S3 DVD

[oselle]

I am back from Maine after flying straight into a tropical storm this afternoon and still feeling slightly pukey from it. It was the first time I ever heard anyone actually vomit on an airplane and I damn near lost my own cookies in sympathy all over my scribbled draft of Lazarus Chapter 6. I'm suffering for my art, people.

Speaking of puking...



Was I the only one who was taken aback at the sight of Bela and Ruby sharing that inner sleeve photo with Sam and Dean? You know, the one that up until now has only featured Sam and Dean?

I guess I should have expected it since Lauren Cohan and Katie Cassidy inexplicably shared top billing in the credits with Jared and Jensen instead of being labeled as "Guest Stars" (a designation that's been perfectly sufficient for far more important characters, like Bobby and John). But I didn't expect it and it reminded me all over again of how many wrong steps this season took -- starting with the Number One mistake of giving such prominence to two completely new characters who, for the most part, were poorly developed, not very well cast, and painfully rammed into the show's existing universe.

The other thing that made me go "Huh?" was the Ghostfacers special feature. Are fans really that enamored of the Ghostfacers that they're just dying to see more of them? Or is it the writers who love them? I've heard the Ghostfacers have their own webisodes too and I'm wondering...are they trying to sell the CW on some sort of spinoff? Because I really can't imagine any other reason for Kripke & Co. to keep revisiting these mildly amusing but ultimately annoying characters. They're a one-note joke that gets old really fast and I stand by my opinion that an episode dedicated to them made little sense in such a truncated season.

There's a special feature on the Impala, so at least they got something right. I assume they're going to overlook the fact that the four-door Impala sedan was marketed as a nice, safe LADIES CAR to whatever the 1967 version of a soccer mom was. Heh!

I like the picture you get of Sam and Dean when you pull all the discs out but what on earth are the two of them wearing? Jared looks like he's rocking some sort of Abercrombie & Fitch ski sweater and when have we ever seen Dean in a three-quarter trench unless he was impersonating an FBI agent?

I do love the cover, however. Hits all my angst buttons just right, especially the way Dean's face is turned away. Excellent job, whoever thought that up.

Comments

Re: yeah

[oselle.livejournal.com]

My biggest concern about SPN is that there seems to be a growing disconnect between what the fans like and what the writers and creator like. Not surprisingly, I think the show is better when it leans towards what the fans like: a lot of interaction between Sam and Dean, good supporting characters and well thought-out stories. I think that when Kripke indulges himself in what he likes -- gratuitous gore, wisecracking babes, dimwitted Dean, "humor" episodes, etc. -- the show goes off the rails. I miss Raelle Tucker on that writing team. Most of my favorite episodes of the series were written or co-written by her and I really felt her absence in Season Three.

Re: yeah

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Alas, Raelle Tucker is writing for the new HBO vampire series, True Blood, which just premiered last night so unless it's been canceled already she ain't coming back. Great for her career I guess, not so great for us SPN fans. She co-wrote "Faith" and wrote "What Is And Never Should Be," some of Dean's best episodes and Jensen's best performances on this show and I miss her an awful lot.

[the0neru.livejournal.com]

My mom drove a '67 Impala for about ten years. It was a FANTASTIC car to travel in. It also probably still has the baby Jesus from our nativity scene somewhere down the back seat, but that's a whole 'nother story (wonder if that would repel any evil entities?)

I'd cheerfully bitchslap everybody who keeps 'promoting' Ghostfacers - I may be the only person who basically abhorred them right off the bat, but MAN do they make my teeth itch. The only redeeming characteristic of 'their' episode was that Dean got to cuss. :D

Not even gonna get into the Ruby/Bela thing - too early on a Sunday morning for that much vitriol on my part, and I haven't even finished my coffee yet. For the record, though, I agree with what you've said here (and elsewhere) on the subject.

YAY MOAR LAZARUS. I'd say I'm waiting patiently, but that would be less than truthful. Sorry you had to deal with flight turbulence while writing/editing, though - did you make anybody in this chapter barf in sympathy? ;)

[oselle.livejournal.com]

My mom drove a '67 Impala for about ten years.

I wish I could find the old print advertisement I stumbled across for the '67 Impala sedan because it was clearly marketed as a family car, targeted towards women. All the ad copy was about how "safe" the car was. Maybe John Winchester inherited it from his mom?

The only redeeming characteristic of 'their' episode was that Dean got to cuss.

I did enjoy the cussing. I'd cheerfully like to hear more bleeps on the show rather than ever hear Dean utter a non-existent word like "bullcrap" ever again! I give Jensen Ackles great props for being able to say that with a straight face.

did you make anybody in this chapter barf in sympathy?

No, no barfing in Chapter 6. Not yet anyway. ;)

[ficwriter1966.livejournal.com]

I sympathize! I actually *did* upchuck on a plane once, and it was a horrifying experience (both because I was sick and because I felt terrible for the people sitting on either side of me). But, glad you're home safely and working on more Lazarus. Yay!

With ya on the DVDs. I loathe the Ghostfacers, and am sick to death of being told how awesome they are. (Yes, there are plans afoot for webisodes and whatever else Kripke can talk the CW into.) We had to get *that* as a special feature, and no commentary from J&J?

We had Impalas the whole time I was growing up. So did my grandparents and my aunt and uncle. Never thought of 'em as a muscle car. (None of them were black, but still.)

Yep, those promo shots of the boys are ridiculous. Although we at least GOT promo photos for season 2, which wasn't the case last year (3 of Jensen, nothing of Jared, scads of Lauren and Katie). Possibly this year as well. Episode promos, yes, but no general season promos. Because. Well. The show doesn't need any promotion. Let's spend all that money on 90210.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Just about any American car built before 1975 or so is a "muscle car" to us just because they're so heavy and have those huge engines. My first car was a 1973 AMC Hornet and it was just about the ugliest, goofiest-looking thing you ever saw but Christ, it was powerful. Yet the AMC Hornet was also considered a "ladies car"...just like the Impala sedan. Poor Dean, do you think he knows?

I'm hoping the lack of promotion for the series is due to the CW not wanting to give away too much of the cliffhanger's resolution. I mean, how much of Dean in S4 can they show without people going, "Oh, so I guess he's outta hell." I also think they might feel like SPN has an established and steady fanbase that isn't going anywhere so why promote it when they need to push their new stuff?

Most of the CW promotion that I've seen has been for Gossip Girl (and I have to admit the ad campaign for the show is pretty brilliant). GG is an expensive show to produce and has gotten terrific press but its ratings are so-so. I even saw a blurb in New York magazine a while back asking what the hell is wrong with the CW that they can't get anyone to watch this show. It's an embarrassment to the network that their most buzzworthy (and most expensive) show is so lagging in the ratings and I think they're promoting the hell out of it to try and fix the situation. Meanwhile they're content to let SPN sit quietly there on Thursday, drawing its 3 million or so viewers every week without them spending a penny.

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Kripke liked those girls, and thought he could make everyone else like them too. Same way he likes those ridiculous ghostfacers. I'm sure he thought and maybe still thinks he can do a spinoff of those boring nonentities and everyone will watch it.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I don't always have a lot of faith in Kripke. People say, well at least he fixes his mistakes but he seems to make an awful lot of them that need fixing. If those Ghostfacers turn up in Season 4 I am really gonna be annoyed.

[i-o-r-h-a-e-l.livejournal.com]

I hate that Ruby and Bela are there!! :(

I don't give a damn about the ghostfacers. That's the only extra I haven't seen.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I was really thunderstruck when I saw them on the packaging especially since both of their characters have already been cut from the show. Those gals must have great agents.