Ranty thoughts

[galathea]

I know that I keep this journal usually strictly for art and reviews and such but I am unhappy and I need to vent about the ongoing SN S3 reports. *lol* No spoilers ahead apart from the common knowledge about the fact that there will be cast additions.



I am annoyed. During this summer hiatus all we ever heard about was the addition of the new female characters to SN and what do we get on the boys? Zero! I mean, everybody knows that I am on the wary side when it comes to the new characters, but Kripke & Co managed to reduce my anxiety in that regard a lot, keeping me quite calm in the last couple of weeks. What rubs me the wrong way though is, that in every interview, every official S3 report, every news article during this summer, the girls are the centre of attention and our boys only come second. I hate that! For the fact that Ruby and Bela are only recurring characters there's a lot of fuss going on about them and it just seems to contradict the 'the dynamics and focus won't change' mantra everybody had going this summer.

Last year there was lots of fuss about the Roadhouse and Jo in particular as well, but speculations about the fate of Sam, Dean, John and the Impala, theories about demonology and the mytharc still were the focus of media and fans. What happened this year? Was this years finale not cliffhanger-y enough for people to speculate and being interested in the fate of the boys? Is it so much more interesting to debate the hair colours and believeabilities of some actresses, than how the demon war on earth will look like or how the character arcs unfold?

The thing is, if all this attention spent on the new cast additions is only to draw new viewers in with the prospect of new kick-ass chicks (how I hate that description every time I read it), giving the impression that SN moves away from being solely focused on its two main characters, doesn't that lead to false expectations and hence they will soon loose new viewers if these expectations are not fulfilled? Anyways, while I try to keep my faith in the writers and the promises that were made in interviews, I can't help but feeling wary every time a new article comes out and all I hear about is 'kick-ass chicks'. It's like I have to remember myself then, that I read something about SN and not about some random show, which is unsettling.

Am I overly sensitive? Is my perception skewed? Maybe, I just hope S3 proves all my fears wrong!

Comments

[impalalove]

Personally, I think S3 is going to be the best yet. But I have to agree with you with the media, but think of this way. CW doesn't advertise that much with SPN; that's one of the reasons why I'm a little peeved with them, but they kept advertising SPN only when there were guests.

I wish they would advertise the boys, too, but at least they're talking about our show. It's better than nothing.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Always good to see the optimists *lol* I am pessimistic by nature. The lack of advertising really irks me as well, but I doubt they do the show a big favor if they only pimp out secondary characters. :(

[ejayye.livejournal.com]

I am wondering perhaps if the focus of the press on the additional characters is less about whether they are going to have an impact on the show's dynamics, and more because the press are reacting to fans 'interest' in the new women.

Thoungh fan reaction has been largely negative (I don't include myself in this; I'm going to wait and see), it was still a significant reaction. An explosion even, in internet fandom terms ^_^ Thus, I reckon the media thinks we're intereted in knowing more, even if only to add to the ruckus.

You're not being sensitive though. I may be apathetic about the new additions, but I ALWAYS want to know more about the boys!

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

It's possible that fan reactions influenced media coverage and ever since Kripke made his statement fandom seems to be content to discuss the new characters, guess I am just disappointed that I don't get more infos on other developments for the season. But well, I stay away from any more spoilers anyway. ;)

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Do I have to start soothing again?

*peace, my child. Be still* *G*

And hey, you know it was only because I trust you that I clicked on your cut, right? Not doing spoilers. It seems to me, though, that there hasn't been a huge amount of publicity about the new season at all. Over here, by this time last year the cult magazines had started to mention SN's second season; this year it's as if the show doesn't exist. Bah.

I tend not to pay much attention to the publicity and hype, because it's all carefully scripted to try and grab the attention of possible new viewers, rather than actually reflecting what will happen onscreen. Hype might be about 'kick-ass chicks', but I'd be willing to bet a lot that they end up being given no more focus than, say, Ellen was last year.

*wants to see Ellen again*

Oh, but hey - promos at last! If only episodic, not seasonal. *sigh*

We need to organise ourselves a fangirl session.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

*lol* Well, you know you can trust me with that, I don't know any more than you do, what with avoiding spoilers the last 2 months and all!

I know, the general lack of news on SN annoys me as well, and I just find it even more irritating that the few news we do get are about this two girls instead of anything else that's in store for this season. And it grates on my nerves that the images of the girls jump on me in every article and we don't get new photots from the boys. I can't remember seeing photos from Ellen, Ash and Jo last year.

*wants to see Ellen too, not to mention Bobby, heck even would like to see Jo* LOL

YAY! Episode promos, at least something!

You know I am ready, we just need to agree on a date! :D

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

I think the execs are hoping that new viewers can be lured in by all this talk of hot chicks and all that, but will then be won over by the usual format and our darling boys. I refuse to worry until I've seen episodes I dislike! Which hasn't happened yet - there are lesser favoured eps, but none that I can't watch again.

I can be online tonight, if that's good for you? Or tomorrow after 7.30 my time? Mostly, my early evenings are devoted to playing with a very energetic kitten, but she has a habit of falling asleep and then waking up wanting to play just as I'm going to bed...

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Heh, who could resist the combined Winchester charme of Sam & Dean! ;) Let's hope that's true, I am not really worried, more annoyed.

Tonight is fine! I'll be online, just nudge me on MSN! ;)

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Annoyed is definitely the word - I'm perpetually annoyed that the show doesn't get more attention. Bah humbug.

Will be online tonight then - see you later *hug*

[nikkimisplaced.livejournal.com]

I'm optimistic too! *hugs*

I think the media attention is just trying to bring in new fans to keep the show going, but I don't believe the format will change that much because I don't think they wouldn't stay true to the boys. Really there is no way they can make it all about the girls. Just the media for the boys they ran the last two seasons hasn't done enough to bring people in, so new tatic!

If it works and new viewers come round to it, we could be seeing season 4 talked about early which I know will be the best thing to happen :)

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Well, your word in the execs ears! ;) I just think to try and draw in people who don't watch SN because of the lack of strong female characters by implying that is going to change isn't the best method if they don't keep that promise! *lol* So I conclude they will probably keep it, just stands to see how much.

[mystic-aleisha.livejournal.com]

Well I certainly know what you are talking about this recent media spurt about new secondary characters has got me a little *grrr* just because they aren't really telling us much more on what we want to hear about the boys but do we really want to know? I think what the press is doing is they know where the fan base is and know what will tick off the majority to know.

I am a natural pestimistic person also but I am having to put the faith again in that they will bring to us what is needed in the explosive Season.
Ow and I know you love Bobby and want more of him and we supposedly are to learn more of him this Season about how he became involved with either the Winchesters or supernatural stuff I can't recall which one.

*hugs to calm you*

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I heard we get a background story for Bobby and I was doing the dance of joy about that info. See, this is the kind of information that I am looking for, when I read about S3. Information that is connected to the show and the characters that we know and love. I get that they want to win new viewers over, but what good will it do to announce something and then disappoint the expectations that you raised. /sigh

[ehlwyen.livejournal.com]

Hopefully, everyone has soothed you about this but I'd thought I'd throw my 2 cents in!

There's a reason why some people like myself hate hype. Hype has very little to do with what the show is about. It's just about making enough noise to get people curious enough to try something out. If hype and the show were to actually be about the same things it would be sheer coincidence (and may create some type of space/time paradox).

Obviously SN has gotten all the viewers it can with the "two hot guys in an even hotter car hunting ghosts" hype. It's now adding in the "really hot girls holding really big guns" hype. Damn, now that I actually put it into words, together that sounds like a killer combo for any action fan. LOL

But you and I know that the show was never just about the hype of two hot ghostbusting guys. I therefore don't expect the new hype to suddenly define the show.

In addition, I want to say that the finale really wasn't a cliffhanger. It wasn't supposed to be. It was supposed to have some conclusion to the arcs and to leave the future wide open. Dean's fate won't be dealt with for a year and the Demon's talk about Sam probably won't have any real reveal in the opener episode. Since 3.01 won't actively answer the big questions of the finale I don't consider it a cliffhanger.

As far as a cliffhanger, the fact that a bunch of demons are now out does not seem like a big deal to me. Demons were already out there causing havoc. Whats the difference of 100 free to now a 1000 free? It was already more than the boys could handle by themselves. I don't expect the demons to create a hell on earth and that normal human life will be changed apocalyptically. I just expect that there will be more occurrences of supernatural events.

Anyway that's my current thoughts on all the girl talk and upcoming season.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Well, you know what annoys me about the hype over the two girls the most is that it gives the impression as if SN is lacking something if it doesn't have 'really hot girls'. No matter how much screentime and character development the girls actually get in the end, from an outward perspective the media coverage says: "Look, that show was lame before but now we have these kick-ass chicks." And I really don't know if that's the right way to go. It wouldn't irk me anywhere as much if there was a balance on infos, but lately my impression is that all I get to hear about S3 is about the girls and that's not what I am looking for when I want to read something about my show.

You misunderstood me! :) I didn't want to imply that the S2 finale ended with a cliffhanger, it was clearly designed as a finale that brought the main plotlines to a temporary conclusion and would have even worked as a show finale. All I wanted to say was, that maybe the lack of cliffhangers resulted in a lack of lively speculations and theories for S3, unlike last season, where the brutal cliffhanger was the main focus of fan debates and in interview questions. ;)

[ehlwyen.livejournal.com]

Well that's true. If the ratings improve, the execs will pat themselves on the back for "making the show better". *rolleyes* When basically if they'd just throw money towards the show promotion, the ratings will improve. But they're too cheap to do that.

The focus on the girls is also a great way for Kripke&Co to throw up a smokescreen to keep Winchester plot spoilers out of the print media. Instead of them having to be evasive in articles, they get a chance to be long winded and open talking about something that isn't too plot oriented. So they are getting more press since they have stuff to talk about and leak to writers. And even though it isn't juicy S3 secrets, the media doesn't care and presents the info as such.

And the S2 finale was very finale like. I can't deny that it felt as if a little bit of me died when the YED was killed. Apparently I was carrying that Winchester vengeance a little to close to my heart. Having a void, I can't say that I'm too opposed to trying add something to fill it. If it is new people with new stories, I'm okay with it. Things can't be same. Which is something I had to learn from 2.01 when Dad died. It's still the Winchester story.

I'm really hoping the chemistry with the new characters works. Even if I know that the non-fandom world will probably perceive it as SN was lacking before.