SPN 4x17 and 4x18
Apr. 3rd, 2009 01:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
icarusOh, hee!
Yes. The ostrich technigue of hiding fandom failed yet again. There were our little tail feathers sticking up, and SPN tweaked one.
These last two episodes redeemed that ludicrous angel torture episode. Last week's set up made me want to write more Sam/Dean:
"Dude, you had your finger up my ass!"
"Dean, it's not funny. I didn't know it was you, okay?"
"Up my ass!"
"You know, you were there, too."
"Was it finger-licking good?"
And now we have a meta-commentary on writers invading Supernatural. Not just the direct reference to slash (ha, and the totally in-character "ew" response of Sam and Dean). The entire episode was about how close fanfic calls some of the plot lines in the works, and how invasive and strange it feels to them.
The prophet Chuck -- and "I am the prophet Chuck!" remains my favorite line of the day -- the prophet Chuck represents the fanfic writer. With "Chuck" the show nods and notes that fanfic writers are very ordinary, average-Joe people. They also acknowledge that, the occasional awkward phrasing aside, fanfic writers are serious about their writing. Their following may be small compared to the following of Supernatural, and they may make nothing off of it. But Chuck is portrayed as a dedicated and sincere writer.
Sam and Dean showi up and accuse Chuck of writing their lives. This is the reaction pro writers have to fanfic writers, and a blatant statement that, "You're not getting your stories from your own creativity, you're getting them from us!" Fanfic writers are poaching off of their show.
Yet the show goes beyond that, with another nod at the cracky creativity of fans with the flowered bandaids and Sam climbing into bed with Lilith. Sam and Dean insist "that could never happen" and yet it becomes plausible, with skillful plotting. The show implies that some of the crazy stuff in fanfic ... well, the fanfic writers pull it off. Successfully. Even if, when hearing the premise, TPTB's first thought would be, "No way, not a chance. Never in a million years."
The show goes one step further. Chuck isn't just a psychic ripping off Sam and Dean's lives. He's a prophet and what he's writing is true. The fanfic writers nail some of SPN's future plotlines.
Well, of course. If the show's done its job with foreshadowing, a good writer will pick up the intimations thrumming under the surface.
At the same time, Chuck's work is presented as valuable -- for the future. Fanfic is documenting and, oh, expanding on, and inflating the importance of the show. Fanfic will be around long after SPN is off the air. Fanfic writers put the show on a pedestal. They even call the show "canon." Chuck acts as both prophet and apostle, recording "the gospel of Winchester."
Finally, we have the show's response to those fanfics that nail it. If they see their plot lines already played out in fanfic, do they change direction for the sake of surprise? I know I would want to.
Their answer: no.
Instead they have the angel swoop in and order Chuck to not tell Sam and Dean what's in store for them.
That's the most complicated statement of the meta commentary. It's almost a plea, to let it be a surprise. It's also a decision, either that they're not going to read the fanfic any more (they clearly have with the references to slash and specific fandom tropes), and/or they are not going to allow anything out there to influence their plans for Sam and Dean in any way. "No one should know their destiny."
Thus, TPTB resolve their relationship with fandom and fanfic. Then they put it in the show and made crystal clear references to fanfic that no fanfic writer could miss.
Did I get all of this right? Probably not.
But did I catch their drift? Yes, I think so.
Hats off to TPTB for their respectful treatment of Chuck, and yes, respectful treatment of fandom.
Yes. The ostrich technigue of hiding fandom failed yet again. There were our little tail feathers sticking up, and SPN tweaked one.
These last two episodes redeemed that ludicrous angel torture episode. Last week's set up made me want to write more Sam/Dean:
"Dude, you had your finger up my ass!"
"Dean, it's not funny. I didn't know it was you, okay?"
"Up my ass!"
"You know, you were there, too."
"Was it finger-licking good?"
And now we have a meta-commentary on writers invading Supernatural. Not just the direct reference to slash (ha, and the totally in-character "ew" response of Sam and Dean). The entire episode was about how close fanfic calls some of the plot lines in the works, and how invasive and strange it feels to them.
The prophet Chuck -- and "I am the prophet Chuck!" remains my favorite line of the day -- the prophet Chuck represents the fanfic writer. With "Chuck" the show nods and notes that fanfic writers are very ordinary, average-Joe people. They also acknowledge that, the occasional awkward phrasing aside, fanfic writers are serious about their writing. Their following may be small compared to the following of Supernatural, and they may make nothing off of it. But Chuck is portrayed as a dedicated and sincere writer.
Sam and Dean showi up and accuse Chuck of writing their lives. This is the reaction pro writers have to fanfic writers, and a blatant statement that, "You're not getting your stories from your own creativity, you're getting them from us!" Fanfic writers are poaching off of their show.
Yet the show goes beyond that, with another nod at the cracky creativity of fans with the flowered bandaids and Sam climbing into bed with Lilith. Sam and Dean insist "that could never happen" and yet it becomes plausible, with skillful plotting. The show implies that some of the crazy stuff in fanfic ... well, the fanfic writers pull it off. Successfully. Even if, when hearing the premise, TPTB's first thought would be, "No way, not a chance. Never in a million years."
The show goes one step further. Chuck isn't just a psychic ripping off Sam and Dean's lives. He's a prophet and what he's writing is true. The fanfic writers nail some of SPN's future plotlines.
Well, of course. If the show's done its job with foreshadowing, a good writer will pick up the intimations thrumming under the surface.
At the same time, Chuck's work is presented as valuable -- for the future. Fanfic is documenting and, oh, expanding on, and inflating the importance of the show. Fanfic will be around long after SPN is off the air. Fanfic writers put the show on a pedestal. They even call the show "canon." Chuck acts as both prophet and apostle, recording "the gospel of Winchester."
Finally, we have the show's response to those fanfics that nail it. If they see their plot lines already played out in fanfic, do they change direction for the sake of surprise? I know I would want to.
Their answer: no.
Instead they have the angel swoop in and order Chuck to not tell Sam and Dean what's in store for them.
That's the most complicated statement of the meta commentary. It's almost a plea, to let it be a surprise. It's also a decision, either that they're not going to read the fanfic any more (they clearly have with the references to slash and specific fandom tropes), and/or they are not going to allow anything out there to influence their plans for Sam and Dean in any way. "No one should know their destiny."
Thus, TPTB resolve their relationship with fandom and fanfic. Then they put it in the show and made crystal clear references to fanfic that no fanfic writer could miss.
Did I get all of this right? Probably not.
But did I catch their drift? Yes, I think so.
Hats off to TPTB for their respectful treatment of Chuck, and yes, respectful treatment of fandom.
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no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 10:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 11:17 am (UTC)But any show showing a bit of respect for fanwriters deserves kudos.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 02:16 pm (UTC)I won't swear to it being deliberate, but the framing of some of the shots (Castiel's wink) were an icon maker's dream come true as well. They've tipped their hat.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 04:15 pm (UTC)Edit: OH! And did you notce -- the fangirl was the PUBLISHER. That's pretty major.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 05:00 pm (UTC)Clearly I didn't burrow far enough. :p
no subject
Date: 2009-04-04 04:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-04 05:47 am (UTC)