We're in a bloody lockdown due to a bloody pandemic and I'm getting stressed to fuck so I decided to watch Supernatural again from the start. Continuing my mainlining of it. I have a big long list of things to write about it, so I think I'll get to them ad I rewatch the episodes.
So yesterday I put the Pilot on. When I first watched it I thought it was dated and some bits were a bit cringey, mostly Sam's hair. He just always reminded me of Tom Welling in Smallville. But ona the rewatch I got SO MUCH MORE out of it.
That's the joy of rewatching something you love, you get more, you understand more, you see foreshadowing (I remember when I first discovered the concept of foreshadowing, it felt absolutely magical to me), you can judge how the characters grow from that point, you can see the bare bones of them, what they started from and you can see the actors grow.
On first watch I perceived it all a setting up episode, the origin story if you will. I didn't remember much actual plot. But now, I realised it's the Woman in White storyline. That has always stayed with me (partly cos I've read so much fic base don it, tbh, but still) . The boys have stupid hair, yes, I'm not fussed about their origin, although of course it's important, I find the ninja fight scene when Dean breaks into Sam's apartment hilarious - the fights didn't continue like that, that's for sure. Jared seems far more comfortable as Sam than Jensen is as Dean.
But. But, but, but. The groundwork is laid really well. Their relationship is established well, their shitty upbringing is covered. Dean's reactions and facial expressions when Sam pisses him off, that's the stuff that continues through all 15 seasons. It's beautiful to see it start here.
The importance of the car and the music is there. It's iconic. The horror story of Supernatural is there - the mysteries, the folklore, the scary shit these guys deal with, easily and confidently. It is really atmospheric. It seems to flow much better than on first watch.
Maybe on first watch I was apprehensive because I really really wanted to love the show, and I was worried I wouldn't like it. But now I know I love it. So I can just settle in and enjoy it.
I then got half way through episode 2 - Wendigo. Another folkloric story that I love. It's not necessarily the way I would portray a Wendigo, but hey I'm flexible. Then you've got the female characters. Dean hits on them all, but they are never just love interests. They are competent, brave, survivors, they learn about the scary stuff and they continue with their lives, dealing with that knowledge. They don't freak out permanently, they react, absorb and process it and then continue. They are competent and they keep on living. In contrast, most of the fellas in their lives get killed.
I know the show has issues with fridging women. Let's ignore Mary and Jess' stories just now. The treatment of the supporting cat of female characters in the early seasons is superb. When the women start becoming villains later on, that's when I felt the show started to lose it's way. Before that it was a very male show, male oriented, male stories, male relationships. But this wasn't delivered at the expense of the women. I suspect that when this changed was when Kripke, the show's creator (and writer?) left. I am not sure yet. I'll work it out when I get there.
I love being so in love with something. Love, love, love it.
So yesterday I put the Pilot on. When I first watched it I thought it was dated and some bits were a bit cringey, mostly Sam's hair. He just always reminded me of Tom Welling in Smallville. But ona the rewatch I got SO MUCH MORE out of it.
That's the joy of rewatching something you love, you get more, you understand more, you see foreshadowing (I remember when I first discovered the concept of foreshadowing, it felt absolutely magical to me), you can judge how the characters grow from that point, you can see the bare bones of them, what they started from and you can see the actors grow.
On first watch I perceived it all a setting up episode, the origin story if you will. I didn't remember much actual plot. But now, I realised it's the Woman in White storyline. That has always stayed with me (partly cos I've read so much fic base don it, tbh, but still) . The boys have stupid hair, yes, I'm not fussed about their origin, although of course it's important, I find the ninja fight scene when Dean breaks into Sam's apartment hilarious - the fights didn't continue like that, that's for sure. Jared seems far more comfortable as Sam than Jensen is as Dean.
But. But, but, but. The groundwork is laid really well. Their relationship is established well, their shitty upbringing is covered. Dean's reactions and facial expressions when Sam pisses him off, that's the stuff that continues through all 15 seasons. It's beautiful to see it start here.
The importance of the car and the music is there. It's iconic. The horror story of Supernatural is there - the mysteries, the folklore, the scary shit these guys deal with, easily and confidently. It is really atmospheric. It seems to flow much better than on first watch.
Maybe on first watch I was apprehensive because I really really wanted to love the show, and I was worried I wouldn't like it. But now I know I love it. So I can just settle in and enjoy it.
I then got half way through episode 2 - Wendigo. Another folkloric story that I love. It's not necessarily the way I would portray a Wendigo, but hey I'm flexible. Then you've got the female characters. Dean hits on them all, but they are never just love interests. They are competent, brave, survivors, they learn about the scary stuff and they continue with their lives, dealing with that knowledge. They don't freak out permanently, they react, absorb and process it and then continue. They are competent and they keep on living. In contrast, most of the fellas in their lives get killed.
I know the show has issues with fridging women. Let's ignore Mary and Jess' stories just now. The treatment of the supporting cat of female characters in the early seasons is superb. When the women start becoming villains later on, that's when I felt the show started to lose it's way. Before that it was a very male show, male oriented, male stories, male relationships. But this wasn't delivered at the expense of the women. I suspect that when this changed was when Kripke, the show's creator (and writer?) left. I am not sure yet. I'll work it out when I get there.
I love being so in love with something. Love, love, love it.
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