Jan
27
I feel that I should preface this opinion column with a disclaimer, before the horde of angry comments start rolling in about the headline: I am obsessed with Supernatural. I love the series, as evidenced by my recent reviews, and it’s easily the best thing on television for me at the moment, barring, perhaps, my curious and previously hidden fixation on Masterchef. As such, please do note that I’m writing this as a fan of the series, a concerned fan no less, who is less than enthusiastic about the news that The CW is probably going to renew Supernatural for a sixth season.
Let’s be honest, ever since Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki told a convention (and by extension, everyone on the internet) that their contracts were for six years, we knew that the network would want another year out of the show, which has been a consistently good performer by CW standards. The fact that creator Eric Kripke’s previously-militant stance toward a five-year run has softened of late made the announcement, or at least the rumoured announcement, somewhat inevitable. Kripke has told this magazine in various interviews that he will only keep the main storyline running for five seasons however, regardless of whether or not a sixth is commissioned, so we have to wonder what will happen to the quality of the writing when this does happen.
I say this because, as anyone who’s watched the show from start to finish knows, the five-year plan has been more than evident. Seeds are sown in the first season that don’t become apparent until the fifth, characters that seemed minor in the initial episodes turn out to have an indelible impact on the boys’ quests later on, and although there is certainly an element of improvisation to the major arcs, there’s definitely some planning there. That’s been the beauty of the fifth season, which has undoubtedly been the best to date – these huge reveals, the constant theorising, the retention of the show’s soul in dire circumstances, all of this makes Supernatural great. It’s tightly plotted, deftly characterised and more than anything, there’s a sense that all along it was chuckling quietly to itself as accusations that it was simply a monster-of-the-week show came in from all critical angles.
Where, then, would a sixth series go if the Apocalypse is averted? Every season there’s been an increasingly huge problem for the Winchesters to tackle – the first season was their confrontation with Azazel and the death of their father, the second was the killing of the aforementioned demon and the opening of the Hell Gate that released so many demons into the world, which set the stage for Dean’s death at the end of season three. Season four released Lucifer into the world, and season five is set for a showdown of quite literally cataclysmic proportions. How can you really top facing off against Lucifer and meeting God?
All this, of course, assumes that the Winchesters will avert the End Of Days, but given Kripke’s promises that the story will be tied up (and the fact that the show simply doesn’t have the budget to spend a season in Armageddon), it’s likely that they will. A sixth season runs the risk of lessening the show’s editorial focus, and bloating it to the point that similar series like the X-Files suffered, where it becomes an ambling, directionless mess. Sure, there could be a return to a monster-of-the-week format, but wouldn’t it seem a bit like taking a step back after so many significant leaps forward?
I say leave it at five. Let the storyline resolve itself, and let the show finish at its natural endpoint. Don’t milk it for all that it’s worth, because it deserves more than that.
I don’t agree with you. Surprise surprise.
Jared and Jensen both said in conventions that they want the show to continue, they give it their best every week in a row and the show is the best on tv.
There is no visible sign that it has become boring or that it is being stretched.
Kripke himself said he had a five year plan cause he didn’t think the show would last this long.
Another surprise it did and it’s still solid.
Therefore I feel the fans of the show and of great television should support it and root for another season the least.
All opinions read of course, but I totally disagree with you.
I do beg to differ and totally agree with Assie.
Trust that Kripke & Company will give us something just as amazing in Season Six — BRING IT!
As long as season six is the last one (or maybe stretch it to a season seven) then I will be happy. This is a great series and I cannot wait for season 5 to start in February! My only concern is that they might drag it on like The X Files – I agree with you, James on that. But another couple of seasons wouldn’t hurt it (I wish BSG would have gone on for a couple more too)! With shows being cancelled left rignt and centre at the moment, it’s one of those shows I watch religiously, and, along with Chuck, I hope Supernatural continues for a bit longer!
The staunch 5 year plan came from Kripke being extremely insecure SPN would ever reach a 5th season, he said this at this past year’s San Diego Comic Con.
He actually planted a seed this season of where the show could go after the Apocalypse ends, the Anti-Christ is still out there. Right now he’s a cute, cuddly, confused kid. SPN doesn’t DO cuddly kids – they’re always creepy. Tracking down the Anti-Christ and trying to keep him from going dark side can drive a whole, final last season.
I didn’t actually consider the Antichrist plotline, although I kind of assumed he’d play a factor in the final few episodes.
And yes, Kripke was insecure about reaching five seasons, but the plot is certainly designed to run for that length. I remember when season three was coming out he also said something along the lines of “I just wanted us to reach the third season, then it all kicks off”. Every show creator says something similar, but there was always a defined beginning and end point.
The point of my column wasn’t that I don’t want to see more Supernatural on television, it’s that I don’t want it to be drawn out for the sake of being drawn out, or a solid ending to the overarching plot being compromised by the need to leave certain elements in play for the sixth season.
I think I have to agree with you Jim, as much as I love the show, I can see it easily falling into the X-Files trap (needlessly padding out the mythology until it makes no sense). I find it funny that a show with such a vocal fanbase, that has campagined year after year for renewal, is faced with hoping that the ratings drop enough to kill the show!
Having said that, I’m going to give Kripke his due and reserve judgement on any potential sixth season until I see it. Personally, I’d love to see the Brothers Winchester just barely avert the apocalypse at the end of this season, but have the general populace learn of the existance of supernatural beings. It would be an interesting way to continue into the future, with the boys having to sort out the aftermath, while having to deal with the public knowing who and what they are.
I think the show should end with season 5. Having watched the show since the pilot, it has been interesting to see the characters grow (or, in some cases, regress) and become who they are now. But it’s time to go now. I don’t believe Kripke has any ideas that will keep the show fresh and innovative for one more year. Not only that, I don’t want to see him milk this show and its stars just so he can put a feather in his cap and gloat.
Should have stopped with S3 actually. The plot holes are too big and glaring by now so a sixth season will tarnish the goodness of the first 2 seasons if allowed. The first seasons were something fresh and new, now the show is just old and tired and ripped off every other show ever made.
@Em, I agree with you. I haven’t enjoyed SPN very much since season 3. I absolutely loved seasons 1-3 but I feel that seasons 4 & 5 have been too pompous and derivative. I’ll be glad if the show ends after 5 seasons.
EM, I have to disagree with you. The first seasons were fresh and new, but the last seasons are better.
I have to agree with James though. Five and out. I flove this show but I want it to end up on a high note.
Is this real life?
This show became garbage in season three with all the CW crap, skank girls and then the nail in the coffin with the fat angel that can’t move his face and has no reason to exist.
Supernatural has jumped the shark so many times I can’t even count them anymore. Bella, Ruby 1 Ruby 2 Ruby 3 Ruby 100, Kripke mocking the fans, Kripke making episodes about fans, and then the horrible awful revolting fat angel.
Kripke is the worst person I’ve ever saw running a tv show, he’s obsessed by online wanking, he should really work as a janitor or something like that.
its the only show worth watching since the death of ‘BSG’,'Stargate sg21/atlantis’.cant include ‘stargate;universe’. long may supernatural continue and how about a bloody feature length film for the die hard fans.
Jim, I have to agree with you. I do think the show should end at 5 seasons. They’ve been great seasons and in my opinion Season 4 was their best one yet. This season I think has been less consistently good and the plotholes have been bigger but when it needs to work, it’s still terrific.
But I think there is no hope for them to top themselves in Season 6 and I think there is very little of them actually managing to put together enough decent stories for it to even be interesting. I think there will be even more plotholes and more thin storylines of the sort that are starting to creep in now. I think the characters risk becoming caricatures. I basically think they risk undoing everything that made the show great to begin with.
Plus I do think Jensen and Jared, protestations to the contrary aside, would prefer to be back home, in California, closer to their friends, closer to the rest of the industry, where even if they each do get another regular gig right away, at least they’ll have opportunities to do guest star roles on other shows or small parts in locally filmed movies to stretch their wings a little bit. They’ll be able to establish more contacts that can get them more interesting roles. They’ve worked 12 to 15 hour days, 9 months of the year for 5 years now.
Please leave your comments below