Fandom. We're constantly noticing how avid the "Supernatural" fans are. Ardeospina and I recently were part of a roundtable with other fansites on Supernatural radio about what it's like to be involved in this very active fandom. There's been a lot of fan activity recently over voting for The People's Choice Awards and finally seeing resolution in our fight to earn our show some recognition. There was another trending flurry on Twitter yesterday after it was announced that Jensen and Danneel Ackles are expecting their first child. And these are just the recent things!
The "Supernatural" fandom is quite a unique one for sure, and one of the most active out there. Our dear friends at Fangasm, Lynn and Kathy, have a full fledged professional fandom studies practice going now, with "Supernatural" and it's fans at the forefront of their studies. No doubt we've become a curiosity and a phenomenon to many out there. Some think we're just plain nuts, others wonder why we're so enthusiastic.
So, in this Let's Discuss topic, why not discuss what this fandom means to you. What is your level of involvement? Are you just dipping your toes in the waters, or are you a full fledged, card carrying, active on every forum or social media site fanatic? Or in between? How has fandom changed your life? How does this "Supernatural" fandom compare to others? (if you've been involved in others). What makes "Supernatural" so different? Or just talk about anything in the fandom in general, your likes, your dislikes, etc.
This is an open forum, so free form discussion is encouraged. However, please try to stay within the parameters of our rules. They can be found here:
http://www.thewinchesterfamilybusiness.com/news/64-rules/14338-we-are-a-happy-site-but-there-are-rules.html
With the disclaimers out of the way, let's discuss!
Comments
I am positive I would not be going to Vegas had it not been for the videos on YouTube and posts from people who have gone. It makes J2's so much more real and brings them into your home in a special way.
I bought a smart phone just so I could follow twitter and have a better way to take pics and video in Vegas! And I have NEVER bought DVD's of a TV show until now and I have all 7 seasons. It's soooo difficult to explain to outsiders though. 2 of my sons and husband roll their eyes that I am going to Vegas. My other son is a geek like me and is soooo jealous that I am going to a con before he can go to comic con. I told him he has a lot of years yet, mine are counting down. Ha!
It's a bizarre family, this SPN fandom, but I love it! Social media is changing our world for sure!
Thanks for this site. I love it.
This is my only fandom, although I do love other shows, this fandom is just very near and dear to my heart. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would ever go to a convention for anything, as a matter of fact, I didn't even know they existed! Living under a rock much?
And so...to answer your question...I would say that I'm a fan who enjoys the whole concept of this fandom. It follows many of the same principals that govern the characters. We're about inclusion, not exclusion. We're about family, but most of all, we're about love! Love of the show, the actors, the crew, the producers, the writers and each other! To me...that's what makes our fandom so different from others. They may try to mimic it, but they haven't been able to copy it successfully... at least not yet.
rmoats8621: I would be VERY interested in reading your FF story when it is done! Where do you plan to post it? How soon will it be completed?
I actually belong to a SPN Facebook page that is devoted to reading and sharing our favorite fanfic stories. This is a GREAT way to fill hellatus gaps and another way to share our love of all things SPN.
Please let us know when your story is ready to read!
I've been a fan of shows before. Star Trek, Man from Uncle, X-Files etc. but never took notice before of writers, directors, producers and even hair stylists. (Hi, Jeannie!)
Found fan fiction, and sites that upset me with their negativity and nastiness, and then found this site. I'm still here at my favourite fan site ever.
I used to be an active person. I owned a horse, dog, cat and parrot. Looked after my house inside and out. Worked a full time job for over 50 years and retired. Unfortunately I developed severe osteo-arthritis and can no longer get around without another person's help. But, not to be mushy or sorry for myself, Supernatural keeps me happy and interested in life itself. I thank the show for keeping me from depression. I LOVE the convention reports and anything I can find on Jensen, Jared, Jim and others in the family. I actually believe (no guff!) this show and my love for those two brothers is keeping me going and enjoying my life.
Those two guys couldn't have been cast any better with ANYONE else! Kripke sure picked a couple of winners! I truly believe this is the best show ever made.
Thanks to Alice for running this exceptional fan site.
Since then I have been an avid fan. After the marathon I had to catch up so I bought the DVD's and started watching the weekly episodes and have loved it since then.
I found this site a while ago and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Get Glue. My daughter translates my Twitter account my fav character and my initials @DeanKmo to (Dean Kathy's major obsession). I own ever DVD standard and Blueray and companion books. ( looking for season 4 & 5) . Subscribe to magazine.
My bucket list is to attend a convention someday and if course the Holy Grail of them all Comic Con.
I find myself yet again laid off from my job
I was online when Gen Padalecki came on line with twitter, and chuckled at Jared's warning to the fans. I was on twitter last night when Daneel announced they are pregnant. Kinda felt bad about that one. I know she only did it cuz she will be on red carpet and she is probably showing. Jensen prefers to keep his private life private.
This show draws you in. The stories are compelling, the actors are fantastic (plus not bad to look at) . I tell everyone I know to check out the show and have converted many. The fans on all the fan sites are devout. I am very proud to say I m a Supernatural fan. It is nice to be able to communicate with people who feel as passionately about the show as I do.
I agree with Bevie that this is one of the best tv series ever, and I couldn't imagine any other actors playing the leads. Perfect casting. I have been watching tv for longer than I care to admit! I am determined to enjoy this show for as long as it is on because I know how rare of a gem it is!
I am proud to be a part of this fandom, my first foray into any fandom.
The only thing I don't understand are those who claim to have given up on the show and are disgusted, but still find it necessary to share that view repeatedly. If I lose faith or interest in a show I move on. Constructive crititicism is another thing entirely and I actually enjoy reading those comments.
Why? I'm not sure: the dynamics between the brothers, the writing, the risks the show takes. Jensen and Jared are amazing actors, they draw me in and I feel their pain, anguish and joy. I love the fact that I can laugh, cry and have my heart broken all in one episode.
Then I started researching on the internet. Not only did I find this fantastic site but I discovered youtube and its fan made videos and convention reports.
My family are mystified as I have never, ever been this obsessed over anything, even as a teenager. Now I am travelling from Australia to see them in Vancouver in August! WTF.
Seriously though, this show has shown me that family comes first and has introduced me to a new online family that I am slowly becoming part of. I love it.
By the way Leah, I absolutely agree with your last comment. I am a new fan of the show and when I read those disgruntled comments it depresses me and ruins the buzz that I was in on the site. I agree, if you are not enjoying it any more then move on - please!
Marathon viewing S1-7 gave me something to grab hold of. I found this site late spring last year, and lurked for awhile.... It seemed welcoming, and oddly familiar. (A strange sensation for someone not generally at ease around others)... I finally joined in, and SURPRISE!, it was ok.
Since then, I've found twitter and lately, tumblr. And it's still mostly ok. I've embarassed myself, more than once, and lived through it, more than once. LOL And I'm not feeling so 'numb' anymore.
So thanks to all. :)
One day I might even be brave enough to go to a Con. hahahah. Yeah, probably not.
In one word, Supernatural is.. family.
I discovered the show in January of 2012, so I've been a fan for almost exactly a year.
What drew me? The story. It's always the quality of the storytelling. And Supernatural has some extremely high-quality storytelling for its genre, and in general. Also - the compelling nature of the Winchester Family Business - emphasis on family. Two brothers facing down heaven and hell together - what could be better? But none of it would work without convincing acting - and that is perhaps the linchpin to it all. Jensen and Jared - there wouldn't be a show without their heart and dedication.
When I get hooked on a TV show it's all or nothing, so I've done a ton of catching up via research since then to get myself well-acquainted with the show's history, both on screen and behind the scenes. I feel like I'm more than up-to-speed at this point. :)
There are only a few select sites I'll participate in, this being the main one, the other being a fanfiction site. I am familiar with others, but I'm not a participant.
And I'll echo Leah's statement as one, if not the only, things I dislike about the fandom:
The only thing I don't understand are those who claim to have given up on the show and are disgusted, but still find it necessary to share that view repeatedly. If I lose faith or interest in a show I move on. Constructive crititicism [sic] is another thing entirely and I actually enjoy reading those comments.
I usually hop from show to show every 6 mo. to a year, anyway, with rare exceptions. If I get bored, disgusted, frustrated, etc., I simply give it up and move on to something else. It's a TV show, after all - no harm, no foul. And I do find it somewhat baffling that a select group in this fandom who are continually unhappy and downright bitter with the show stick around to voice their discontent, often repeating the same complaints over and over again and threatening to stop watching the show. Perhaps it's a difference in personality? Or perhaps I'm less invested? I genuinely don't know.
I really dont get some people.
She´s a pretty good wackjob for sure.
Made me so mad!
Sadly, there is a long history of whack jobs on Twitter and Facebook threatening Jared and Jensen and their wives. Misha too! When I was at the con in Nashville a few years ago, he showed with extra security because of a threat. Danneel, since she has been on Twitter the longest, has had some really bad run-ins with nut jobs. Dealing with these people is Clif's job and he's managed these issues very well.
I tend not to make a general announcement of these things on the site. It makes light of the uglier side of fandom plus it gives these nuts attention they don't deserve. But like I said, it's okay to post this here for now.
I didn't find WFB until a couple of years ago, and I wish it had been sooner because I could have avoided some of the vitriol. As it is, I really avoid it now.
Like others, I really don't have anyone to discuss it with. My husband watches, but just calls us all crazy when I tell him about things, although he did laugh when I showed him the picture that the PCA's sent of Jared and Jensen's seats this year. He listened to me bitch last year, so he remembered. And bless him, he bought me a Supernatural coffee mug and the Anime for Christmas so he understands me.
I may get frustrated, but I love the show and I love the boys. I think it's even harder to not be affected when things are negative because we have so much more access now to the actors personally. With conventions and social media, we feel like we know them and are really a part of things so it's harder to separate ourselves when others are ugly or even when positive things happen. It's a blessing and a curse. I hope they never feel like it's too much or they have to separate themselves from us.
Thanks Alice, for all you and the others do to keep things positive. It makes a really great fandom even better.
I discovered SPN at the end of season 1, back when absolutely no one here knew anything about it. I was hooked though, enough that I absolutely had to have the show on DVD (something I’d never done with any show before). Problem was no one I could possibly get them from had them. Long story short I had season 1 and 2 special ordered for me (I ended up getting myself a very expensive collector’s edition of season 2 from the UK), and I now own all 7 seasons (and companion guides and novels, and other stuff I probably don’t need).
I only became involved in the fandom though in season 3, and I love it more and more all the time (yes, even despite some of the negativity). So many wonderful, dedicated, smart, and yes, slightly crazy (what’s a little bit of insanity amongst fellow fans, anyway?
I’ve only ever been part of one other fandom, for Charmed, but so briefly that I never really got a feel for it. It was actually around the time they were campaigning for a Charmed spin-off, involving Piper’s sons, until they were politely told there wasn’t much chance of that because there was already a supernatural-th emed show involving two brothers in the works. Anyone wanna guess which show that was? Thank Chuck I got off that ride, because once SPN came along, everything else sort of fell away. I watch a lot of TV, but I’ve never loved another show as much as this. For the first time I found myself paying attention to directors and writers. I know the names of more crew members than I can keep track of, and I recognise them when they do work for other shows.
Supernatural is just such a huge part of my life now. I can’t remember what I did before, and don’t want to think about what I’ll do after. The show, the boys, the cast and crew, the fans just hold a very special place in my heart, probably because I feel like we are all a part of something special. I’m just glad I found it.
So, as I said, I was a little late in the game. I joined Tumblr last year a little bit around the end of summer or somewhere around there. Every now and I again I would see photosets and screenshots and pictures of these people and see people freaking out about Supernatural. So, curious, I delved into it a little, looking up things about it online and I kept seeing these gifs and then finally I was like "Okay, let's check this out!" So I did!
I watched the Pilot and let me tell you how hooked I was immediately. It was so interesting and mysterious, the way they shot it. Mostly in the dark and it had an amazing feel to it. The way they showed the beginning and then zeroed in on Sam and then Dean and they came together for that episode. It was simply really good, so I watched another episode, and then another, and so on and so on. It was just really addicting. Then I told a couple people I knew who watched the show that I was into it now and they started telling me I had a lot in store and just wait until this particular season and this part and that part and I became very excited when getting caught up with the show.
And the rest is history, as they say. I caught myself up and now here I am. Most television shows are cheap and corny and sometimes just downright ridiculous with acting. I understand they need to amplify some things, as it is a show and generally only an hour long one so they need to tell some kind of story in that allotted time. Supernatural just did simply fantastic. And I understand their budget and what they have to work with, and it's just generally so amazing how they work with that kind of budget and produce something so great.
The Supernatural fandom is unlike any others. I have witnessed some fandoms out there and I'll be quite honest in saying a lot of them deter me from the shows themselves. The way they go on about them and act is a little disconcerting. The Supernatural fandom, however, tends to try and be respectful and see everything for the bigger picture rather than simply attaching to one thing. We're down to earth and while every fandom may have their ups and downs, their dos and donts, we tend to know what's best and strive for that instead.
I have not been as active as I would like. I have my own budget to abide by and thus the cons and photoshoots are generally never, ever in that. And while it is disappointing I know that there are others in the same boat who cheer them on from a distance and show their support in other ways. This turned into a ridiculously long ramble but that is what the fandom means to me and I am glad to be part of it. Many people who are not as avid as other fans may be embarrassed by those that follow the same fandom but I never had that problem going in.
I have to say I was surprised and delighted to find that there is a lot of high level of fan fiction being written (and of course, there is a lot of total crap).
I'm a pretty serious fan and fairly active on twitter. I like the interaction twitter allows between the cast and crew and the fans. I've gotten to chat with some of the cast and crew outside of twitter and that's been really fun. Interacting with crew is probably my favorite thing, because I love the whole process of making TV. That's pretty nerdy, ain't it?
And yes, I'll agree with the view that if you don't like the show anymore, just move on. It's a TV show, after all, not your life. At least it shouldn't be!
Maybe it's "just a tv show". Maybe it isn't. All I know is that it came to me during a very hard time in my life, and the more I watched, the more I felt it lifting me back up. It's been wonderful having the chance to get involved in the charity work, and how I've been able to extend that even into my own community. I can't express how much the show means to me. I've tried to get involved with Twitter, but it hasn't happened as much as I would like. I need to direct more effort into that. I just want to send a great big thank you out to everybody. Now if I could just get myself to a friggin' con...
I've tried to get invovled with the Twitter accounts too, but for some reason just can't get there with it. Guess everyone has so many tweets that they can't read them all.
We've met so many amazing people in this fandom, who will remain friends long after Show has ended (but let's not think about that now....). We're all warm and fuzzy today feeling grateful.
Friends have been telling me on and off for years now, how awesome the show is, but since I don´t own a TV I don´t watch TV much (yeah, go figure)
But at some point, Tumblr just wore me down. I don´t even know, how it happened... I think I was looking at the supernatural tag... but not looking for the show, but actually casually browsing and... well... those of you, who ARE on tumblr, know that tag.
After the 50th posting saying "OMG! THE FEEEEEEEELS" I decided to just give it a try and start in the beginning.
Long story short, it took me two months to watch 7 season and be up to date by the time Season 8 started.
But what really keeps me glued to the show, is the fandom.
How people interact and the sheer creative power, that show awakens.
Gifsets, wallpapers, drawing, fanfic... some of it is mediocre, just people felxing their creative muscles but not getting there quite yet. But alot of it is just stunning.
And there are the metas.
I come from a background in archeology and all that speculating, analyzing, connecting hist right home with me.
I love metas! And some of them are jsut so plain good it makes my heart dance.
So yes, I came for the show, but stayed for the fans.
And it only took me three months, to find my own corner to get active, my only little problem within the show, that stoked me enough to get involved
Hasn´t gone as well, as I had wished.
YET!
We´re not giving up here ;) After all, the Adam situation needs to be solved! #AdaminHell (you knew this was coming, didn´t you? ;))
This is, what the show does to us!
I think I have to put this episode near my top ten after watching it again on tnt this am , am I nuts for watching these on TNT with my morning coffee especially since I own all the dvd's.
Not just loving it for the obvious Jensen beauty in this, someone cast this boy in Boardwalk empire or the like plus there were 3 other gorgeous men in the episode, Jared ,Elliot Ness and Cronos.
The thing I was watching with amazement was the gorgeous visuals in this, the shots the setting, the lighting,just stunning. The street scenes, the cars, Jensen checking out the soldier ( whether because of the uniform or whatever) Love the coiuntry scenes, Elliot by the hay wagon and Dean going up to the house, too many to mention.
I never paid much attention to how the shows are made or even thought about how things are put together before coming on line and reading other's comments and especially reading Bardivoice and her instructive and amazing in depth analysis of the behind the scene workings.
The dialogue was funny , the only thing that would have made it better was if they could have done 2 parts because it was almost like a movie and more time would have been perfect.
Anywho Kudos to all involed in this amazing episode and the PRETTY of it. My eyes are for ever open now to seeing something else on the screen in front of me besides Jensen.
I can’t make this all about all the people that I want to address but the point I am making applies to literally everyone – both actors and other people involved in making entertainment for us.
Hi! We’re the fandom, huge group of loosely connected people who have each our own independent views but we all love your shows.
Sometimes we show that by being nice to you
Sometimes we show that by being horrible to other people.
Sometimes we show it by being nasty to you. Which is strange really because we wouldn’t behave like that in person…
Often we forget you are real people at all. Sorry for that. I suppose it must be nice sometimes to be treated as a celebrity and sometimes you must want to say, as Jared said during a chance meeting with a fan the other night ‘I am not a celebrity. I‘m a dude. And a dad.’
I am newish to the idea of being part a fandom and right about now my joy in it is pretty much broken. I have only ever posted my fannishness on this one site and after this post I most likely won’t be doing that anymore. From here on I am going to talk from the point of view of one person and not assume that I speak for anyone else.
Here goes.
When you entertainment related people do your best to be a normal person with an unusual job and put as much of your real life out there as you can to try and stop people from treating you like something ‘other’ it is almost more fascinating than ‘celebrity gossip’ (so maybe that isn’t working out so well as a theory). With celebrities we are encouraged to believe everything and simultaneously assume that it is all an act, like even people's private lives are somehow on camera and up for discussion. A lot of you TV people in Vancouver try not to allow that surrealness to invade your lives. The entire thing must be a little bizarre I can't help but think.
So with the idea of 'real' versus 'fake' I have found myself looking at Supernatural (since that is what I have attached myself to so thoroughly) from the point of view of the day to day factory it must really be like instead of the mystery and glamour I am sure it isn’t!
What I do know is that you all have committed a lot of your lives to this, and you put your personal lives on hold for months at a time to do it. You don’t get a whole lot of respect from awards groups etc because of the network, the style of show and the size of your audience. I guess it must be satisfying doing a tough scene and knowing you did it well, or seeing an entire episode all completed (and getting paid
And I assume that you appreciate the positive feedback from the audience and do your best to filter out those who have nothing better to do than judge harshly based on their own agenda and on received wisdom.
And then there are the people who mean well …. Those must be the toughest ones, where someone says or does something without really thinking of the implications for you, it must be hard not to take offence sometimes, or be hurt by it. I know y’all aren’t nearly as sensitive to what we say on these nitpicking sites as we think you are. I get that I am writing this post for my own peace of mind and not because I think I am actually communicating with anyone. But there is an awful lot of entitlement in this world and not nearly enough apologies to go round*.
Anyway you all are never less than polite, never really put a foot wrong, don’t try to antagonize people but people can always read something into everything.
My point with this long ramble is that, like I say sometimes we forget that you are all each individual real people. I know that you don’t compete with each other because it is exhausting and that rooting for each other is better for you and more fun in the long run. And you are colleagues and friends. But as fans we have, as I said, a tendency to forget that. Hence these little wars that go on. Thousands of votes where the actor or purpose of the vote is forgotten in the need to WIN, to beat the other group. People being dismissive of one in favor of the other because they have a problem with the other FANS, or dismissing an actor because of what the character has done (Is that a compliment when people do that?) again nothing to do with you AT ALL. I am sure if people thought about it they would go about these things differently.
ETA: *so it occurs to me to clarify that I mean this as just generally, in the world, it wasn't/isn't intended as anything more than that.
So here is what I am trying to say so longwindedly, from the point of view of someone who has not, despite all effort, been able to read anything else into the title of a recent post on this site except as a dismissal of half of the core (from day one) of the show – I don’t agree. The author, who I know is a huge fan of both of you, and has been for way longer than I have, says that being dismissive was not her intent but it worries me hugely because I know how I would feel if that headline appeared to describe my input into my profession for the best part of a decade. And then a whole bunch of perfect strangers commented on it in agreement. Well I want to clarify that though I posted on that article because I agree with the purpose of it I really don’t want you to assume that I agree with the title of it. The fact that saying that means that I could now be insulting the other one of you is the dilemma that I have been stuck with all day and my head really hurts...
(Regarding length of time as a fan: I was told I would understand how to behave better as a fan when I was older, I have had a somewhat condescended-at week, since you ask).
In a sane world I would have been able to just post this next little paragraph and that would have been enough but I can see from twitter and from other comments on here that it isn’t going to be, hence the long, long post.
All this is to say guys that while I really do think that Jensen deserves all the praise he has had today, and much more, and I WISH that people wouldn’t post anything to take away from that (if anyone feels like joining me here and leaving the article to just positive vibes then that would be in the holiday spirit wouldn’t it?), I also want to say as one real person to another (who is, I really hope, less thin-skinned than me) that Jared, your 9 years of dedication to this show has more than earned you a co-share of the title of ‘Heart and Soul of Supernatural’.
Ok I feel a bit better now.
You know I love you, and I'm sorry the nonsense on another thread made you feel the need to post this. I hope your headache lessens, and that we can, soon, once again celebrate our love of this show and the actors without heartache.
I'll join you in celebrating both of our stars - the heart and the soul, together.
Merry Christmas, my friend.
Merry Christmas / Happy holidays / Nollaig Shona to all you too