Why is no one watching Supernatural?
Feb. 12th, 2007 11:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
agt_spookySaw this article linked over at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
supernatural_tv and when I got to the end of it I did a double take, as my own LJ is listed as a "source"! It's linked to my Ratings page here, with all the info I've collected on the episodes. I'm kinda shocked that someone is using me as a resource! Kinda cool, actually. :-)
Anyway, it's a good article and I wish there were more press people like this writing articles in support of our beloved show.
Though I was dumbfounded at some of the replies, that SPN is "repetitive, trite and predictable and the cast not talented enough."
Um, excuse me, but what show are YOU watching??
Glad to see that those kind of replies were in the minority, though. :-)
Why is no one watching Supernatural?
Why you should be watching Supernatural, and thoughts on why you might not be.
If you’re reading this and wondering: “What the heck is Supernatural?”, then you”ve come to the right place and also broken my heart.
Supernatural revolves around two brothers, Dean and Sam Winchester, who are nomadic demon hunters that ride from town to town in order to investigate and vanquish supernatural evil. And who doesn’t love nomadic demon hunters? In each episode the brothers grapple with a monster-of-the-week (much like early The X-Files), often inspired by urban legends and folk tales. Not content to settle for a tired formula, Supernatural introduces a greater dramatic mythology dealing with a Winchester-hating über-demon with a very nefarious plan for both the brothers and the world. And who doesn’t love nefarious plans?
While Supernatural is a spiritual successor to The X-Files, unlike that show, it succeeds in fusing its horror-movie-a-week concept with its compelling and well-developed mythology and larger dramatic arcs. The writers of The X-Files had no idea where they were going, but Supernatural not only seems to have a clear narrative direction, it finds the proper balance between teasing you enough that you’re still intrigued, but also telling you enough so that you don’t get frustrated. Unlike Lost.
The chemistry between the Winchester boys is one of the highlights of the show, as it draws rich dramatic conflict from Sam and Dean’s different personalities and perspectives. In fact, the show is overall very accomplished dramatically, finding ways to intersect its various elements (horror, family drama, etc.) so that they work well together. For example, sometimes the monsters with which the Winchester boys deal with one week are really a backdrop in which a greater personal conflict is explored. Finally, the show has a distinct and dark sense of humor that is able to both mock itself and the conventions it adheres to, while providing the appropriate sardonic wit and comic relief to prevent the show from becoming too serious, and keep it fun.
By all accounts, Supernatural should be a success, since it features elements that should appeal to multiple demographics. It’s got two young hunky stars that would appeal to teeny-boppers and middle-aged women. It’s got fraternal male bonding, manly action, a sweet ride and wicked classic rock tones that would please any guy’s guy.
With the incredible resurgence of horror films, you would think the show’s horror premise would draw the interest of those who flock to see The Ring VII. The show also features fantastic guest appearances by actors from other popular and cult shows: Julie Benz (Buffy/Angel/Dexter), Amy Acker (Angel), Amber Benson (Buffy), Linda Blair (The Exorcist), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), Katharine Isabella (Ginger Snaps), and Nicki Aycox (Veronica Mars), just to name a few. Which brings me to my next point: these are all hot women, clearly appealing to any man with a pulse.
So why is no one watching Supernatural? It’s on the CW, which has to be a big hurdle. This is a network whose nightly average ranges from anywhere between 1.5 million to 4 million, depending on the night. The CW also unfortunately chooses to air Supernatural on Thursdays opposite rating juggernauts CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Grey’s Anatomy, which each average about 20 million viewers. Supernatural’s draw? Only 3 million.
Another problem is that dark supernatural shows generally don’t do well. Apparently audiences are only willing to accept soft takes on the supernatural, like Ghost Whisperer and Medium. The last darkly themed supernatural show that did well was, yup, you guessed it: The X-Files. Shows that are too witty, too dark, or too challenging (or all of the above) generally fall by the wayside. Think: Joan of Arcadia, Point Pleasant, Wonderfalls, Millennium, Harsh Realms, The Twilight Zone. Even critical and fan favorites like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel never really lit up the Nielsen Charts. Somehow peoples’ interest in the supernatural (or science-fiction, for that matter) does not seem to transfer from film to the television screen. Maybe TV really is only the land of crime procedurals and medical dramas, with no room for anything else. People have become accustomed to expecting only these genres from television, and as a result, are only interested in those genres.
As you might have realized by now, I don’t have any definite answers to my own question. All I have is a pressing desire, and hope, that more will watch Supernatural, because they are missing one of the best and most fun TV shows on the air. If I get even just one million more people watching this show because of this article, I will be pleased as punch. So start making me some punch. Supernatural punch.
By Alexander B. Huls, Mondo Magazine
supernatural_tv and when I got to the end of it I did a double take, as my own LJ is listed as a "source"! It's linked to my Ratings page here, with all the info I've collected on the episodes. I'm kinda shocked that someone is using me as a resource! Kinda cool, actually. :-)Anyway, it's a good article and I wish there were more press people like this writing articles in support of our beloved show.
Though I was dumbfounded at some of the replies, that SPN is "repetitive, trite and predictable and the cast not talented enough."
Um, excuse me, but what show are YOU watching??
Glad to see that those kind of replies were in the minority, though. :-)
Why is no one watching Supernatural?
Why you should be watching Supernatural, and thoughts on why you might not be.
If you’re reading this and wondering: “What the heck is Supernatural?”, then you”ve come to the right place and also broken my heart.
Supernatural revolves around two brothers, Dean and Sam Winchester, who are nomadic demon hunters that ride from town to town in order to investigate and vanquish supernatural evil. And who doesn’t love nomadic demon hunters? In each episode the brothers grapple with a monster-of-the-week (much like early The X-Files), often inspired by urban legends and folk tales. Not content to settle for a tired formula, Supernatural introduces a greater dramatic mythology dealing with a Winchester-hating über-demon with a very nefarious plan for both the brothers and the world. And who doesn’t love nefarious plans?
While Supernatural is a spiritual successor to The X-Files, unlike that show, it succeeds in fusing its horror-movie-a-week concept with its compelling and well-developed mythology and larger dramatic arcs. The writers of The X-Files had no idea where they were going, but Supernatural not only seems to have a clear narrative direction, it finds the proper balance between teasing you enough that you’re still intrigued, but also telling you enough so that you don’t get frustrated. Unlike Lost.
The chemistry between the Winchester boys is one of the highlights of the show, as it draws rich dramatic conflict from Sam and Dean’s different personalities and perspectives. In fact, the show is overall very accomplished dramatically, finding ways to intersect its various elements (horror, family drama, etc.) so that they work well together. For example, sometimes the monsters with which the Winchester boys deal with one week are really a backdrop in which a greater personal conflict is explored. Finally, the show has a distinct and dark sense of humor that is able to both mock itself and the conventions it adheres to, while providing the appropriate sardonic wit and comic relief to prevent the show from becoming too serious, and keep it fun.
By all accounts, Supernatural should be a success, since it features elements that should appeal to multiple demographics. It’s got two young hunky stars that would appeal to teeny-boppers and middle-aged women. It’s got fraternal male bonding, manly action, a sweet ride and wicked classic rock tones that would please any guy’s guy.
With the incredible resurgence of horror films, you would think the show’s horror premise would draw the interest of those who flock to see The Ring VII. The show also features fantastic guest appearances by actors from other popular and cult shows: Julie Benz (Buffy/Angel/Dexter), Amy Acker (Angel), Amber Benson (Buffy), Linda Blair (The Exorcist), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), Katharine Isabella (Ginger Snaps), and Nicki Aycox (Veronica Mars), just to name a few. Which brings me to my next point: these are all hot women, clearly appealing to any man with a pulse.
So why is no one watching Supernatural? It’s on the CW, which has to be a big hurdle. This is a network whose nightly average ranges from anywhere between 1.5 million to 4 million, depending on the night. The CW also unfortunately chooses to air Supernatural on Thursdays opposite rating juggernauts CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Grey’s Anatomy, which each average about 20 million viewers. Supernatural’s draw? Only 3 million.
Another problem is that dark supernatural shows generally don’t do well. Apparently audiences are only willing to accept soft takes on the supernatural, like Ghost Whisperer and Medium. The last darkly themed supernatural show that did well was, yup, you guessed it: The X-Files. Shows that are too witty, too dark, or too challenging (or all of the above) generally fall by the wayside. Think: Joan of Arcadia, Point Pleasant, Wonderfalls, Millennium, Harsh Realms, The Twilight Zone. Even critical and fan favorites like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel never really lit up the Nielsen Charts. Somehow peoples’ interest in the supernatural (or science-fiction, for that matter) does not seem to transfer from film to the television screen. Maybe TV really is only the land of crime procedurals and medical dramas, with no room for anything else. People have become accustomed to expecting only these genres from television, and as a result, are only interested in those genres.
As you might have realized by now, I don’t have any definite answers to my own question. All I have is a pressing desire, and hope, that more will watch Supernatural, because they are missing one of the best and most fun TV shows on the air. If I get even just one million more people watching this show because of this article, I will be pleased as punch. So start making me some punch. Supernatural punch.
By Alexander B. Huls, Mondo Magazine
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-12 05:57 pm (UTC)I can't beleieve the people who said that they stopped watching it either. What the hell are they watching instead? CSI? I love CSI, but talk about a repetitive formula, I mean, come on!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-13 03:07 am (UTC)As for CSI, I agree. I mean, I'm a CSI fan, but I always tape it and watch SPN instead. And it is formulaic - find dead body, solve crime. SPN is so NOT like that!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-12 11:14 pm (UTC)Because most people are fucking morons.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-12 11:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-13 05:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-13 03:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-13 02:39 pm (UTC)LOL! I couldn't believe it! I'm flattered. :-)
And yep, we all lament over the same things, but hopefully the longer and louder we do it, someone at CW will finally wake up!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-13 03:42 am (UTC)when I got to the end of it I did a double take, as my own LJ is listed as a "source"! It's linked to my Ratings page here, with all the info I've collected on the episodes.
You are such the Uber-fan, now. Can I tell people I know you? Huh? Please? ;-)
Second, this:
All I have is a pressing desire, and hope, that more will watch Supernatural, because they are missing one of the best and most fun TV shows on the air.
I want to kiss this man. And maybe have his children. Wait, no. Not that. Kiss him definitely, because in a nut shell, that says everything right, good and important about SPN. And the fact that it's a guy writing it? Even better. Much as I love us women, I know most people never listen to us nor give us the credit we so richly deserve. It's nice to have a man-fan on our side!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-13 02:21 pm (UTC)Well you know, I only let a select number of people into my "inner circle" - and you're one of the lucky ones. :-P
want to kiss this man. And maybe have his children
LOL! You're too funny! But I agree with everything you said. We're so used to fangirl squeeing that it's really nice to get a guy's perspective on the show and why they like it.