xwacky | Supernatural Gets a New Lead-in

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Supernatural Gets a New Lead-in

Flyby post: I just saw that CW announced new Thursday line-up: The Vampire Diaries (new series) shows at 8pm, followed by Supernatural at 9pm.

I looked up the premises of Vampire, and it looks to me like it's trying to get on the bandwagon of the popular "Twilight" verse. To be honest, my interest in it is very low. But I think it's telling that the network put it before Supernatural. I'm sure TPTB is hoping to "cash in" on the success of our show.

I wonder how much, if any, loosing Smallville as the lead-in will affect Supernatural. The numbers from season 4 indicate there's hardly significant lose-of-viewership from 8pm to 9pm. So our show holds pretty well on its own. On the other hand, I'm more worried at the news Fringe is moving to 9pm on Thursday. Oh joy, yet another tough competition for my favorite show.

Question is, what's happening with Smallville?

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SV goes on Fridays and it was about time for SPN to get out of its shadow

Ahhh, thanks! I don't watch SV. I've only caught segments of it while waiting for SPN. To be honest, and hope I'm not offending, but I think Tom Welling can't act, even tough he is pretty (not Jensen and/or Jared pretty, but still).

A move to Friday doesn't speak well for the series. Looks like the network is expecting SV to wind down.

I also read that Smallville is moving to Fridays.

I so want to see a new GOOD vampire show, but I'm afraid you're right about the Twilight bandwagon. I'm trying to stay vaguely optimistic, but ... I think Twilight ruined good vampire stories for the next decade or so :\

Does that mean you like Twilight? I have a friend who's a BIG fan of the series.

Hmmm, was the network disappointed with SV? Why shove it to Friday? That time slot, for many networks, is as close as it gets to "grave yard" (Saturday is "six-feet-under" I think).

Oh god, NO! I mean, it was well written, but ... the story itself ... 100 year old vampire falling in love with a 17year old HIGHSCHOOL girl, everything being ABSOLUTELY PERFECT, Bela the SUPER Vampire, RENESMEE!!!! There were so many things that made me scream. Seriously, this was like reading bad (albeit well written) fanfiction. I tried hard to like it, I read all the books, because one of my closest friends loves them, but ... god, it's such a god awful BAD story!

And I'm afraid because it's so loved by so many we'll see many vampire stories in the future similar to it. Which I'll hate.

I think the reason for moving Smallville is that they needed a show for Friday so they didn't turn into a four day network or something. I read that on some side today, not sure if there's anything to it.

Sorry I misunderstood your meaning earlier.

I'm so glad you said this. Sometimes I feel I'm the only one among my circle of friends who hasn't caught the Twilight fever! I haven't read the books (so I can't judge the prose itself), but I just can't muster enough interest in reading what essentially is a high-school romance. I've had friends at party positively gushing: "Ohhh, then he kissed her!" And I was all like "but she's a teenager!"

The Friday thing is still remain to be seen. Not that I really care one way or another since I don't watch SV, I'm just trying to glimpse the network's logic. What show(s) do CW previously have on Friday? Considering CW is so obviously targeting a younger generation (SPN is the most mature show there imo), I wouldn't think they expect much on Fridays.

I'm not all that interested in the Vampire diaries either. It looks cool, but I think you're right and it's just jumped on the twilight band wagon. I don't think it will last.

As for our show, it's a veteran now, with a solid fanbase and as long as the CW keeps promoting it then we should hopefully keep those ratings up! *fingers crossed*

Yeah, it's just heartening to me that this shows the studio believes in our show. I think this season proved, more than ever, how well it stands up to its competitions. Unlike SV, SPN's time slot is much tougher, going up against CSI and Grey's Anatomy. But SPN held its own, and grew its fanbase.

I wouldn't put much faith in CW promoting the series though. The network monkeys had never done it well, and I don't expect them to start now. SPN got where it is today by solid story-telling, close to cinematic production, excellent acting, and unwavering fan support. As long as these things hold, I believe the show will continue to do well despite the competition.

I don't think the people in charge of the CW think SPN fits with their target audience. I mean, look at the shows they do promote. Not only is our show up against some popular programs, but, as you said, it gets little to no push from its own network, and yet it was one of few shows this year whose ratings went up! I do wonder how "Fringe" will affect it though, although I would like to think that the loyal viewers won't stray.

And, yep, I think the vampire show is jumping on the "Twilight" bandwagon. I don't watch SV either, but from other posts I've read, it seems many think it's about time for the show to end.

mick

Hehe, I just posted a comment above (to Silke) that I think SPN is the most mature show on the network! We share brains. *g*

I actually groaned when I read Fringe's new time slot. I don't watch that show, but I've read it's pretty good. So I'm sure it's a solid competition. But you are right, SPN fans are, if nothing else, loyal!

Even if Kripke decides to end the show at 5 seasons, I still think the ratings are important. If it continues to grow like it did in season 4, a movie deal may not be out of reach I hope.

Yep, that is pretty damn awesome! Our show has beaten the odds time and time again and it's still standing stronger then ever!

You'd think the CW would be putting it out there more instead of brushing it to the side, if only to get more people discovering this amazing show. But I love that it can stand on it's own without the need of fancy promos. It's far better then that.

It just shows sometimes a well made show can stand on its own. In today's culture, so much emphasis is placed on how things are packaged and promoted, and we loose the substance instead. I'm glad SPN proved to be the opposite.

I agree with what Mick said here that SPN doesn't really fit in with the other shows on CW. It is decidedly darker, deeper, and more mature. I don't think the network really knows what to do with it.

Yep, yep, yep! That's why shows which have so much buzz surrounding them always fail after the first season, but this little show which has slowly found it's own niche is still thriving and getting better as each season goes by!

That is so true, SPN deserves to be placed on a far better network then CW. But then again, it seems to be safer on the CW then the larger networks, cause it's one of it's strongest shows they have. If it was placed on a network like Fox or ABC then it would get eaten up by all the big sharks! They seem to enjoy cancelling shows far too much on those networks!

Don't even get me started on Fox and CBS. I've long given up on the major networks. The last good show I saw on them were The Guardian on CBS years ago. But it got canceled too soon because TPTB's ego was ruffled when the show's writer/creator signed contract with Sony Pictures instead.

I completely agree with you that SPN cannot live long on any of the major network. If it had, I'm sure the network execs would long before step in and *demand* Kripke to "brighten up" the show, tone down the scare/horror, and add in more romance! *eye-roll*

Haha, that's exactly what would happen! The bigger networks might be able to provide a better budget, but SPN now has a lot more creative freedom on a small network, to a certain degree anyway!

Yeah, bigger budget would be good for sure. On the other hand, SPN doesn't have a large cast to support. It's look and feel, especially the camera works have been really outstanding, cinematic even. I think Kim Manners really contributed a lot to set the tonal definition on how the show is pictured. Some of the special effects were awesome too. I really liked the one in the ghost ship episode where the ghost morphed into water at the end. I also loved the effect at the end of No Rest for the Wicked where the camera digs into the greenness of Dean's eye and it pans into a greenish void with criss-cross chains. Then the lens zoomed in on an intersection that turns into a splayed Dean caught in the web of chains. That was very clever!

So yeah, the creativity on this show runs very high.

Well, the network did try to step in. I remember reading about season 3, and the reason it was filmed lighter and Bela was added was because of the network (I don't have any links as it was so long ago, but chances are I read it at TWOP). They realised it did't work and they went back to the way they filmed it in the first two seasons (with a filter or something???).

I don't watch anything else on the CW. In fact, there are times I want to throw something at my TV at just the commercials for a couple of their other shows!!! I really don't think they know what they have in SPN (kind of like Sci-Fi with BSG).

mick

I actually enjoyed Bela. Not necessarily as a love interest, but I thought her character played well against the boys, especially Dean. I like her mercenary spirit and she's unashamedly selfish. Such a contrast to Dean. I have to say I didn't get that brief fantasizing scene from Sam. Where did that come from? Now from what you said here, I wonder if it wasn't the case the producers bowed to exec's pressure.

But I also agree she's a throw-away character because she just doesn't add to the myth-arc. So I wasn't too sorry to see her leave either.

I totally agree with your assessment on the other shows on CW. I had the same feeling, even to SV. Sometimes I'm ashamed to say the only network I regularly watch is CW! Then I always feel compelled to explain SPN is an oddity there.

That's a good comparison of Scifi and BSG. In so many ways, BSG could've been much better had Scifi treated it differently. JMO

See, I never liked Bela. The actress was fine, but I couldn't stand the character, the way she made the boys look dumb and incompetent. The only time I liked her was in the last episode she was in, and not necessarily because she died, but because she didn't come across as so much better than Sam and Dean. I think she could have worked as a contact every now and then if she had been written differently.

Do you remember one of the episodes this season where, I think it was Allistair, but I'm not 100% sure, said something to Dean about how good it felt that first time he tortured someone, to hear "her" scream? I always wondered if it was Bela.

mick

I didn't think she made the boys look dumb. The only reason she might *appear* to have an upperhand is because she's much heartless and colder than the boys. So there's a difference. In comparison, I see her character actually highlighted the compassion and sincerity in Dean.

Oh you know I was just thinking about Kim Manners yesterday and how much I missed him not being a part of the finale. He really did set the tone! That man was an artist with a camera as his brush! He set the standard, which all the other directors followed.

I tend take for granted the special effects they use on the show, but you're right they do wonders with them, considering how little budget they have! I loved that shot they did at the end of NRFTW! We really do have a special show!

Kim! After I read about his death, I was upset for days. It was so sudden, I didn't even know he was ill. And I had just caught up and watched Lazarus Rising. One minute I was marveling how well done that episode was, the next minute I found out the director had passed away! ::sniff

I thought it was so classy the way Supernatural made dedication and tribute to him.

I know, I was in complete shock for ages afterwards. I don't think it's still sunk in.

I loved how they dedicated the entire season to Kim! It just shows how much love and respect the whole cast and crew had for him. He was their family.

I thought it was classy, too. Looking at the behind-the-scenes pics and reading what the boys had to say about him, even watching the Paley event, it's not surprising they did that, though. I read somewhere he was the patriarch of SPN. I didn't know he was sick, either--they kept that quiet, which I would have, too--so the morning I read it, it was a huge shock. I admit to tearing up at it. He was such an integral part of the show. Anytime I saw him listed as director, I knew we would get some good stuff (and I don't think anyone else shot Jensen like Kim). You could tell from interviews and such there was such a high level of respect--the respect he was given and the respect he gave others. I think his presence will always be missed.

mick

I'm about halfway through season 4 of SV dvd, and I only bought that because of Jensen. And I have no desire to watch the rest of the series. At all. Unless Jensen makes a comeback or something. He's very pretty as Jason Teague!

I've read people complain SV only kills best actors ever starred on it: Jensen Ackles, Michael Rosenbaum, etc...

Noooo, Jensen is not allowed to go back on SV! He's on SPN now. :p

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Supernatural Gets a New Lead-in

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