicious meal too) – we were privileged to donate a signed copy of Fangasm: Supernatural Fangirls for their auction for Team Levi — and to chat with fellow fan S.E. Hinton about the two shows we have in common, Supernatural and the upcoming Wayward Pines. And thanks to everyone who came by to tell me how much they enjoyed our Supernatural books – that means so much!
There’s much much more from DallasCon to come, with exclusive interviews and more con coverage.
And some pretty pictures. Including these two gorgeous guys.
–Lynn
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