ratherastory | Does ANYONE out there still enjoy this?

I think I'm just frustrated at the writers' depiction of Sam, the super-smart college graduate as being unable or unwilling to even try to find Dean. If there is a valid reason, or even a half valid reason I need it to become apparent very very soon.
I think Benny is a great addition but Amelia is just wrong, and sadly I'm also over Cas and the entire angel story-line.
I will keep watching in case it picks back up. I didn't like S4 but S5 was my favourite so it could still happen, but overall I think they're becoming less inventive. Plus I fear that with a large team of writers and such a vast number of episodes there is bound to be overlap from earlier stories and no-one is actually doing quality/originality control.
Still a good show, but it doesn't own me in the way it once did, and i kind of miss that. (still I was up at 5.30 am to download it so you know..I haven't quite given up.

I'm still totally invested in these characters, and still have faith in Jeremy Carver too. (That's not to say that the show will fulfill all my desires, but then, I'm not in charge, so i don't expect it to.)

I definitely do feel a need to step back from many corners in fandom, though, because the wank is a real downer. I'm tired of folks taking sides.

That last episode? I was in a bad mood before I saw it (for completely unrelated reasons) anyway -- and it completely bummed me out. But mostly because that's not the note I wanted to rest on for the next 6 weeks. If this was the episode before the episode before the hiatus (as some have suggested was intended), I'd be a lot less disgruntled.

If this was the episode before the episode before the hiatus (as some have suggested was intended), I'd be a lot less disgruntled.
Yes, so would I.

I try to stay away from most discussion/meta boards and even most flist reviews and such because I hate all the negativity (I think it's been there all along, I just wasn't active in online fandom when the show first started). I really trully don't understand some people and their bitter griping and it just upsets me so I try to stay away- besides the fact that those places often contain spoilers and I'm a huge spoiler phobe. :-) I haven't always liked everything about every season, but that doesn't mean I haven't always loved the show and BOTH brothers through it all (no matter how much of a "Sam-girl" I am :-) I still love Dean just as much and I hate the whole idea that you can't love them both and be on both their sides and even occasionally want to smack BOTH of them upside with a phonebook! :-) ) And I just don't understand why people are so against Amelia- sometimes the way fandom is so against the female characters in Show makes it seem like we're all just a bunch of jealous teenage girls- it's very undignified.
Anyhow, I love Sam, I love Dean, I love Show, and Cas, Amelia, and Benny are all great, is it January 16 yet?! :-D

I'm enjoying it & curious to see where it all goes. Plus, I figure that nothing-but-nothing could be worse than the Grandpa Campbell clusterfuck, so I'm actually pretty optimistic. But I like gray areas and messy problems, so this whole season has been working for me.

I'm having a ton of fun this season, but I will fully acknowledge that adoring Cas probably plays into that. Any season where he gets more screen time than season 7 is going to thrill me. But even still, I pretty much always love SPN, even season 7!

I am not fond of Sam's backstory and flashbacks because I feel they are poorly written and dragging out in a way that is doing a disservice to his character, but it doesn't make me angry or anything. I just laugh a bit when the soft focus comes on and move on.

I love what they are doing with Dean and his emotional development. I am loving the journey Cas is on and that they are really acknowledged the repercussions of his power grab. I adore Kevin. I adore Kevin's mom. I still get a thrill when I see Crowley is going to be in an ep. I'm enjoying Benny. And I love Sam too! I just think he got the short end of the flashback stick and am hoping he gets a better storyline soon.

I tend to only poke my nose into the happy part of the fandom and ignore the rest. The only real complaints I see are about the pacing of the Sam flashbacks. Generally happy people.

I also watch the show with my mom and two of my real life friends and they are all digging it. :D

I have to admit I was pretty meh at the beginning of the season because number 7? So wish it had never happened. I mean come on! I love boys, I do, but I still think there's a need for more characters on the screen than just Sam, Dean and their angst. ~~Even if they go together so well.~~ Surprisingly enough I found myself hooked on season 8. And I really like the storyline.

I am having a fab time in s* because it's overall be gr8. BUT, I will say that last nights ep was pretty flat for me mostly because it was just.. poor storytelling. I didn't mind what they were trying to do, but I felt they just did it.. badly (flow and pacing and plot and emotional arc and just.. too much in too little time too broken up, idk). So the impact was.. low for technical fail reasons for me. But overall I am SO HAPPY THIS SEASON. Mostly because of Sam, omg sam sam sam.

Edited 2012-12-06 20:40 (UTC)

Yeah, I wish I had the background to be able to fully articulate what technically didn't work for me in last night's episode, because everything it accomplished story and character wise I loved, but somehow it didn't quite gel for me as an episode? I love it for all the character stuff, but IDK, maybe it was the pacing. Too much in too little time seems to be something that's happened with key episodes often in the last couple seasons, like 7.17 for example? Either that or just the skill of the writing of individual episodes versus the skill of the overall story hasn't been matching up.

Anyway, I don't really want to complain, because I am really happy with what this season is doing overall, it's just ... technically awkward sometimes, especially with how the flashbacks have been incorporated rather than the content of the flashbacks, which I've liked.

So basically I love what they're doing story and character wise, haven't always thought execution was the best here and there, but that's been true for me of SPN from the beginning so it doesn't really bother me that much.

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sistabro - 2012-12-07 05:03 (UTC) - Expand

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amonitrate.livejournal.com - 2012-12-07 05:16 (UTC) - Expand

I'm somewhere between "ups and downs" and "meh".

-I'm kind of over the angel thing, but I've always been between like and meh where Castiel is concerned: I like him, but if he's not in an episode I don't really notice/care.

-I like Benny well enough after last night's episode, but previously had no real opinion. He was a major character in an earlier episode wasn't he? I missed that one (downloaded; still need to watch), so that's probably why.

-I'm don't like Amelia. I don't know if it's the actress, or the character, or both, but their chemistry seems “blah” to me. =/

-I don't really like the flashback thing. I was hoping they were going to go somewhere big with that, but after this last episode...

Still love the boys though, no matter how they're acting, haha, and am going to continue watching. =)

Fandom-wise... I think I'm falling out of it. X( I haven't seen any of the hate because I've been playing in other sandboxes. =/

Edited 2012-12-06 21:18 (UTC)

"-I'm don't like Amelia. I don't know if it's the actress, or the character, or both, but their chemistry seems “blah” to me. =/"

During a rewatch of S7's dreaded 'Time For A Wedding' I realized that Sam had more chemistry with Becky than I have seen him demonstrate to date with Amelia.

That was the last nail in that ship's coffin for me, and I am someone who has never had an issue with Sam's hook ups (not even Ruby!) in the past. So.. *shrug*

I love Show, can't imagine *not*. The boys keep growing, evolving, becoming new people while building off the framework of their old selves. I mostly like everyone they've ever had on the show (Except for Gabriel and Ruby) and mostly liked every story line they've ever explored.

It's just...it's my *boys*, it's love and angst and guilt and anger and terror and heroics and stupid jokes and *brothers* and it's awesome.

:)

I'm loving this season, and esp. Benny. Every ep he's on I worry they're going to kill him, but I can't wait to see more of him.

I am enjoying the season!!

I know that we are only 9 episodes into the 22 total and its seems like the writers are just giving us dribs and drabs. I want the meat!!!! Now!!!

There's all these characters in place: Sam, Dean, Benny, Amelia, Naomi, Crowley, Castiel and Kevin. They all have their own universe, their own head space.

Sam thinking about Amelia, Dean wanting to kill stuff, Benny just trying to live back on Earth, Amelia back with her husband, Naomi grabbing Cas to get reports, Crowley trying to figure out those tablets, Castiel doing his thing and Kevin hiding out.

All these people are going to collide at some point and their will be fireworks!!

I see some people on my friends list that are unhappy and not watching it, but I always record and watch it asap.

I wanted more from the mid season finale, like who was watching Sam leave Amelia's? I don't think it was Don. Did Benny actually kill Martin? And Dean with that text message to Sam, wow, that was sort of a dick move, but I can see why Dean did it.

I can't wait to see how all this plays out!!

I think for me personally, I should probably watch this show in a vacuum.

I'm enjoying it, honestly and I think it's interesting what they did this season. I'm ok with Benny (I'm sorry Benny, but after all these years I'm still bitter that Ruby turned out evil and I'll side-eye any evil creature that gets a redemption storyline)

My main problem is the fandom. See, I'm a Sam-girl of the of-course-I-also-love-Dean variety, but I see so much hate against him, it makes me reflexively angry. So, I dind myself watching the episodes and then somethings happens that I have no problem with it, but a nagging voice in my head says -Omg the Sam-haters are going to have a field day with this, twisting it around from a general everyone-is-shit-at-life and/or communicating thing, into why Sam should totally leave the show, and I can't enjoy it anymore.

So, I think, I'll keep enjoying the show, but stop looking at youtube comments/general fan reactions, because it seriously takes the fun out of it for me right now

It's got its ups and downs, but I'm still hooked. I'm furious at both boys right now, but that's happened before and I've made it through. Waiting to see where things go, though I'm damned if I see how they can get themselves back on track again.

I don't care if anyone else likes it. Seriously. I love it. No matter what they do. The boys are my boys and I'll watch no matter what. Although Sera Fucking Gamble really tested me when she killed Bobby. I don't ask that the show write what I want. I only ask that they keep writing.

I do think it's weird that so many people are bitching so hard about it. Then I remember that a lot of the same people have been bitching for however many seasons and are still watching it. Maybe people just like to bitch.

In the interests of not being flamed, I should mention that I am not directing this at anyone in particular. Not directing it at anyone at all. I don't read criticisms of Supernatural. I'm having fun and I don't want anyone raining on my parade. :)

Edited 2012-12-07 01:54 (UTC)

I'm enjoying this season, It's interesting and there are enough fresh things about it that I want to see where it's going. I wouldn't rank it with the first five seasons because so far I haven't seen any episodes that I would re-watch more than once. But I like that Carver is adding characters. The show would be a seriously lacking a dramatic matrix if all we saw were Sam and Dean in isolation. I miss Bobby most but I like the addition of Garth and Benny. I;m glad they are bringing back Felicia Day's character. Would love to see Sheriff Jody Mills again.

The current distance between Sam and Dean doesn't bother me because they have always had differences but it makes their coming back to each other more intense and moving. There will be a reconciliation -- there always is. Even in Season 5 when Sam released Lucifer at the the end of S. 4, the boys moved apart but came back together, and again in S. 6 when Sam was soulless but Dean risked everything to get him back his soul and his sanity.

I'm enjoy the season overall - not a fan of the Amelia storyline, but I don't expect to love each and every thing, and I can always find something to love. I'm happy when Sam and Dean are emotionally connected, as long as they're passionate about each other -- sometimes it's more passionate love, sometimes passionate (jealous) disagreement, but it's always passion! Cas I like fine in relatively small doses, and Benny is a pretty intriguing and appealing character. Hopefully the Amelia storyline will end soon, and then I'll be even happier!

For the most part, I'm enjoying the season, but I do have some issues. I'm not fond of Benny. He's coming between the brothers, and Dean is putting a lot of trust in him that I just feel is going to turn and bite him in the ass. Dean's giving Benny the trust that he needs to give to Sam. I'm not happy with all the bad feelings between the brothers. I'll be glad when Benny is gone and Dean and Sam patch up their differences.

I love Dean, but this season he's being a dick and treating Sam like shit. I'm tired of it.

I'm not completely sold on the Sam/Amelia storyline. I guess I'm not as into her character as much as I wanted to be.

I still LOVE Supernatural. I LOVE Season 8. I LOVE Purgatory flashbacks. I LOVE Benny. I don't get what Sam's doing, but I've never gotten what he's doing so I'm unbothered. There is just much love.

I've heard that folks are hating on it, but I wouldn’t know. I avoid discussions on the general SPN groups like the plague because from what I’ve seen, honestly, I associate general fandom with just bitching and moaning about everything under the sun. No one has to like the show and they certainly don’t have to like everything about it, but if people don't like it, they shouldn't watch it or at least shouldn’t spend their time online going on about how much they hated it on groups that are supposed to be for people who love it.

The last thing I want after enjoying an episode of the only show I take time to watch is to come online and see people going on about how horrid they thought it was and trying to ruin my parade of love. There needs to be and SPN LOVE comm because I love episode discussions minus all the griping.

On Monday nights yasminke and I watch together by text from separate cities, and then she watches Castle and I watch H5-0. We've had our last new ep for the year here in Australia, but we're still watching and enjoying.

I'm not a big fan of this season but then again, the show has failed to overwhelm me since season 6 so I'm not too bothered. I don't really like what they're doing with Dean's character because there is no reason for him to be this mean to Sam... and the whole thing with Sam just never looking for Dean because he had Amelia is just weird and makes no sense to me. And Benny... I don't hate him, I just find him incredibly dull as a character. And I've fallen in love with SPN because of the bond between the brothers, and for me that has been missing for a while and it just seems to get worse. But yeah, I'm still watching.

I ticked "enjoying overall" because, despite being annoyed with the brotherly (mis)behavior in 8.09, I'm loving this season. I love Benny and Amelia has greatly grown on me since her first appearance. (And yes, I liked even the infamous werewolf episode.) ;)

Fandom, on the other hand . . . . D:

Let's just say that it's not the show that's been getting me down this season. I love both brothers and am absolutely done with all the negativity and character hatred that's out there. I'll continue to enjoy Show on my own terms, and if clearing out the haters from my flist and restricting my fandom contact to a small corner of sane fangirls is what I've got to do, then so be it. :)

I'm scared to watch S8 to be honest. I'm waiting for the DVD to come out so I can watch the entire season in one gulp. I've been spoilering myself by reading my flists episode reactions and what I've read makes me scared to watch! SPN has been such a big part of my fangirling I don't want to be disappointed. :/

Edited 2012-12-07 19:13 (UTC)

I dont' have hate for any character, never have. I'm finding this season's storylines to be more interesting than last season's. Sometimes I think an episode or characterization could be better executed, but it's not a cause for going on a hate rant for me. Sorry you see so much negative. Around season 3 or 4, I knew that the flistees who were the most emotional over the show would usually yell the loudest about the writers ruining things or how one brother never really loved the other, etc. So I stopped reading their show posts and only read their fic. I do read posts by those who are the most logical and reasoned in their discussions of the show. Extreme emotional spillage, positive or negative, is just too overwhelming to read every day, and I figure I'm old enough to decide for myself how I want to feel about the show's direction.

Have *just* decided to stop watching open canon for the time being - I can't keep bracing myself and then getting my canonised heart stomped on. I don't hate Sam or Dean so I didn't tick that box. What I hate and could weep over is the way they're being written right now. It's lazy, careless, and so ignorant of canon Kim Manners must be turning in his grave. Jared and Jensen are doing their level best with what they're being directed to say and do, but god, SPN truly is a train wreck right now.

And this from a gal for whom season 4 is her second favourite season.

I was feeling really meh,honestly, before episode 3. And then 3 made me think "Oh, this is worth watching again". And then I started a job where I'm working all Wednesday nights, and had limited internet access because of commuting. I almost clicked "Started watching but stopped" but that it's not really the show's fault ;)