Thanks for finding that!

Heh! Y'know, that doesn't surprise me one bit!

YAY! A new Supernatural fan!

I love the X-Files-y elements of this show. Both the MOTW and the strong chemistry between the leads. (Though I'm not one to slash the brothers Win.)

I would kill for BtVS cameos. Probably won't ever happen considering the differences in the mythology, but I don't see why BtVS alums couldn't guest in new roles (like Amy Acker). I'd welcome that even more, because it would lead to potentially recurring roles. Eliza Dushku, Alexis Denisof and Nick Brendon in particular...especially if they play villains.

Jensen and Eliza would set my TV on fire. MUST. SEE.

I'm all intrigued now... (and also wishing I had a Supernatural icon suddenlty!)

Ah! I remember seeing the post but because I hadn't seen the show at that point I think I may have skipped it.

Wow. Should be interesting to see!

NO! Spill...but comment in my latest journal entry so mara_sho can choose whether she wants to be spoiled, too.

The Amy Acker episode is the one I'm watching right now actually! It would be so fantastic to see anyone from BtVS in the show - in character would be amazing, but the actors in other roles would rock my world right now!

So... You seeing how SPN is a reaction, a contrast, an attempt at getting to a pre BtVS status quo yet?

In what respect?

There's been a meta-y post on how Supernatural is an attempt at going back to a pre Buffy status, especially when it comes to gender.

Yanno, the big strong men do the saving, guns are important, females are usually villains or fairly useless when it comes to the heroing business?

Now, silly me, and from what I've seen of SPN, which isn't everything, thought the entire males do the saving is a consequence of the heroes being male, and everyone who aren't the heroes being generally useless with the supernatural.

There's also a comparison of Dean and Xander, with Dean being a "serious" Xander, with the big difference being that in SPN male values are reinforced while in Buffy... they're not.

I could link to it if you want.

I thought it was intelligent, but there's such a thing as over analysing something, I mean, in BtVS a show that's all about female empowerment (supposedly) I can find "proof" that it's actually a cautionary tale about giving women power.

Oooo - actually I'd love to read that! I don't remember if I mentioned it here before or not, but I did my Honours Thesis on the X Files at Uni and one of the primary focuses(... focii?) of it was the gender role reversal - Mulder became the feminised character (belief in the supernatural, desire to recreate the family, primary qualification is psychology which can be seen as a more feminine speciality than Scully's hard science) and since, even four episodes in, I can see huge parallels with the X Files it'd be interesting to see someone argue that the boys are functioning in traditional gender roles.

I don't particularly agree with the gist of it I don't think, yes the 'males' save the day but that's - as you say - purely because they are the ones with the knowledge of the situation. A primarily feminised situation - belief in the supernatural was associated with the female long before Joss Whedon's gradfather was a twinkle in someone's eye...

I absolutely agree with you on the over-analysing thing, start out with an agenda and you can pretty much prove anything you want. :)

(I got me a SPN icon now! It's not ideal, and I just know I'm going to end up making some myself...)

There might be spoilers in the discussion, they talk about episodes you might not have seen...

Here

People also make a big thing about the Dean actor (I think it was him) saying SPN is less campy than BtVS. Which, remembering how much humor was a part of BtVS, I gotta gree with. SPN takes itself a whole lot more seriously, takes the threats more seriously.

And in BtVS, just look at Anyanka.

She "empowers" females resulting in nothing but bloodshed, pain and misery. Ergo, power for females is a bad bad thing. :D

But then again, I have trouble reading Buffy as anything but entertainment, all the analysis, and general placing of BtVS on some kind of pedestal don't sit well with me.

Hmmm. I skim read it quickly and completely disagree with it so far. What I think I'll do is watch the whole of the first season then go back and read it more closely. (And, knowing me, I'll come up with an alternate essay as well... *g*)

TV analysis is an odd thing, I just mentioned this to monkey_matt who said "It's just a TV show!" which I get and agree with, but on the other hand, any kind of analysis of Shakespeare could result in someone saying "It's just a play!". Since I did my degree in media I'm always going to be 'reading' anything I watch on TV or film, that's part of me now, but I don't agree with placing a show on a pedestal in the way this essay seems to have done with BtVS (like I say, I've only skim read so far, I may be picking up something that's not intended).

I don't think we can not analyse something. We're built to try and look for patterns and stuff, chances are humans beings will for the most part always analyse stuff.

I get that. But people don't know when to quit, and stuff gets over-analysed to the ground, which IMO is BtVS case.

IMO, when the subtext and reading between the lines overpowers the text, that's when you need to stop. Of course even this isn't always true, especially for art produced under repressive governments, where you can't just come out and say whatever it is you want to say.

IMO, when the subtext and reading between the lines overpowers the text, that's when you need to stop.

Absolutely. 'Reading' a text in an analytical way should enhance the text itself, not negate it which is what seems to happen with a lot of the essays on fandom I have read.

Seeing a episode about a killer painting, featuring Sarah.

If Sarah's not a strong woman I don't know what is.

Watching the episode now.

Damn, Sarah is a great character! (Since I've been bitten by the SPN fic bug she may well feature...)

And absolutely - the epitome of a strong woman character!

musesfool has been talking about Faith/Dean recently as well... you might be able to find some recs on either her personal journal or unfitforsociety. :)

Cool! Thank you!

Yeah Dean and Faith seem to be getting pretty big. I wanna be a Dean/Faith sandwich!!! LOL

Ha! I think you might just have to fight me off there...

LOL *throws down the pudding* "Bring it" *wink*

So... she said digging out the standard book of questions... you a Dean or Sam girl?

Dean. All the way baby!

*g*

Actually, I wouldn't exactly kick Sam out of bed either but it's a little too cradle-snatchery for me (plus, there's the whole Gilmore Girls thing with Jared as well, he's still a wee lad in my eyes...)

I missed it on TV, but I'm really looking forward to grabbing it on DVD when it comes out here in October. Jensen Ackles rocks.

And I know there's a little issue with Supernatural being set 14 years too early, but Dean needs to meet up with Max from Dark Angel again...:P

My satelite reception went down just as it was due to start on TV and I couldn't afford to get it fixed for a couple of months so by the time I got my TV back it was already about halfway through so I didn't bother seeking it out. In a way I'm kinda glad I didn't because now I'm watching episode after episode after episode without the whole pesky seven day gap between them thing!

Definitley worth watching - it really is like early X Files episodes before they got too caught up in their own mythology and the whole thing went to hell in a handbasket. (I stopped watching X Files after season three or four and only watched the finale out of a sense of nostalgia.)

invisionary pointed me towards the comm last night, I'm going to be spending most of today reading it I think!

They just... it's like the perfect match really isn't it?