Chuck Help Us

Perhaps you have peripherally become aware that a network TV show called Supernatural has entered it's 15th and final season...and you have never heard of it. Just in case you have found yourself recently curious about the show and its equally talked-about fandom, I'd like to strongly recommend that you ignore your FOMO (Fear of Missing Out.) Carry on with your lives. Move along. There is nothing to see here. Go on without us. Because to be perfectly honest, the devoted fans of Supernatural are in some serious trouble. In fact, the only one who might be able to help is Chuck.

Chuck is the nickname of "God" on Supernatural (SPN.) He is a minor character in the weekly plot of the show but has extraordinary unseen power over what happens to the other characters. This description may match how you imagine your own overseer of choice, but Chuck on Supernatural  has been known to hang out in his underwear, eating Chinese food and watching porn. Needless to say there are many aspects of "the supernatural" that the writers for SPN do not take especially seriously—but there are many fans of SPN that take just about everything concerning SPN very seriously. Here's why:

It's Addictive 

The writers habitually embed life-affirming messages inside ridiculous plot-lines. For example, there is an episode called "Mannequin 3: The Reckoning."  It's about a vengeful spirit housed inside a creepy educational dummy with no skin, bulging eyes, and visible, blood-red ligaments. While main character "Sam" investigates how to stop it, his brother "Dean" visits would-be stepson "Ben" and has a totally honest, open, soul-crushing discussion about why Dean thinks he would make a terrible dad. But a show that explains what might be going on in a real person's life seems like a good idea, right? Not in the case of SPN. The fact that the "after school special" message is not the initial focus of the show is devious. It sucks you in. You unconsciously connect to what the characters are experiencing—and that is unfair. Of course, most good episodes of any show operate this way. They validate or amplify real life, and that is why we like them...or in the case of SPN, it is why fans are willing to watch SPN episodes again and again. And with 15 seasons of shows to binge, becoming an SPN fan can be a major time-suck.

It has Lore

All of the history the characters on SPN use to battle monsters is known as lore — and the show itself has it's own. Fifteen seasons means over 340 hours of what is seen onscreen, but that does not count all the hours the show's crew has spent making the show; Locations scouted, sets built, lighting arranged, hair perfected, make-up done, multiple takes of every scene, writing, editing, sound...and not a lot of turnover on SPN considering the niche. Because of social media and how long the show has been on, fans have been able to form loose online relationships with the cast and crew via Instagram and Twitter. As a result, behind-the-scenes stories are shared, blooper reels are created for the fans and posted on YouTube, and unifying inside jokes are seared into memory. Also, multiple generations are now watching SPN so there is individual family history mixed in. And then there are the conventions which create even more opportunities to make connections between not only the cast and the fans, but between new-found friends from all over the world who have the show in common. The upside of this is it appears that there is a widening of social circles for fans, but the downside is that there is so much lore that a fan could become immersed and find it less satisfying to interact with people who are not SPN fans.

The Lead Actors Don't Follow the Rules 

If you were to just look at lead actors Jared, Jensen and Misha (also known as J2M), you would probably think they are typical Hollywood actors— but you would be wrong. They don't follow the lead actor script. They do not take themselves very seriously. They are not overly competitive with each other. They don't live or work in California so they are not entrenched in that entertainment "status market." They are not "regal" by any stretch (two of them once accepted a People's Choice Award in tuxedo jackets and boxer shorts.) They admit their flaws and share with fans many of the difficulties they have had. They did not angle for the "power" that they have (they worked hard to make it in show biz) nor do they abuse the power that they have accumulated (they have not become sponsors for products.) The one way they DO follow the rules is by looking they way they do (and for the love of Chuck, they really could not do that part any better.)

The Lead Actors Reluctantly Lead

J2M are the faces of SPN, but they do not think they are any more important than any other person who works on the show. Nor do they think they are any better than any of their fans. Because of this dynamic, many of their fans have been motivated to do some pretty amazing things. Some have participated in world-wide scavenger hunts, many have collected books, money or supplies for people in need, and a few traveled with one of the actors to Haiti to help him build an orphanage there. One faction of the SPN fandom even convinced NASA to name a boulder on Mars after them. And the art J2M have inspired...mediums that include everything from music videos to multi-colored candy. But just being a part of the SPN fandom offers some sense of safety to most—and J2M did not mean for many of these things to happen. These actors are just being themselves. They have been generous with their time and patient with those around them, both on and off the set of their show. They have amassed a loyal following and been surprised by what the SPN fandom can accomplish—but J2M may not totally understand how confident people can feel if they know powerful people are in their corner.

There really are Supernatural Conventions

You might be aware that there are Star Trek conventions. If you have not been to one, you may picture people dressed up as their favorite character and geeking-out over all details of the show. And while that does happen at SPN conventions, I would like to point out that the original Star Trek series was on for just 3 seasons, so there is a bit more going on when the SPN fandom gets together. The element of time has allowed the cast to build a sense of trust with their individual fans, and that is a potent gelling agent when it comes to explaining the dedication the actors and their followers have to each other. Unfortunately, not all SPN fans can afford to attend these events. While some do anyway, others get to watch the Q&A panels posted by other individual fans on social media so they don't miss out. (Chuck bless them.) But what can't be replicated on a screen are the face-to-face interactions between fans as well as with the cast of SPN—and that is powerful stuff. At least one lead actor has admitted that the SPN performer–fan relationship is not "normal" — and thankfully, it isn't. It's not even natural. It's Supernatural.

Upon re-reading this list, I'd like to take back my advice. DO pay attention to what is going on with Supernatural, because there may be someone in your life that is a member of the fandom—and that person might need a bit more support between now and the series finale. You may not even know you know someone who is a fan, but we are everywhere. But we are not like zombies. We are not a certain age, size, gender, cultural background or temperament. We are smart. We are proud. And we might be hurting. That could look like anger, sadness, irritability or withdrawal…which are all normal parts of grieving. But try not to judge us. Yes, we will be mourning the loss of fictional characters when the show comes to an end, but these characters have been a part of our lives for as long as some of us have existed. And these characters are played by actual people...actually wonderful people whom we are losing our best connection to. Our present will become our lore, and J2M's relationships with each other will change. Our leaders will not be "leading" us anymore, and that could take some getting used to. And while there is no doubt that SPN fans will continue to do good things for each other and others outside the fandom, it may not feel quite the same. So if you do discover you know someone who LOVES Supernatural, try to understand. Lend an ear. Or maybe a shoulder. And if you do, then maybe those fortunate SPN fans will have no need for Chuck's help after all.

Listen to this soundtrack inspired by the titles of Supernatural episodes

Cue air guitar!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3wvVNPM09K9RkMfwwaZ6xg

References

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© 2019 Penny Fie. All rights reserved.