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.

The Big, Happy, Merry Winter Holiday Movie-List Post [EDIT]

The world is turning away from the sun here in the northern hemisphere. It gets dark sooner. Leaves have dropped. Bare limbs reach up like claws silhouetted against the pale gray of the sky. People have retreated from the unwelcoming chill of outdoors into the safety and warmth of the indoors. Winter is here. But it doesn't all have to be beheadings and Night Kings. There's always revelries to be had. And revelries need a good flick to accompany them.

Since many of my holiday movie lists have so far diverged from what most would consider "popular", "normal", or even sane, it should come as no surprise that my Christmas list would follow suit. Rather than the more treacly holiday fare, I find myself turning to the sarcastic, bizarre, and downright disturbing. Enjoy.

Solstice...and a word on the holiday monopoly

Did you know that there aren't any films out there focused on the Winter Solstice? Or Hannukah...or Kwanzaa...or Diwali, or any others. I looked. That's sad to me...but maybe it's not. As Westerners, and especially humans, we assume that our way should be others' way. Perhaps the need to express our ideologies through popular media is the province of Western religion, and Christianity in particular. Perhaps those of other faiths are okay with not having their own faith-themed movies or TV specials. And maybe they're not. Either way, the lack of representation is overwhelming.

So, here in the Northwestern hemisphere, don't count on finding any movies celebrating the darkest night or the return of the sun. Christmas, as you may have suspected, has the monopoly on this time. That said, you can always celebrate by watching films set in winter. I'll be doing a "winter" list come the new year, but in the meantime, I do have one pick for this dark, quiet little holiday:

Posts coming soon!