So.... Awkward title, since I love the Supernatural series to pieces.
...But let me explain...
I just finished watching the season finale for season 9, and I have to say...Wow....But not in the way one would describe seeing Scarlett Johanson for the first time. No. I mean wow, as in seeing the MTV Miley Cyrus twerking for the first time, wow.
Safe to say, I was not impressed. Nor has it left me eager to see what lies ahead for the Winchesters.
Just to be clear here, the first five seasons of Supernatural are brilliant. The elaborately weaved story still impresses me today, and few shows have the type of character and episode mythology as it does. Lop the last 5 seconds off of the season 5 finale, and it would have been the perfect end to the series. And that's initially where Eric Kripke envisioned it ending.
But no...
Due to its huge following, the studio demanded more. And that's where things began to fall apart.
Season 6 onwards, overall, does not feel the same. In fact, I would go as far as to say that everything from 6 onward is just a spin off from the original series.
When you come away from an event as colossal as the Apocalypse, it's hard to work the next seasons arc to the same level of impressiveness. And it's apparent from the get go. Season 6 is dull. very very dull. But just like nearly every season (excluding the last, of which I will mention in a few moments), it has episodes of stand out brilliance sprinkled throughout.
Season 7 we got a whole new threat, the Leviathans which were....less than impressive, even though they were notoriously hard to kill. Nevertheless the season was a step up from 6, and instead chose a very tongue in cheek style, which worked. Mostly. And it ended on a interesting note. Purgatory. Which should have been super shocking, but instead it felt like a re-hashed, and far less impressive version of the season 3 finale.
So entered season 8, which had some interesting themes, and some good episodes, but overall didn't feel like it was going anywhere in particular. Then something happened. In the last two episodes there was an event that threatened at some very very good possible story arcs.
Season 9 came, and I was excited and curious to see where it went. And the first episode did not disappoint. But the second episode did... and the next... and the next, and so on. And do you know why?
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T STICK TO THE FREAKING STORY ARC!!! They just leaped here and there with episodes that didn't move the story along at all, and when they did, it was dull. Dull and re-used.
Then the Mark of Cain happened. FINALLY! An event that could inspire some interesting stories!! And what a good episode! ...Wait... what's that? The writers for some unknown reason decided to just shove aside one of the most important and original story events the show has seen in ages, in favour of more filler and pointless episodes? What! Why?? Did the other two story arc's need attention??... Nope, they are still going off on their own ridiculous tangents.....
...Hang on. What's going on here?
.....That is the very question I asked myself essentially throughout this entire season.
...What. The. Hell. Is. Going. On...
The story lines are all over the place, and when one finally ties up, you don't care because you are still scratching your head from the last episode which had nothing to do with anything!!
It's because of this sloppy story telling that the season 9 finale was a total yawn fest. Nothing seemed shocking, because the build up to it was so disjointed. And not to mention Metatrons plan makes no sense. Nor does Crowleys. Nor does Cass's. Everything felt like one big slop of re-hashed events, and clumsy set ups. Overall nothing in the whole season stood out at all. And the only episodes that did, stood out because they were appalling!
It pains me to see a series, which was so superbly and meticulously put together during its first 5 seasons, just slowly crumble and turn into a mess of predictable, dull events. Even Sam and Dean have become worn and wary characters who are about as predictable as an arsonist with a match and a paper house.
They have the same argument they have been having since season 4. Except, for once, it was Dean that got on my nerves.
What made the first seasons so entertaining was the way, that in spite of all the horror surrounding them, they could still have a laugh. (The Ghost Sickness, and lucky rabbit foot episodes standing out as some of the Series comic highlights). The soundtracks were brilliant and suited them. The characters were proper characters. The monsters were scary and the demons were a challenge to kill. It was simple in many ways, and it's the simple things that the later seasons have forgotten about.
So I shall say it now, I hope to God (where ever he is (wink to supernatural fans, not actually talking religiously)), that they end the show at season 10. 10 is a good number.
Rant over.
No comments:
Post a Comment