I'm also hoping that if it is only 8, the the episodes that he's in have good strong character stuff and he's not just playing an expository/plot device role. (and I think there's good reason to believe that, based on what Carver said about there being three strong storylines this season).
All I hope is they give a good and an important role, unlike last few episodes of 7th season. I hope he somehow snaps out of that craziness soon. He's intolerable in his crazy version! More importantly his appearance shouldn't look like fan service.
Tbh I had hoped for more. Better than last season, but not as good as season 4-6. Hopefully he'll at least appear for more than two minutes in an episode and has a good storyline. Though the good storyline is something I want for all important characters, really.
That's great,even though I wouldn't mind seeing him a little more.But since they said "at least" fingers crossed that the number will move up to 10 or something. To be honest,I just want a good storyline.I can live with the rest.
But I am not happy with more than 10 for a character like Castiel. Other wise as usual, he obscures the other guest stars and also eclipse the Winchesters and Bobby.
Thing is,as far as characters go Castiel is in the same league as Bobby.It's normal for him to be shown more than the guest stars,especially since he's a part of the major storyline.
I read that. We will have to agree to disagree on this being good news. I am however willing to wait until I actually see the episodes and where this story line is going before decrying that season 8 is going to suck out loud. :-P I remain ever hopeful.
That is what exactly I am opposing. I want various characters to play a role in the major story-line not only Castiel. Of course, Castiel is the frontrunner for all the guest stars.
I would say 8-10 is a good range. I want Cas back and for him to have a decent storyline, but I also want the show to go back to a pretty even split between focusing on Sam and Dean's stories. And to be frank, Cas has been mostly associated with Dean's stories. In the past few seasons, Bobby and Cas have been in about 11-14 episodes each, and that's felt a little too heavy at times. I'd like to see Sam and Dean mix it up with more new characters.
There are always a bunch of guest stars even when Cas is used 10 to 16 episodes or so. So Cas and for that matter Bobby doesn't hurt the guests or the boys. They are support and there is a bunch of room for others.
Okay then.I actually prefer the opposite,but if that's the way you feel I can see why you think 8 is a lot. Let's hope that the season progresses in a way that doesn't (majorly) disappoint anyone.I'm sure they can work with both Cas and other guests. : )
In all fairness he could literally be in only a few minutes in a lot of those episodes. I suspect that will be the case in the first half of the season at least. The flashbacks are going to be plentiful during the season but not neccessarily plentiful during an episode.
not to mention at times Cas just popped up for fairly insignificant short scenes. Cas appearing in lots of episodes doesn't mean lots of Cas appearing in an episode.
Jim Beaver was never contracted as a regular character. He always maintained guest status. Misha is at guest status now but he was at recurring status in season 6, which is why they had so many episodes where Cas flies in and then disappears. They had to reach a quota of number of episodes he appeared in according to the rules of recurring status.
Cas seems to replace Dean's story lately. Dean is always reacting to Cas or Sam's story. I am hoping this is not the case in S8, but I'd never bet the farm, because a Dean fan knows to guard their back, when hoping for SPN.
Yes--I suspect they do what they always do. In some episodes there will be Cas for a short time while in others he'll be there for a more lengthly time.
I'm wondering if that is the case also. If they are going to have flash backs in most of the early episodes and it sounds like they will, it makes sense that Cas would be in those. The question becomes whether Cas knows of Benny, what his reaction is, and if he's around for that to be an issue in the real timeline. If Dean is indeed hiding Benny from Sam, that means Cas is either absent or complicit in the secret.
I was fine with crazy Cas for a couple of episodes and I thought he had a good role the last couple episodes and was integral to the action. That said it's time to move away from Crazy Cas now and towards normal Cas.
Cas will most likely be associated with Dean's story again since he will appear in flashbacks of Purgatory for a while.
Liane Balaban has said she will be in Canada a lot these coming weeks, so we may see a little bit of what Sam was up to in the first few episodes. She filmed last week too. So it appears she'll be in the first 3 or 4 episodes at least. Good news if you're interested in Sam's storyline like I am.
My guess is the Cas flashbacks arise because Sam asks Dean where/what happened to Cas-why he hasn't returned from Purgatory with Dean (it was said Cas wouldn't) we will then see what happened to Cas when he dissipated at the end of last season. But thats just a guess based on what little info I have.
The flashbacks definitely seem like they will be in little bits in lots of episodes. As far as I can tell Amelia will be in the first 3 episodes so far.
I like the idea of the flashbacks being told in small snatches allowing the story to unfold a little at a time.
there are usually only around 3/4 episodes a season that are Cas heavy (not centric though I suspect we'll see at least 1 of those) the rest feature him in relatively small amounts.
that doesn't mean he has to be in 8 episodes or more it just means they have the option to use him if needed for that many episodes with an option to extend if needed. They tend to put a number on it for contractual purposes.
I think Pedowitz is saying Misha will for SURE be in 8 episodes--but anymore then YES I agree that is up in the air. My gut says they will go beyond the minimum of 8. But we shall see.
I agree with you. These flashbacks are a good way to tell what happened without bogging down the present action. Little snippets of the past year woven in and out will strengthen the story the brothers face in present time, giving us insight into the decisions and the way they are dealing with things now. I like the idea. As for Cas, I can see him only being in flashbacks. Whether he made it out of Purgatory or not is yet to be seen, but I'm very much okay with using him sparingly if the focus is on the boys' quest as it should be. The best part about that is the Winchesters actually driving the story instead of just reacting to it. Looking forward to it.
Not saying it is too many but they can do a lot in 8 episodes over the course of 23. I have often watched shows where a character I like isn't there for the episode and I don't even realize until the end because they focus on other things and you realize that character wouldn't have added anything more to the episode. I think it will be similar for this, when Cas is there we will enjoy it (as long as they are serious about him being back to regular...) but when they don't need him you don't miss him. I also think it will have more of an effect if he isn't there all the time... half of the reason we love Crowley is because we never know when he will appear.
In all honesty with the exception of it being renewed for season 8, this is the best information that has come out about s8 so far. They need to be proactive. They need to be great hunters again. They need to stop having everything happening TO them or standing around watching things happen. There are a lot of spoilers about season 8 I am not crazy about but the one that gives me the most hope is learning they are going to be proactive from episode one. Now I just need to spoiler to come out that neither brother is going to be in depressed, "gloom and doom", "woe is me" mood to go with a lessening of the overwhelming mytharc to have the triple crown of good news.
But the 'minimum' could just be one scene or so in an ep, so we can still hope he's not just thrown in for no reason other than just being there. I've actually like most of what I've heard about the way the season is unfolding so far. I really like JC stating the boys are going on the offensive and they're getting back to having a 'mission' for the season.
Season 1: Find Dad Season 2: Find the YED Season 3: Save Dean Season 4: Save the seals Season 5: Stop Lucifer/Apocalypse. Then came season 6 which was convoluted; Meet the Campbells/Find Sam's soul/Alpha Hunt/Mother of All/and finally the actual plot Crowley and Cas' Purgatory plan. And season 7: Leviathons... but we didn't really get much of them since Frank and others were 'working on it' behind the scenes and Dean and Sam did very little to annoy or even hunt Dick Roman. So having them with a clear cut purpose for the season (which I believe is to find a powerful object) with the side stories of Sam's year alone, Dean's year in Purgatory and the events that unfold about both, looks promising to me.
If episode one opens with them as they first reunite from Dean's Purgatory stint (and I haven't heard anything that says it will), it would make a lot of sense for Sam to ask what Dean went through. If it opens a little later, it would make more sense for the flash backs to be tied to the case/quest they are on. This format of storytelling will be more challenging but I think the end will pay off big. I hadn't heard anything official about Cas not returning from Purgatory with Dean. I can't believe that he would still be in Purgatory if Dean is out unless Dean and Cas end up being antagonists in Purgatory. I'm good if Cas is on a rounding up the angels universe-wide tour to explain his absence. It makes sense and keeps us from a backseat of the Impala deal.
"The best part about that is the Winchesters actually driving the story instead of just reacting to it."
This is the best thing so far to me too. By far the most frustrating thing for me since mid season 4 to be honest is the tendency for the Winchesters to be sidelined in their own story. By making the mytharc so far above a human's ability to take on the story by themselves, they have turned the Winchesters from capable, strong hunters to puppets manipulated by powerful beings and way too often watching the events as they unfold instead of being the catalyst. I want my smart, strong, self-reliant hunters back this year.
lol, that's just stupid. you definitely haven't watched almost half of the show. you just so much want to tell something like that, and it's almost pathetic. seems like it makes no sense for you to bother about current situation.
I agree. The mission is exciting but proactive hunters even more so. I like the idea that they are actively and personally tied to the season's mytharc. As long as it doesn't turn into the brothers being bystanders in yet another cosmic battle between angels and demons, I'm good. I had enough of that dynamic by the time season 5 began.
If you love the character I can understand that however if like me who never took to him and his presence recently has becone grating rather than interesting then 8 is enough.
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to some people Cas is insignificant, just because you dont think so doesnt mean others dont see him as such. In all honestly there are only 2 characters this show can not survive without SAM and DEAN without them there is no show. The show will go on with or without Cas.
Proactive means that the brothers will be actively working on the mission and causing things to happen. For example, last year the brothers were the complete opposite of proactive. They relied on Frank to find clues about the Leviathans and Bobby to find a way to kill them but they did very little about the Leviathans themselves. It was a case of the bad guys being too big for the human story again. Compared to say season 1 when the brothers were by a large proactive. They found the cases, researched, figured out what monster they were dealing with, and then killed said monster themselves. I'm not saying that they have to go back to a season one monster of the week mentality (although I am not opposed to that myself) but they do need to make the brothers the central means of taking out the bad guys again.
Wouldn't having Sam and Dean acting more "proactively" necessarily mean fewer case of the week episodes, because those are, by nature, reactionary?
I think it would mean really emphasizing the quest mytharc they are talking about. Which might feel like a departure from the usual (or even classic) plot structure.
to me this sounds like a very Dean and Sam heavy season, both have their own stories to tell and have their joint hunt/quest ties to the mythology. If done right it should work out that all the other characters Benny, Amelia, Cas, Kevin, Crowley, Garth and many others I assume are bit part players that contribute to these stories but don't drive the stories.
I'm interested to know how many episodes Mark Sheppard will be in this season, with the Winchesters and Crowley having a common goal this season I hope we see lots of him. I quite like it when Crowley pops up in an episode even if not for very long, his screen time is always well thought out and affective.
yes, thank you. i know that it will go on with or without Cas. but the point - would it be interesting to watch at only 2 characters for several years in a row and their relationships with each other. come on, they are two grown man. they can have others characters by their side. and that's exactly what Cas did. he brings fresh air and more dynamic. and became great part of the storyline. what's wrong with that? so i would rather see him in more episodes. for good.
We're overdue for a season in which Dean has something personal going on that's more interesting than depression and in which Sam gets to participate in the telling of his own story.
So they are looking for an "arc of the covenant" for lack of better term, and they go to this town to find a clue, and they also find a bunch of cursed objects they need to take care of?
But let me tell you one thing. For the five seasons I did enjoy the brotherly love a lot. I felt the pain of the brothers, cried along with them and was never really bothered about Castiel. Back then I never posted online or read I never considered him even to be an important character and I was surprised to see the importance he was given on fan pages in Facebook and also message boards.
I am sure there are a lot like me. I don't agree that he is the ONLY one who brings fresh air. A lot of characters has got the potential to do that. Castiel's overuse in Supernatural has only been bad for the show. It changed the very fabric of the show and he became a last minute boring solution to most of the Winchester's problems, which otherwise they would have solved beautifully by themselves. I believe if he were not there, a lot more characters would have been brought on to the show. I like this show Winchesters Vs the World. That is what makes this show unique.
Am sorry to say, but, at this point of time on the show, the very character of Castiel, whom you claimed to bring fresh air has become very stale and withered and its high time he leaves the show or at least play only a limited and an important role. So, I am happy with this arrangement about Castiel - 10 episodes apporx and most of them in purgatory.
Cas is not a bit player and it looks like Crowley and Kevin won't be either. As to Sam and Dean they every year been the center of the show--with the most screen time and heroics by far.
I'm hoping that Sam's backstory has a little more to it than a girlfriend and "normal." While that's interesting for a few episodes, there needs to be more for this to last through a whole season. My theory is that Sam starts off as obsessed Mystery Spot Sam but something happens to make him realize that he's making the same mistakes again, and that's when he gives up on looking for Dean.
Coming to Case of the Week episodes, I don't want more than 6-8. And they should be spread evenly throughout the season not clustered together and also not completely isolated from the myth-arc.
I'd love proactive but I disagree that they were proactive in the earlier seasons. In seasons 1 and 2, the big bad was YED and they did very little to hunt him. John was the only one hunting YED in season 1 (except in the final few episodes), and in season 2, YED instigated the confrontation at the end. In season 3, Sam wanted to be proactive about saving Dean but the only way he knew how was to exercise his powers, and Dean was against that. In season 4, being proactive meant killing Lilith, and we know what that got them. In season 5 they were proactive when they started started hunting the horsemen and came up with the plan for Sam to jump into the cage. With the exception of season 5, being proactive was portrayed as a negative thing during the five-season arc. It meant questioning orders, disobeying your father, and using powers given to you by a demon.
As the for the MOTWs, Sam and Dean have always been proactive about hunting those - even in season 7.
i do not say that 'he is the only one who brings fresh air'. i said that there were necessarily for that and he did it. and in this case i do not understand your position - if your aren't against it (the dynamic) - so why not? why not give him this opportunity? and i just almost completely disagree with the rest of what you said.
I think the idea of the brother's becoming "proactive" is an interesting switch from what we've been hearing since the end of season 5, which was an attempt at returning to the roots of season 1. Which as all really reactive, somebody did a string of something bads, the boys or someone else found the clues and then they hunted it. It is a common enough thing, built into the innocent until proven guilty concept of the US legal structure. They would have to declare war on all monsters, ghosts, demons, witches, whatever, whether they'd done something or not to be able to be proactive. Which brings me to this discussion. Either it's open season on hunting everything or there wouldn't be many case of the weeks if the boys are to be more proactive. (I don't have a horse in this race, but I am intrigued by it.)
I am not against someone bringing fresh air. But I don't want it to be only Castiel - because I have never really liked that character since beginning and disliked him since season 5.
I would define the MOTW as reactive. They go after some"thing" that has already done a string of something bads...people have been disappearing here for 50 years, there was a string of murders, etc.
well, i got that you do not like him, that's the reason of all your words, actually. but it doesn't mean it would be good for the show and other fans not to see him in the plot.
No, you're wrong. Its the other way around actually. Because they were never really able him to give good plots nor excessive focus on the character did any good for the show, I don't like him.
Surprisingly Cas being in 8 episodes doesn't bother me. This is coming from someone who isn't a big fan of Cas' too. I think it is reasonable for him to be in that amount of season 8. I don't want him to be in any more than 8 episodes personally. I think 8 is the perfect number.
I mean more than just these type of personal questions. If the flashbacks are going to continue throughout the season and pull people in, they need to have more of a "story" to them than just character exploration. Otherwise people would get just as bored with them as I was with the Dean depression arc this season. There's only so many minutes you can spend on something like that.
well if you think 'they weren't really able to give him good plots' that's not the problem of the character itself, that's the way the writers and producers did their job. then there is a possibility it can be the same for any other/new character. and of course i want to see good plot too, so that's why i'm looking forward to the new season and characters, including Cas, mate.
I think that is the difference. When Crowley pops up there is a specific reason for it and it makes an impact. They usually use Crowley to further the story so it doesn't feel like they are just inserting him so he can be on to me. They need to use other guests to the same affect.
Yes, you are right using the classic definition of proactive. I am twisting proactive to mean that the brothers are in control of the hunting they do and not stuffed against the wall watching the action. They do react in a case of the week but they are central to finding, researching, and getting the job done.
As opposed to sitting in the van while Charlie gets the info they need. Sitting in a trailer while Frank gets the info they need. Getting threatened by Mensa Monster until Don zaps him with a spell. Watching from a hill while Cas takes out all the demons. Far too much of the Winchesters watching passively while others do the work/action in the last several years, not just the last 2. The story has gotten too epic and that to me takes away from the very human, heroic saga of Dean and Sam Winchester.
If this were any other fandom I'd be befuddled as to how one innocuous sentence could send so many people into a tizzy but this is Supernatural so I'm not surprised.
Okay, I see where you are going with that. (I said this somewhere in this maze, but I'm going to repeat, 'cause I'm all turned around). We've been hearing alot about going back to the "roots" of SPN and the boys in the car, but this "on a mission" thing sounds different in theme and structure. So I was wondering how the group liking the idea of "proactive" took that.
I think a treasure hunt season trying to out smart or out maneuver Crowley could be really fun. But I am one of those silly fans who think the boys need either powers (they can be spells) or toys to keep up with the baddies all around them, so I really liked how offensive Sam got when he could pull demons.
I hated where it ended up going and all the angst they tied to it. But I liked him being able to go out and DO something, save people. He wasn't always outmatched and dropping his weapon (they really should get that bungee).
Lot of good questions and lot of opportunities for a good character development. \o/
I can see Sam quit hunting as a result of a deal with the alpha vamp or someone else... (in exchange of some help to find/save Dean) Or I can see it as a logical step for him. If Sam has no clue where Dean is or believe him to be dead; it make sense he would go back to his normal life dream. That's what he asked of Dean at the end of sea5. I wouldn't see it as a betrayal.
I bet his romance end because, like Dean, his is too shaped by his hunter life to adapt to a white fence picket life anymore.
I think a lot of fans miss that story that goes throughout the season, we need it back! Also when I read save the seals I was like I didn't know Sam and Dean cared about animals that much... =P
haa don't fret about it, we all tend to be quite passionate ;-) You're very welcome to post here. We're just doing our best to keep spoilerTV a happy civilized place where everyone can voice his/her opinion
Again, Jeremy Carver made clear that it was his intention. he said something like: "the bros are on the offensive, and it's about something very dear and personal to them" :-) I think Carver has noticed some of the big mistakes of sea 6 and 7: lack of structured overall arc and lack of personal investment for the boys
same here. Sometimes I feel that it's a curse because I can't enjoy episodes without Cas as much as I did before he made his first grand entrance in 4x01
I don't really care the number of episodes he's in as long as it's quality time and there's no more crazy!Cas. I liked how Misha described Cas is gonna be on S8 so even if it's just 8 episodes, I'll be really happy. Though, off course, I wouldn't mind some more eps :P
Just because YOU have this opinion on Cas doesn't mean it is correct or that it is widely shared. IMO Cas has been great from the beginning and has added great support to tyhe boys. He adds a great flavor to the show. He doesn't interfere with the boys bond even though along with Bobby he has been a prominent part of the show,
There are a lot of people on BOTH sides of the Cas conundrum so yes both of your opinions are widely shared. It will be one of Carver's biggest challenges to try to please both sides. In all honesty when including the non-online Supernatural fans/newbies, my guess is it comes out about 25% pro-Cas, 25% anti-Cas, and 50% who cares just give me a great story.
My take is online fans aren't representative of the average, more casual offline fan. My guess with the average fan is they tend to like the whole show for the most part and don't dissect it with hates and loves like hardcore onliners...they watch because they enjoy the whole thing enough to keep watching. So the anti and pro sides of any character(Sam, Dean, Cas, Bobby or whoever) on SPN to me would be relatively small and on the extremes of fandom.
That is exactly what I find too. Things that cause amazing amounts of uproar online aren't even thought about with offline fan and they are often shocked when people bring those things up. The biggest one is the supposed 5 season arc that they just don't see or are even bothered by. The second is the character wars. New fans and offline fans don't seem to care who gets what story line, how much they are onscreen, secondary characters' arcs, etc. I think it is a shame that the writers seem to be swayed by the online fandom when the vast majority of Supernatural watchers aren't vocal. Write to the middle and let the chips fall where they are. It would certainly fall in line with what the CW wants - male viewers in the demo age. Supernatural is the CW's most male watched show according to Pedowitz. The online fans are overwhelmingly female. Maybe it's time to listen to those male fans instead.
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yay i glad misha will be back can't wait for the new season to start
ReplyDeleteyaaaay go misha <33333 your minions can't wait to see you ♥
ReplyDelete8 im sorry but that is just not enough for me i need my fix of cas and this doesnt even come close to satisfying me
ReplyDelete8 is good. It's what I consider my minimum acceptable number. But there's an option for more, and I'm hoping we get more.
ReplyDeleteOh yeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaah ♥
ReplyDeleteWHAT? NONONONONONONON ONLY 8? SOBBING FOREVER TILL THE END OF FUCKING TIME. NONO HE HAS TO BE IN AT LEAST 20 EPISODES. ;_______________;
ReplyDelete8 is great! I like it.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the source for this info? Personally i'm hoping for a bunch more than 8 episodes of Cas.
ReplyDelete8 episodes is more than 1/3 of the season. That is a lot for a guest character.
ReplyDeleteStill less than the 12-14 he's been in before. (keeping fingers crossed for more)
ReplyDeleteI'm also hoping that if it is only 8, the the episodes that he's in have good strong character stuff and he's not just playing an expository/plot device role. (and I think there's good reason to believe that, based on what Carver said about there being three strong storylines this season).
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/cadlymack/status/229991065728462849
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/cadlymack/status/229996496433590273
https://twitter.com/cadlymack/status/229991065728462849
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/07/10-spoilers-castiel-supernatural-nikita-vampire-diaries.html
for some reason the links aren't posting... but Carina MacKenzie's twitter and zap2it.
ReplyDeleteThat's more than enough for that teeny tiny character.
ReplyDeleteAll I hope is they give a good and an important role, unlike last few episodes of 7th season. I hope he somehow snaps out of that craziness soon. He's intolerable in his crazy version! More importantly his appearance shouldn't look like fan service.
ReplyDeleteTbh I had hoped for more. Better than last season, but not as good as season 4-6. Hopefully he'll at least appear for more than two minutes in an episode and has a good storyline. Though the good storyline is something I want for all important characters, really.
ReplyDeleteThat's great,even though I wouldn't mind seeing him a little more.But since they said "at least" fingers crossed that the number will move up to 10 or something.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest,I just want a good storyline.I can live with the rest.
The real quote from zapit says MINIMUM of 8 episodes--with an option for MORE. I hope it's more. Cas is a major supporting character.
ReplyDeleteBut I am not happy with more than 10 for a character like Castiel. Other wise as usual, he obscures the other guest stars and also eclipse the Winchesters and Bobby.
ReplyDeleteThanks I looked at that--it says Cas has an option for more than 8 episodes. That is good--more than 8.
ReplyDeleteThing is,as far as characters go Castiel is in the same league as Bobby.It's normal for him to be shown more than the guest stars,especially since he's a part of the major storyline.
ReplyDeleteI read that. We will have to agree to disagree on this being good news. I am however willing to wait until I actually see the episodes and where this story line is going before decrying that season 8 is going to suck out loud. :-P I remain ever hopeful.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know what show you're watching that you think that happens.
ReplyDeleteThat is what exactly I am opposing. I want various characters to play a role in the major story-line not only Castiel. Of course, Castiel is the frontrunner for all the guest stars.
ReplyDeleteI would say 8-10 is a good range. I want Cas back and for him to have a decent storyline, but I also want the show to go back to a pretty even split between focusing on Sam and Dean's stories. And to be frank, Cas has been mostly associated with Dean's stories. In the past few seasons, Bobby and Cas have been in about 11-14 episodes each, and that's felt a little too heavy at times. I'd like to see Sam and Dean mix it up with more new characters.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with you!
ReplyDeleteThere are always a bunch of guest stars even when Cas is used 10 to 16 episodes or so. So Cas and for that matter Bobby doesn't hurt the guests or the boys. They are support and there is a bunch of room for others.
ReplyDeleteOut of 23, i'd like Cas in 12 to 18. Such a great character just adds agreat flavor to SPN and the boys.
ReplyDeleteOkay then.I actually prefer the opposite,but if that's the way you feel I can see why you think 8 is a lot.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope that the season progresses in a way that doesn't (majorly) disappoint anyone.I'm sure they can work with both Cas and other guests. : )
Exactly, 10 episodes of castiel is a perfect solution for that.
ReplyDeleteForgive my ignorance, MIsha Collins isn't considered a regular? Is/Was Jim Beaver?
ReplyDeleteIn all fairness he could literally be in only a few minutes in a lot of those episodes. I suspect that will be the case in the first half of the season at least. The flashbacks are going to be plentiful during the season but not neccessarily plentiful during an episode.
ReplyDeletenot to mention at times Cas just popped up for fairly insignificant short scenes. Cas appearing in lots of episodes doesn't mean lots of Cas appearing in an episode.
ReplyDeleteJim Beaver was never contracted as a regular character. He always maintained guest status. Misha is at guest status now but he was at recurring status in season 6, which is why they had so many episodes where Cas flies in and then disappears. They had to reach a quota of number of episodes he appeared in according to the rules of recurring status.
ReplyDeleteCas seems to replace Dean's story lately. Dean is always reacting to Cas or Sam's story.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping this is not the case in S8, but I'd never bet the farm, because a Dean fan knows to guard their back, when hoping for SPN.
Yes--I suspect they do what they always do. In some episodes there will be Cas for a short time while in others he'll be there for a more lengthly time.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if that is the case also. If they are going to have flash backs in most of the early episodes and it sounds like they will, it makes sense that Cas would be in those. The question becomes whether Cas knows of Benny, what his reaction is, and if he's around for that to be an issue in the real timeline. If Dean is indeed hiding Benny from Sam, that means Cas is either absent or complicit in the secret.
ReplyDeleteI was fine with crazy Cas for a couple of episodes and I thought he had a good role the last couple episodes and was integral to the action. That said it's time to move away from Crazy Cas now and towards normal Cas.
ReplyDeleteMisha has said in other interviews that Cas will be more like he was before in seasons 4 and 5, but more worldly and less naive then he was.
ReplyDeleteCas will most likely be associated with Dean's story again since he will appear in flashbacks of Purgatory for a while.
ReplyDeleteLiane Balaban has said she will be in Canada a lot these coming weeks, so we may see a little bit of what Sam was up to in the first few episodes. She filmed last week too. So it appears she'll be in the first 3 or 4 episodes at least. Good news if you're interested in Sam's storyline like I am.
I know what you mean but JC said Sam and Dean will be more proactive this season rather than reactive like the past few seasons.
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of 18 :)
ReplyDeleteit's a *minimum* of 8 and more is possible
ReplyDeleteMy guess is the Cas flashbacks arise because Sam asks Dean where/what happened to Cas-why he hasn't returned from Purgatory with Dean (it was said Cas wouldn't) we will then see what happened to Cas when he dissipated at the end of last season. But thats just a guess based on what little info I have.
ReplyDeleteThe flashbacks definitely seem like they will be in little bits in lots of episodes. As far as I can tell Amelia will be in the first 3 episodes so far.
I like the idea of the flashbacks being told in small snatches allowing the story to unfold a little at a time.
there are usually only around 3/4 episodes a season that are Cas heavy (not centric though I suspect we'll see at least 1 of those) the rest feature him in relatively small amounts.
ReplyDeletethat doesn't mean he has to be in 8 episodes or more it just means they have the option to use him if needed for that many episodes with an option to extend if needed. They tend to put a number on it for contractual purposes.
ReplyDeleteI think Pedowitz is saying Misha will for SURE be in 8 episodes--but anymore then YES I agree that is up in the air. My gut says they will go beyond the minimum of 8. But we shall see.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. These flashbacks are a good way to tell what happened without bogging down the present action. Little snippets of the past year woven in and out will strengthen the story the brothers face in present time, giving us insight into the decisions and the way they are dealing with things now. I like the idea. As for Cas, I can see him only being in flashbacks. Whether he made it out of Purgatory or not is yet to be seen, but I'm very much okay with using him sparingly if the focus is on the boys' quest as it should be. The best part about that is the Winchesters actually driving the story instead of just reacting to it. Looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteNot saying it is too many but they can do a lot in 8 episodes over the course of 23. I have often watched shows where a character I like isn't there for the episode and I don't even realize until the end because they focus on other things and you realize that character wouldn't have added anything more to the episode. I think it will be similar for this, when Cas is there we will enjoy it (as long as they are serious about him being back to regular...) but when they don't need him you don't miss him. I also think it will have more of an effect if he isn't there all the time... half of the reason we love Crowley is because we never know when he will appear.
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty with the exception of it being renewed for season 8, this is the best information that has come out about s8 so far. They need to be proactive. They need to be great hunters again. They need to stop having everything happening TO them or standing around watching things happen. There are a lot of spoilers about season 8 I am not crazy about but the one that gives me the most hope is learning they are going to be proactive from episode one. Now I just need to spoiler to come out that neither brother is going to be in depressed, "gloom and doom", "woe is me" mood to go with a lessening of the overwhelming mytharc to have the triple crown of good news.
ReplyDeleteOkay, good to know. Thank you for explaining it to me.
ReplyDeleteBut the 'minimum' could just be one scene or so in an ep, so we can still hope he's not just thrown in for no reason other than just being there. I've actually like most of what I've heard about the way the season is unfolding so far. I really like JC stating the boys are going on the offensive and they're getting back to having a 'mission' for the season.
ReplyDeleteSeason 1: Find Dad
Season 2: Find the YED
Season 3: Save Dean
Season 4: Save the seals
Season 5: Stop Lucifer/Apocalypse.
Then came season 6 which was convoluted; Meet the Campbells/Find Sam's soul/Alpha Hunt/Mother of All/and finally the actual plot Crowley and Cas' Purgatory plan.
And season 7: Leviathons... but we didn't really get much of them since Frank and others were 'working on it' behind the scenes and Dean and Sam did very little to annoy or even hunt Dick Roman. So having them with a clear cut purpose for the season (which I believe is to find a powerful object) with the side stories of Sam's year alone, Dean's year in Purgatory and the events that unfold about both, looks promising to me.
If episode one opens with them as they first reunite from Dean's Purgatory stint (and I haven't heard anything that says it will), it would make a lot of sense for Sam to ask what Dean went through. If it opens a little later, it would make more sense for the flash backs to be tied to the case/quest they are on. This format of storytelling will be more challenging but I think the end will pay off big. I hadn't heard anything official about Cas not returning from Purgatory with Dean. I can't believe that he would still be in Purgatory if Dean is out unless Dean and Cas end up being antagonists in Purgatory. I'm good if Cas is on a rounding up the angels universe-wide tour to explain his absence. It makes sense and keeps us from a backseat of the Impala deal.
ReplyDelete"The best part about that is the Winchesters actually driving the story instead of just reacting to it."
ReplyDeleteThis is the best thing so far to me too. By far the most frustrating thing for me since mid season 4 to be honest is the tendency for the Winchesters to be sidelined in their own story. By making the mytharc so far above a human's ability to take on the story by themselves, they have turned the Winchesters from capable, strong hunters to puppets manipulated by powerful beings and way too often watching the events as they unfold instead of being the catalyst. I want my smart, strong, self-reliant hunters back this year.
I am not able to figure out what exactly proactive means? Can you kindly take time to explain me so that even I can share your excitement? Thank you.
ReplyDeletelol, that's just stupid. you definitely haven't watched almost half of the show. you just so much want to tell something like that, and it's almost pathetic. seems like it makes no sense for you to bother about current situation.
ReplyDeleteI agree. The mission is exciting but proactive hunters even more so. I like the idea that they are actively and personally tied to the season's mytharc. As long as it doesn't turn into the brothers being bystanders in yet another cosmic battle between angels and demons, I'm good. I had enough of that dynamic by the time season 5 began.
ReplyDeleteIf you love the character I can understand that however if like me who never took to him and his presence recently has becone grating rather than interesting then 8 is enough.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it is finding a balance .
While you most definitely have the right to your own opinion, SpoilerTV frowns on personal attacks like "stupid" and "pathetic". Instead try explaining why you disagree based on the show and the characters. Personal attacks are likely to get flagged and then pulled from the discussion. SpoilerTV is not like other websites Supernatural fans gather.
ReplyDeleteGeneral reminder since things could get pretty intense in the next few weeks on Supernatural threads here: If personal attacks and flame wars begin, instead of commenting back and inciting a bigger issue hover over the comment that is inappropriate. On the right side, you will see a down arrow appear. Click on it and flag it as inappropriate. This lets the moderators know that the comment is not appropriate for the SpoilerTV community, which prides itself on discussion instead of attack. Thus it is more effective than continuing the discussion or using the down vote.
ReplyDeletei do not want attack anyone. i mean that's completely not the case of the show. and i think that's very strange to think that way. that's it.
ReplyDeletePlease read my other comments on this thread. I have explained my views. This was just my initial reaction.
ReplyDeletehighly unlikely
ReplyDeleteto some people Cas is insignificant, just because you dont think so doesnt mean others dont see him as such. In all honestly there are only 2 characters this show can not survive without SAM and DEAN without them there is no show. The show will go on with or without Cas.
ReplyDeleteProactive means that the brothers will be actively working on the mission and causing things to happen. For example, last year the brothers were the complete opposite of proactive. They relied on Frank to find clues about the Leviathans and Bobby to find a way to kill them but they did very little about the Leviathans themselves. It was a case of the bad guys being too big for the human story again. Compared to say season 1 when the brothers were by a large proactive. They found the cases, researched, figured out what monster they were dealing with, and then killed said monster themselves. I'm not saying that they have to go back to a season one monster of the week mentality (although I am not opposed to that myself) but they do need to make the brothers the central means of taking out the bad guys again.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't having Sam and Dean acting more "proactively" necessarily mean fewer case of the week episodes, because those are, by nature, reactionary?
ReplyDeleteI think it would mean really emphasizing the quest mytharc they are talking about. Which might feel like a departure from the usual (or even classic) plot structure.
I am happy with this. But, I am more happier this time they fight for something personal and they are connected to the case.
ReplyDeleteto me this sounds like a very Dean and Sam heavy season, both have their own stories to tell and have their joint hunt/quest ties to the mythology. If done right it should work out that all the other characters Benny, Amelia, Cas, Kevin, Crowley, Garth and many others I assume are bit part players that contribute to these stories but don't drive the stories.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested to know how many episodes Mark Sheppard will be in this season, with the Winchesters and Crowley having a common goal this season I hope we see lots of him. I quite like it when Crowley pops up in an episode even if not for very long, his screen time is always well thought out and affective.
Best news of the day! Misha will be in MINIMUM eight episodes! O my Cas! I'm so happy right now \o/
ReplyDeletenot if the case of the week is them going after something they want (pro-actively) that is tied to the quest of the season?
ReplyDeleteyes, thank you. i know that it will go on with or without Cas. but the point - would it be interesting to watch at only 2 characters for several years in a row and their relationships with each other. come on, they are two grown man. they can have others characters by their side. and that's exactly what Cas did. he brings fresh air and more dynamic. and became great part of the storyline. what's wrong with that? so i would rather see him in more episodes. for good.
ReplyDeletesame here. Loved Crazy Cas but I will be happy to see the badass warrior of the lord back :-)
ReplyDeleteIf Cas is part of the main plot/arc, the more the better! :-)
ReplyDeleteHe is the size of a chrystler building...far from tiny \o/
ReplyDeleteWe're overdue for a season in which Dean has something personal going on that's more interesting than depression and in which Sam gets to participate in the telling of his own story.
ReplyDeleteExactly! If Cas is integrated to the main plot/arc and if he has his own character arc; I will be very happy :-)
ReplyDeleteSo they are looking for an "arc of the covenant" for lack of better term, and they go to this town to find a clue, and they also find a bunch of cursed objects they need to take care of?
ReplyDeleteI <3 Crowley. (I worry if he is the "big bad" that they will kill him.)
ReplyDeletewould not surprise me if Liane Balaban is on roughly the same number of episodes too.
ReplyDeleteI had this discussion like some 100 times.
ReplyDeleteBut let me tell you one thing. For the five seasons I did enjoy the brotherly love a lot. I felt the pain of the brothers, cried along with them and was never really bothered about Castiel. Back then I never posted online or read I never considered him even to be an important character and I was surprised to see the importance he was given on fan pages in Facebook and also message boards.
I am sure there are a lot like me. I don't agree that he is the ONLY one who brings fresh air. A lot of characters has got the potential to do that. Castiel's overuse in Supernatural has only been bad for the show. It changed the very fabric of the show and he became a last minute boring solution to most of the Winchester's problems, which otherwise they would have solved beautifully by themselves. I believe if he were not there, a lot more characters would have been brought on to the show. I like this show Winchesters Vs the World. That is what makes this show unique.
Am sorry to say, but, at this point of time on the show, the very character of Castiel, whom you claimed to bring fresh air has become very stale and withered and its high time he leaves the show or at least play only a limited and an important role. So, I am happy with this arrangement about Castiel - 10 episodes apporx and most of them in purgatory.
Cas is not a bit player and it looks like Crowley and Kevin won't be either. As to Sam and Dean they every year been the center of the show--with the most screen time and heroics by far.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that Sam's backstory has a little more to it than a girlfriend and "normal." While that's interesting for a few episodes, there needs to be more for this to last through a whole season. My theory is that Sam starts off as obsessed Mystery Spot Sam but something happens to make him realize that he's making the same mistakes again, and that's when he gives up on looking for Dean.
ReplyDeleteComing to Case of the Week episodes, I don't want more than 6-8. And they should be spread evenly throughout the season not clustered together and also not completely isolated from the myth-arc.
ReplyDeleteBut unfortunately built on a weak foundation without doors and windows - just for the sake of being built!! Let us stop it here.
ReplyDeleteThat sucks i was hoping he would be in more than that but will take what we can get
ReplyDeleteI'd love proactive but I disagree that they were proactive in the earlier seasons. In seasons 1 and 2, the big bad was YED and they did very little to hunt him. John was the only one hunting YED in season 1 (except in the final few episodes), and in season 2, YED instigated the confrontation at the end. In season 3, Sam wanted to be proactive about saving Dean but the only way he knew how was to exercise his powers, and Dean was against that. In season 4, being proactive meant killing Lilith, and we know what that got them. In season 5 they were proactive when they started started hunting the horsemen and came up with the plan for Sam to jump into the cage. With the exception of season 5, being proactive was portrayed as a negative thing during the five-season arc. It meant questioning orders, disobeying your father, and using powers given to you by a demon.
ReplyDeleteAs the for the MOTWs, Sam and Dean have always been proactive about hunting those - even in season 7.
i do not say that 'he is the only one who brings fresh air'. i said that there were necessarily for that and he did it. and in this case i do not understand your position - if your aren't against it (the dynamic) - so why not? why not give him this opportunity? and i just almost completely disagree with the rest of what you said.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of the brother's becoming "proactive" is an interesting switch from what we've been hearing since the end of season 5, which was an attempt at returning to the roots of season 1. Which as all really reactive, somebody did a string of something bads, the boys or someone else found the clues and then they hunted it. It is a common enough thing, built into the innocent until proven guilty concept of the US legal structure. They would have to declare war on all monsters, ghosts, demons, witches, whatever, whether they'd done something or not to be able to be proactive. Which brings me to this discussion. Either it's open season on hunting everything or there wouldn't be many case of the weeks if the boys are to be more proactive. (I don't have a horse in this race, but I am intrigued by it.)
ReplyDeleteI am not against someone bringing fresh air. But I don't want it to be only Castiel - because I have never really liked that character since beginning and disliked him since season 5.
ReplyDeletei am sorry if i offended anyone it was not the intention. just my feelings...
ReplyDeleteI would define the MOTW as reactive. They go after some"thing" that has already done a string of something bads...people have been disappearing here for 50 years, there was a string of murders, etc.
ReplyDeletewell, i got that you do not like him, that's the reason of all your words, actually. but it doesn't mean it would be good for the show and other fans not to see him in the plot.
ReplyDeleteobviously there must be more to Sams story
ReplyDeletewhen and why did he quit hunting?
when and how did he meet Amelia?
more importantly why arent they together at the start of the season?
how does it change/affect Sam?
theres plenty to go on if you think about it for flashbacks and for furthering the storyline later in the season
No, you're wrong. Its the other way around actually. Because they were never really able him to give good plots nor excessive focus on the character did any good for the show, I don't like him.
ReplyDeleteTrue enough. I guess being truly pro-active means going after their enemies before those enemies have a chance to strike.
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly Cas being in 8 episodes doesn't bother me. This is coming from someone who isn't a big fan of Cas' too. I think it is reasonable for him to be in that amount of season 8. I don't want him to be in any more than 8 episodes personally. I think 8 is the perfect number.
ReplyDeleteI mean more than just these type of personal questions. If the flashbacks are going to continue throughout the season and pull people in, they need to have more of a "story" to them than just character exploration. Otherwise people would get just as bored with them as I was with the Dean depression arc this season. There's only so many minutes you can spend on something like that.
ReplyDeletewell if you think 'they weren't really able to give him good plots' that's not the problem of the character itself, that's the way the writers and producers did their job. then there is a possibility it can be the same for any other/new character.
ReplyDeleteand of course i want to see good plot too, so that's why i'm looking forward to the new season and characters, including Cas, mate.
I think that is the difference. When Crowley pops up there is a specific reason for it and it makes an impact. They usually use Crowley to further the story so it doesn't feel like they are just inserting him so he can be on to me. They need to use other guests to the same affect.
ReplyDeleteI want him to be the Big Bad. I just want it to take 3 years to kill him. He can be the YED of Carver's years.
ReplyDeleteYes, you are right using the classic definition of proactive. I am twisting proactive to mean that the brothers are in control of the hunting they do and not stuffed against the wall watching the action. They do react in a case of the week but they are central to finding, researching, and getting the job done.
ReplyDeleteAs opposed to sitting in the van while Charlie gets the info they need. Sitting in a trailer while Frank gets the info they need. Getting threatened by Mensa Monster until Don zaps him with a spell. Watching from a hill while Cas takes out all the demons. Far too much of the Winchesters watching passively while others do the work/action in the last several years, not just the last 2. The story has gotten too epic and that to me takes away from the very human, heroic saga of Dean and Sam Winchester.
If this were any other fandom I'd be befuddled as to how one innocuous sentence could send so many people into a tizzy but this is Supernatural so I'm not surprised.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I see where you are going with that. (I said this somewhere in this maze, but I'm going to repeat, 'cause I'm all turned around). We've been hearing alot about going back to the "roots" of SPN and the boys in the car, but this "on a mission" thing sounds different in theme and structure. So I was wondering how the group liking the idea of "proactive" took that.
ReplyDeleteI think a treasure hunt season trying to out smart or out maneuver Crowley could be really fun. But I am one of those silly fans who think the boys need either powers (they can be spells) or toys to keep up with the baddies all around them, so I really liked how offensive Sam got when he could pull demons.
Sam's demon blood powers was by far my least favorite story line so we're going to be on opposite sides with this one.
ReplyDeleteI hated where it ended up going and all the angst they tied to it. But I liked him being able to go out and DO something, save people. He wasn't always outmatched and dropping his weapon (they really should get that bungee).
ReplyDeleteLot of good questions and lot of opportunities for a good character development. \o/
ReplyDeleteI can see Sam quit hunting as a result of a deal with the alpha vamp or someone else... (in exchange of some help to find/save Dean)
Or I can see it as a logical step for him. If Sam has no clue where Dean is or believe him to be dead; it make sense he would go back to his normal life dream. That's what he asked of Dean at the end of sea5.
I wouldn't see it as a betrayal.
I bet his romance end because, like Dean, his is too shaped by his hunter life to adapt to a white fence picket life anymore.
GREAT! More Castiel is always good.
ReplyDeleteI ALWAYS MISS CAS WHEN HE ISN'T THERE. A L W A Y S.
ReplyDeleteI miss season 4 and 5 Cas!
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of fans miss that story that goes throughout the season, we need it back! Also when I read save the seals I was like I didn't know Sam and Dean cared about animals that much... =P
ReplyDeletewe're like raving spoilers-eating pirhanas XD
ReplyDeletehaa don't fret about it, we all tend to be quite passionate ;-) You're very welcome to post here.
ReplyDeleteWe're just doing our best to keep spoilerTV a happy civilized place where everyone can voice his/her opinion
me too :-)
ReplyDeletea girl can hope ;-)
ReplyDeleteas jeremy Carver said: this year, the bros are on the offensive \o/
ReplyDeleteAgain, Jeremy Carver made clear that it was his intention. he said something like: "the bros are on the offensive, and it's about something very dear and personal to them" :-)
ReplyDeleteI think Carver has noticed some of the big mistakes of sea 6 and 7: lack of structured overall arc and lack of personal investment for the boys
totally agree with this :-)
ReplyDeletesame here. Sometimes I feel that it's a curse because I can't enjoy episodes without Cas as much as I did before he made his first grand entrance in 4x01
ReplyDeletethat's eight ep. MINIMUM. We can hope for more. If not, it will always be better than his too rare apparitions in sea7 ;-)
ReplyDeleteI hope it's more too. I think it will be. :)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds good. I was actually hoping for at least 8. If we get more yay, but I can live with 8. :)
ReplyDeletetrue it dose build up suspense while waiting to see him pop up again
ReplyDeleteI don't really care the number of episodes he's in as long as it's quality time and there's no more crazy!Cas. I liked how Misha described Cas is gonna be on S8 so even if it's just 8 episodes, I'll be really happy. Though, off course, I wouldn't mind some more eps :P
ReplyDeleteJust because YOU have this opinion on Cas doesn't mean it is correct or that it is widely shared. IMO Cas has been great from the beginning and has added great support to tyhe boys. He adds a great flavor to the show. He doesn't interfere with the boys bond even though along with Bobby he has been a prominent part of the show,
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of people on BOTH sides of the Cas conundrum so yes both of your opinions are widely shared. It will be one of Carver's biggest challenges to try to please both sides. In all honesty when including the non-online Supernatural fans/newbies, my guess is it comes out about 25% pro-Cas, 25% anti-Cas, and 50% who cares just give me a great story.
ReplyDeleteMy take is online fans aren't representative of the average, more casual offline fan. My guess with the average fan is they tend to like the whole show for the most part and don't dissect it with hates and loves like hardcore onliners...they watch because they enjoy the whole thing enough to keep watching. So the anti and pro sides of any character(Sam, Dean, Cas, Bobby or whoever) on SPN to me would be relatively small and on the extremes of fandom.
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly what I find too. Things that cause amazing amounts of uproar online aren't even thought about with offline fan and they are often shocked when people bring those things up. The biggest one is the supposed 5 season arc that they just don't see or are even bothered by. The second is the character wars. New fans and offline fans don't seem to care who gets what story line, how much they are onscreen, secondary characters' arcs, etc. I think it is a shame that the writers seem to be swayed by the online fandom when the vast majority of Supernatural watchers aren't vocal. Write to the middle and let the chips fall where they are. It would certainly fall in line with what the CW wants - male viewers in the demo age. Supernatural is the CW's most male watched show according to Pedowitz. The online fans are overwhelmingly female. Maybe it's time to listen to those male fans instead.
ReplyDeleteGreat, 8 episodes I can skip.
ReplyDeleteThis pleases me greatly.
ReplyDelete