The beginning of the end

[hils]

Okay, now that I've had some sleep I want to talk about last night's SPN ep in a bit more detail and about my SPN feelings in general


It's not that I hated last night's episode. I think I could probably handle it a bit better if it had left me feeling angry. The problem is I didn't feel anything about it at all. I don't know what's happened this season but I just don't recognise these characters anymore and I really don't care about what happens to them.

I was genuinely surprised that this was an Edlund penned episode as I usually find them more engaging. I dunno. It just didn't have the emotional impact that 7x17 did which is probably the last time I really felt engaged with the show.

I honestly don't know what to make of this new version of Castiel. I get that he's supposed to be unhinged and all that but to be honest we've had a different version of Cas in every episode Misha has been in this year so far. I'm struggling to remember what MY Cas even looks/acts like.

hsapiens has suggested I at least stick with it for a few episodes of S8 to see if Carver gets things back on track but when the episode finished last night I just wanted to walk away and not look back.

This sort of thing happens with TV shows that go on as long as SPN has. I felt the same thing during S7 of Buffy. Kind of like I was watching it out of obligation rather than an actual desire to watch the show.

I do love the cast though, and I love all my SPN fandom friends so I don't want to walk away from that.

Maybe the summer hiatus will help. I can play with my new Avengers fandom for a few months and then come back to SPN feeling fresh. I've been in movie fandoms before and they don't tend to last more than a couple of years (unless there's sequels that are good).

So, yeah, that's where I am at the moment. I don't even know if it makes sense.

Comments

[fayance]

I'm a bit the same way as far as just coasting along now with show rather than feeling an active emotional investment in it as I used to feel; it makes me sad to find my ardent love for the series has faded to such an extent that I can now hand-wave away all the gaping plot holes and the increased use of peripheral characters in lieu of the boys themselves taking the majority of center screen lately; in the good old days I would have howled in outrage at what was being done to the writing, characterizations, etc. Now it's to the point of me just sticking with it because of my lingering affection for the Winchester bros and the half-hopeful, half-dreading desire to see how they will ultimately wrap the series finale. Last night's ep was, for me, rather cracked in nature and had a bizarre melange of humor, angst, drama, and chaotically colliding plot elements; over all I didn't HATE it as I have fervently despised specific other episodes of the series, but neither can I say I loved it. I think the boys are still doing their jobs as actors but also I catch a faint element of 'phoning it in,' as well, as if perhaps they too are leery of some of the writing/plot elements and have been doing this so long it's become mundane rather than interesting to them.

[lexalicious70.livejournal.com]

I had these feels around season six of Smallville, so I know how you feel. Sorry it's so blah for you now. *HUGS*

[hils.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's very much the same thing. And, you know, Smallville got really good again after a while so maybe SPN will too.

[chosenfire28.livejournal.com]

I've been feeling the same thing with SPN this season, I have missed multiple episodes (including the last 2 or 3) and I just don't really care to watch them all anymore. I don't enjoy the show as much as I used to and for me it's become kind of boring.

I honestly feel they wrote themselves into a corner and have no where else to go. Heaven, hell, purgatory, big battle, depressed boys, depressed boys, fighting, coming back together, repeat.

I watched 1-7 of Buffy and can't remember feeling bored, I am pretty sure I loved it all the way to the end (god I remember crying on the last episode, just because of FEELINGS!) and I think a big part of it was because they kept their world a little mysterious so there was always a new place to go, new relationships to explore, a new journey.

AVENGERS THOUGH IS SO MUCH FUN RIGHT NOW!!! I just have the feeling this one is going to stick around lol, it boomed even before the movie came out and there are already sequels being planned (and filmed soon) for individual characters, and I think Avengers 2 is a given.

[hils.livejournal.com]

I definitely feel like SPN has lost its way a little but I am also hopeful it'll find its way back. Avengers is a nice stop-gap until that happens

[caritas2008.livejournal.com]

I walked this season seen about 5 episodes all together just came back for the Cas episodes and they have me split in two, part of me loved Cas last night it was almost like future Cas and the other part of me hates it I want my old Cas back or a end to it all It was funny at the time but I have no feelings to watch it again which is a first for an Episode with Cas usually by now i am on my 3rd go

I still think SPN should have ended at season 5

[hils.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I am inclined to agree

[darkestnight01.livejournal.com]

I am just the same. I'm not feeling it anymore. Who are these characters, who is this Cas, what even is this show anymore. I liked the ep of last week, and that's basically the only ep of this season that didn't leave me either angry, disappointed or worst - indifferent. Like last night. If not even an episode full of Cas gives me any feelings it's time to leave the show be and concentrate on other things that make me happy. (like Suits XDD)

[hils.livejournal.com]

Hee! You have Suits and I have The Avengers. So long as we're happy that's all that matters, right?

[littlehollyleaf.livejournal.com]

You are not the only person I know to have had this reaction. Caroline expressed similar views after we watched it, as did nanoochka who was visiting (:D). In fact Nan described Cas in the ep as a 'caricature' of himself as opposed to being an actual character, which I felt was an astute observation (although I'm not sure I fully agree).

I need to watch it again to probably assess the situation as I was a bit... woozy, when things were happening ;p

All I can say right now is I'm ok with things. I'm not over the moon, but I'm satisfied. A lot of it for me, however, is that... I've kinda wanted Cas to break and loosen up like this for a LONG TIME... so while I understand this is YET ANOTHER version of Cas, it's the one I've been waiting/hoping for... ergo, I will naturally be biased towards this development.

This is not to say I won't be able to objectively criticise the writing AS WELL and recognise that the show is starting to unravel... but the truth is, I've felt that since mid-season 6 (which is later than most) so, like I told Nan after we watched the episode - I'm resigned to the show having lost its spark now... I'm already watching out of loyalty, I guess, although I hadn't really faced up to that fact until now (because oh oh I don't want another Smallville in my life, not with THIS show!)

But in any case - yes, what you're saying makes complete sense. Don't worry about it. This is what happens with TV shows *shrug* I think I can play happily enough in this sandbox a little longer, but then I'm more easily pleased than most :p

[hils.livejournal.com]

I'm willing to give S8 a shot but it's going to need to do something pretty impressive in the first few eps to reel me back in at this point. It's so sad but that's just how I feel :(