Difference between revisions of "Meta Episodes"
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Supernatural is a show about stories. Urban legends, folklore, religion are society’s stories, most particularly America’s stories. There are personal narratives: the tales families and individuals tell about themselves and their relationships. Including the story telling of pop culture – be it movies, TV the internet or fan fiction – fits perfectly into this. Supernatural takes this commentary one step further, by commenting on itself as a story. | Supernatural is a show about stories. Urban legends, folklore, religion are society’s stories, most particularly America’s stories. There are personal narratives: the tales families and individuals tell about themselves and their relationships. Including the story telling of pop culture – be it movies, TV the internet or fan fiction – fits perfectly into this. Supernatural takes this commentary one step further, by commenting on itself as a story. | ||
− | The very first subtle meta nods occurred in the [[1.01 Pilot]] when Dean introduces himself and Sam using the aliases Agents Mulder and Scully – a nod to the Show’s TV ancestry in the X -Files. | + | The very first subtle meta nods occurred in the [[1.01 Pilot]] when Dean introduces himself and Sam using the aliases Agents Mulder and Scully – a nod to the Show’s TV ancestry in the X-Files. |
Dean is established as a horror movie fan, so the Show gets to reference its genre influences. [[The Shining]] in particular is oft-quoted, and visually referenced as well in [[2.11 Playthings]]. | Dean is established as a horror movie fan, so the Show gets to reference its genre influences. [[The Shining]] in particular is oft-quoted, and visually referenced as well in [[2.11 Playthings]]. | ||
− | [[1.17 Hell House]] was the first episode to start playing meta seriously as we meet the [[Ghostfacers]] – the TV version of hunters dropping | + | [[1.17 Hell House]] was the first episode to start playing meta seriously as we meet the [[Ghostfacers]] – the TV version of hunters dropping Buffy references, with an internet fan following that can literally bring the tales they read to life. |
− | In Season 2, it was [[2.18 Hollywood Babylon]] that started kicking hard at the [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FourthWall Fourth Wall] in an episode about movie making by writer [[Ben Edlund]]. The episode centres around a stolen script for a horror movie: [[Hell Hazers II: The Reckoning]] | + | In Season 2, it was [[2.18 Hollywood Babylon]] that started kicking hard at the [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FourthWall Fourth Wall] in an episode about movie making by writer [[Ben Edlund]]. The episode centres around a stolen script for a horror movie: [[Hell Hazers II: The Reckoning]]. The episode incorporated actual notes from the network that Kripke had received for Supernatural, pokes fun at Kripke’s movie Boogeyman, as well as using incorporated images from Supernatural episodes into movie posters. To top it off the movie producer in the episode is [[McG]] – and the real McG (Supernatural’s producer) appears in a crowd scene, as do many of the Supernatural crew. |
− | [[4.18 The Monster At The End Of This Book]] marks the episode where Supernatural decided fourth walls were redundant as Sam and Dean discover a [[The Supernatural Books| series of books]] - named after episodes of the Show – that are based on their life. The author of the books is [[Chuck Shurley]] – an avatar for Eric Kripke | + | [[4.18 The Monster At The End Of This Book]] marks the episode where Supernatural decided fourth walls were redundant as Sam and Dean discover a [[The Supernatural Books| series of books]] - named after episodes of the Show – that are based on their life. The author of the books is [[Chuck Shurley]] – an avatar for Eric Kripke. Both the writers, and for the first time the fandom of the TV Show, are sent up. At [[Comic Con 2009]] Kripke said "he has a "tempestuous, loving, conflicting" relationship with the online Supernatural fan community, and that the meta episode "The Monster at the End of This Book" gave him a chance to lovingly make fun of them. [http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2009/07/comiccon-supernatural-panelists-talk-lucifer-the-apocalypse-and-returning-characters.html Source]. Supernatural fan – [[Becky]] – appears in [[5.01 Sympathy For The Devil]] and later puts on a [[:Category:Conventions|Convention]] in [[5.09 The Real Ghostbusters]]. |
− | In a more general meta vein [[Changing Channels]] threw Sam and Dean into a TV world, where the Show got a chance to poke fun at TV Shows | + | In a more general meta vein [[Changing Channels]] threw Sam and Dean into a TV world, where the Show got a chance to poke fun at TV Shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and CSI:Miami. |
In [[6.15 The French Mistake]], the show razed the Fourth Wall and replaced it with a crazy funhouse mirror, when Sam and Dean end up in an alternate reality - the one of the TV show Supernatural, where everyone thinks they are Jared and Jensen. | In [[6.15 The French Mistake]], the show razed the Fourth Wall and replaced it with a crazy funhouse mirror, when Sam and Dean end up in an alternate reality - the one of the TV show Supernatural, where everyone thinks they are Jared and Jensen. | ||
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[[File:Supernatural 418 0053.jpg|right|300px|right|thumb]] | [[File:Supernatural 418 0053.jpg|right|300px|right|thumb]] | ||
{{TriviaQuote |Text= | {{TriviaQuote |Text= | ||
− | Many of the references here about[[The Supernatural Books]]- | + | Many of the references here about[[The Supernatural Books]] - the boys crying a lot, the books having a small readership, and the references to the fan base - are of course referring to the TV series. |
}} | }} | ||
{{TriviaQuote |Text= | {{TriviaQuote |Text= | ||
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==[[5.01 Sympathy For The Devil]]== | ==[[5.01 Sympathy For The Devil]]== | ||
{{TriviaQuote |Text= | {{TriviaQuote |Text= | ||
− | [[Becky Rosen]] is a fan of [[The Supernatural Books]] who runs a website called morethanbrothers.net and also writes [[Wincest]] -[[Becky|a sample of which]] appears in the episode. She is an archetypal [[Sam Girls|Sam Girl]] | + | [[Becky Rosen]] is a fan of [[The Supernatural Books]] who runs a website called morethanbrothers.net and also writes [[Wincest]] - [[Becky|a sample of which]] appears in the episode. She is an archetypal [[Sam Girls|Sam Girl]] |
}} | }} | ||
[[image:Becky-becky-rosen-9030160-450-506.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Chucks calls Becky]] | [[image:Becky-becky-rosen-9030160-450-506.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Chucks calls Becky]] | ||
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}} | }} | ||
{{TriviaQuote |Text= | {{TriviaQuote |Text= | ||
− | "Dr Sexy, M.D" | + | "Dr Sexy, M.D." - a hospital show set at Seattle Mercy Hospital - is a send-up of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey%27s_anatomy Grey's Anatomy] a medical drama which aired in the US opposite Supernatural on Thursday night, revolving around the love lives of the staff of Seattle Grace Hospital. Dr Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey, is nicknamed [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mcdreamy "McDreamy"] by other characters on the show. The scenes and melodramatic dialogue mimic that of Grey's Anatomy - as can be seen in [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QiYtEpMKHQ these video clips]. |
"Dr Sexy M.D." was first mentioned in [[4.18 The Monster At The End Of This Book]] by the publisher as one of the reasons the "Supernatural" books went out of print. | "Dr Sexy M.D." was first mentioned in [[4.18 The Monster At The End Of This Book]] by the publisher as one of the reasons the "Supernatural" books went out of print. | ||
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{{TriviaQuote |Text= | {{TriviaQuote |Text= | ||
The character Johnny Drake on "Dr Sexy, M.D" is a take-off of the patient [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Duquette Denny Duquette] on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey%27s_anatomy Grey's Anatomy]. He had a romance with intern [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izzie_Stevens Izzie], but then died. Denny was played by none other than [[Jeffrey Dean Morgan]] aka [[John Winchester]]. In a classic case of [[Surprise JDM]], he later returned twice to Grey's Anatomy as a ghost! | The character Johnny Drake on "Dr Sexy, M.D" is a take-off of the patient [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Duquette Denny Duquette] on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey%27s_anatomy Grey's Anatomy]. He had a romance with intern [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izzie_Stevens Izzie], but then died. Denny was played by none other than [[Jeffrey Dean Morgan]] aka [[John Winchester]]. In a classic case of [[Surprise JDM]], he later returned twice to Grey's Anatomy as a ghost! | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{TriviaQuote |Text= | ||
+ | The police procedural show is a send-up of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSI:_Crime_Scene_Investigation CSI], set in Las Vegas, and the spin-off series [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Csi_miami CSI: Miami]. Sam and Dean do imitations of one of the CSI:Miami stars [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000325 David Caruso] and his mannerisms with [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mznsEcZlM2I his sunglasses]. CSI aired in the US in the same time slot as Supernatural and Grey's Anatomy on Thursday nights. | ||
}} | }} | ||
==[[5.09 The Real Ghostbusters]]== | ==[[5.09 The Real Ghostbusters]]== | ||
{{TriviaQuote |Text= | {{TriviaQuote |Text= | ||
− | The Show | + | The Show centres around a Supernatural Convention. In reality the first Supernatural Con held was [[WinchesterCon]] in Nashville in October 2006 attended by 200 fans. [[Asylum 2007]] was the first Convention attended by actors. For a list of all Supernatural conventions check the [[Convention Calendar]]. |
}} | }} | ||
{{TriviaQuote |Text= | {{TriviaQuote |Text= | ||
− | One of the fan, dressed as the [[Hookman]], at the Convention in the episode, asks why, in the books, Sam and Dean keep dropping their guns and suggests they tether them with a | + | One of the fan, dressed as the [[Hookman]], at the Convention in the episode, asks why, in the books, Sam and Dean keep dropping their guns and suggests they tether them with a bungee cord. In the DVD commentary for [[4.03 In The Beginning]], Kripke talks about how Sam and Dean always seem to be dropping their guns, knives etc at crucial moments. |
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
Jared and Jensen always say to us like the joke is they always say to me and Bob, “Why don’t Sam and Dean have bungee cords on their wrists?” | Jared and Jensen always say to us like the joke is they always say to me and Bob, “Why don’t Sam and Dean have bungee cords on their wrists?” | ||
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==[[5.22 Swan Song]]== | ==[[5.22 Swan Song]]== | ||
{{TriviaQuote |Text= | {{TriviaQuote |Text= | ||
− | In perhaps the ultimate commentary on the role of the writer - specifically creator [[Eric Kripke]] -[[Chuck]] is revealed to, literally, be [[God]].}} | + | In perhaps the ultimate commentary on the role of the writer - specifically creator [[Eric Kripke]] - [[Chuck]] is revealed to, literally, be [[God]].}} |
==[[6.07 Family Matters]]== | ==[[6.07 Family Matters]]== |
Revision as of 19:19, 27 February 2011
Misha Collins: What question would I ask the character I play? That's like being in a box of mirrors. With a unicorn. And a pony.
A meta reference, also called a meta-fiction technique or meta-fictive device, in a TV show occurs the show, or a character, demonstrates they are aware of their own fictional nature.
Supernatural is a show about stories. Urban legends, folklore, religion are society’s stories, most particularly America’s stories. There are personal narratives: the tales families and individuals tell about themselves and their relationships. Including the story telling of pop culture – be it movies, TV the internet or fan fiction – fits perfectly into this. Supernatural takes this commentary one step further, by commenting on itself as a story.
The very first subtle meta nods occurred in the 1.01 Pilot when Dean introduces himself and Sam using the aliases Agents Mulder and Scully – a nod to the Show’s TV ancestry in the X-Files.
Dean is established as a horror movie fan, so the Show gets to reference its genre influences. The Shining in particular is oft-quoted, and visually referenced as well in 2.11 Playthings.
1.17 Hell House was the first episode to start playing meta seriously as we meet the Ghostfacers – the TV version of hunters dropping Buffy references, with an internet fan following that can literally bring the tales they read to life.
In Season 2, it was 2.18 Hollywood Babylon that started kicking hard at the Fourth Wall in an episode about movie making by writer Ben Edlund. The episode centres around a stolen script for a horror movie: Hell Hazers II: The Reckoning. The episode incorporated actual notes from the network that Kripke had received for Supernatural, pokes fun at Kripke’s movie Boogeyman, as well as using incorporated images from Supernatural episodes into movie posters. To top it off the movie producer in the episode is McG – and the real McG (Supernatural’s producer) appears in a crowd scene, as do many of the Supernatural crew.
4.18 The Monster At The End Of This Book marks the episode where Supernatural decided fourth walls were redundant as Sam and Dean discover a series of books - named after episodes of the Show – that are based on their life. The author of the books is Chuck Shurley – an avatar for Eric Kripke. Both the writers, and for the first time the fandom of the TV Show, are sent up. At Comic Con 2009 Kripke said "he has a "tempestuous, loving, conflicting" relationship with the online Supernatural fan community, and that the meta episode "The Monster at the End of This Book" gave him a chance to lovingly make fun of them. Source. Supernatural fan – Becky – appears in 5.01 Sympathy For The Devil and later puts on a Convention in 5.09 The Real Ghostbusters.
In a more general meta vein Changing Channels threw Sam and Dean into a TV world, where the Show got a chance to poke fun at TV Shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and CSI:Miami.
In 6.15 The French Mistake, the show razed the Fourth Wall and replaced it with a crazy funhouse mirror, when Sam and Dean end up in an alternate reality - the one of the TV show Supernatural, where everyone thinks they are Jared and Jensen.
Contents
- 1 Links
- 2 1.17 Hell House
- 3 2.18 Hollywood Babylon
- 4 4.01 Lazarus Rising
- 5 4.18 The Monster At The End Of This Book
- 6 5.01 Sympathy For The Devil
- 7 5.05 Fallen Idols
- 8 5.08 Changing Channels
- 9 5.09 The Real Ghostbusters
- 10 5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
- 11 5.22 Swan Song
- 12 6.07 Family Matters
- 13 6.10 Caged Heat
Links
- Fourth Wall, Lampshade hanging, and Meta Fiction on TV Trope
- Producer McG comments 5.09 The Real Ghostbusters
- Becky is my hero: The power of laughter and disruption in Supernatural by Judith May Fathallah,
- Tlön, fandom, and source text: The effect of fan works on the narrative of Supernatural by Deepa Sivarajan
- A box of mirrors, a unicorn, and a pony by Jules Wilkinson
The following is a list of direct meta references in Supernatural i.e. references to the Show or its fandom.
1.17 Hell House
2.18 Hollywood Babylon
4.01 Lazarus Rising
4.18 The Monster At The End Of This Book
The character is an avatar for Eric Kripke. Source - Rob Benedict talks about Chuck as Eric at Salute to Supernatural Chicago 2009.
Chuck is used as a vehicle to make commentary about the Show's writing - and it's writers.
Chuck: Well, there's only one explanation. Obviously I'm a god.
Sam: You're not a god.
Chuck: How else do you explain it? I write things and then they come to life. Yeah, no, I'm definitely a god. A cruel, cruel, capricious god. The things I put you through -- The physical beatings alone.
Dean: Yeah, we're still in one piece.
Chuck: I killed your father. I burned your mother alive. And then you had to go through the whole horrific deal again with Jessica.
Sam: Chuck...
Chuck: All for what? All for the sake of literary symmetry. I toyed with your lives, your emotions, for...Entertainment.
The book Dean is reading relates the events of 1.13 Route 666.
Simpatico is the name of a poster on the Television Without Pity message boards.
Sam: As in Sam slash Dean together.
Dean: Like together, together? They do know we are brothers right?
Sam: Doesn't seem to matter.
Dean: Well that's just sick!
Sam Girls and Dean Girls are fans dedicated to one or other of the brothers.
Slash fanfiction is stories written by fans depicting characters in a same-sex romantic and/or sexual relationship. In the Supernatural fandom, Sam/Dean is known as Wincest.5.01 Sympathy For The Devil
5.05 Fallen Idols
5.08 Changing Channels
5.09 The Real Ghostbusters
Jared and Jensen always say to us like the joke is they always say to me and Bob, “Why don’t Sam and Dean have bungee cords on their wrists?”
The Hookman fan also says "Yeah, how original. Supernatural bringing in more creepy children. Sigh.
Fans have long referred to Sam's Puppy Dog Eyes - the pleading look he gives someone, frequently Dean, when he wants something.
5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
This is a reference to the airing day of Supernatural, Thursday. from 1.17 Hell House til the end of Season 5.
5.22 Swan Song
6.07 Family Matters
Crowley: Since... What's today, Friday? Since, let's see... Mind your business.