SPN Friday Five
Feb. 9th, 2007 06:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sailorhathor1. We know Kripke & Co mean to put symbolism and other literary devices into the episodes, but do you think fans delve into the meaning behind things too much sometimes? or not enough?
Yes, most delve way too far into it. It's freakin' television. As much as we'd like tv shows to thoroughly research everything that matters to us, they just don't, for some reason. Like, I remember fans trying to find symbolism in "In My Time of Dying" that would prove John was going to come back from the dead, and I just wanted to bang my head on the keyboard in reaction. (No offense to anyone who did that. ^_^;;) Whether or not John comes back from the dead has nothing to do with any symbolism - it has to do with how busy Jeffrey Dean Morgan is! It's like some people lose track of the fact that it's a tv show, with actors.
Just to clarify a comment I'm making here, I wish tv would be better researched too. I'd love it. But I'm realistic (aka cynical!) about the subject - tv shows are historically very under-researched and often have factual errors or just plain unbelievable BS to resolve the plot in a limited amount of time. The fact that some fans expect this show to be so well researched that it always makes perfect sense in the context of some random book they got ahold of is perplexing to me, since it rarely happens. I may bitch about SPN contradicting RL paranormal stuff, but deep down, it doesn't surprise me. Just disappoints me.
Let's take Dean's amulet as an example. Whenever they decide to stop doing filler episodes and actually explain its meaning, I would be extremely happy with a RL, well researched explanation of what the necklace means. I would love it if it actually made sense in the context of real world religion and spirituality. Do I actually expect it to do this? No. Whoever writes that episode will probably just make some bullshit up and base it very loosely on something real. Why? Because that's how tv is. I have no idea why, but it hasn't changed. The amulet doesn't look Egyptian, but it has been said it is Egyptian. Okay. All I ask is that the explanation make the most sense in an Egyptian context, then. Will it? Meh. I'm not hopeful.
Having said all this, I have seen several theories people have put forth about what Dean's amulet means, and all of these people have been *absolutely convinced* that their theory is the only one that makes sense, and the only one the show could possibly use. It's very fun to research this stuff, isn't it? But just because any one theory makes mad sense doesn't mean it will be used. TV doesn't care about accuracy that much, especially in this genre! I just wish people would realize that. TV is going to do whatever it feels like, whatever looks good, whatever works best for them.
The funniest thing about Dean's amulet is I've seen a few really close up pictures of it, and I'm convinced that they've used more than one kind of gold amulet! In one pic, the face looks clearly like a man. In another, it looks clearly like an Asian-style woman. XD How can we possibly figure this thing out for sure when they use whatever necklace style is handy that day of shooting? As long as the thing has horns, a face, and curlies on the side, it will be used, seems like. They probably have a bunch of them in case one gets lost or damaged during shooting. How can we ever say for sure what the necklace means based just on sight?
2. Do you think Kripke/Jensen/Jared know about Wincest? And if so, what do you think they think of it?
I think they are all aware of it now. Kripke plays up to it to keep those fans happy, keeping things just ambiguous enough that no one is squicked out, but the Wincesters still have something to squee over. Jared and Jensen are both from Texas, and although I don't know about Jared, I know Jensen was raised a really active Christian. I was not raised Christian, but I grew up with those kids. Almost the exact same kids, in fact, since I grew up in the same city as Jensen in the same schools. Also, J&J did an interview with a gay magazine once and they came off really uncomfortable with the innuendous gay jokes the interviewer was making. So, I think Jensen, at least, is disgusted and mortified, but deals with it for the sake of his career. As much as I'd like for Jensen to be all cool with the guy-on-guy action, I don't think he is at all. :( Jared probably uses that to his advantage to make jokes just to see Jensen squirm.
3. In ELAC, Sam mentions how he's not interested in going back to school anymore - he's solely focused on the hunt. Whether or not he meant it back then, if and when Sam and Dean get out of this demonic moshpit, do you think Sam will still want to go back to school?
Yes. I think once it sinks in that the demon hunt is over, Sam will go back to his regular life. It just takes time.
4. Gordon mentions in Hunted that demons were talking about war. How do you think this upcoming war will work? Will it be private, between just hunters and demons, or will the rest of humanity be involved too?
I think humanity IS the main target. The hunters are being taken out because they are the only thing that stands between demons and their playthings.
5. We see Jo again in Born Under A Bad Sign. Do you like her better, worse, or about the same from when we left her in 'No Exit'?
I don't like her any better.
I think it's really sad that Anna Nicole Smith died. She just had a baby, and her son just died five months ago. It's just sad. I wonder now who her baby will go to, and her money.
Yes, most delve way too far into it. It's freakin' television. As much as we'd like tv shows to thoroughly research everything that matters to us, they just don't, for some reason. Like, I remember fans trying to find symbolism in "In My Time of Dying" that would prove John was going to come back from the dead, and I just wanted to bang my head on the keyboard in reaction. (No offense to anyone who did that. ^_^;;) Whether or not John comes back from the dead has nothing to do with any symbolism - it has to do with how busy Jeffrey Dean Morgan is! It's like some people lose track of the fact that it's a tv show, with actors.
Just to clarify a comment I'm making here, I wish tv would be better researched too. I'd love it. But I'm realistic (aka cynical!) about the subject - tv shows are historically very under-researched and often have factual errors or just plain unbelievable BS to resolve the plot in a limited amount of time. The fact that some fans expect this show to be so well researched that it always makes perfect sense in the context of some random book they got ahold of is perplexing to me, since it rarely happens. I may bitch about SPN contradicting RL paranormal stuff, but deep down, it doesn't surprise me. Just disappoints me.
Let's take Dean's amulet as an example. Whenever they decide to stop doing filler episodes and actually explain its meaning, I would be extremely happy with a RL, well researched explanation of what the necklace means. I would love it if it actually made sense in the context of real world religion and spirituality. Do I actually expect it to do this? No. Whoever writes that episode will probably just make some bullshit up and base it very loosely on something real. Why? Because that's how tv is. I have no idea why, but it hasn't changed. The amulet doesn't look Egyptian, but it has been said it is Egyptian. Okay. All I ask is that the explanation make the most sense in an Egyptian context, then. Will it? Meh. I'm not hopeful.
Having said all this, I have seen several theories people have put forth about what Dean's amulet means, and all of these people have been *absolutely convinced* that their theory is the only one that makes sense, and the only one the show could possibly use. It's very fun to research this stuff, isn't it? But just because any one theory makes mad sense doesn't mean it will be used. TV doesn't care about accuracy that much, especially in this genre! I just wish people would realize that. TV is going to do whatever it feels like, whatever looks good, whatever works best for them.
The funniest thing about Dean's amulet is I've seen a few really close up pictures of it, and I'm convinced that they've used more than one kind of gold amulet! In one pic, the face looks clearly like a man. In another, it looks clearly like an Asian-style woman. XD How can we possibly figure this thing out for sure when they use whatever necklace style is handy that day of shooting? As long as the thing has horns, a face, and curlies on the side, it will be used, seems like. They probably have a bunch of them in case one gets lost or damaged during shooting. How can we ever say for sure what the necklace means based just on sight?
2. Do you think Kripke/Jensen/Jared know about Wincest? And if so, what do you think they think of it?
I think they are all aware of it now. Kripke plays up to it to keep those fans happy, keeping things just ambiguous enough that no one is squicked out, but the Wincesters still have something to squee over. Jared and Jensen are both from Texas, and although I don't know about Jared, I know Jensen was raised a really active Christian. I was not raised Christian, but I grew up with those kids. Almost the exact same kids, in fact, since I grew up in the same city as Jensen in the same schools. Also, J&J did an interview with a gay magazine once and they came off really uncomfortable with the innuendous gay jokes the interviewer was making. So, I think Jensen, at least, is disgusted and mortified, but deals with it for the sake of his career. As much as I'd like for Jensen to be all cool with the guy-on-guy action, I don't think he is at all. :( Jared probably uses that to his advantage to make jokes just to see Jensen squirm.
3. In ELAC, Sam mentions how he's not interested in going back to school anymore - he's solely focused on the hunt. Whether or not he meant it back then, if and when Sam and Dean get out of this demonic moshpit, do you think Sam will still want to go back to school?
Yes. I think once it sinks in that the demon hunt is over, Sam will go back to his regular life. It just takes time.
4. Gordon mentions in Hunted that demons were talking about war. How do you think this upcoming war will work? Will it be private, between just hunters and demons, or will the rest of humanity be involved too?
I think humanity IS the main target. The hunters are being taken out because they are the only thing that stands between demons and their playthings.
5. We see Jo again in Born Under A Bad Sign. Do you like her better, worse, or about the same from when we left her in 'No Exit'?
I don't like her any better.
I think it's really sad that Anna Nicole Smith died. She just had a baby, and her son just died five months ago. It's just sad. I wonder now who her baby will go to, and her money.
