Tag: Alexander Calvert

‘Public Domain’ Premieres – Adding some Supernatural Fun to Your 2026!

‘Public Domain’ Premieres – Adding some Supernatural Fun to Your 2026!

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One of the highlights of last year’s con season was getting to attend the premiere of the pilot of Public Domain, Matt Cohen’s new creative project that stars lots of Supernatural actors.

The premiere came with a viewing and a party at the last Austin convention.

Matt hosted along with talented writer Sean Flanagan.

There was cake and goodies and lots of excitement – and then lots of laughs because Public Domain is hilarious!

I loved its humor and I also loved its biting commentary and how much I could relate to many of its characters. They might be (former?) Hollywood stars and I might not be, but the things they’re struggling with are the same things we all have to confront sooner or later.

Alex Calvert joined me in the audience, which gave Matt an opportunity to call him out and ask if he’d be in a subsequent episode (of course, he said yes). That also gave the woman sitting on the other side of him a heart attack when she realized she’d been sitting next to Alex Calvert!

I caught up with Matt via Zoom last month to get his thoughts on the premiere and the reception to Public Domain, and to share how much I loved it.

Lynn: What was the response to the Public Domain premiere after people watched it either in person or online?

Matt: The responses have been great. The pilot episode or the first episode of anything isn’t my favorite, because you’re setting up all these characters, all the potential, but you have to know all their names by the end of it. So this pilot sets up middle aged, washed up, kind of once-iconic, let’s call it teen star or young 20s star, and now they’re all waiting for their second chance in Hollywood.

Lynn: Middle age or worrying about getting there, that’s probably something a lot of people can relate to.

Matt: Much like myself, right? I’m a guy who worked on a show called South of Nowhere when I was a kid, in my early 20s. It was great, and I didn’t know what I had at the time or I would have cherished it more.

Lynn: I think that’s the case for alot of us when we look back on our twenties!

Matt: So they all had this bright, budding circumstance of wow, I’m gonna make it in Hollywood, or Tinseltown as we like to call it on Public Domain. They all had some success, but Hollywood is a real beast of a machine and it can really eat you up. Our show delves into that, it’s a little bit of inside baseball of Hollywood, almost Entourage in the way we’re peeling back the curtain – industry jokes, treatment, mistreatment, and the misinformation within the world of Hollywood that everybody thinks is oh-so-glorious. It’s a struggle like anything else, and I think the people who’ve watched the premiere have kind of related to what we’ve done.

Lynn:  I know I did. And it’s such a great idea, they’re all familiar characters – who are quite literally in the public domain.

Matt: Yes, and there’s some nostalgia in seeing characters that have existed for your entire childhood and then being able to re-see them as a somewhat different and more relatable reality. A character that is struggling, has ups and downs, has disabilities, has mental illnesses and things to overcome. Why should any Disney princess or your favorite animated cartoon character differ, right? Or you hear a curse word and all of a sudden that character becomes a little more authentic to you, or you see a little bit of weakness in a character’s decision making and you’re like wow, okay, I relate to this character.

Lynn: I definitely did.

Matt: And my big pitch with Public Domain has always been that you don’t have to sit down and learn 50 new characters – you’ve watched these characters your whole life, we’re just gonna open up a little bit of their story with some of the questions that haven’t been allowed to be asked. Like, what happens if the Little Mermaid and King Kong go on a date?

Lynn: It humanizes them, but the show also has these kind of universal messages about aging and looks and power and manipulation and obsession with celebrity, and how that impacts all of us really. Yes, it’s inside baseball, and you get a lot of insight from a very different perspective on Hollywood, but it’s also just human. There were so many things in the pilot that I can relate to, and I’m not an actor, but it’s universal.

Matt: All applause to Sean Flanagan, the writer, he’s got a good finger on the pulse of Hollywood-meets-this-weird-animated-sitcom, we love these characters, so what are our version of these characters, and how do we connect that with people? And it’s Cheers. Cheers is the connecting tissue – what Cheers taught us is that if you have a thumping heartbeat of a place for these people to be, everyone wants to come to this place, because that’s where you celebrate, or that’s where you drown your sorrows, from the beginning of time to now.

Lynn: Yes, still very true

Matt: Cheers would allow you to walk in as a guest star of the week or whatever, and they’re in the home setting. So now you’ve got a new character who opens the door and it’s what’s their story, why are they here? Who in this home setting is gonna help them or nurture them through whatever they’re going through, and does that evolve into a love arc or a second B storyline in any way?

Lynn: It’s a perfect way to introduce everyone and then start exploring that character.

Matt: A bar is a place for people to talk. Next to a therapist’s office, which is one of my favorite places on Earth.

Lynn: Mine too since I’m a therapist…

Matt: The bar is a lot of people’s therapy, in a way. It’s a dark atmosphere where you come in, you meet a stranger, and you can talk and they can talk, you share perspectives. I want to hear all these characters’ perspectives on who they are, why they’re here, who they love, what Hollywood taught them and what it did to them, and how they’re going to get up and move forward and always keep fighting.

Lynn: You don’t gloss over the fact that these characters are struggling, which again, I think most people can relate to. Public Domain stars many of the actors who you worked with on Supernatural – it’s a treat to see so many fan favorites getting to work together again! Have the actors seen the finished product?

Matt: Some have, yes. Jake Abel (Adam), Briana Buckmaster (Donna), Ruth Connell (Rowena), I got to ask them after they saw it and they really loved it. My goal was to get everybody a job again, and that’s exciting to put who I think are some of the most talented people on TV in something that could evolve into a really fun animated comedy where everybody has a job they can do alongside their other jobs. They have other roles or they’re working on other things, but they can do a voiceover, basically record it on your iPhone from a quiet spot. Over the pandemic I thought okay, we’re not going back to sets and we can’t get close to each other, so the idea of doing an animated show with the cast of Supernatural was just something I loved. They played strong characters in live action shows, so now let me allow Richard and Rob and Ruth and Briana and all these people to play iconic animated characters and tell their stories the way they would never have been able to.

Lynn: They all did such a great job too, like really getting absorbed in the characters but recognizable voices.

(In addition to Jake, Briana and Ruth, Public Domain stars Jim Beaver (Bobby), Rob Benedict (Chuck), Richard Speight, Jr. (Trickster/Gabriel), Adam Fergus (Mick Davies), Tahmoh Penikett (Gadreel), Chad Lindberg (Ash), and Gil McKinney (Henry Winchester), and features music by Louden Swain. There are lots of SPNFamily involved too, including a character based on Krista Martin, who we all loved and who we lost way too soon. Big shout out to my friend Abby DiLeonardo, who’s so talented and who has done such an awesome job on getting the word out about Public Domain with her great social media content!)

And of course, it also stars Matt himself as proprietor Shep Salazar. Who also has great hair.

Matt: My big note to everybody was please allow the audience to know it’s you. Then do whatever you want, whatever your imagination can serve up to you within these characters. Like you see Jake Abel took on this doofy, muscle-y guy thing (as Hercules) that is just so fun. And I’m the one kind of straight man through the whole thing – Shep Salazar is the original character we created for me to host all these hooligans at the bar and help them through their thing.

Lynn: As a huge Supernatural fan, I love that you got so many Supernatural actors involved

Matt: My dream is that each and every one of my Supernatural friends can be on this show. It’s not locked into Supernatural, but that will be the heartbeat of the show. And when I can get a Jared and a Jensen, we’ll have those roles. As the project hopefully gets picked up and we can order more episodes, I can start cameoing my big friends – our Jeffrey Deans and our Jensens and our Jareds and our Mishas. That’s to come, and we’re saving some iconic Public Domain roles for some of your favorites.

Lynn: How many characters are in the public domain?

Matt: There are 100 plus available, from Phantom of the Opera to Cthulhu to Frankenstein, God, all the Disney princesses, all the Winnie the Pooh characters, Popeye… just so many fun characters. I want to be able to put a paycheck in the pockets of all the people who have been by my side for so long and do something that’s fun and creative and also earn a little bit of a living while we make entertainment and serve up this really fun cartoon.

Lynn: Well, it really is. Do you have a plan going forward?

Matt: Sean has gathered some interest from a couple different people, without spoiling too much, Danny McBride has an animation company, Ryan Reynolds has an animation company… I think inevitably Public Domain will get picked up and land somewhere and we’ll be able to shoot more episodes.

Lynn: I can’t wait! But you’re a busy man, you have a lot of other projects going on too.

Matt: Sean and I took on like twelve different projects at once – our feature film Exes just got worldwide distribution in the first quarter of 2026 so we’ve had to go back and add some things to the movie, so that’s been on our plate and we’ll roll into the new year with the release of that movie. I also just did a movie called Christmas At The Zoo for the last few weeks in Chicago, where I play a zookeeper who’s very passionate about what he does – it’s a big Christmas love story, and that will be out in 2026 too.

Lynn: Oh that’s awesome! And aren’t you on a soap opera now too?

Matt: Yes, I’ve walked into Genoa City and I am Young and Restless-ing as Detective James Burrow. I’ve done a handful of episodes and am shooting some more, so we’ll see how long they want to keep me around. Right now it’s a lot of fun. They created a character for me based off of Idris Elba’s in Luther, so my detective is dressed very cool, he’s kind of got some real unique swagger, where you don’t know if he’s a good guy or a bad guy in all situations. But he usually comes out on the right side of things.

Lynn: Intriguing. And it seems like they must be pretty invested in that character.

Matt: I’m certainly invested in it! It’s probably the coolest I’ve ever looked playing a character, and because it’s the soap world, the payoff of moving at the pace they move is, I love that idea of you gotta show up really prepared because you’re gonna get one or two shots at this scene, and if you mess it up, that’s on you. I kind of like that, it’s like being live on the stage.

Lynn: I would hate that, I’d be so anxious, omg what a nightmare!

Matt: It’s my favorite thing! Doing the Supernatural conventions have made it my favorite thing on Earth, to be up on a stage not knowing what happens next. I just love it.

And I think we all know he’s very good at it.

I can’t wait to see more Public Domain episodes, and I can’t wait to see Exes, and Matt as a passionate zookeeper in a Christmas movie, and I can’t wait for more of dapper Detective James Burrow. Lots to look forward to – for now, go watch the premiere episode of Public Domain and sound off in the comments about what you like about it!

Watch the pilot here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm35G48YCZg

And check out some of the Supernatural cast recording their characters here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbCydZSBC9E

Happy New Year from Public Domain – and from me!

— Lynn

You can read Matt Cohen’s inspiring and

personal chapter about his journey on

Supernatural in ‘Family Don’t End With

Blood’, info on that book and more books on

Supernatural on the home page here or at:

 

Last Supernatural Creation Con of 2025 – Nashville!

Last Supernatural Creation Con of 2025 – Nashville!

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The last Supernatural Creation con (on land anyway) of 2025 was in Nashville, as it usually is – but this time it was earlier than it has been in the past, starting on Halloween. I have too many little kids in the family to let me disappear on actual Halloween, so I flew in early on Saturday for a quick in-and-out weekend in Nashville.

Here are some highlights and photos (and some tweets with short videos of some of the panels too).

Made it in time to catch a glimpse of the lovely Felicia Day.

And for Misha’s panel!

Someone asked Misha for advice on how to keep going in these very difficult times.

Misha: You just have to keep doing what you can to fight for good. That’s what drew us all to Supernatural too.

He went on to say that we can pass down the stories that inspire us – like Supernatural.

Misha: So we can fight the demons in this world.

That is so much of what makes this Show so special, and so inspiring to so many of us.

Misha talked about his kids getting older – his son now answers his phone calls with “whaddya want?” But then he comes to him for comfort when he has a bad dream, so Misha takes solace in that. I can relate.

Misha shared his favorite memory of accomplishment – when he and Jared and Jensen were wrestling and Jared tapped out lol.

Misha: I guess the best moment I had in all the cons I’ve been to and all the time I was working on Supernatural, onscreen and off, a feeling of like vanquishing accomplishment that came from this moment, I believe an Orlando convention years ago, where we got drunk and wrestled and Jared tapped out, and it just felt so unbelievably good.

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Creation Supernatural Con Returns to Where It All Began – Chicago 2025!

Creation Supernatural Con Returns to Where It All Began – Chicago 2025!

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I always look forward to the Chicago Supernatural convention every year – it was the first Creation con for my favorite show and I still remember the off-the-charts excitement of being there, way back in 2007!

It’s also the con where I met one of my dearest friends when I got stranded there during a hurricane and she came to my rescue and offered me a place to stay during the storm. (We had met once, at the con, but we were SPNFamily so she drove over and rescued me from the dodgiest motel ever, the only one that wasn’t fully booked in the storm. She may have literally saved my life). Another of my dearest friends was also there with some of her besties, so the con was extra special.  So were a few other friends who I wish I could see more often. In between being in the vendor room and enjoying panels, there was lots of good food and drink and even better conversation. What more could you ask?

 

On Friday, I joined the Matt Cohen and Gil McKinney panel already in progress – which sort of explains why they were being feral raccoons at the time…

Matt: Every animal I portray ends up with Jensen’s bowlegs…

These two are a great example of two people who didn’t even work together on the show, but they’re a great onstage duo who are always amusing. What are their favorite made up words?

Gil: Dingleberry

Matt: Fuckery!

A fan asked for their help in naming her eighth (!) ferret.

Matt: Squoose (a combination of Moose and Squirrel). I’m brilliant!

Matt also, for some reason, told Gil all about the “geoduck” (pronounced, for some reason, gooey-duck). Creation helpfully put a photo up on the screen so everyone could … uh, marvel? The geoduck was a thing at cons about a decade ago, so it was amusing to see it make a triumphant return.

Matt to Gil: I’d serve it to you raw…

I also caught some of Sam Smith’s panel. A fan brought the actual nightgown that she wore as Mary burning on the ceiling in the pilot – which is actually not white, but pink!

Complete with blood stain. Hey, it’s Supernatural…

Sam said that when Kripke told her that she’d be back she was skeptical.

Sam to Eric: Ummmm you burned down the house!

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Supernatural Con Returns to Austin, Texas – 2025!

Supernatural Con Returns to Austin, Texas – 2025!

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Last year’s Creation Supernatural con in Austin was very memorable – for a few reasons. One was the Radio Company concert at Sagebrush, and the other was the fact that everyone there almost melted thanks to it being the most absurd temperature I’ve ever experienced.

Of course, I returned to Austin for yet another Supernatural con in the same month. Luckily it wasn’t quite as absurdly hot – and not so luckily, there was no Radio Company concert.

There was, however, a mini Radio Company “show” when Jensen Ackles and Steve Carlson and the Scott sisters joined Louden Swain at the Saturday Night Special, and a Radio Company panel with Steve and Jensen, so at least we got our Radio Company fix – without melting!

The flight there was uneventful but an entire box of books hadn’t made it to the con unfortunately. That meant I sold out of books by Saturday – my apologies to anyone who came by to purchase a copy of Family Don’t End With Blood or There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done and I didn’t have any left. Thanks to everyone who did come by – it was lovely to meet everyone!

I did a few more panels than I usually get to do since I wasn’t needed in the vendor room the entire time, so that was the silver lining.  One of the best things about a con in Austin is that I love the city. My son used to live in Houston and we’d pop over to Austin for the day, and I fell in love with its weirdness – and its delicious food. Thursday I had tacos and queso with my friend Sadie, and some good conversation to go with it. Another night after dark when it cooled off, I joined a friend at the hotel’s rooftop pool (best part about the con hotel!) to lounge poolside and catch up (though the lounge chairs were out to get both of us by periodically collapsing…)

Friday I caught most of Chad Lindberg’s panel because I just love Chad. I’ve known him since way back in 2008, when he was starring in a film called “My Big Break”. He introduced me and Kathy (my Fangasm co-author) to the filmmakers, Tony and Elizabeth, and we became fast friends. When they took ‘My Big Break’ on the road, we came along for some of the screenings along with Chad – which is how we ended up on Bourbon Street in the middle of the night for Chad’s first trip to New Orleans, and several other memorable adventures.

I also adore his character of Ash on Supernatural. Chad wrote a chapter for There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done all about portraying Ash, with lots of priceless behind the scenes insights.

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Supernatural Con Comes to Novi, Michigan!

Supernatural Con Comes to Novi, Michigan!

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The Supernatural con in Novi (just outside Detroit) was another first time visiting those cities for me, and also a chance to hang out with two good friends from the SPNFamily, so that made it special. In between panels, I had lovely lunches and dinners with Laurena and Karla and even got to see some of the area (and the SPNSurvivors HQ, one of the charities that our books support). I write a lot about how beneficial fandom can be, and the friendships I’ve made are a personal reminder of just how true that is. Being able to help the important work of non-profits like SPNSurvivors through the books I’ve published is another. When I say fandom can be life changing, I mean for ME too!

I caught some of Matt Cohen and Gil McKinney’s panel since I had help at the vendor table from Laurena and her intrepid partner.

Matt every time there’s a question he doesn’t know the answer to:  I know Gil wants to answer this…

Gil to Matt when HE doesn’t know the answer:  Matt, please elaborate…

They have developed a great rapport for their joint panels, which I’m thoroughly enjoying. Both Matt and Gil wrote very personal chapters in Family Don’t End With Blood, about their experience as actors and how the SPNFamily changed them.

Matt recently shaved his beard, confiding that his wife didn’t kiss him for the two months he had it.

Gil: I liked the beard!

A fan asked who they wish they could talk to.

Gil: My dad. And also it would be pretty cool to talk to Elvis!

Matt: I’d like to have a conversation with River Phoenix and Heath Ledger.

The two have developed a closer friendship thanks to the cons.

Gil: You’re gonna train me to be a better man?

Matt: No, you’re gonna do that for me!

Matt’s face when he finds out that Gil once sang the national anthem at a Lakers and a Dodgers game:

Who would they save on Supernatural?

Both: Ourselves! And we’d bring back Drake Rodger as our love child.

Valid.

Matt on Countdown and Jensen: Can he get any hotter? God, he’s so beautiful. Shout out to the Ackles and the Padalecki, we love ‘em.

Us too, boys.

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Adventures in Oklahoma City – SPNOKC 2025!

Adventures in Oklahoma City – SPNOKC 2025!

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In June of this year, we had the first Supernatural con at OKC – and yes, it was quite an adventure (for me, anyway!)

Getting to Oklahoma City from Philly (and back) was quite an adventure in itself – a little too much adventure in fact. After multiple delays in Charlotte (which were made more bearable with some good company from Creation’s Jen and Jenn, who I ran into in the airport), I finally arrived with barely enough time to get the vendor table set up – and just as an impressive thunderstorm hit. Our Lyft driver on the way to the convention center kept the three of us entertained on the drive there, though part of that was his repeated implication that a tornado was imminent.

No tornado, but he also couldn’t figure out how to drop me off AT the convention center instead of the hotel, so I ended up trudging up the street in a rainstorm getting wetter by the second and having no idea where I was going. To make things more challenging, the street was blocked off by an impressive number of law enforcement vehicles, which totally confused me because I’m not very good at following basketball so I had no idea there were big time basketball things going on. Finally in sight of the convention center, my way was blocked by a news reporter doing a live report about the big time basketball things. I was by this time in no mood to stand in the rain a second longer, so I cut through the shot apologizing but determined. I must have looked like a woman who should not be trifled with, because they didn’t.

I quickly got set up (trying not to drip all over everything) – at least it was a nicer convention center than NJ, though I will never be happy to be in a convention center. At least the books were dry, thanks to my friend Betty delivering them safe and sound!

I was happy to be there in time to catch some of Chad Lindberg’s panel. I’ve known Chad since way way back in 2008, and I’m thrilled to have him back at some cons this year.  He wrote a fascinating chapter for There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done  with all kinds of behind the scenes information about filming with Jared and Jensen and creating the character of Ash. And his mullet.

A fan asked what role he’d love to play.

Chad: I’d like to play an alien, ala Starman – like an alien love story.

Chad is known for being a ghosthunter in real life, as well as for playing Ash on Supernatural.

Chad: People ask, did Supernatural get you into ghosts? No, we lived in a haunted house when I was growing up.

How to de-stress from a ghost hunt?

Chad: connect with those you love. And a little weed. Okay, maybe a lot…

He said that filming October Sky was a very emotional experience – they got to know the real life rocket boys.

What monster would Ash love to be?

Chad: He’d love to be a werewolf. He’s already got the hair for it!

Seriously, nobody tells a ghost story like Chad. He put out a bell that senses spirits, and every time he mentioned the haunted Stanley Hotel, it went off!

Clearly he needs to go visit.

Two of my other favorite Supernatural actors were also onstage – Gil McKinney and Matt Cohen, who both wrote very personal chapters in Family Don’t End With Blood about their experience as actors and on Supernatural.

Matt Cohen talked about his new movie, Exes, also starring Briana Buckmaster, Mark Shepherd, Felicia Day and Ricky Whittle. He said his favorite scene to direct with Briana was a terrible tough limo scene of them getting beaten up and then it being finally over!

Mark plays an American, which should be interesting – I’m so used to his Crowley accent (or his actual real life one)

Gil portrays the Mad Hatter on Matt Cohen’s other exciting new project, the animated series Public Domain – along with lots of other SPNFamily.

Gil to a clowning around Matt: You are so weird!

(They are actually entirely amusing together onstage)

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The Cast of ‘The Boys’ Dishes on Those Complex Characters and What They Hope For in Season 5!

The Cast of ‘The Boys’ Dishes on Those Complex Characters and What They Hope For in Season 5!

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Last month was the first Creation Entertainment convention for Prime Video’s hit streaming series, ‘The Boys’ – which, as I write this, somehow seems more prescient than ever. Filming for Season 5, the final season of the show, begins in a few weeks, with Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy returning for hopefully every episode (and maybe being joined by his former Supernatural costar Jared Padalecki for some episodes too!)  As filming draws near, I couldn’t wait to hear what the actors were hoping for and what might be next for their characters.

Lucky for me, the convention was held in Whippany, New Jersey, so I was able to drive up and join the fun. It was the cast’s first Creation convention, which are modeled differently than multi-series Comic Cons or Fan Expos. The entire con was devoted to ‘The Boys’, so they had a great time getting to interact with fans of the hit Prime Video series. The cast is clearly as excited as we are about the upcoming final season of the show, as well as its spinoff Gen V and the prequel starring Jensen Ackles (Soldier Boy) and Aya Cash (Stormfront), Vought Rising. Here are some highlights of the convention and what the actors are hoping for for their characters in the final season.

I brought copies of the new book that takes a deep dive into ‘The Boys’ and all its complicated characters, Supes Ain’t Always Heroes, to give a copy to the actors, most of whom contributed interviews to the book, including in depth exclusive chapters from Jensen Ackles and Aya Cash, the stars of Vought Rising.  There are also chapters devoted to figuring out what makes all the characters tick, written by people who can do that – psychologists, sociologists and media experts. The Boys is such a smart show, I love digging deep and analyzing what makes IT tick too! Turns out, the cast is just as thoughtful about the show.

Colby Minifie, who plays Ashley, was as delightful onstage as she is onscreen. Yes, I know she’s not exactly one of the “good guys” but I love her character and she plays Ashley with such wit, I love watching her. There are several chapters in Supes that analyze her character, and she was excited to get a copy of the book. In fact, she could hardly believe there WAS a book about the show!

Here are some highlights of her panel and the others. She puts a lot of thought into her character, which is clear in her answers to some fan questions.

Colby: The dominatrix scene made sense to me because Ashley needs control somewhere in her life. We had lots and lots of meetings to be sure everyone felt safe.

We had lots and lots of meetings to be sure everyone felt safe. We have an intimacy coordinator on set. For example, I asked Jack if he was okay with it before I licked his feet.

Something you can only say on a show like ‘The Boys’ and just have everyone nod.

Another fan asked, what didn’t happen that she would have loved to see?

Colby: I would have loved to see what would’ve happened if Ashley did go escape with A Train. But I trust the writers.

(I for one was hoping Ashley would take A Train up on it when he suggested that things were about to go to shit and they should just get the hell outta there! I may have been yelling ‘run Ashley run!’)

It’s hard to answer a question about the “most shocking scene” in a show that’s known for its shocking scenes, but Colby weighed in.

Colby: The salad tossing human centipede… and the dick explosion. There are also simple things that are shocking in The Boys. I really do think the commentary on celebrity and the entertainment industry is quite out there and bold in its satire. It’s interesting from the tiniest thing to, you know, dick explosions.

(I told Colby that there’s a chapter that delves into the show’s commentary on celebrity and industry in Supes – I’m guessing she’ll read that one first!)

Some of Colby’s insights at the con were hilarious – and on point for the show. She told a story about how she pitched that Ashley’s super power should be that she has acid pee.

Me: I can’t believe you didn’t go for this, Kripke!

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Supernatural Charlotte Con 2024!

Supernatural Charlotte Con 2024!

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Charlotte is one of my favorite Supernatural conventions, mostly because some of my best friends are there – and that’s one of the best part of cons. It’s a short flight, and the weather was gorgeous that  weekend, and that made it even better. Jared Padalecki unfortunately had to cancel, which we were all sad about, but I know how reluctant he is to have to do that so I’m sure it was an important conflict. We missed you though, Jared!

I flew down on Thursday just to hang out, and on Friday caught a little bit of the panels with some of my favorite people on the cast side of the SPN Family in between being at the book table in the vendor room. That includes, of course, Ruth Connell, who has embraced some of her inner Rowena.

Ruth: I found out that my grandmother, who was the most practical woman ever, also read tea leaves.

Also Ruth: I’ll try anything once. Except a Ouija board, that terrifies me!

I’m with her – still remember some of my childhood exploits with friends at sleepovers, all of us convinced “It moved!!”

Ruth is always inspiring, just like the chapter she wrote in Family Don’t End With Blood.

Ruth: Everyone has something creative inside them.

She feels her time on Supernatural was sort of meant to be. Her first episode was called Soul Survivor, which was a perfect reflection of her life at that time too.

She was supposed to be in the series finale too originally.

Ruth: I was supposed to be in Hell, finding out the news about Dean in the finale.

Like pretty much every single one of the cast, Ruth also had some encouraging words on a Season 16.

Ruth: I’m ready to wager that Supernatural will be back!

Me: (crosses all fingers and toes)

I also love that she was wearing a comfy plaid Supernatural shirt with SW-DW embroidered on it. In fact, I loved her entire outfit (as I often do – she has a wonderful sense of style).

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Happy birthday Sam Winchester! (2024 Edition)

Happy birthday Sam Winchester! (2024 Edition)

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Today is the birthday of one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. He hasn’t been on my TV screen in almost four years, and I have missed him every single day since then – just like I’ve missed the show he was on, the one that changed my life, Supernatural. Every time I have the pleasure of seeing the actor who brought him to life so brilliantly, Jared Padalecki, it makes me incredibly happy to hear Jared say that he’s 99.99% sure that Sam Winchester will be back. And that until that happens, he’s keeping Sam safe, as a cherished part of himself.

I am so grateful – and walk around with my fingers and toes crossed all the time hoping for more Supernatural. It’s uncomfortable, but hey, this is important.

And so is Sam’s birthday! One of the great things about social media (and yes, there are plenty of not-so-great things too) is that whatever you’re celebrating, you probably won’t have to do it alone. Sam Winchester’s birthday is no exception. For the past five days, the SPN Family has been celebrating the smart, sassy, selfless, adorable and badass younger Winchester brother, me included.  (Thanks to DaenerysM on X/Twitter for organizing!)

So I thought I’d share here some of the things Supernatural fans appreciate so much about our beloved Sammy.

One of the things that impresses me the most about Sam is his ability to be selfless – to put others ahead of himself, to sacrifice himself to save someone else. That someone else is often his brother – and it definitely goes both ways – but sometimes it’s a stranger, or even humanity itself. Many of us will sacrifice a lot for a loved one, but for a stranger, or the amorphous “the sake of the world”? That’s a rarity. But it’s one of Sam’s most admirable characteristics.

Here are some posts that fans made about Sam’s ability to be selfless:

Even when Sam is dying, he tries to put others first.

Many fans cited “The Born Again Identity” as a great example. Look at my poor baby!

An instance of Sam’s selflessness that I love is “The Born Again Identity”. His hell PTSD is at its worst and he’s dying of sleep deprivation, yet he’s still helping people, helping a young girl who was being haunted by her dead brother.

Sam had SO many selfless acts, but this one is probably my fav, bc after a psychotic break causing by hallucinations, after getting hit by a car and getting drugs to try to sleep, Sam still helped someone, because it’s who he is.

He was dying. He was in constant torment thanks to Hallucifer. And he used the last dregs of his energy and sanity to save a girl, because Sam Winchester cares more about others than he ever has himself. 

The devil is in his head, Lucifer depriving him of sleep, tired beyond belief, and he still sees the danger that someone is in and helps them. My sweet brave Selfless Sam.

When he was dying in “Red Meat” he also was more concerned about others – in this case once again, strangers. (That episode was often cited for Sam being badass, but he’s selfless in it too).

Sam Winchester is the most selfless character like there’s a bullet in his gut but all he cares about is the victims, asks Dean to take care of them first and he knows he slows them down so he tells them to ditch him and find help, putting others b4 himself.

Season 8 ends with an episode called “Sacrifice”, which is all about Sam doing just that.

The heartbreaking sequence near the end when Dean tries to talk him out of it is one of my favorite scenes of the whole show, but Sam’s “So?” in response to Dean telling him if he does this he’ll die will never not make me tear up.

One fan noted:

Sam always sacrificed his own well-being for the greater good. he took on the tablet trials and put himself in front of people to protect them. his mind and body were used and abused time after time but he didn’t care. he was truly selfless

Sam was ready to sacrifice himself in Season 10 too, when it came right down to it in a showdown with Death, because Dean said that was the only way to make things right. He knelt down and told Dean to do it, but not before he tried to absolve his brother of the guilt he knew would destroy him. Fans quoted Sam saying this to Dean, and meaning it:

You will never ever hear me say that you — the real you — is anything but good. But you’re right. Before you hurt anyone else, you have to be stopped, at any cost. I understand. Do it.”

Both of the brothers put each other first in both small and major ways throughout the series, as fans noted. Starting right at the beginning with the pilot episode.

This moment where he decides to risk what to him is the perfect life to help his brother is also an incredibly selfless act. 

And continuing throughout the entire fifteen seasons.

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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’!

spnfans

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