The long wait is finally over – the new book, ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes: Inside the Complex Characters and Twisted Psychology of The Boys’ released on December 5! We delayed the release in solidarity with the writers’ and actors’ strikes, but now the book is ready for reading just in time for us to all … Read more New Book on ‘The Boys’! ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes’ Now Available!
Fifteen years. Two brothers. Angels and demons. A story like no other. And one of the most passionate fan bases of all time. That’s Supernatural. When a show you love ends after changing your life in countless ways, saying goodbye is hard. When characters are as richly written as Sam and Dean and Castiel and … Read more There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done
Wondering where you can find Supes Ain’t Always Heroes, There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done, Family Don’t End With Blood and our other Supernatural books? Here’s all the information you need and links to order! Supes Ain’t Always Heroes: Our latest book is a deep dive into the hit streaming show The Boys, another … Read more Where To Find It – All Our Books on Supernatural, The Boys and More!
I don’t like to spoil anything in reviews, so I’m saving the details for Countdown’s actual release day, but here’s the bottom line – you’re going to want to watch this show!
A brief synopsis: ‘Countdown’ follows an LAPD officer (Jensen Ackles) who is recruited to a secret task force to solve a murder. In the process a sinister plot to take down the whole city is uncovered, upping the stakes considerably.
Yes, as many reviews have said, it’s a high stakes action packed procedural that’s going to have wide appeal. It’s a roller coaster of a suspense ride, filmed so that you feel like you’re right there in the midst of the action, dodging bullets and bad guys and barely escaping with your life just like the task force members. It’ll get your adrenaline pumping and keep you on the edge of your seat, and that is just plain FUN.
But is that all?
I’ve read some reviews that the suspense and action are its strength and that Countdown falls short in between the chase sequences and shoot outs, but I disagree. That’s never enough for me to keep watching a show – it has to grab me by the heartstrings, and ideally by the analytical part of my brain too. This show does that. Every character is unique, and all have something going on that they’d rather not talk about – something underneath the uber competent personas they show on the surface. We find this out little by little, as (to put it how the actors love to put it) they peel back the layers so we can see that none of them are as put together as they want us (or each other) to believe.
Shout out to Derek Haas’ writing, but the cast are also talented enough to make these reveals believable, and allow themselves to show enough vulnerability that we care about their challenges. I was rooting for all of them by the end of the first episode. Full disclosure, I’m a long time Jensen Ackles fan, so I knew he could make Mark Meachum a nuanced character – and I’m here to tell you that he does. Once we know what Mark is facing, there are innumerable little moments when a subtle change in expression lets us know that he’s struggling before he quickly covers it up again. That’s the kind of acting that does justice to a character written to be complex. He can be a cocky asshole, and then two scenes later a vulnerable human being facing the most human of struggles.
The ensemble cast – every member of the task force – is capable of the same nuanced acting. Someone owes the casting agency a big fruit basket!
We also get to see Ackles play action hero of course, jumping off moving vehicles and rolling around in the dirt and wrestling bad guys (kudos to the stunt actor too, but apparently Ackles got to do some of that himself, much to his delight).
I wasn’t familiar with Derek Haas’ previous very successful shows, but his writing is solid here in creating these characters and beginning to weave relationships between them. The show has a very “real time” feel to it, so it feels like those relationships are developing organically, with us witnessing them.
There’s a dark backstory full of tragedy that’s also at its core very human, a mystery that slowly reveals itself as the task force realizes what they’re actually dealing with. It was confusing at first, but that gave me an Aha moment that was satisfying when I realized what (and who) (and why) they were up against.
The production value of Countdown is impressive. I am always pulled in by a show that’s visually appealing, and this one is. It’s obvious right away that this isn’t just a show filmed in LA – LA herself is a character in the show. Both its iconic touristy locations (the Hollywood sign looming in the background) and its lesser known neighborhoods, from the quirky to the quaint to the gritty, are lovingly featured. I always felt like Vancouver was almost a character in Supernatural, its beauty enriching the show, but in Countdown, LA isn’t standing in for anywhere else – she gets to be herself. And the directors know how to show her off and incorporate her unique personality into the show.
One more thing – and this is something that amplifies what I’ve already pointed out as positives – the music in the series is awesome. I had a brief conversation with Ackles trying to characterize it, with neither of us really succeeding, but it’s effective in part because it’s an eclectic mix – there’s grunge and alternative and good old rock n roll, and most of it is not something that will be instantly familiar, but it’s always something that works with the scene. The action sequences are already heart-pounding, but the rapid pace of the music chosen amps the adrenaline up even more – and in those quieter scenes, amplifies the emotionality that the actors are already bringing.
I can’t wait to tell you more! Countdown premieres on June 25 with the first three episodes. The remaining ten release weekly on Wednesdays on Prime Video.
I’ve been a fan of Jensen Ackles for a long time, ever since Supernatural’s Dean Winchester appeared on the screen twenty years ago and captured my heart. Ackles has been in quite a few series since then, including his memorable turn as Soldier Boy in ‘The Boys’ (returning in 2026), but I am loving how much buzz there is for the new show he’s starring in, ‘Countdown’. The internet has been so full of Countdown content that it’s been difficult to keep up – which is definitely NOT something I’m complaining about!
Even the TV Guide which still gets delivered to our house old school featured Ackles and company on the cover, much to my great delight.
In fact, it seems like Jensen Ackles and Countdown are everywhere.
If you were in New York City, you were treated to a billboard!
Thanks to Prime Video kindly sending me the advance screeners, I’ve been able to watch the new series (the first four episodes so far) and I am now even MORE excited for everyone to see them too. While we wait for the series to kick off on June 25 so I can post all my thoughts on the first three episodes that I’m absolutely bursting to share, here’s why we are all so full of anticipation. (No spoilers!)
One reason for all the excitement? Derek Haas is not only the showrunner, but wrote ALL the first season episodes.
The first thing Jensen Ackles said to me about ‘Countdown’, back when the show was announced, was how excited he was to be working with Derek Haas. Haas created ‘Chicago Fire’ and wrote over 200 episodes of that show and its various spinoffs, impressing a lot of people along the way – including Ackles.
And Amazon.
And guess who else has been impressing Amazon (and Haas) along the way? That’s right. Ackles. That makes Countdown an absolute love fest, with all three feeling lucky to be working with the other two. And it shows!
Ackles, Haas and Dane on the carpet
During the press day last week, Haas told GiveMeMyRemote.com that after he pitched Countdown to Amazon, one of the execs called him and said “you’ve got to meet this guy, Jensen Ackles.” The two went to lunch, discovered they grew up in the same hometown, and totally hit it off. “From that moment on,” Haas said, “I was thinking about and writing Mark Meachum in Jensen’s cadence. He’s so funny and nice and up for anything, and that kind of infused the character as we went.” In another chat with The Wrap, Haas remembered the genre shows he’d loved growing up, like Raiders, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, and said “Thankfully, I got Jensen Ackles – he could have been in any of those movies.”
Add to that an ensemble cast who are both talented and apparently just plain wonderful to work with, and you’ve got a recipe for success. I confess I didn’t know Haas or his work, but I’ve followed Ackles and his work for twenty years as a passionate Supernatural and The Boys fan. Hearing him talk about the great atmosphere they had on the Countdown set, the cast playing games or playing guitar in between takes, is what makes me most excited about the show. When there’s that genuine chemistry in real life, it translates to the screen – anyone who watched Supernatural knows that!
Ackles has talked many times about how important it was to him to set a tone on the set of Supernatural that made going to work fun, with the cast and the crew joking around until they called Action, including in his chapter in ‘There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done’. He brought that ethos to Countdown. The behind the scenes photos shared during filming and taking a break from press day make that clear.
Ackles admitted to ExtraTV that he tried hard to break everyone and make them laugh, both cast and crew.
Ackles: I think it sets a tone on set that is – you forget we’re making entertainment here sometimes – I like to have fun doing what I do. It should be fun, you should enjoy it. I like that kind of environment to create in.
There’s a reason Supernatural ran for 15 years, after all.
At the premiere party for Countdown last week in LA and in the press day interviews, the mutual love fest that Jensen Ackles and costar Eric Dane have going on was also clear. Dane was recently diagnosed with ALS; Ackles was a steadfast and supportive friend at his side for much of the press day and Dane had nothing but praise for Ackles as both a friend and an actor.
Frazer Harrison via Getty Images
Ackles shared with People that Dane’s command of scenes and his quiet leadership were something that came through onscreen but were also influential on set, calling Dane “a total stud”. Dane, like ‘The Boys’ Antony Starr, was hoping mutual acquaintances would give him some dirt on Ackles, but nope. “I love you,” Dane confided to Ackles in an interview with TooFab. “Shut up,” Ackles retorted fondly.
All the actors complimented each other in the press day interviews. That translates into lots of chemistry between them onscreen, which sets Countdown apart from your standard procedural.
‘Countdown’ follows an LAPD officer (Ackles) who is recruited to a secret task force to solve a murder. In the process a sinister plot to take down the whole city is uncovered, upping the stakes considerably. That sounds like relatively standard procedural fare, but the show stands out in more ways than one.
First, Ackles and Haas have expressed their excitement for the format of Countdown – like many streaming shows, it will release some episodes simultaneously, in this case the first three. But like more traditional network shows, the rest of the episodes will release weekly, giving fans time to dissect and discuss and hypothesize and do what fans do best. Instead of six or eight episodes, Countdown has thirteen, giving its audience more time with the characters to get to really care about them. As a psychologist who studies fandom, I think that both of those strategies make a difference. Every show dreams about building a fanbase as loyal, long-lasting and passionate as Supernatural’s, but it’s difficult to do with a limited number of episodes that all drop at once, precluding the anticipation that’s an agonizing and pleasurable part of fandom and not providing enough content and backstory to nourish fans’ discussion and creativity in expanding its canon.
Countdown aims to remedy both those problems. Of course, you still have to have a well written and conceived show with compelling characters to capture fans’ attention – but guess what? Countdown has managed to do that too!
Second, the show is as suspenseful as its ticking stopwatch title card suggests. It pulls you in and grabs hold of you and just doesn’t let you go. From its first frames, the series knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat with its well choreographed action scenes and epic chases. The filming angles make you feel like you’re right there in the midst of the action, the music is so good it’s an integral part of telling the story, and the fast pace gets your adrenaline pumping. Do not drink a big cup of caffeine while you’re watching this show!
It’s not just the action and suspense that draws you in, though, it’s the people. Countdown also introduces its ensemble cast of characters slowly enough that you feel like you get to know them a little before the team is assembled – and you even start to care about them. I have A LOT more to say about the characters, but I’ll save most of that for the 25th. I will say that the chemistry Ackles keeps saying was created “in disgusting amounts” is very much in evidence.
Third, the series (at least the four episodes I’ve watched so far) is remarkably consistent. Haas wrote all the episodes of this first season and is also the showrunner, so it’s a tight narrative – something that’s rare in a 13 episode series! Haas is a gifted writer, creating characters who each stand out in their own way. He shows them to us gradually, letting us form a first impression just like their fellow team members do, but then giving us glimpses of what’s underneath – which often contradicts their surface presentation just enough that we’re left going hmmmm…
Sure Mark Meachum is a badass full of bravado and snark – a cowboy who doesn’t fit the mold and doesn’t care. But we find out quickly that he does care about justice, especially when it’s the powerful hurting the less powerful. And he’s not afraid to put his own future on the line to do what he thinks is right. The other characters are similarly complex, all facing challenges they’d rather the rest of the team not see. Nathan Blythe is the team leader, the anchor keeping them in check as well as the calm presence who keeps them grounded, and Eric Dane is the perfect actor to bring him to life. Every character is unique, with a backstory that’s relatable enough that we want to know more.
From Derek Haas on Bluesky
Jensen Ackles fans are split as to whether there should be any parallels drawn to Ackles’ iconic role as Dean Winchester in Supernatural – Ackles himself, who loves Dean as much as any of us do, has been happy to make those comparisons, saying that the Mark Meachum character will be familiar
Any character who says (with great sincerity) like Mark Meachum does “If I’m going out, I’m going out saving something” would have a hard time not reminding me of Dean Winchester! In my book, that is far from a bad thing.
Both Eric Dane and Jensen Ackles know what it’s like to be known for playing a long-running character on a popular show (like Grey’s Anatomy or Supernatural).
Ackles: If you get put into a box in this industry, maybe from a working actor’s perspective it’s debilitating, but I don’t view it as that. I view it as the fact that we actually made it into a box and there is a playground in which we can play. I’m happy to play in that as long as this industry will let me. If it wants to see me in somewhere else and play in a different playground, I’m happy to do that too. I don’t have to do this, I get to do this. As long as I get to keep playing with amazing people like this and telling amazing stories like Derek has created, put me in a box all day.
Eric: I love him.
Interviewer: I love you both.
Me: I love everyone in this video!
And I do really appreciate Jensen’s genuine gratitude and enthusiasm for the profession he loves and the characters he plays. And how he looks in that green shirt.
TV Line gets my award for interview question that most amused Ackles: Would you say that Mark Meachum has BDE – Big Dean (Winchester) Energy?
Ackles: Yeah I think you could definitely say there’s a familiarity there. I don’t know about similarity, but there’s a familiarity in that they’re a little cavalier in the way they attack the dark forces.
And that is very very fun to watch! (Of course, as he pointed out, the dark forces Meachum is going after are mortal, not ghost and vampires. Hence he only needs a pistol instead of a whole trunk full of weapons).
Mark and Dean are not the same in many ways, but the things that are familiar are things that I enjoy in a character – things that make a fictional character human. That make us care about them. Ackles excels at showing us that nuance and reluctant vulnerability in a character, and I am already intrigued by Mark Meachum as a result.
Are you enjoying all the buzz as much as I am? You can catch Jensen Ackles tomorrow on Jimmy Fallon talking Countdown – and then catch the premiere of the first three episodes on June 25 streaming on Prime Video.
I often write a birthday post for Jensen’s birthday looking back in gratitude for all the ways he brightened my year (and of course for bringing Dean Winchester to life so brilliantly). This year is no exception in terms of gratitude – I am as in love with Supernatural as ever, five years after the show ended, and I am still endlessly grateful for the show and for Dean. In spite of being not the most prolific social media user, Jensen’s occasional posts have invariably been bright spots in the year too. His con appearances never fail to warm my heart, whether I’m there or watching from afar, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been in the audience for another Radio Company show and some Saturday Night Special performances. I had a few special moments with him in the past year that I’ll forever be thankful for, including a little time with him and his Baby and some serendipitous Disney World chats.
That’s alot of joy – and I’m very very grateful.
But I also really REALLY need some things to look forward to right now, in the midst of these difficult times. So I thought I’d look ahead instead of behind for this birthday post, because I’m also very grateful that we have SO much to look forward to from Jensen coming up! He’s been working hard filming multiple projects, and I can’t wait to see all the fruits of his labor – because we know they’ll be awesome.
I enjoyed Jensen’s guest turn as Russell on Tracker and was happy to hear that they want him back (when he can fit it into that busy schedule). They left Russell’s history mysterious enough that I want to know more about him, and I loved every moment of Russell onscreen. Jensen and good buddy Justin Hartley make believable brothers, and they clearly enjoyed being able to act together after so many years of friendship. So, one of the things we have to look forward to – more Russell!
Hopefully we’ll find out more about the family mystery with all three siblings in the new season.
Russell had that cockiness to his personality, and that sense of humor, that we all know Jensen can pull off so organically – part of what makes us fall a little bit in love with all his characters.
Even when we don’t want to! (We’ll get to Soldier Boy in a minute…)
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We also have the brand new show ‘Countdown’ to look forward to – a starring role for Jensen, and a new partnership of Chaos Productions with Prime Video. We don’t know alot about Mark Meachum yet, but the little hints we’ve gotten are intriguing.
Most exciting for me, every time I’ve asked Jensen about how it’s going, HE has been excited – and generally when he thinks something is gonna be good, it’s something I end up loving! Meachum will be complex for sure, and there will apparently be plenty of tension and action and interpersonal complications, all of which should make for a compelling new character.
What bodes even better is how much fun they’re having behind the scenes on the set, including Jensen serenading the cast (with some harmonizing) – and even sharing it with us!
Cannot wait to meet you, Mark Meachum!
And then of course we have the return of Soldier Boy, my beloved. (I angst alot over how much anticipation I feel for his return, considering what an absolutely awful person/supe he is, but honestly I really cannot wait – I wrote a whole chapter about why in ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes’ and I’m standing by it…)
We missed him in Season 4, in all his glorious complexity. Part lost little boy, part violent rageful supe, part anguished father, part damaged son. Give him back to me!
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Of course you’re not!
I mean, look at him…
I was already very VERY excited about Jared Padalecki joining Jensen on The Boys for the upcoming and final season, which I first talked to Eric Kripke about literally years ago. I’ve been fairly sure it would happen barring some unforeseen circumstances for a while, and anticipating it all that time.
They took this photo for me a long long time ago – and it’s going to come true!
Jared and Jensen being back onscreen together for the first time since Supernatural ended is enough to keep me in anticipatory joy for the entire next year. Who will Jared play? An ally for Soldier Boy – or an antagonist? Jared has said he’d like to play a villain, and Jared and Jensen have both said they’d really enjoy their characters fighting it out (perhaps with an unexpected sense of alignment anyway) or maybe they’re enemies who have to work together… so many possibilities! Anticipation is good for us, and The Boys Season 5 is really bringing it. Last week The Boys officially announced that Jared would be guest starring in Season 5 – and so would Misha Collins!
Just the announcement nearly broke the internet, so you can imagine what the actual onscreen reunion (yes, they will be onscreen together per Eric Kripke) will do!
I love you, Eric Kripke. And I cannot WAIT to see what you come up with for some of your favorite actors for the final season of one of my favorite shows!
In addition to all of THAT to look forward to, we’ve got more a dozen conventions where Jensen will be appearing, so there will be plenty of moments to put a smile on my face from those too. And who knows what else might get added? I’d say, all in all, Jensen fans are pretty damn lucky.
Jensen thrives on being productive and busy and fulfilled, doing the work he loves and spending time with the family he loves – and spending time with the fans he appreciates too. That all bodes well for the coming year, for all of us. And I’m grateful.
So Happy Birthday, Jensen Ackles – keep kickin’ it in the ass!
I’m sure there’s someone somewhere saying “celebrating a fictional character’s birthday is weird” but frankly, I don’t care. When a character is important to you, any excuse to celebrate their “existence” is welcome, and what better excuse than a birthday?
Research is on my side. We don’t just develop “parasocial relationships” with real people who happen to be celebrities – we also develop them with our favorite fictional characters. Spending time “with” those beloved characters feels as good as hanging out with our closest friends and family; our brains don’t distinguish that familiar face being on a screen instead of two feet away. That explains why I miss Dean Winchester so much, and why doing a Supernatural rewatch always makes me feel happy, content and just a little bit safer in the world.
Know what feels even better? Being reminded that I’m not the only one who feels this way about Dean! Every year since Supernatural ended (and it’s going on five years now), I’ve wondered – will this be the year that no one celebrates on January 24? Will I be the only one missing a fictional character and wanting to share my enthusiasm to celebrate another year?
So far, every year the answer has been no, and this year was no exception. Fans organized a #HappyBirthdayDeanWeek (thanks @pussels68) and for the past week there have been themed posts about our favorite character every day. Not only did that mean more Supernatural content than usual, so YAY, but it also gave me a chance to remember all the things that make the character so special.
We celebrated our favorite Dean hugs and our favorite moments with other characters. Never enough Dean hugs, but every one we got was cherished! Jody, Donna, Charlie, Garth. After so many years waiting, his mom. His dad. Castiel. And of course, Sam.
These are just a few of the posts that crossed my timeline, brightening up the past week because I never get tired of seeing Supernatural (and Winchesters) there!
The last con of 2024 was in Nashville, one of my favorite con cities. I used to love when the Nashville Supernatural con was at the ridiculously over the top Gaylord Opryland, and have lots of fond memories there with lots of friends. This year was at a hotel, but that did make it a lot easier to get back and forth to the vendor room and the con and the hotel room, gotta say!
I got there very late thanks to my flight from the west coast being repeatedly delayed in Dallas. We finally boarded, rolled onto the runway, and then sat there for a while – before turning around and heading back to the gate for some mechanical problem. That would have been bad enough, but the next three hours were spent with them changing our gate FIVE times. Each time they did, we all had to trudge through the now-deserted airport, from terminal to terminal, which if you’ve been to DFW is a damn long walk! It was after 1 am before we finally got on another plane and made it to Nashville. My friend Kristen went above and beyond and came to pick me up at 3 am with a heating pad on the seat because by that time my back was BROKEN.
Not a great way to start a con.
However, a con is a great way to get over a truly crappy day! I missed most of Friday trying to catch up in the vendor room, but did catch a little karaoke. Things were festive!
Samantha Smith, Matt Cohen, Tahmoh Penikett, Lisa Berry, Adam Rose and Julian Richings all joined host DJ Qualls for a great time.
I also managed to catch the new episode of Fire Country guest starring Jared Padalecki as Camden Casey. It’s up in the air right now because Jared has another exciting new show on the horizon, but I really hope we get to see more of Camden in that spin off too.
Saturday was of course Misha Collins.
Like me, Misha loves ‘The French Mistake.’
Misha: I love it because they did such a good job satirizing us. Then my manager at the time was like oh, it’s great to see you playing yourself…
The last two Supernatural conventions of 2024 came one right after the other, so I decided to embark on a whirlwind trip to do one con on the East coast, fly to the west coast to have some family time, and then fly to the next – on the East coast again. So, Orlando to San Fran to Nashville! Seemed like a good idea at the time…
Orlando is one of my favorite con hotels, and it was glorious to escape the wintery chill for a long weekend. I had lovely meals outside under the palm trees, in the evenings the fire pit was cozy, and I even brought a bathing suit to swim in the pool and enjoy the hot tub.
Con/vacation combo, which is a rare thing for me as a vendor who usually has to rush back to teach. But I was on sabbatical this past semester, so I got to do things differently – and I’m very grateful!
Here’s my table, with thanks to the friends from TheSPNVerse who helped me get it set up (and the talented Cris Griffin for the new table banner)!
I caught some of the Matt Cohen and Adam Fergus panel – I’d just had such a nice zoom chat with Matt a few days before, all about his new project Public Domain. (Check out that interview here if you missed it). Matt wore his Public Domain apron and gave us an update on the series and some of the Supernatural casting announcements.
Matt and Adam share their enthusiasm about being dads. Adam told us that his twins were actually born on different days – at 11:59 pm and 12:01 am!
We got to hear a bunch of dad jokes, thanks to a fan who pulled up a whole book of them on her phone and was brave enough to give it to Matt. (Well, it wasn’t Jared, so…)
Adam and Matt never worked together on Supernatural, but they are connected via acting. Adam’s wife had a kissing scene with Matt on General Hospital, in fact. Afterwards she said to Matt, “now you know how Adam tastes!”
I’ve been traveling nonstop for the past month, flying across the country and back for both family visits and Supernatural conventions – but no matter where I was, I made sure to take the time to grab an hour to watch Fire Country when it aired. The last two episodes both featured Jared Padalecki as Camden Casey, so I wasn’t about to miss it!
I love the show even without one of my favorite actors guest starring, but – as I told Jared at the Nashville con – I’m now completely fascinated by Camden and REALLY want to know more. There’s been some buzz about a possible spinoff, and now that I’ve had three episodes to get know him a little, I would definitely watch that. If you would too, let the network know!
The sixth episode of season 3 was called (oddly) ‘Not Without My Birds’, which turned out to be literally what it was about. I kinda liked the way a fandom developed around the hatching of a baby eagle, with all the obsession and fanfare of any fandom. Also like any fandom, the shared passion draws the community together, everyone sitting together to watch and wait with anticipation. Except Camden, who instead points out that eaglets are ugly when they hatch – and gets even more on the wrong side of Sharon by eating her yogurt from the station fridge. Oops. She’s convinced he’s a sociopath.
Camden: Edgewater loves the eagles, got it…
Half our own fandom heard “Sam and Dean Park” in the next moment – it was really San Medina Park, I think, but honestly I did a double take too.
Casey is a hardass, but damned if he doesn’t look GOOD being a hardass. It’s so nice to see Jared’s hair no longer gelled down, which drove me nuts in Walker. Camden is hot hot hot, and I don’t mean because he’s a firefighter.
As someone who would 100% have been rooting for saving the eagles, I can’t say that Camden is at all sympathetic in this episode, but Padalecki does a great job showing us his stubborn and unflinching conviction (even when I don’t agree with it).
Another bonus in this episode is getting to have Katie Findlay on my screen again too – I loved her in Walker Independence and she plays a great character in this episode too, Eve’s ex-girlfriend who is determined to protect the eagle’s nest no matter what. She even gets to tease Camden about his “floppy hair”.
Apparently Camden wants to save animals too, or so he says, but he has a hard time listening to anyone else’s input. He’s stubborn, and closed off, and in this episode, we don’t know why. Yet.
Casey puts Bode in a tough position, having to choose between following his captain’s orders or his dad’s – and his sense of morality in saving the eagles despite those orders. Padalecki and Thieriot did a great job with those complicated interactions, drawing on their considerable acting skills, and on their real life friendship no doubt too.
Somehow it’s been four years since the show that changed my life aired its final episode.
It both seems like a second ago and forever ago simultaneously, in that strange way that really pivotal life events seem to take on an altered sense of time. The fandom has, of course, changed in those four years since Supernatural ended – but the entire world has changed too, in so many ways. Most of them seem to be bringing us closer to something like the Winchesters had to face repeatedly, edging toward things that feel almost apocalyptic.
If ever a world needed the Winchesters, it’s right now.
I’m so grateful that, in some sense, we still have them – and always will. I can still escape with Sam and Dean and Cas, and I find myself rewatching the Show often instead of searching for something new. Nostalgia is powerful, and four years is long enough for it to feel genuinely nostalgic. It’s my feel good show, my happy place, my source of inspiration when it feels impossible to keep going. It’s a reminder to never stop fighting for the people I love and who I’m lucky enough to have in my life to love me back. It feels more necessary now than ever before.
I just re-read what I wrote on the two year anniversary of Supernatural ending. Oddly, I wrote that social media platform changes that were, at the time, just beginning, had me worried that those would change the fandom too. I wrote then:
Twitter itself, the platform on which I mostly make my fannish home and spend time with my fellow fans, is teetering on the abyss of ending too, driven into the ground by a new owner who seems determined to ruin what made it so useful, and occasionally wonderful. Who knows if the Supernatural fandom as it has existed for the past 17 years will ever exist that way again, with so many using Twitter as a platform for both fandom and for interacting with the actors who brought Supernatural to life. It feels like we may be at the end of an era – and doesn’t it just make sense that we’re standing on this precipice on the exact anniversary of Supernatural ending. How fitting is that? Supernatural has always been unprecedented, oddly tied to other major shifts in the broader culture. Why would that change now?
It’s now two years later, and the last week has seen a mass exodus from the platform formerly called Twitter. Some are migrating to Blue Sky, others to Threads or Facebook or Instagram or are just limiting their interaction to Tumblr or Reddit. Some are just leaving all together. It is the end of an era, and while it might reduce some of the social media toxicity and rampant misinformation that have made life even more challenging, it also reduces the sheer volume of fans in one place all interacting together (for better or worse). It feels a little sad, but maybe it’s also hopeful. Yes, you can find me on Blue Sky. I’m trying to be cautiously optimistic that we’ll all find each other again. I don’t like change, but I know that change can be a good thing too – or at least I keep trying to convince myself of that!
One thing I do know. There’s a lot to be grateful for when it comes to the SPNFamily and Supernatural. I feel incredibly lucky that we have 15 years of content to keep watching whenever we need a fix of our favorite fictional characters. I’m really grateful that we still get to interact with the actors at conventions – there were dozens of cons all over the world last year, proving the continued popularity of the show and its talented cast. Moments like these never fail to make me smile.
We’re also fortunate that we still get to watch our favorite actors, this time in their new projects – I feel extra fortunate that I genuinely like the shows they’re on!
While The Winchesters, Walker and Gotham Knights have wrapped, there have been lots of new ones to enjoy. Jared made his debut as a guest star who recurs on ‘Fire Country’ last week, and Camden Casey was an instant fan favorite.
graphic abordelimpala
Sharing a screen with real-life bud Max Thieriot was clearly alot of fun for them, and the cast all talked about how much fun it was having Jared join the family.
And lucky for me, ‘Fire Country’ is a show I love even without Jared on it (but I love Jared on it!)
Jensen has already returned to guest star on ‘Tracker’ this season, another show I love regardless of SPN alum guest stars (but I love Jensen on it!).
That gave Jensen a chance to share the screen with another real-life bud, Justin Hartley, once again playing a big brother. (Fire Country filming in Vancouver gave Jared a chance to hang out with Justin too – it warms my heart that they’re all such good friends).
Jensen is also busy (understatement) filming his new show ‘Countdown’ and then on to the final season of ‘The Boys’ and the new prequel he stars in, ‘Vought Rising’.
I love ‘The Boys’ so much I put together an entire book about it, including a lonnngggggg chapter all about Soldier Boy (and a chapter from Jensen too). So I feel extra lucky that Jensen is part of a show I’ve loved since day one.
That show even brought Jensen back to Hall H at Comic Con this past year.
Kripke and Padalecki have both confirmed that the plan is to have Jared join Jensen in Season 5, which is definitely something to look forward to.
Misha brought the cast of The Boys and Supernatural together for a fun night of support for the Harris/Walz campaign, the combination otherwise known as the “Kripkeverse”. Two of my all time favorite shows, coming together for a cause they all believed in – and sharing it with us!
Misha has been everywhere all over the globe campaigning for the values he’s passionate about – he inspires me with his determination to keep doing just that.
So yes, we’re lucky.
And maybe more important than any of the other reasons I count my blessings when it comes to Supernatural, I’m incredibly grateful for the friends I’ve made in this fandom. Somehow, four years later, there is still a ridiculous amount of infighting and arguing and ship wars and fans trying to police other fans over a fictional show that’s not even airing, but there is also a vibrant and supportive community that I count on every day to help get me through. There are so many people who care – not just about the Show but about the world, and the future, and each other. There are lots of fans who inspire me, and some special people who I can be real with every day, even when I’m really down, and know that they’ll both listen and care. What a gift that is, from a little show I fell in love with almost twenty years ago.
Happy anniversary, Supernatural. I’m still holding out hope for Season 16, if the universe sees fit to allow a little miracle, a little bright light in the dark.
And happy anniversary, SPNFamily. We may be all over the place, and we may not agree on everything, but I’m really glad I have so much company in still loving the Little Show That Could.
And did.
–Lynn
You can always remember how special Supernatural
was and is – in the actors and fans own words – with
the books Family Don’t End With Blood and There’ll
The very first Supernatural Creation con was in Chicago – in 2007.
Seventeen years ago.
I was there, along with my bestie Kathy and my good friends Laura and Karen. We had taken shifts for weeks, stalking the Creation website waiting to punch the button to buy tickets the second they went on sale. It’s hard to describe the level of excitement back then for the first US convention for the show I’d fallen in love with – it was off the charts! And it didn’t disappoint. The hotel bar made Purple Nurples and served Supernatural themed food. Jared and Jensen were lovely, though not yet at all sure what to make of the fandom – they sat rather stiffly on stools while we crowded in for photo ops. (Of course Jared didn’t obey the rules even then, and pulled me in for a hug).
I was in fangirl Heaven. Obviously. Also? Babies!
Photos Chris Schmelke
I had an amazing time that very first con, but if someone had told me that seventeen years later, the show would have run for 15 seasons and been off the air for four, but there was STILL a Supernatural con in Chicago in 2024…. Well, I wouldn’t have believed them. And certainly would not have thought I’d be there!
I had an amazing time again, which is, frankly – amazing. I am so very very grateful.
And that is a real testament to the Supernatural actors and fandom. The #SPNFamily. No matter how much wank breaks out every single day online, the cons remain mostly positive and full of excitement and even joy. This year is extra meaningful; the con and the few days I spent after it at my friend Laurena’s house feel like a carefree time, just days before things changed a lot here in the US. I think I’ll always be nostalgic for this con, just like I am for Vegas 2020, the last mostly carefree con before the pandemic kicked in. (Yes, I mark time by Supernatural cons sometimes, what can I say?)
I had been on the west coast with my daughter – because, Halloween! – so I flew in on Friday evening, just in time to catch some karaoke. Several of my friends got onstage to sing, and they were all fabulous! Shout out to Julie, Chelle and Rock! (And emcee DJ Qualls, Lisa Berry, Samantha Smith, Matt Cohen, Tahmoh Penikett, and DJ Liz and Kristen, who were all awesome too)
I was in the vendor room so I didn’t get to see all the panels, and gave my friend Rock priority for the panels he wanted to see (the ladies panel included). But I did catch some. Saturday I walked into the ballroom to Richard Speight, Jr. asking Rob Benedict: Do you want the candy that was in my pants?
Matt Cohen: So, best question gets this bonus package of gummy bears…
Matt talked about a movie and used an unusual phrase.
Richard: Some advice. Don’t google “screwing people’s faces” because you won’t get the movie Matt is talking about…
Rich and Rob talked a bit about their Supernatural rewatch podcast, Supernatural Then And Now.
I was so looking forward to having Jared Padalecki back on my TV screen tonight. As a long time Supernatural fan (and a fan of the show’s actors), I felt similarly excited to have Jensen Ackles back on Tracker this season, so this is the icing on the cake – having both of them back, and on two of my favorite shows no less!
Much like Tracker, Fire Country did not disappoint! Jared’s introduction was perfect, with a Tom Petty song playing on the juke box and Camden Casey in shorts and flip flops and a Dodgers jersey. And Jared Padalecki finally with his long hair beautifully unencumbered by tons of hair gel (I’m looking at you, Walker people – I loved Cordell but why so much hair gel??)
Camden seems pretty unflappable – willing to wear a Dodgers jersey even if he’s gonna get shit for it, which he shrugs off when James points it out.
He’s paying attention to everything going on though. When some not-very-nice guys who are trying to avenge Diego come in looking for trouble (after having torn down all the flyers that Sharon posted to invite people to Smokey’s grand opening), Bode at first jumps up to defend his family.
