Supernatural Music - Issue #1: "The Road So Far" Playlist

THEN

A television series about two ghost-hunting brothers looking for their father (who "went hunting" and "hasn't been home in a few days") airs on the CW to little fanfare or acclaim. While it carries similarities to other CW shows, it sets itself apart by placing its two *ahem* very good-looking leads in "monster-of-the-week" episodes that feel like horror mini-movies. These two "hunters" travel around the back roads of America, listening to classic rock in the most gorgeous black '67 Chevy Impala you've ever seen. The scenes of small towns and small roads work because it is reminiscent of every road trip I - and everyone like me - ever took with my family as a child.

The requisite CW angst works really well between the brothers, perhaps moreso than it does on any other show on the CW lineup. Also, these guys hunt monsters. It's fun, grittier, and less polished than most CW shows. Despite the inherently formulaic nature of the show, it soon reveals a larger plan, and the season finale cliffhanger leaves people itching for more.

NOW

Thirteen seasons later, this plucky little show has a cult following (seriously). Sitting at a 2-3 million viewership, Supernatural has respectable enough ratings to keep itself on air, but only just. Yet this show has turned into a phenomenon that shows no signs of stopping...and this has everything to do with its rabid fan base.

As a fandom, Supernatural can only be described as...scary. We besiege pollings for awards, influence plots of episodes, are one of top two fandoms on fan fiction sites, have successfully lobbied for the return of beloved characters, and have even successfully campaigned for a spin-off that caters to our preferences. We appear to be everywhere, taking over Tumblr memes and Reddit threads with a speed that terrifies other fandoms.

Let that sink in for a moment. Other fandoms are scared of us.

What inspires such devotion in a television series...or anything, for that matter?

Well, for one...music. ...and lots of it.