Fan Phenomena: Supernatural

Fan Phenomena

by Lynn S. Zubernis (Editor), Katherine Larsen (Editor)

Supernatural  premiered on September 13, 2005, on what was then called the WB Network. Creator Eric Kripke was inspired by Jack Kerouac’s  On The Road,  putting his heroes, brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, in a big black ’67 Impala and sending them in search of the urban legends that fascinated him. The series attracted a passionate fan base from the start and was described as a “cultural attractor” that tapped into the zeitgeist of the moment, reflecting global fears of terrorism with its themes of fighting unseen evil. The chemistry between the lead actors, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, contributed to the show’s initial success, and  Supernatural  found its niche when it combined demon-hunting adventures with a powerful relationship drama that explored the intense, complicated bond between the brothers.  Supernatural  is as much a story of familial ties, love, and loyalty as it is of “saving people, hunting things.”

Fan Supernatural  explores the ongoing fascination and passion for a show that developed a relationship with fans through eight seasons and continues to have an impact on fan culture to the present day. Essays here explore the rich dynamic that has developed between fans and producers, actors, writers, directors, the show creator, and showrunners through online interactions on Twitter and Facebook, face-to-face exchanges at conventions, and representations of fandom within the show's meta-episodes. Contributors also explore gender and sexuality in the show and in fan art; the visual dynamics, cinematography, and symbolism in the episodes as well as the fan videos they inspire; and the culture of influence, learning, and teaching in the series.

Genres: Supernatural, Nonfiction, Fandom, Tv, Pop Culture, Paranormal

142 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2015

About the author

Clinical psychologist, Professor at West Chester University - and passionate fangirl! Fan psychology and the benefits of fandom are my research interest, Supernatural is my forever favorite show and The Boys (and Gen V) are my current favorites. When I'm passionate about something, I love writing/editing books about it, which explains the six books on Supernatural (the most recent two including the show's actors' unique perspectives) and the new book on The Boys (with chapters from psychologists, sociologists, media experts and journalists that take a deep dive into the show's fascinating characters, plus exclusive interviews with the talented actors who bring them to life).

If you're passionate about being a fan or some of the best shows out there, dig in!

Reviews

[Annabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So because I'm new in the whole fandom but not to the show I love to read everything there is to read about the fandom. And this is one book I knew I had to read. So I'm going to do a chapter by chapter review of the book:

Chapter one: Teaching through Supernatural.

I never had a class involving Supernatural, I never had a class involving anything with media so this is a whole new thing for me. But reading this chapter really makes me want to take a class involving media studies. It's very interesting to look at the show in a whole new perspective so for me this was a very interesting chapter in the book. And I'm sure I'm going to watch the episodes described in the book and look at it in another way.

Chapter two: The monstrous male body

Any chapter evolving talking about the body's of the wonderful man of Supernatural is worth reading isn't it? haha. Reading the whole thing about the possessions and how they were taking away the manhood of the characters by doing this was very interesting. For me just like a lot of other fans it's a part of the show as described in this chapter, some fans really like the whole possession storyline. So reading this chapter really made me look at this topic in a whole other way. I'll probably never look at it the same again after reading this chapter.

Chapter three: I see what you did there: SPN and the fourth wall

Well this was described in fandom at the crossroads and Fangasm too. Supernatural loves to make the line between the fans and the show a little blurry by taking things the fans do inside the show. I loved the episodes about the fans, and I've watched them with a smile. Although I do believe that Becky was a bit obsessive with Sam. But it never made me feel uncomfortable about me being a fan. I do believe that people outside a fandom will look at us like we're all just like Becky. The little things the show does that only the fans get that's the really cool part about this show. That's what's making us a family and I really think it's great that the Supernatural crew is that close to the fans that they can do this.

Chapter four: Post, reblog, follow, tweet

So this chapter was really interesting for me, as I said at the beginning of this review I'm new to the whole fandom. I was a huge Backstreet boys fan back in the day but let's be honest internet wasn't that big in those days. So discovering this whole new world on the internet was a big eye-opener to me. And to be honest I still don't really know my way around I'm afraid. So if you have any tips for me feel free to leave them in the comments! But reading how the internet fandom started and how it evolved is a great way to get to know a little bit about how big this fandom actually is. So I've enjoyed this chapter very much.

Chapter five: Family don't end with blood

This fandom is a family and although I haven't been in it so long I already feel so welcome in it. This chapter really describes how the fandom works. What can you expect as a fan when you're diving into this. Reading this chapter confirmed what's happened to me. I came into the fandom late but I never felt like I was an outsider, I wasn't judged because I didn't join it the minute the first episode aired. And that's what this chapter describes for me. So thank you fandom for welcoming me in into the family!

Chapter six: Supernatural: Making a difference is the meaning of life

Reading about all the wonderful things the fandom did for charity and for other fans makes me a bid sad that I just joint the whole fandom thing. I can still make a difference from now on but I've missed out on a lot already. And I think every person who ever criticizes the fandom has to read this. Because this is a family, people in this fandom do good things for others! I believe that's the reason why I love this fandom so much. The family feeling and how we all take care of each other and people struggling out there. So this chapter really gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling and made me feel proud to be part of the family. Although I haven't been part of it for very long.

Chapter seven: Life changing: Supernatural and the power of fandom

And then I read the Misha chapter, I laughed at the introduction. I could just see how that scene would be played out in my head. But it's wonderful that the actors of the show know so much about the fans and aren't scared to interact with them. Reading how Misha describes his first screening and how thankful he is of the fans for joining in random acts and giswishes is really great. He inspires a lot of us and it's great to see that he appreciates the fans as much as we appreciate him. So thank you Misha for writing this chapter and making me laugh out loud and people looking funny at me for it!

Chapter eight: The pro of cons

So let's start with a confession, I haven't been to a con yet. My first will be Asylum 12 in May so I was very excited about reading this chapter. The fact that it was written from the perspective of one of the actors of the show is amazing. We never look at it that way do we? I've never met any of the actors but reading this chapter makes me really excited that I'm going to get the chance to do this in may. And a little jealous about everyone that already been there and participated in the wonderful karaoke nights.

Then there were two interviews in this book, one with Ash48 the vidder about fan videos and one with Serge Ladouceur about the cinematography. So as a new girl to the scene I haven't seen many fan videos yet but I now have a list of videos I want to watch as soon as my kids are in bed and I have the time to myself. It great to read the reasons behind the videos of the person that made them. And the second interview was really interesting, getting to know more details about the sets they're working on and how they choose certain lighting or decoration. It's amazing to see how they think things through sometimes and other times they don't but end up with something amazing. So the interviews were a great bonus to this book.

So overall I had a blast reading this book, it gave me a lot of insight on the show and the fans. It also made me realise that the Supernatural family is the best family to be a part of. We don't just watch a show say we like it or we don't and move on. We love the boys, we cry with them, we laugh with them and we feel their pain. And after we've watched it, we discuss it, we make fanvids of fanart about it or we write great fanfic. This book is a must read if you're a Supernatural fan!

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last chapter just made me very happy, okay?

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Fan Culture and I love Supernatural so this book was heaven to me! I liked the academic approach and the view of not only fans but also people involved in making the show. Despite featuring so many different topics and talking about so many aspects of the show and its fandom, I still feel like there's so much to talk and theorize about and that's what it makes SPN so amazing. I would honestly read anything you publish or edit, girls! Congratulations to everyone who took part in creating this and making it such a pleasent reading.

[Itisntme · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of the book I really loved, like 'The pros of Cons: and Misha's little essay that did not waste 3 minutes of my life. Other parts were not that interesting for me, but that is probably because I'm for too long in this fandom and have read to much beta about the show itself. Also the layout is overall not the best (very small lettering).
If you are a fan of the show you still should risk a look into this book, it might give you new insight.

[Samantha Maise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts I liked, some I didn't, but I do I would recognize Rich anywhere!

[marley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay - a good mix of authors for this curated anthology.

[Brigid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting look into the Supernatural fandom (SPN Family) through essays by various people associated with the show and the fandom. I rounded up my rating to 4 because the parts I liked were fantastic, but there are a few sections that, while interesting, didn't really strike me as essays that explain the fandom or how fandom really works.

The first two essays, both by academics and fans of the show (also known as aca-fans) just don't seem to fit the mold. The first essay details how a professor used the show to teach an introduction to media studies class. It seems like a pretty obvious technique: pick a show (might as well pick one you like since as the professor you'll have to sit through a lot of it) and use it to explain theory. I'm not sure how this is about fandom, other than that academic is a fan. If someone asked me to create an exhibit on a television show I might pick Supernatural, too, because I know it and would be able to work with it from a variety of angles. In this incredibly unlikely hypothetical, I might not choose Supernatural simply because it is still on the air, which complicates the subject matter. That doesn't make my decision particularly relevant to fandom as a whole. It would be the story of one fan who had a chance to make their work easier by picking something they already knew.

The second essay was a look at the "monstrous male body" which, while attempting to focus on how fans react to that, really just furthered the authors arguments about presenting masculinity and femininity within a cultural construct. I'm not saying it isn't interesting - I'm saying it isn't what the book is supposed to be about. I also find the author's argument to be a bit of stretch in some instances because it diminishes any non-gendered reading of the scenes presented. (Although, she did point out that she was only focusing on the one aspect, and was specifically not looking at other interpretations.) It was interesting to note, however, that academics can also fall into the "if you look for it, you'll find it" aspects of viewing. Much like shippers who can see proof of the relationships that they want to manifest while watching an episode (or others, myself included, can find proof of the role of destiny throughout any season) this particular author was able to find proof of her "feminization/symbolic castration" arguments throughout the series. Some of her arguments had valid points, but some... well sometimes a great body is just a great body. We really don't have to dissect the "plot" of Sam working out shirtless. I think we get it, and isn't just more honest to accept that rather than create some sort of meaning behind it?

There's also an interview with the show's cinematographer. It's fascinating, and it gets into the details of all sorts of things non-filmmakers don't usually think about but are integral to making the show what it is. But again, I'm not sure how that fits within the idea of "what is fandom."

The other essays all nail it, though. Discussions of how the meta-episodes break the fourth wall, how social media has changed fandom, fans and charity work, fanworks, and building the SPN Family all dive into this convoluted fandom and explore different aspects of it.

Two actors from the show, Misha Collins (Castiel) and Richard Speight (Gabriel), also contributed essays. Their take on interaction with fans is particularly interesting. Both of them address how in their interactions with the fans they are still playing a part. They are aware that they are walking a line between their characters and their actual selves. I've always assumed the actors are in another character during interviews or conventions. It's nice to get confirmation of that. You're both acting a role during within that space, but that doesn't make the fan - or actor - experience any less meaningful.

Overall, a fast and entertaining read. The bibliographies at the ends of the essays provide a nice jumping off point for anyone wishing to explore one of the topics in more depth. If nothing else, this book helps fans realize that they aren't alone in their fannish ways.

[Ainoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really interesting compendium of essays on different facets of Supernatural from the point of view of fans, researchers, actors and crew of the show. Although the format is not academic per se, each section offersa final reference list that it's very useful if you want to extend your knowledge on things such as media studies, cinematogaphy, genre studies etc.

Although I cannot use for my thesis, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It does not hurt that it has quite a lot of pictures and screencaps of the show courtesy of Karen Cooke (the pictures this woman takes in SPN conventions are fantastic) and Homeofthenutty.com. I've never been fan of books with pictures until now.

The only problem I can find with this book is the format: the font is tiny and the format for quotations doesn't make any sense. Other than that, the book is perfect.

I would recommend this book to any fan of supernatural who wants to take a more academic although not very spcialised look at the show.

[Jenn Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, out of this whole collection of essays about Supernatural, Misha Collin's is my favorite. Yeah, that goes without saying. But apart from his insights into celebrity, I appreciate the way he doesn't quite deny anything.

But all of the essays are worth reading. They look at different aspects of the show and fandom. Richard Speight Jr.'s deals with the conventions and how he and Matt Cohen helped tweak them to break down some barriers between the fans and the actors. A professor explains how he uses Supernatural in his course about analyzing media. Other essays look at the way we (the fans) objectify the Winchesters, the role social media has played in the show and how the entire SPN family comes together for great causes.

It's all good stuff. I high recommend this for anyone who's part of the fandom.

[Kate Foley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5/5

I bought this on a whim at the "Supernatural" convention, mostly because Misha Collins and Richard Speight Jr. both wrote an essay for the anthology. Theirs were hands down my favorites. I already knew their voices and loved them, and they came through 100% in the essays. Others were pretty interesting, too, but some aspects of the fandom the authors examined seemed dated. For example, there was a lot of focus on discussion boards that haven't really been in use since the first couple of seasons, but hardly any mention of Tumblr at all. Even non-Supernatural fans know that that's where the fandom hangs out. The book was written around the time of seasons 8 and 9, but that still wasn't too long ago. But like with a lot of anthologies, not every essay is going to blow you away.

[Mari Skyrin-Sarker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book far more than the other two by these authors. Most likely because Zubernis and Larsen only edited it. This book was unbiased and was truly diverse in its topics.

Finally, a great sampling of what it means to be a Supernatural fan and the effects of that fandom.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of the show supernatural so it was great to think about it from a different perspective to have chapters from people associated with the show

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reignites my love for Supernatural and the SPN fandom. This is why I study television and aspire to work in the industry.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book about what it means to be a fan of one of my favorite tv shows. Enjoyed a lot.

[Victoria Frow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. I liked reading more into a show and getting an insight to the creation of it and how it intracts with its fans. Enjoyed all the essays and the pictures.

[VampAmber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored pretty much every single essay in this book, except for chapter 2 (The Monstrous Male Body by Bridget Kies). That one felt insulting and demeaning and actually pretty dang sexist. It felt very hate-filled to me, and I almost gave this book a lower rating just for that one chapter alone, but since the rest were of such a great quality, I decided to stick with the five stars. That chapter I unofficially give zero stars to.

And as I figured, my favorite chapter by a very wide margin was the one written by Misha Collins. It was well-written, entertaining, and actually kinda educational. Makes me wish he'd just write a memoir or ten already. I already knew his life was amazing, but now I know his writing skills are on the same level.