Author: spnfans

Author/Editor of 'There'll Be Peace When You Are Done: Actors and Fans Celebrate the Legacy of Supernatural', 'Family Don't End With Blood', 'Fangasm Supernatural Fangirls' and many others
Catch up on Gen V – Here’s What Happened in Episode 5!

Catch up on Gen V – Here’s What Happened in Episode 5!

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A new episode of ‘The Boys’ spinoff ‘Gen V’ streams Friday – well, usually Thursday at midnight. If you’re like me, you can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Here’s our recap of last week’s Episode 5 to get everyone ready for this week’s Episode 6…

SPOILERS FOR EPISODES ONE THROUGH FIVE OF ‘GEN V’ AHEAD!

Everyone ended the fourth episode of Gen V wondering if their streaming service had glitched, so it’s merciful that in Episode 5 the show doesn’t make us wait to find out that no, that’s not what happened. Instead it’s Andre, Cate, Emma, Jordan and Marie whose memories glitched, as in none of them can remember the past few days. They wake up at a Supe named Dusty’s house (clearly his house because his pet llama is wandering around the premises), Andre and Cate in bed and Jordan and Marie in bed – and Emma (still gigantic) naked and floating in the swimming pool. Luckily it had a tarp on it which is covering her.

As a result of her saving the day, Emma finally starts trending on social media, and realizes that her mother’s stern warning about not “getting big” was bullshit – more of her evolution into finding her voice and being willing to take up space. Lots of it.

Know who realizes that? Sam. He shows up concerned about Emma, who doesn’t remember him at all.

Sam promises he’ll fix it, make her remember.

Emma: Remember what?

Sam: That you’re a hero. A real one.

Me, a passionate Emma fan: Damn right!

Vought is still after Sam, sending a whole team of armed operatives to capture him. In a truly disturbing sequence, Sam’s psychosis manifests so that he sees them all as puppets – and proceeds to rip them apart, puppet entrails flying everywhere and heads rolling, rock music playing to make the whole scene surreal.

Sam comes back to reality standing in a sea of bloody body parts.

Dr. Cardoza is freaked out after Sam’s little visit, but the Dean reminds him he can’t really walk out as he doesn’t have anywhere else to go, putting it in her own special way.

Dean Shetty: Cutting up Supes and seeing how they tick is a skill that won’t quite shine on your LinkedIn profile…

Back to trying to perfect a virus to control the “psychopaths” then, Dr. Cardoza.

Marie finds a tracker implanted in her chest and realizes the Dean is probably part of that. She manages to pull it out of herself (ewww). This episode begins to paint a chilling portrait of just how sinister the people running God U actually are – and sets us up for some big reveals about who they’ve drawn into their web of manipulation.

Marie runs to Cate to tell her about the trackers and…that was a mistake.  The episode veers back and forth with Marie and company discovering some of what’s going on and then being made to forget, which is depicted in a way that makes the viewer feel almost as unsettled and ‘off’ as Marie and friends.

For a while they’re sure it’s Rufus who’s messing with their heads, and poor Alexander Calvert almost gets taken out for good because of it, even as he protests his innocence.

But Sam knows the truth – and by the end of the episode, they all know who is really responsible for repeatedly wiping their memories. It’s Cate. Surprisingly empathic, relatable Cate. (Of course, that’s never the answer of who the real villain is in this universe…)

Cate says she’s sorry, that she only ever wanted to help and make things better. Do we believe her??

In other news, Jordan and Marie spend much of the episode dancing around each other and trying not to admit to the other that being together maybe wasn’t a mistake after all.  Jordan’s invisible Supe friend reminds them that maybe Marie is “cool with hiding the sausage and bumping donuts” and so maybe they can be either in female or male form and still be with her. I’m rooting for them!

I’m rooting for Sam and Emma too. She doesn’t remember who he is, but she goes to him anyway.

But how long can he keep hiding from Vought??

A new episode streams this Friday (Thursday at midnight) on Prime Video and let’s just say the level of excitement around Soldier Boy perhaps making an appearance is off the charts. I won’t say for sure that it’s in this week’s episode, but let me tell you, when you do see him again, the entire scene is PRICELESS! The gifs that fandom will make alone…. OMG.

gif justjensenanddean

Catch up on Gen V now so you’re ready for all the chaos. And to catch up on the whole fascinating world of The Boys, you can preorder the new book ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes: Inside the Complex Characters and Twisted Psychology of The Boys’ NOW at https://smartpopbooks.com/theboys/

There is, of course, a chapter all about Soldier Boy and what makes him tick, and an exclusive interview with Jensen Ackles too – plus a lot more about all your favorite characters.

Don’t miss this week’s episode of Gen V!!

And don’t miss the chance to preorder ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes’ – you get free original art of Soldier Boy and Kimiko with preorders!

Lynn

 

 

‘Gen V’ Brought The Ewww with Episode 4, ‘The Whole Truth’

‘Gen V’ Brought The Ewww with Episode 4, ‘The Whole Truth’

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Episode 5 of The Boys’ spinoff Gen V aired yesterday – if you haven’t caught up yet, here’s my recap of the fourth episode – which definitely lived up to its legacy of being part of ‘The Boys’ universe, in more ways than one.

The episode was written by Jessica Chou and directed by Supernatural directing alum Steve Boyum, so you’ve got the writer of The Boys Herogasm episode and the director of the one where Lucy the whale was killed in a way I haven’t gotten over yet. Clearly this was going to be an episode that leaves an impression – and it did!

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR GEN V THROUGH EPISODE 4

I’ve Got a Weak Spot for Brothers Named Sam

The saga of little brother Sammy… sorry, Sam….continues in this episode. I’m here for the bonding that goes on between Sam (Asa Germann) and Emma (Lizze Broadway), both of them feeling like outcasts and on their own, especially after she tells Sam the truth that his big brother Luke is dead by his own hand. You can’t really fault him for reacting emotionally to that news, and neither does Emma, who is remarkably calm in the face of Sam wrecking their hiding place and then confessing that he’s hearing voices. Emma seems able to do the “take me as I am” thing with Sam, and you get the feeling she may be the only one other than Luke who’s ever done that.

Sam’s terrified he’ll fuck it up though.

Sam: Everybody always leaves me.

Emma: I promise, I’m like you.

How terrifying and isolating must it be to have all this unwanted, sometimes uncontrollable power, and also know that your mind is constantly playing tricks on you? I empathize with Sam and I also find him scary as hell, and Asa Germann pulls off that combination flawlessly.

Amusingly, the voice he hears (and the hallucinations he sees) are of “Television’s Jason Ritter” and a The Deep puppet with talking gills on the “Avenue V” show, a Sesame Street/Mr. Rogers crossover that was so out of left field it made me laugh out loud.

Gen V has a lot of mental health parallels, which means my psychologist self is always fascinated, including Sam’s psychosis. He hears what are called command hallucinations as Jason Ritter calmly insists that Sam just kill Dr. Cardoza from the lab.

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Are You Ready for More Gen V? Here’s My Recap of Episodes 1 to 3 – Episode 4 Review Up Soon!

Are You Ready for More Gen V? Here’s My Recap of Episodes 1 to 3 – Episode 4 Review Up Soon!

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A new episode of Gen V drops this Friday (or, as Kripke admitted, let’s be real, probably late Thursday night) and I can’t wait!  If you haven’t been able to watch the first three episodes which were released last week, here’s a little recap of what happened in those episodes – and why I’m so excited about the next ones! (My review of Episode 4 will be up later this week before Episode 5 drops on Friday)

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR EPISODES ONE THROUGH THREE AHEAD

The show takes place at Godolkin University (God U, get it?), where the first generation of superheroes who actually know how they got that way (ie, their parents shot them up with Compound V) is arriving for the start of classes. We’re introduced to the main characters, including Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair), whose perspective largely frames these episodes. There’s also Luke, aka Golden Boy (Patrick Schwarzenegger), top ranked and stereotypically attractive, and his girlfriend Cate (Maddie Phillips), who has to wear gloves most of the time because if she touches you she can mind control you.

Andre (Chance Perdomo) is the son of a Supe and in line to be one of the Seven himself if his dad has anything to say about it, Jordan (London Thor and Derek Luh) is the bi-gender child of two highly driven parents, and Emma (Lizze Broadway) is Marie’s roommate, whose superpower is that she can make herself tiny.

Gen V takes the same cynical look at where we are as a society in terms of what we value and how we relate to each other. Social media, crafting an image, and cultivating followers and popularity is a legitimate major at God U, and the vast majority of students are all in. As soon as one of them gains some recognition, they can’t walk across campus without repeated requests for selfies, and most fellow students can’t be trusted with any personal information. Emma learns this the hard way when she’s manipulated by a classmate into talking candidly about herself, only to have that used as fodder for the girl’s viral TikTok.

The adults are corporate power-hungry manipulators too, as we’ve come to expect from Vought. The first episode introduces us to the aptly named Professor Brink Brinkerhoff (Clancy Brown), who’s about as much of a stereotype of a narcissistic full professor as you can get – I admit, as a professor myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the caricature. He’s got the power to decide who gets to be part of the Crimefighting School – similar to the coveted admission to the Business School in a few real life universities – and he’s got his favorites. He summarily rejects Marie before Golden Boy turns on his mentor and takes him out of the picture, opening up an opportunity for her to get in.  Dean Indira Shetty (Shelley Conn) is an enigmatic woman who can seem incredibly warm and nurturing, and then you get a glimpse of her face when the target of her warmth can’t see it and realize she’s as cold as ice.  Andre’s dad, who was the Supe Polaris, is just as icy in his determination to see his son become number one – and maybe one of the Seven.

One of the narratives that The Boys universe has explored in all its versions is parenting, for better or worse (usually for worse…). In the original show we eventually learned what Annie’s mother and other parents had done to their children with Compound V for mostly selfish reasons, and in the animated Diabolical, we saw the costs of that selfishness in brutal detail for the kids. Gen V continues that exploration, and not just with Andre’s father. Emma’s mom is similarly invested in her child’s “success”, essentially telling her to suck it up and do whatever it takes to find some popularity no matter what the personal cost. Jordan’s mom and dad are the “driven Asian parents” who refuse to see their child for who they are and instead want to have a successful son – whether or not they identify as a son or not.

True to every Eric Kripke show ever, that’s not all the show has to say about family though. Like Supernatural and The Boys and every other show he’s put his creative touch on, Gen V is also about the importance of family bonds – especially sibling bonds – and what that inspires. Of course, the sibling bonds on this show are fraught and sculpted by trauma, because this is the universe of The Boys after all. Marie is desperate to find her little sister, who was separated from her after she got her first period and her powers manifested as the ability to control blood – which she hadn’t harnessed at all and thus it became a weapon that accidentally killed both her parents and traumatized her younger sister. Luke is desperate to find his little brother (who’s named Sam and has floppy hair so that every Supernatural fan was instantly a million percent invested in that relationship).

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Premiering Friday – Return to the Twisted World of ‘The Boys’ with ‘Gen V’!

Premiering Friday – Return to the Twisted World of ‘The Boys’ with ‘Gen V’!

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I had high expectations for the new spinoff series from the universe of ‘The Boys’ simply because I love the original series so much that it’s a treat to be able to have some more of it. At the same time, I was hesitant. I’m not exactly college age – would I be able to relate to these characters who are in the throes of adolescence?

The official synopsis sets the new show at…

Godolkin University, the prestigious superhero-only college where students train to be the next generation of heroes—preferably with lucrative endorsements. You know what happens when supes go bad, but not all superheroes start out corrupt. Beyond the typical college chaos of finding oneself and partying, these kids are facing explosive situations … literally. As the students vie for popularity and good grades, it’s clear that the stakes are much higher when super powers are involved. When the group of young supes discover that something bigger and sinister is going on at school, they’re put to the test: Will they be the heroes or the villains of their stories?

That’s a familiar question for this universe, but the fact that it focuses on these “kids” was a bigger question for me. Turns out, I didn’t have to worry. Within five minutes of watching Episode 1, I was already on the edge of my seat and forgetting to take notes. It’s the same feeling I had watching Season 1 of ‘The Boys’ – the sensation of being on a roller coaster that’s taking the turns a little too fast and nearly skidding off the track as I hold on for dear life. Sometimes I definitely gasped in surprise, sometimes I laughed out loud, and of course there were some “ewww” exclamations, because this wouldn’t be the same universe if there weren’t. But, surprisingly, there were also moments where I empathized with what the main characters were going through – especially Jaz Sinclair’s Marie Moreau. The first episode is largely following her story, and by the time the episode was drawing to a close, I found myself caring about her already.

Prime Video

I should have expected it after being surprised to find myself caring about some characters on ‘The Boys’ that I probably shouldn’t have, but I thought it might be different with teenagers. I guess good writing is good writing and good acting is good acting! What ‘Gen V’ does that its parent show also does so well is give us just enough backstory to make the characters sympathetic, with tragedy depicted in a visceral (sometimes literal) way that lets you really feel just how tragic that moment is. The show doesn’t shy away from blood and guts, just like ‘The Boys’, but the violence is often used to underline the shock and horror that we all feel when faced with tragedy, even the sterile non-bloody kind.

The other characters who are introduced in the first episode are also memorable, especially the ambivalent-about-being-ambitious Andre, enigmatic Jordan who is sometimes female and sometimes male, the golden boy of the school who is actually called Golden Boy because that’s hilarious, and Marie’s roommate Emma. Emma is already a favorite of mine, with a superpower that isn’t taken seriously or valued highly and an arsenal of defenses covering up a world of hurt. I’ve got a soft spot for her for sure – don’t kill her, show!

‘Gen V’, like the other shows in this universe, manages to be unrealistic and over the top while at the same time making some pointed commentary on the real world. Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s intentionally hit-you-over-the-head with the parallel, but it’s almost always biting – and I love it.

Prime Video

Special shout out to Episode One’s ability to parody every University’s overly sincere posturing, from motivational posters on the walls (“The Deep was once a kid just like you. He says: Honor is doing the right thing when no one is looking”) to the Dean of Students insisting that they’re a “family” and telling students they appreciate “the unique culturally rich change agent that you are.”   I got stuck between eye rolling and laughing out loud recognizing the familiar rhetoric of every University I’ve taught at over the years.

‘Gen V’ retains the cheeky references that the original series included, with shoutouts to CW stalwarts like Riverdale and Pretty Little Liars and supe students claiming to be “super focused” or “super inclusive” or “super abled”. I might have squealed out loud to see Alex Calvert, Supernatural’s own Jack, as one of those students.  The show can be a heady mix of serious social commentary one second and outrageous sex scenes the next, with some creative super powers constantly going on in the background. There’s also a mystery that’s introduced right from the start, something ominous and dark that is downright scary – like a little touch of Supernatural snuck in to spice things up even more. I like it!

One of the other things I relish about the universe of ‘The Boys’ is the masterful and thoroughly enjoyable social media presence the show has cultivated. It’s been so much fun to watch the Vought account interact with The Boys account, and now Gen V has been added to the mix. Fans have played along and responded to social media posts with in-universe commentary, making the whole experience extra meta (and extra amusing). Oh, and is there anything more appropriate than the official Astroglide account getting in on the fun??

The reality tie-in, it burns…

Today’s Twitter/X back and forth had Vought CEO Ashley and Kimiko disagreeing about whether you should trust Vought – or definitely not trust Vought.

I don’t trust Vought at all, but I do trust Eric Kripke, and once again he hasn’t let me down. I’m already looking forward to more of this wild ride – streaming tomorrow on Prime Video. Stream it yourself and ride along!

As A Train says, I hope you survive the experience…

The Gen V cast includes Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Shelley Conn, Maddie Phillips, London Thor, Derek Luh, Asa Germann, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Marco Pigossi. Gen V also features guest stars Clancy Brown and Jason Ritter, as well as appearances from Jessie T. Usher, Colby Minifie, Claudia Doumit and P.J. Byrne, reprising their roles from The Boys.

Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters serve as showrunners and executive producers. Eric Kripke, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, Ori Marmur, Pavun Shetty, Ken Levin, Jason Netter, Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, Craig Rosenberg, Nelson Cragg, Zak Schwartz, Erica Rosbe, and Michaela Starr also serve as executive producers on the spinoff series. Serving as co-executive producers are Brant Englestein, Sarah Carbiener, Lisa Kussner, Gabriel Garcia, Aisha Porter-Christie, Judalina Neira, and Loreli Alanís. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios, in association with Kripke Enterprises, Point Grey Pictures, and Original Film.

– Lynn

You can pre-order ‘Supes Ain’t Always

Heroes: Inside the Complex Characters

And Twisted Psychology of The Boys’,

the new book that takes a deep dive into

the world of The Boys, at

Supes Ain’t Always Heroes

 

 

Did Sammy Come Back Wrong? Supernatural 3.04 ‘Sin City’

Did Sammy Come Back Wrong? Supernatural 3.04 ‘Sin City’

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The fourth episode of Supernatural Season 3 is one that I sometimes forget about, but it’s actually very interesting not only in how it moves the main plot forward, but also in how it moves the evolution of Sam and Dean’s (and the show’s) understanding of “monsters” forward too. Plus it’s a beautiful episode, with director Charles Beeson and DP Serge Ladouceur creating some gorgeous scenes. The show was still quite dark in this season, though it was transitioning, so I relish all the episodes that still retained that early season darkness, both literally and metaphorically.

This is one of the episodes co-written by Bob Singer, along with Jeremy Carver, two eventual showrunners themselves. The script is punctuated with all kinds of pop culture references, from the title referring to a comic, film and AC/DC song and nods to everything from Donnie Brasco to Psycho, Dick Cheney to Margaritaville.

The “THEN” reminds us of the Yellow Eyed Demon’s provocative question to Dean: How certain are you that what you brought back is 100% pure Sam?

It’s a theme that was so intriguing and I was hoping they’d make more of, but Season 3 is the season that was cut short by the writer’s strike and changed course in multiple ways, so nothing ever really came of that question unless you want to look at it as foreshadowing of Sam eventually losing his soul. We’re also reminded of the Colt that can kill anything, and Ruby’s manipulation of Sam with the promise that she can help him save his brother, the only thing Sam cares about right now.

“NOW”…

The opening scene is beautiful and disturbing, a church lit by candles that suddenly flicker as a wind blows through. A parishioner in the choir loft insists that God isn’t with them anymore as a nun and priest look up – to see the man pull a gun and shoot himself, collapsing.

The nun screams bloody murder, and we get the title card in a perfect juxtaposition.

SUPERNATURAL

Cut to Bobby working on the Colt, Dean making bullets. It’s incongruously beautiful, as Supernatural often is even when it’s violent and dark.

Sam tells them he might have found some omens in Ohio.

Dean: Well that’s thrilling…

Sam goes on about the guy blowing his head off in a church and another guy going postal in a hobby shop. Dean’s still not entirely convinced and not very excited about going to Ohio.

Dean (hopefully): There’s gotta be a demon or two in South Beach…

Sam: Sorry, Hef, maybe next time.

Sam calling Dean Hugh Hefner, the infamous Playboy mansion owner, is kinda adorable. I bet Dean loved it.

He asks Bobby how it’s going with the Colt, and Bobby admits it’s going slowly.

Dean: I tell you, it’s a little sad seeing the Colt like that.

Bobby: The only thing it’s good for now is figuring out what makes it tick.

Sam: So what makes it tick?

Bobby: (bitchface)

Dean (taking his cue from Sam): So if we wanna go check out these omens in Ohio, you think you can have that thing ready by this afternoon?

Sam laughs, while Bobby….does not.

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Season 3 of ‘The Boys’ on DVD and BluRay Releasing in October!

Season 3 of ‘The Boys’ on DVD and BluRay Releasing in October!

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Yesterday Sony Home Entertainment announced the release date for the Blu-Ray set of Season 3 of ‘The Boys’ as October 24, so if you’ve been waiting to own the adventures of Butcher, Hughie, Annie, Homelander, Soldier Boy and company, the wait is almost over.  Here’s the official synopsis of Season 3 in case you forgot (how could you forget??)

It’s been a year of calm. Homelander’s subdued. Butcher works for the government, supervised by Hughie of all people. But both men itch to turn this peace and quiet into blood and bone. So when The Boys learn of a mysterious Anti-Supe weapon, it sends them crashing into The Seven, starting a war, and chasing the legend of the first superhero: Soldier Boy.

And hoo boy, is that a powerful scene when they find him (in more ways than one!) Thanks, Jensen Ackles.

The Blu-Ray and DVD sets include special features – gag reels, deleted and extended scenes, and the “Making Of” featurette.

I don’t know about you, but gag reels are my favorite thing EVER! This cast clearly had alot of fun making last season…Catch up on Season 3 before Season 4 releases, tentatively set for some time this winter when the strike is resolved.

Every episode of that season was an insane rollercoaster that left me always wanting MORE!

You can also catch up on the story so far and be ready for Season 4 with the new book ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes: Inside the Complex Characters and Twisted Psychology of The Boys’.  We’re supporting the current WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike by pushing the release date back to December 5 but you can preorder the book now so you have a deep dive into the show and its characters to go along with your DVDs. What makes them tick and why did we all get sucked into this show so completely, even if it did sometimes make us want to cover our eyes? Exclusive interviews with the cast bring even more insight into the actors’ experience of what makes this show so special.

You can preorder at https://smartpopbooks.com/TheBoys/ and get free original artwork of Soldier Boy and Kimiko that’s just plain gorgeous.

And look for the spinoff show ‘Gen V’ releasing on September 29!

– Lynn

 

Supernatural Charlotte 2023 – AKA Spatula Con!

Supernatural Charlotte 2023 – AKA Spatula Con!

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The Road So Far/ The Road Ahead (aka in my head as Supernatural) con in Charlotte is one of my favorites. It’s an easy ninety minute flight, which I value more and more every single year (and my knee values more every single day) and SO many of my friends planned to be there. It felt a lot like the early days of Supernatural cons, when everyone knew everyone else because there were only a few to go to, so me and my friends were all there at one or the other.

It was clear that this was going to be a fun con because it was also “Spatula Con” – which meant that many fans actually brought spatulas with them, for all kinds of photo fun and shenanigans. (If you’re wondering why, it’s in honor of Jared and Gen’s appearance on Celebrity Family Feud, where the thing they’d bring from the kitchen to the bedroom was – you guessed it – a spatula). Hence, Spatula Con!

It was also gorgeous weather and the con hotel (a brief walk down the hall from the convention center, which made me very very very happy) had a lovely outdoor patio where we could all hang out and eat and drink and be merry. There was a lot of merry at this con!

I was a bit uncertain about how the con itself would go since because of the SAG and WGA strike, the actors can’t talk about any struck work – including the vast majority of their projects. I’m that fan who always has a burning question about the show I love, and is less enthralled by “what’s your favorite color?” type questions, so I wasn’t sure what this would be like. Of course, I should have trusted all these actors – because they can all think on their feet and tell a hilarious story, and that’s pretty much what they did. I laughed my way through most of the panels I saw, and so did the actors!

There inevitably are comments online about drama at every con, but this con was pretty much drama-free for those of us who were there. The fans had fun, the actors had fun, everyone was happy to be able to get together and share some good times and funny stories. The actors were diligent about not breaking any strike rules and the fans were conscientious in helping them do that, and all of that felt pretty damn good.

I didn’t have anyone to help me at the vendor table on a regular basis (shout out to all the friends who hopped in to let me run to the bathroom all weekend!) so I missed the Friday panels, which meant I missed a lot of my favorite people – Gil McKinney, David Haydn Jones, DJ Qualls, Kim Rhodes, Briana Buckmaster – and Nate Torrence (who played Sully in ‘Just My Imagination’) who I REALLY wanted to get to see. I hear his panel was awesome, and just seeing him coming and going, he seems like such a nice guy.

I did make it into the ballroom finally for Misha Collins, since I try to never miss his panel. He and Rob reminisced about some early panels, including for some reason the one when they did the “Eiffel tower”. Don’t ask.

Everyone onstage struggled with the limitations of the strike in trying not to say the names of actual shows, but it’s undeniably difficult.

Misha: We’re organizing a little strike picket for S-P-N and Kripke sent out an organizing thing – but it says the actual name on it!

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A Season 3 Favorite – Bad Day At Black Rock

A Season 3 Favorite – Bad Day At Black Rock

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Our little rewatch of Supernatural has arrived at another favorite episode! I feel like I’ve been saying that almost constantly during this rewatch, but the first few seasons of this show were just SO amazing. Even watching sixteen years later, they hold up incredibly well – in fact, I think this show really has spoiled me. I stack every other new show up against this one, and few make the cut. Supernatural is THAT good.

Anyway… I love this episode for its humor, which Jared and Jensen carry out masterfully, but it comes during a dark time in the show’s canon. Kripke was particularly good at knowing when the audience needed a bit of comic relief from the darkness, because at this time Supernatural was very much still a horror show. The combination was compelling, like the best twists and turns and scares of a roller coaster, but I’m sure it was hard to pull off. But Supernatural? Did it every single time in the early years. Including in this episode. With brilliant writing by Ben Edlund and directing by Bob Singer, this episode is an all time favorite.

Let’s jump in!

‘THEN’ reminds us that this is, in fact, a horror genre show. That the boys’ dad is gone, and Dean is determined that they will carry out his legacy. That Dean sold his soul to save Sam and has a year to live before being sent to Hell.  That a mysterious chick named Ruby might have a blade that can kill a demon and insists she can save Dean. Oh, and a reminder of the hunter Gordon Walker, convinced that Sam Winchester is fighting on hell’s side in the upcoming war….

NOW.

Kubrick visits Gordon in prison, telling him that a devil’s gate was opened in Wyoming.   (Kubrick was a fascinating character played perfectly by Michael Massee, who sadly passed away in 2016.)

Gordon is immediately suspicious. He’s got a one track mind when it comes to Sam – an obsession really. Gordon is such an interesting character, both he and Kubrick in this episode vividly showing that hunters have a dark side. They’re obsessed, most of them, in one way or another. If they weren’t, would anyone do what they do? And that includes the Winchesters, all of them, eventually. I love that the show has never shied away from examining its heroes and pointing out their flaws – the ARE heroes, no doubt about it, but what they do skates the thin line between right and wrong and is almost always on the not-quite-legal side of things, especially in the early seasons. It made for a compelling narrative and characters.

Gordon: Sam Winchester was there, wasn’t he?

Kubrick is initially doubtful about Sam going darkside – Bobby Singer says the Winchesters were there, but they went in there to stop it.

Kubrick: He’s a hunter, that’s all.

Gordon laughs.

Gordon: Kubrick, I’m not even sure he’s human.  Track him down, Kubrick. Sam Winchester must die.

Gordon hangs up dramatically, and we all know the boys are in trouble.

The Supernatural Season 3 title card hits the screen, and then we’re with our boys. In the Impala at night on a quiet, dark road. Sam and Dean are arguing, and Dean is pissed that Sam is considering working with Ruby. Of course, the boys are keeping secrets, so he doesn’t know that Sam is considering it to save Dean. At this time in the show, we already know the lengths Dean will go to in order to ensure Sam is okay, but we’re now finding out that Sam will go every bit as far.

Dean: The second you find out this Ruby chick is a demon, you go for the holy water, you don’t chat!

Sam bristles, saying no one was chatting.

Dean demands to know why he didn’t send her back to hell then, and Sam reluctantly admits that she said she could help him out of his deal. Dean stares at Sam incredulously, while Sam sits silent and sullen.

Dean: What is wrong with you, huh? She’s lying, you gotta know that, don’t you? She knows what your weakness is – it’s me. What else did she say?

Sam doesn’t answer.

Dean: Dude!

Sam: Nothing. Look, I’m not an idiot, Dean, I’m not talking about trusting her, I’m talking about using her.

I forget sometimes how reasonable it all seemed at the beginning of the season. It’s probably what any of us would have done, if we wanted to save someone we loved and there was no other way to do it. Of course Sam desperately wanted to believe Ruby – and Dean’s right, she knew that.

Dean: You’re okay, right? I mean, you’re feeling okay?

Dean, of course, knows that if he tries to welsh on the deal, Sam will once again drop dead. Both of them are terrified that they’re about to lose the other.

Sam snaps back, saying he’s fine.

Sam: Why are you always asking me that?

Dean has not forgotten what his little brother looked like laid out on that old bed, lifeless. He can’t shake the fear that Sam really isn’t okay, that he’s going to be yanked out of Dean’s life once again just like that.

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The Last Official Supernatural Convention – San Francisco 2023

The Last Official Supernatural Convention – San Francisco 2023

spnfans

This July’s San Francisco convention was special – first, it was the last of the dedicated Supernatural Official conventions that Creation Entertainment put on, which made it a bittersweet experience for those of us who, like me, have been there since the beginning. Sure, there are new conventions planned that include Jared, Jensen, Misha and many more Supernatural cast members, but there was something poignant about this being the last “Official” Supernatural con. I got emotional as soon as I saw the old familiar stage banner up there. What a great souvenir of a wonderful time that would be – too bad my living room isn’t quite big enough for it even if it ever was offered up!

The con was also special because it was the 100th Saturday Night Special. That also made me all kinds of emotional, because I was there for the evolution of the Saturday-night-at-a-con shenanigans that eventually became the SNS. Originally there was a dessert party on Saturday night, and the actors would go from table to table and do a round of what Kathy and I referred to as “speed dating” where they had a few minutes to chat with whoever was at that table and then move on to the next one. Sometimes there was a centerpiece contest too, meaning fans who are more creative than me would make SPN themed centerpieces and then the actors would judge them and pick a winner. It was a bizarre sort of evening, but I’m nostalgic about it now. Also, ice cream.  At least I think that all used to happen on Saturday!

Then Saturday was briefly some kind of fan talent show I think, with the actors rather awkwardly judging who was the ‘winner’. Spoiler alert: Winner is a strong word. Then there were concerts – early on, it was Steve Carlson, and for a little while the Brian Buckley Band, and eventually Louden Swain. Talk about a lucky fandom!

And then came the Toronto convention when Rob Benedict had a stroke (you can read his first hand account of exactly what happened in the powerful chapter he wrote in Family Don’t End With Blood) and he wasn’t able to perform for a while. The next convention, the other cast members and friends got together to put on a special concert to support Rob – the very first Saturday Night Special. It was a really emotional evening, with most of the actors performing, and it became a beloved tradition that was even more joyous when Rob stepped back in as front man for the SNS evenings.

So celebrating the 100th SNS felt really special.

The San Fran con had been cancelled multiple times, so it also felt special just to finally get there – and my friends Alana, Lauren and Eloisa were all there too. Friends are a huge part of what makes cons special every single time.

I caught a bit of the Gil McKinney and David Haydn Jones panel on Friday afternoon when I arrived – two of my favorite people, both of whom have chapters in either Family Don’t End With Blood or There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done.

Gil talked about being grateful for all the work he’s been able to do as a working actor.

Gil: And for the auditions. The audition is the work. I may not be the most well known actor, but I’m proud of every single thing I’ve done.

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Where It All Began – Return To Supernatural Chicon!

Where It All Began – Return To Supernatural Chicon!

spnfans

Chicago was the very first Supernatural Creation convention, way way back in 2007. My friends and I stalked their website for weeks waiting for the tickets to go on sale, trading off ‘watch the site’ times so it would always be covered. We were rewarded with front row seats, back in the day when front row was the same price as the rest of the gold tickets, and had an amazing time at that very first con. I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to return to what we then called “Chicon” each year it’s been held since then. It’s where one of my closest friends lives, so it also means I get to hang out with Winchester Family Business editor Laurena and her lovely husband. This year I had lots of other friends, both old and new, there too – so it was a whirlwind weekend of patio dinners at great restaurants in the 75 degree sunshine and long talks in the vendor room with friends I don’t get to see nearly often enough.

If you’ve ever wondered what the vendor table looks like, this was the Chicago set up – if you’re ever at a con, come say hi! I’m always happy to sign books too, whether you’ve brought them with you or bought them at the con. And if Family Don’t End With Blood inspired you in some way, it makes my day to hear about it – and the actors’ when someone says the chapters they wrote were an inspiration.

My flight got in on Friday, so I missed DJ Qualls and Julian Richings (my friend Barb caught a few photos for me).

I got to chat with Julian a bit later – we both worked on the book ‘Death in Supernatural’, with Julian writing the Foreword and me writing the Afterword, so it was nice to see him and catch up.

I caught Gil McKinney and David Haydn Jones panel in progress. The pairing of Gil and David might seem like an unusual one, as their characters didn’t interact at all on Supernatural, but they have gelled into a delightfully naughty duo that I thoroughly enjoy. When I came into the ballroom, they were trying to decide if Gil once wore his dance belt backwards, or was it really just a thong?

David has a new movie coming out that apparently involves dancing, so that is sure to be fun!

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