In the Hunt: Unauthorized Essays on Supernatural
March 15, 2009 by Cynthia
If you love discussing the merits of John Winchester as a father, Dean as the matriarchal figure in the family or perhaps the Impala as a modern-day horse for two modern-day cowboys, then I’ve got just the book for you. It’s called In the Hunt: Unauthorized Essays on Supernatural.
The book comes from Smart Pop, a small press that has carved out a niche with books that take a deep look at the meta behind our favorite shows and movies. And while I applaud any effort that pushes Supernatural as a smart, cleverly-plotted TV show, I’m afraid I can’t clap too loudly for this one.
The inherent danger of a book like this (or any one of a dozen LiveJournals and fansites) is the tendency to erode the joy by looking too closely for something that isn’t really there. I’m sure that some of the connections pointed out in this book were intentional themes put there by the writers and directors but some are just things that happened because of shooting schedules and money constraints and fate.
For example, Jacob Clifton, in his essay, talks about the original promotional art for the series as if it were a work by Michelangelo. “The Impala shines its brights in the background. . .symbolizing not only her role in the illumination of the darkness but also the safety she promises and has provided since the Winchester house burned.” Pretty concept, but I imagine the car lights are on because they could use real lights and a battery to make a cool pop-out ad for magazines.
On the other hand, I do agree with a good deal of the symbolism put forth in this book. Fire, the mother issues, the journey itself all have a great deal of significance. It wasn’t a coincidence that the final shot of the season two ender mimics in reverse the ender of the pilot; “We’ve got work to do.”
The bigger problem here stems from too much made of too little or maybe it’s an organizational issue. Either way, so many of the essays say the same things — heroes, sacrifice, family. They reference the same scenes in the same episodes over and over again. This is even more obvious if you read the book in order since like essays have been placed back-to-back. I really enjoyed Jules Wilkinson’s look at the boy’s faithful metal steed, so I felt no need to read Mary Fechter’s take on it which was next in line.
I also enjoyed Tanya Michaels’ “Dean Winchester: Bad-Ass. . . or Soccer Mom?“ And I had to dive in to Emily Turner’s attempt to explain Wincest to the world. Brave girl. Heather Swain tried for something different with “A Supernatural Love Story,” a collection of letters that made no sense to me what so ever. The only thing worse was Dodger Winslow’s “The Burden of Being Sammy.” She calls it a “parenthetical discussion” and boy does she mean it. Now, I love my parenthesis (my editors will attest to that as they’re constantly yelling at me to quit it) well, now I just might. Winslow’s sixteen-page essay has several hundred parentheticals most of which are the words “you,” “the family” and “not really you.” She might have a good point, but I’ll never know because the essay is completely unreadable.
Even still, I can forgive most of those transgressions as they were done in the name of fandom — you know, that level of enthusiasm for a TV show that makes normal people spend thousands of dollars for a photo op with a star, stay up until three am to review the latest episode frame-by-frame, write fan fiction that you could never share with your mother, or anyone who knows your real name. And believe me, I am that kind of fan, so I’m not mocking. But because I am that kind of fan, there was one issue with this book that nearly had me throwing it across the room the first time I cracked it open.
It’s this:
“Certainly, most of the women I know who watch the show do so in part because they find Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki to be very easy on the eyes.”
That’s on the first page of the book. A book dedicated to the deeper meaning of this smart, well-plotted TV show. And that’s followed up with similar statements in the book’s introduction. Granted, they do say that’s not the ONLY reason women watch, but it’s too little too late for me.
Supernatural has always suffered from The WB Complex, that idea that shows on The WB (as it was when it began) are shallow, teenage fair that are simply vehicles for pretty people and pop music. Kripke went through a lot of trouble to avoid this label when he wrote classic rock music into the show with his infamous quote about shoving their “anemic, alternative pop music.” But still, we’ve been fighting the pretty boy battle ever since.
I’m certainly not trying to tell you that Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki aren’t good-looking guys. They are and then some. But so are the guys of Gossip Girl and 90210, but I don’t watch those shows. The WB has Tom Welling, for heaven’s sake, but I don’t fannishly obsess over Smallville like I do Supernatural.
All I’m saying is, leave the pretty-boy comments to the reporters who don’t watch the show. The people who contributed to this book are supposed to be fans. They should have known better.
Setting aside my issues, people who enjoy indulging a good, long meta about Supernatural will likely enjoy the book. In The Hunt is available at BenBellaBooks.com.
Book cover courtesy of BenBella Books
Cynthia I do have to agree with you. What first got me hooked on this show was the brothers’ relationship. I had never seen anything like it before. Familiar, antagonistic, loving, comforting, frustrating. It was all those thing – and so much more and so realistic. As time progressed, I started paying attention to the actors that played Dean and Sam. Now, I can’t imagine anyone else portraying the Winchester brothers. And, yeah, they’re pretty nice to look at. But their saga is what holds me for the long haul. Jensen and Jared OWN these roles.
What can I say? I totally agree with you. And I am offended on behalf of all of us fans that love the show for its great writing, great arch story, great ACTING… not because of the EYE CANDY (which, I grudginly and/but happily admit, is all there)
sorry for the typos – arc – and grudgingly…
I starting watching this show because I had not seen anything like this on TV since Haunted went off the air a few years prior (damned UPN
…)
Then when I got into the characters, they became, to me at least, like surrogate brothers, brothers I never had. I could feel a connection to them in that way.
I still feel that way in some respects, and have grown up with them over the last four years.
Yes they are nice to look at, but I care more about the story-lines and not whether or not Sam or Dean look ‘Sooooo Goooood’ this week.
That is, as you said, why we have shows like Gossip Girl and 90210.
Thank god there’s a sane fan. I’m female and I watch the show because of the content. I’d go see a movie with Jensen Ackles because of his acting first and foremost. I like his character because he’s a modern day guy with a 70’s type of old fashion mindset that you just rarely see in today’s guys. It’s mainly why I like Dean and very rarely Sam in the show. Jared’s acting is great too but he’s ehh character-wise. I absolutely HATE the idea of Wincest. I cringe when I see RPGs for the brothers set up as lovers who happen to be Priests(yes its a real rpg). It makes me wonder if half the fan girls have any siblings. Are they into incest secretly?
A car and a Colt= Thank god!!! I’m not alone…. I was feeling like the last gal on earth (actually I am exaggerating, ’cause I have a very good friend who loves the acting too) but, really, if you have siblings (and I have a little brother) the whole wincest idea is kinda repulsive. Just saying, ok? Nobody kill me please.
Cryptonomicon-I have a younger brother too(about the same amount of years apart as the brothers on the show) and I just cringe at the idea of Wincest. But there’s just masses and masses of fangirls who are into this and I have no idea why. I know fandoms in general tend to pair anyone with a happy sac but family members? And I remember seeing on an off topic forum about “who here likes supernatural” and it seemed more gushing about looks than anything else. Unfortunately though, it might be the only reason why Superanatural is still running seasons. A lot of shows with good writing and development I notice tend not to last long on TV now a days.
Yeah, see when I tried to get my uncle and cousin (who is also a guy) into the show, both gave me the same excuse: ‘But isn’t that the show with the two good looking guys?’
I was like, yeah but there is much more too it than that. It didn’t work. They don’t get it.
That’s when I realize only girls watch it, and mainly for the reason my family members gave me: ‘The good looking guys!’
That’s sort of sad, and like car and a colt said, it might be the only reason SPN is still running like it is.
Cause when I hear things like: ‘Dean looks hot in hell’ I cringe and want to hide away somewhere until those fangirls go away.
Of course I could be hiding for a very long time
Pshh I wouldn’t hide. I’d go find a blow torch and go hunting. Rabid fan girls ruin everything they get their hands on. And let’s say Dean and Sam existed, they’d never give a rabid the time of day anyway. Heh…it’d be like having a date with Lilith.
Now there would be a killer episode of SPN: Fangirls…Endgame!
Sam and Dean just start going at ‘em like in that movie ‘Dead Alive’…that would be one I would so watch!
But seriously…they give us, the ones who actually invest real time in this show, a very bad name. Oh well, not much you can do about them.
That is, not until the show is over. Cause these are the fans that I have heard will actually wear black and mourn for this loss of this show.
That is just creepy. There is life after SPN after all.
Somehow the episode where Dean’s all like “She gave me a Myspace…wtf is that?” comes to mind. I think if Dean existed, he’d have a fit over the idea of Wincest. Especially on Deviant Art and Youtube where he can be granted visuals…
I just thought of something. Are the producers aware of the fan girls’ whole wincest thing? Because come to think of it, there’s been a few episodes where people mistaken them as a couple. Maybe I’m wrong?