A fandom-related rant... fandom-adjacent rant... it's like a rant, and fandom is... whatever

[meg_tdj]

You know what bugs me? That Supernatural's ratings are falling. You're all going to have to forgive me a little rant here, because this seriously needs to STOP.

I mean, I get it. I do. The 5-year storyarc ended last spring, and a lot of people feel as though that was a good place to stop watching. Then it moved to Fridays, which can apparently kill any show's ratings just because. And yes, there have been changes in the characters that a lot of people don't appreciate. Changes that WILL BE FIXED and were necessary in order to prevent the quick-fix syndrome after the season finale and that Jared and Jensen are doing a superb job playing out for us, but that are upsetting people nonetheless. I understand all of that.

But here's the thing - the quality of this show has never been better, IMO. The writing has been absolutely fantastic, and the overall vibe and pacing of the show have gotten all the more creepy and suspenseful and COOL, making this season (again IMO) one of the best of the entire series. This season's storyarc? AWESOME. Won't get into spoilers, but trust me, I'm actually enjoying it way more than the angels vs demons stuff of the past few years. So this is NOT a case of a show getting too old and dragging on for too long. They've started fresh this season, given us a lot of new storylines to sink our teeth into, and loads of new mythology to keep us guessing. And awesome new characters! Played by actors who are amazing! And lots of familiar faces coming back to be awesome some more!

There's a LOT to enjoy about this season. This is a show that fully deserved being given a sixth year, and it fully deserves a seventh year as well. It deserves to go on for as long as J&J feel like playing these characters. Which, according to them, could be a very long time yet. But people getting all moody about the show not being exactly what it used to be, or the characters having changed, or Kripke stepping down, or whatever the heck people are finding to complain about, are ruining it for the rest of us who want to see this show get the run it deserves.

I'm sorry, it just makes me angry that some of the crappiest TV I've ever seen gets more respect than Supernatural - a show that has quietly but confidently been getting better and better with hardly anybody in the audience seeming to notice. It's like people WANT to watch crap on TV, and that confuses me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is... this is sweeps month. The ratings this month count SO HARD and the episodes are SO GOOD, yet it's like a large chunk of fandom is boycotting the show, trying to make it fail. I just... can't even fathom. Please, I beg of you, if you're one of these people... PLEASE stop. Just watch the show and enjoy it for what it is - 10 times better than the vast majority of TV out there. The bro vs bro promos are misleading, they WILL fix the characters, and it looks as though the season storyarc is leading up to something amazing that I, for one, can't wait to see. Will you please give it another chance? Because none of the issues you might be having with the show can be resolved if the show gets cancelled before it has the opportunity.

Under the cut I'm posting links to each of the episodes of season 6 so far. If you haven't watched them yet, they're there for the snagging. I'm not trying to bully anyone into watching something they've grown to hate or that they have no interest in watching to begin with... I'd just like this season to be given a fair shot, that's all. If you're having issues with it, maybe think of it as a spin-off with the same pretty faces on the lead characters or something, I don't know. :P

Anyway. I just needed to get that out there. I love my show! *clings*


6x01 - Exile on Main St.
6x02 - Two and a Half Men
6x03 - The Third Man
6x04 - Weekend At Bobby's
6x05 - Live Free or Twihard
6x06 - You Can't Handle the Truth
6x07 - Family Matters
6x08 - All Dogs Go To Heaven


(Btw, feel free to pass those links around or even link directly to this post, if you'd like to join me in SPN-pimpage.)

Comments

[shipwrecking.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. I'm enjoying this season a hell of a lot more than I did four/five. I will forever consider season two as my favorite, but I'll be damned if I find this season boring. I'm loving it.

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad to hear that! I adored season 4, but season 5 felt a little too slow to me. Season 6 so far has been way better with the pacing, IMO. I hate to see so many people complaining about it.

[shipwrecking.livejournal.com]

Season five did kinda pick up slow there. I feel like we didn't get a chance to dig into a lot of things that they squeezed into the second half, which is a shame.

I really do like the way that the show is being handled now. The direction is different, the characters are taking on new and interesting roles, and I've actually been surprised by something, which hasn't happened on this show in a very long time. Mind you, I predicted the whole Sam has no soul deal (I blame being a Buffy fan on that one), but Crowley's involvement, the degree to which it impacted Sam's personality, Dean's approach to it all - it's new and I'm loving it, I really am.

I generally tend to ignore the people who complain. They can dislike it all they want; don't let it take away from your enjoyment. :D

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

Crowley's involvement, the degree to which it impacted Sam's personality, Dean's approach to it all - it's new and I'm loving it, I really am.

YES!! Yes yes yes. They've come up with some awesome new twists this season, and I'm seriously excited about it. The whole Alpha thing is new and exciting, too. I can't wait for monster gang wars to start happening. ;)

I've been trying to ignore the complainers, but sometimes it just gets on my nerves. And to see the ratings slipping like this... we're almost down below the 2-million viewers mark, and it's ridiculous! More people should be enjoying this fantastic show. That's all I'm trying to say.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Season 2 is my fave so far, but I am loving S6 so much. SO much stronger in terms of writing than S5.

[shipwrecking.livejournal.com]

We're coming from the same place on that one.

[datenshiblue.livejournal.com]

Try not to worry. I think CW expected the ratings to fall a bit with the slot change, but they are not going to abandon the show with Smallville leaving.

SpoilerTV's Cancellation Predictor table (updated per Nov 11) shows Spn as "looking safe".

I don't suggest you stop drumming up support, I'd love to see more appreciation for our show, but don't panic!

Also, little known fact - fandom, per se, is not the bulk of the viewership. The larger portion of viewers are folks that just turn on the show, and don't obsess on it over the internet. ;)

The haters need to diaf. :)

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know. I'm not panicking, it's just some of the comments people have made lately are getting me angry. It's like they WANT the show to end this year, and I really really don't. I figure if every optimistic fan can convince just one other person to tune in next week, the ratings will get a nice little lift for once rather than dropping off every week like they seem to be doing lately. It's worth a shot, right?

[datenshiblue.livejournal.com]

Definitely worth a shot!

The nay-saying started back when they announced a sixth season, which pissed me off royally.

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

Me too. They didn't even wait to see what the writers had planned for it, they just hated it on principle. Me, I couldn't see anything wrong with the idea of our boys sticking around to entertain us for another year. I honestly wasn't expecting season 6 to be this fantastic, though, so I've been blown away by it so far. This show deserves way more than 2 million viewers!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Well said m'dear. I loved the angel demon storylines, but this season is surpassing all my expectations and is so strongly written so far, I really cannot see what people have to gripe about. We are being challenged but challenged with the unexpected, the uncomfortable not with pathetic attempts to recreate something that is dead and should stay dead - and that can only be good thing....
If it were hackneyed, cliched or badly written, I could understand the moaning - or if the acting quality was deteriorating and the actors displaying a jaded, lazy attitude. But no - they are giving us new and exciting stories and the actors are all hitting this darned thing so far out of the park the ball has gone into orbit.

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

But no - they are giving us new and exciting stories and the actors are all hitting this darned thing so far out of the park the ball has gone into orbit.

LOL Exactly! If anything, the ratings should be up around the 10-million viewers mark rather than hovering around 2-million. It just makes no sense to me that this show gets no respect. This is awesome TV, people! I actually feel bad that so many people are missing out on it.

[peach-megumi.livejournal.com]

I'm not going to lie - when they first announced that it was going to continue past what very definitely felt like The End, I was extremely dubious. But, I watched anyway because it's Supernatural, and they've never disappointed before. I mean, the writing and the acting and the cinematography and the soundtrack (i could keep going here) are always amazing. I wasn't even sure how I felt about it after the first episode, but by "Weekend at Bobby's", I was completely hooked again.

They took something that was tragic and beautiful and OVER, and made it continue in a very believable way. I look at it now and say "well, nothing ever actually ends - of course there is more of the story". So, I am in complete agreement. It's sad that so many people never even gave it a chance. They are missing out on something amazing, and they have no one but themselves to blame. If it results in it actually ending, though, I'm going to be very sad. **points up** Castiel will have to smite them.

Honestly, I am currently an episode behind. But, as we both know, that is nothing knew and I actually intend to be caught up in time for the next episode! One up side to being unemployed and out of school, hehe - I can actually watch Supernatural.

Really, though, there is just so much to be said for this season already. Heck, "Weekend at Bobby's" makes the season worth it in and of itself. Bobby just doesn't get enough love, and that episode was perfect. Everyone else just has to catch back up to the fact that it's still wonderful. Not my favourite season, perhaps, still good.

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

They took something that was tragic and beautiful and OVER, and made it continue in a very believable way. I look at it now and say "well, nothing ever actually ends - of course there is more of the story".

Yes!! Exactly. And they didn't just hit the reset button, like they could so easily have done. They worked hard to bring us a complex continuation of a complex story, and I have to applaud them for that.

I agree, Weekend at Bobby's was SO GOOD. I think that was the highest rated ep of the season so far, which surprises me, because a lot of people obviously watched it and decided not to tune in for more. That boggles my mind.

[jedishadowolf.livejournal.com]

Seriously? There's a boycott of the show? I mean don't get me wrong I really don't like seeing the brothers at odds like they have been but the show's been really well done. There's a few plot holes that tend to get to me but tha's beside the point. It's well done and the guys are really bringing it to each episode.

I missed last night's ep because I'm a dork, but I can't imagine intentionally trying to make it fail. Not when they work so hard to bring a quality show.

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it's an "official" boycott, but yes, some "fans" are tuning out on purpose. If that's what they want to do, then fine, they don't deserve to watch such an awesome show anyway! but they're trying to bring other people and the show itself down with them, you know? And that just ticks me off.

Last night's ep was awesome! I hope you get to see it soon. :)

[peepingdru.livejournal.com]

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AGREE...LOVING THIS SEASON::))))

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

Yay! :D