In the back half of season nine, episode titles have had great significance. Some have literal meaning—as seen in “#Thinman” or “Meta Fiction.” Others have elements of metaphor like “Captives,” speaking to the emotion of grief or “The Purge,” about cutting out the bad and building upon the good. Some connect to a character—as seen…
Whenever a show reaches a certain number of seasons, builds up enough fan interest, or is a hit, the notion of a spin-off is always considered. It seems like a natural progression—to allow for the story to go in directions the original show can’t or won’t and for viewers to stay in that same world…
Recently, a New York Times article discussed Supernatural’s longevity. They cited everything from Sam’s hair to Netflix and syndication deals to the loyalty of fans to the brothers themselves as the reasons for the show’s long running success. All of these things are crucial for why the show has endured as long as it has,…
When I was a little girl, I couldn’t wait for bedtime—okay most of the time. No, it wasn’t because I wanted to go to sleep. It was because I knew that before that happened I’d have a bedtime story read to me by my dad. It was our bonding time—and it’s where I encountered my…
There is a quote that captures a sliver of the human experience: “Everybody you meet is fighting a battle of which you know nothing about.” We all have struggles. Some of them are the stresses of every day life. Some are catastrophic, such as a chronic illness. Sometimes it is easy for us to become…
As winter comes to a slow close here in Minnesota, we start to see layers fall away little by little. As people shed coats, gloves, hats, and heavy boots, we see them revealed once more. Each layer exposes just a little bit more. It’s easier to see a smile or to know who’s been under…
When we are immersed in a complex situation, it can be difficult to see it clearly sometimes. We can find it overwhelming. It can be easy to get caught up in the details—and thus make it harder to see the solution. Sometimes, helping someone else with a similar problem can help us to see our…
Everyone in “Captives” was held hostage at some point. This took physical form—restraints, holding cells, and locked doors. People were handcuffed or tied. Some were chained. Others were bound to the physical plane while being a spirit. In truth, however, everyone was held captive by the same thing in the end: grief. Each character seemed…
To celebrate this Olympic break, I decided to bake another Supernatural Wars Cupcake. It seemed like the best way to celebrate the return of our boys. It took some time to decide on a particular cupcake. I looked up various flavors and combinations to help me decide, and I’m fairly pleased with the result. One…
“The Purge” is aptly named. This episode is all about purging—both physically and emotionally. In some ways, both are tied together. In other ways, both are metaphors for one another. Purging is a process we all go through at some point in our lives—be it physically purging our bodies or living spaces or be it…
Supernatural has always peppered its seasons with stand alone episodes—but what makes them work is how they manage to loop back in some way to the overall story. These episodes allow them to look at other creatures and mythologies. This gives the show a chance to expand the world of the Winchesters beyond just the…
“Stretching back to Cain and Abel. It’s in your blood, your father’s blood, your family’s blood.” —Michael, “The Song Remains the Same” Supernatural has explicitly laced Biblical lore through its mythology since season four—and season nine has shaped itself around that of Genesis. The Garden of Eden and the Fall of Man was a focal…
