SPN I love you so part 2.

[layne67]

I told hubby about this. He's a fan, not obssesive like me, but he likes the show well enough to watch it with me, and to discuss about it afterwards. And he agrees that the show is one of the best on television yay!

And it got us talking on why the show doesn't have a higher rating or that many followers, like, say, CSI or House.

1. It's shown on the smallest network in the US, and I'm thinking that not many subscribed to the CW?

2. Little / poor publicity for the show. Or at least that's what I heard.

3. Jared and Jensen being the pretty, Hollywood boys they are, some people might have dismissed them outright on how they look.

4. Horror is not everyone's cup of tea. Heck, horror was exactly why I got relatively late into the fandom. It's not until late season 2 that I really got into it.

5. Speaking of fandom, well, I believe that the SPN fandom has a reputation. Can't be helped when you have people being super-passionate about something that's almost a way of life for them but it put people off. In a way.

6. Reverse psychology. Ish. We have people who went on and on about the show *coughs* that instead of pulling people in, it pushed people away.

7. I love SPN. But even I can admit that there had been a number of duds among the stellar episodes, and maybe those who were put off by the show saw them instead of the better ones?

8. And lastly. The X factor. The unexplained It on why some people get it and why some just do not.

Why do you guys think SPN doesn't have a higher rating that it so deserves? I mean, we have established critics ( not just the one in that article I linked to ) who said that Supernatural is one of the best shows around but it's still not right up there with the top mainstream shows.

And for my non-SPN flisters, feel free to tell me why you're not into the show. Just, be gentle okay? I'm fragile where my Winchester brothers are concerned.

Comments

[i-o-r-h-a-e-l.livejournal.com]

One of my flist said it's mediocre. *cringes* It almost made my cry. :'( But it's true. Some of the episodes are less than special but then that's one of the things that makes SPN special for me. Huh? Yeah. Other series, they are like made by machines. Almost all of their episodes are alike. The themes, the actions, the plots, the way the actors act. Just look at CSI or 24. I watch them, okay, so I don't just mention them without knowing what they are like. And it's exactly like that. The stories are almost the same every time. I can't say the same for SPN. Their episodes are so varied hence the varied quality, too. And of course I'm going to talk about how layered Sam and Dean are. That's why someone cannot judge SPN only by watching one or two episodes. They can't represent what they are exactly.

About your last point, you can't deny it. It always happens. That's also why some people are fanatic about LotR while others can't understand at all.

Btw, I don't really care if SPN has high ratings or not. I don't like to be part of the majority. It makes me feel special, you know, to like something not everybody likes. Hehehe. Perhaps we can write something like what is written at the back of LotR books:

The society is divided into two
1. Those who watch SPN.
2. Those who almost watch SPN.

LOL. Am I quoting correctly? :D

[layne67.livejournal.com]

SPN as a whole is an awesome, superb series. It's when you look at it episode by episode that you'd have the bad to the mediocre to the beyond awesome, you can't judge it by a few episodes only. Layered, like you said, is exactly what Supernatural and the Winchester brothers are!

And I'm glad that the "It" happened to me otherwise I would have missed the epic Sam and Dean love omg.

Great quote!

[rieyll.livejournal.com]

Numbers 3 and 4 are the main reasons why hubby never watched the show before. In fact, now that he's more or less hooked on it, his way of promoting it to his friends is by saying that it's NOT a pretty boy show (and of course, by saying that it's actually a good show).

Numbers 5 and 6 would've been the main reasons why I wouldn't watch the show if I wasn't already a fan. I'm the kind of person who hates overzealous fans. That's mainly why I (unfairly) hate Mawi.

But I do think that lack of promotion hurts them. So many people have never heard of Supernatural.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Did you threaten him or something, to get him to watch SPN? *g* Mine didn't want to initially, but then I told him that it was like The X-Files with lots of The X-Files people in it ( he's a huge X-Files fan ), and in the first episode that we watched had Sam and Dean giving a shout-out to Mulder and Scully, and the rest, as they say, is history!

Heheh, Mawi. I neither like nor dislike him :))

I think AXN is doing quite a good job with their SPN trailers. Did you see the one for Yellow Fever? It said "Dean is sick. Do you think he has H1N1?" LOL.

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

I have a good buddy from LotR days that I tried to convert but she said it was silly as it didn't make sense half the time. I explained about the difference between logic and spn logic but... she has a point.

Personally Jensen makes me forget all about logic!

[layne67.livejournal.com]

That buddy wouldn't be Lisabellex, would it? I tried my best with her but she didn't get the "It" either :\

SPN deals with all things supernatural, there's no logic to it! But the family-is-everything thing, now that's one of reasons why I fall in love with in the first place. And also, I have this thing for brotherly love :))

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

Actually no, it wasn't. Do you remember aranel80? It was her. I really tried but no, she thought they were pretty but that the show was pants. She's into Charlie Hunnan.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I do remember Norah. Any idea what she's up to now? I sent a few fics her way, I think she read one but that's it. I miss seeing her around!

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

Her government has blocked lj so she can't get on anymore but I sill talk to her by email. She's into Charlie/Josh Harknett, a pairing I think she invented! But theartoffic is deep into it as well so they're both happy and write fic for themselves.

[chloe-amethyst.livejournal.com]

I think those are all correct. But I think one of the main reasons is that here in the States the show is on at the same time as 2 (and some years 3) other highly rated, already established shows that already had huge followings. So terrible timeslot has hurt.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

That's really a bummer. And I supposed their "better", no-competition-with-other-shows, time slots are given to their other shows. But you know, in a way, it's the CW way of admitting that SPN is their best show, making it compete with the other shows in the giant networks instead of SV or GG.

[munibunny.livejournal.com]

Hubby and I think it's the best show on TV and with the current trend in popularity for the paranormal, this show should be #1. Personally, I don't think people know about it. When I talk to people, most of them have never heard of it. It's on Thursday nights, against Grey's Anatomy and CSI. Those are the 2 highest rated programs of the week.

The CW is a step-network with a reputation for crappy teen-centered drama (Gossip Girl, 90210, Melrose Place) so nobody would think a show like Supernatural, which naturally skews toward an older demographic, would be on it.

This is what I've said all along. Let the show get sold into syndication on a cable network like TNT or even SYFY. It'll explode in the ratings once a wider audience finds it.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Or HBO!! Oh my, I think HBO would even let them get away with hints of incest!!!

[shadowc44.livejournal.com]

All the things you mentioned! As far as #1, some areas don't get the CW, or not as part of the basic cable package, which doesn't make sense to me. Case in point: My brother's on-again/off-again girlfriend, who kind of liked SPN when I showed her an episode, doesn't get the CW at her house. My brother gets it as his house, which is very near hers, but I think he pays for premium cable.

I think some of the hard-core geek guys are turned off by the pretty, pretty boys and their angstiness, and thus miss stuff they would otherwise enjoy.

Some people are just very sensitive, and can't bring themselves to watch people being hurt/tortured/killed in appalling ways. They don't want to see their heroes hurt, or doing the hurting, no matter how good the story or the motivation. They just don't want to see that kind of violence, period. I dunno. My brother watches CSI regularly, but wouldn't watch SPN even if they weren't on opposite each other. The boys' closeness makes him very uneasy, and one of the few episodes he saw or heard bits and pieces of was On the Head of A Pin. No amount of explaining about why Dean HAD to torture Alistair was going to get past the disgust at the idea that the hero was methodically torturing someone. And I don't think he even knew that Alistair was inhabiting an actual human being who had done NOTHING to deserve what was happening to him.

This is a show that can take a lot out of you, emotionally, and some people just don't want that in their lives. Some want lighter, escapist entertainment they can forget about as soon as they turn off the TV. It's the kind of show you really have to pay attention to, a lot of the time, rather than doing something else while watching, at least on the first viewing.

So many things on this show almost demand that you know the whole Winchester backstory up to that point. The "previouslies" don't always do the best job of catching people up, if they haven't seen those episodes, and are getting this incredibly important line that has less impact if you didn't see the episode surrounding it. Either what happens to the boys is incredibly meaningful to you, or you're wondering what all the emo-ing and angsting is about.

The reason I started watching is that the first commercials I saw just struck me as something I had to see. There have been very few other shows where the commercials made me say, "I have got to see that show, it seems made for me." As I recall, the commercials emphasized the estranged brothers, Sam still being freaked out over being given a gun at age 9, to get over being scared of what was in his closet, and Dean acting like it was no big deal. There was the immediate understanding that Sam is the sort of regular guy most viewers can relate to, and Dean is the kind of guy who lives for this. I really wanted to see how they would get along and also see how they would handle the urban legend type mysteries. They had me at the first commercial, like with American Gothic, and Shadow Chasers.

So, what specifically was it that got you to watch, and overcome your reservations?

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I wonder how CW got the rights to SPN in the first place, you know, instead of the other networks. There must be a story behind it. Has Kripke ever talked about it?

This is a show that can take a lot out of you, emotionally, and some people just don't want that in their lives.

Yes, that. But I think that's more of a reason for them to get out of it, not prevent them from being a fan, because they wouldn't know the extent of what SPN could do to you, emo-wise, unless you got SPN in the first place, if you know what I mean. SPN can be emotionally draining, esp when things don't go the way you like them too. And yes, SPN is the one show that I give my 120% attention, I can't do anything else while watching it!

Quite a few things got me to watch it in the first place, and later on became a fan. The trailers for season one, as aired on our local TV networks, said that it was about two brothers looking for their father, and I have a thing for brothers. But I still couldn't watch it, because horror isn't really my thing. By that time, quite a number on my flist were into it, and I really wanted to watch it so I roped in the family to watch it with me, because I so did not want to watch it alone. I liked it, but it was really the fanfics that really turned me into a true fan. I was bowled over by the quality of the fanfics, and yes, it's really thanks to the fanfics that opened my eyes to the many layers of SPN.

[shadowc44.livejournal.com]

I have to say, it was mainly the fanfic that got me to "see" the Wincest. I usually avoid incest in any form in fanfic; I just find the concept too disturbing, even if they're mutually consenting adults. The really special circumstances in their story is what convinced me. I mean, I can *believe* the Weasleycest with George and Fred, I have no problem understanding it, but I don't want to read about it. It just doesn't turn me on.

I tried reading a couple of Sam/John stories, but that dynamic is just impossible for me to see as really consensual, and the one John/Dean/Sam story I tried to read pretty much mentally scarred me, where Sam was basically just John and Dean's sex toy, and meant nothing to them other than as an object that belonged to them that they could completely control, through force or fear. Not my idea of a turn-on.

I was telling Mom last night's Criminal Minds, which we watched together, got something like 13 million viewers, whereas SPN on a good week might get close to 3 million. She thinks for a show like that, especially on a small network, that's doing *really* well.

I neglected to mention above, that because my brother's girlfriend can only watch SPN at his house, that means she can only watch it when he's not there. She house- and cat-sits for him a lot of the time while he's here visiting my mom, which isn't often, so she didn't have much chance to really get into it.

This is the only show I've ever bought the first season on DVD to give to friends (two friends) because I honestly thought they'd love the show if they gave it a chance and could get sort of caught up. It worked in one case and not in the other!

You're right that you have to understand the story to get how intense it is. I'm glad you were able to talk your family into watching the show with you! I don't mind watching stuff like this alone, but I've been into horror for a long, long time. I remember reading Tales From the Crypt comic book when I was a pre-teen. My mom and grandmother finally threw them all away, convince that's what was giving me nightmares. I knew it wasn't, it was various medical issues and fears around that, things that I knew could REALLY happen, whereas the comics and movies and stuff are entertaining because I know the kind of horrible shit real people do to each other, and I've never yet seen a vampire, ghost, demon, or any of the other things on the show. I'm far more frightened of reality than any sort of supernatural horror.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I'm not into daddycest, be it Sam/John or Dean/John.

I once got my sis-in-law to watch the second half of season 3 with me. We watched the episodes back-to-back and she seemed to enjoy them ( or maybe she was just being polite ) but it was a no-go. She didn't turn!

:D

[shadowc44.livejournal.com]

This show is definitely NOT for everyone! Maybe for some people the procedural crime shows are good, because they don't get all that much into the personal lives of the agents/cops/whatever, just get on with the crime of the week.

[weird-fin.livejournal.com]

Heh, you're f-list is probably 95% of people who watch Supernatural yes?

I agree with the reasons listed. And what everyone is saying in the comments.
My take: It is a "deep" show as some people say. And for a lot of the episodes you need to either give your brain attention to it or else be possibly freaked or scared because you have no clue what is going on. And if you're not smart enough to get it or are the type that prefers to be entertained when you watch tv (i'm not saying asleep at the tv just good ol' light hearted entertainment, and there is a lot who want just that) well then its not for you.

I watched most of season 1 of it and liked it enough but even though I wanted to watch more when it came out I just didn't have any drive to go watch it. But once I started watching an ep I would watch the whole ep. I've caught a few eps here and there after season 1. And later ones have had a LOT more torture. :/

For me personally I have realised that I mostly watch "storybook" shows, that is. Shows that have each episode usually as standalone plots. Start, middle, end. And can be watched like a book. Supernatural has this to some extent. It is more like you're watching actual people's lives. And stories come to them. I blame my "storybook" liking on one of the first "adult" shows I was forced to watch. The Bill. This was when each Bill ep was a RIGIDLY stand alone ep. Before they became Soap Opera-y and then what they are now a mix of the two.

To me shows which aren't strictly book like are things like Black Books, The IT Crowd, The Nanny, The Simpsons.

Also like someone said saying some people aren't smart enough for particular shows is a favourite thought too. I used it with things like House (before people jumped all over me), CSI: NY, Foyle's War and most recently LIFE. Because, it is such an awesome show, having crazier characters put some people off.

NCIS was a slow burner like Supernatural too, but it has reached its peak now. With millions and millions. It took them about 6 seasons? C'mon. Even Australia (by percentage) was way ahead of them there.

Ok. Enough with the show dropping names. ;)
The main reason (as with most shows) NCIS at the start and Supernatural now don't seem to get high viewers is advertising and that "something" which a viewer connects with. To me Supernatural, NCIS, CSI:NY and Life, all had very good (but not OMG great) first seasons but where very poorly advertised, but most of all never over bearingly flashed you with how awesome they were right from the start. They jumped in and let you tag along to see where they landed. The sad fact is a lot who jumped in got off at the first stop.

[weird-fin.livejournal.com]

Please ignore typos. You're/where. Obviously meant to be your/were. I hate when people do that, but it looks like i'm becoming one. *facepalm*

[layne67.livejournal.com]

you're f-list is probably 95% of people who watch Supernatural yes?

Nah, not really. Mt first fandom is LOTR, and my oldest LJ-friends are from that fandom *squishes them*

And yeah, SPN has that mytharc going on, as well as the Monster of the Week episodes. Even among the fans themselves, we have people who prefer the standalone episodes to the on-going storyline which was a continuation right from the pilot episode in the first season.

And I know what you mean about "smart, intelligent" shows, which in my book means House and The X-Files!