When
I heard that Jeremy Carver was leaving Supernatural
to be showrunner of the American version of Being
Human, I was happy for him, but knew that I would miss his voice on Supernatural, especially as we were
losing Eric Kripke at that time too. In fact, I’d hoped that either Carver or
Ben Edlund would be the one to take over the reins. So, when I heard Carver was
coming back to Supernatural as
showrunner for season 8 (and hopefully 9 and 10!), I was ecstatic and my
excitement has built all summer. With the season premiere looming, I thought it
might be an interesting exercise to see if we can predict where Jeremy Carver
takes the story of the Winchester brothers based on where he’s taken them in
the past. So in preparation of season eight’s kickoff on Supernatural’s new Wednesday night timeslot, here’s a quick look at
the episodes that Carver wrote for the series during seasons three, four, and
five.
Carver penned four episodes in each
of the seasons he was with the show. Many of his episodes are centered firmly
on themes of family. He has a terrific sense of the brotherly bond between Dean
and Sam and how problematic that can be. He’s also written two of the most
important Trickster episodes, including the “Changing Channels” in which we
learn that the Trickster is actually Gabriel, the archangel. Carver has also
written a number of great Castiel episodes. And Carver gets the nod for
introducing Sheriff Jody Mills. I would love a season that saw all three of
these characters return and have a story arc, or at least touch the boys’
lives.
Carver’s first episode was “Sin
City.” This episode demonstrates a number of strengths. Both Dean and Sam are
competent hunters, each in their own right as Dean traps demon Casey and Sam
ultimately rescues him. Both the brothers come across as intelligent and their
bond is clearly strong here even while Dean’s deal hovers over them. The
episode contains a great stand alone character in Richie. The episode also
contains a lot of exposition about the true identity of the Yellow-eyed Demon,
whose name is Azazel, and what Dean can expect when his deal is up. Carver
manages to keep the action going and our attention as the information is
delivered. One of the really interesting themes of this episode is that the
demons don’t claim responsibility for the evil that is occurring in the town.
They claim to have only encouraged the spread of gambling and prostitution and
it was the natural human instincts that the townspeople demonstrated that
caused most of the evil. I may be wrong – I’m sure someone will correct me in
the comments if I am – but I think
this episode is the first time we hear the word “ganked” used as slang for
killed...
“A Very Supernatural Christmas”
unfolds in both the present and the past, providing a glimpse into a very
important Christmas of the brothers’ childhood. In the part of the story told
in the past, Sam learns for the first time what his father really does and what
really lurks in the shadows. We also learn the story behind the amulet that
Dean has worn for the entire series and why he treasures it. Sam gave it to
Dean on the Christmas instead of giving it to John as he’d originally planned.
In the present, Dean wants to celebrate Christmas even though they usually
don’t because it will be his last Christmas before being sent to Hell. Sam at
first resists, but in the end, he gives Dean the Christmas he wants. Once
again, the brothers make a formidable hunting team, bringing down the pagan
gods responsible for the local deaths. The theme running strongly through this
episode is once again family and the bond between the brothers, the past
storyline emphasizing how Dean has always looked out for Sam.
“Mystery Spot” is one of the most
popular episodes from season three. It cleverly unfolds like Groundhog Day. There is plenty of humor
as Dean dies over and over again: death by bad taco, electrocution, car, ax,
vicious golden retriever. And then the story actually does turn dark as we see
what happens to Sam when he loses his brother. The Trickster tells Sam that the
lesson is that he may have to simply let his brother go when his deal is up.
Sam still doesn’t want to hear it though, and as we see in season four, Sam
does end up doing things that lead down the wrong path. Carver demonstrates his
turn for humor in this episode as well as an eye for the long story arc.
In “Long Distance Caller”, Carver
presents a great monster of the week in the Crocotta. Once again the episode
focuses on family. As Dean’s deal looms ever closer, Dean is willing to believe
that John Winchester is calling from the grave to try to save his son. One of
the best scenes in the episode has Dean on the phone with what he thinks is his
dad, while Sam is sleeping in the other room. It’s telling that John berates
Dean for making the deal, criticizing him. Dean tries to explain that he was
simply looking out for his brother just as John had repeatedly told him to do.
In season four, Carver wrote “In the
Beginning”, the first time travel episode in which Castiel takes Dean back in
time to see his mother and father. Once again, the theme is family. Dean is
shocked to learn that his mother came from a hunting family. Dean learns that
Mary wanted her children to have nothing to do with the hunting life. Dean’s
presence appears to bring Mary to the attention of the Yellow-eyed Demon,
however. This episode also raises the question of free will versus destiny as
it seems that Mary was fated to have her sons involved in the hunting life, and
Dean was unable to affect the past to prevent Mary from going in the nursery in
1983 and dying. Dean was willing to sacrifice all the people they’d saved if it
meant he could save his parents. Castiel, however, says he could never have
changed the past, but he had to know about what happened to Sam.
“Family Remains” is possibly
Carter’s least appreciated episode. It does, however, raise some interesting
themes. It centers around a family that hid its inbred children in the
basement. After a life of torture, the children have turned murderous. Dean is
just coming to terms with his time in Hell, when he was forced to become a
torturer in order to save himself from further torture. For this reason, Dean
is able to empathize with the human monsters in this episode. Many viewers
didn’t like the episode because they felt that the hunt wasn’t handled well,
and many were unsatisfied with Dean’s revelation that he actually came to enjoy
torturing people. Of course, the fact that Dean is clearly tormented by this
fact even as he confesses it to Sam seems to undermine how much real enjoyment
he actually gleaned.
“Death Takes a Holiday” sees the
return of Alastair to torment Dean. We also see Sam gaining in power. Pamela
Barnes returns to help the brothers only to be killed. She warns Sam about the
darkness that is growing in him while Tessa the reaper warns Dean that there
are unpleasant things ahead for him and that he should be listen to his own
instincts that the angels aren’t really interested in helping him. Carter
demonstrates the ability to seamlessly incorporate a number of characters
keeping them true to previously established characterizations. This episode
also examines the theme of death and the natural order.
In “The Rapture”, Carter once again
provides us with a rich back story: this time for Castiel. We learn the story
of Jimmy and his family, and how Jimmy came to be Castiel’s vessel. In the end,
Jimmy sacrifices himself for his daughter. This episode also sees Sam’s
addiction to demon blood finally coming to the surface.
In “Free to Be You and Me”, Sam and
Dean split up after Dean confesses he can’t trust Sam. Dean continues to hunt,
but Sam tries to leave the life. In the end, Lucifer comes to Sam in a dream,
trying to seduce him by using Jess, and hunters try to get Sam to drink demon
blood to help them. Meanwhile, Castiel has conscripted Dean to help him capture
Archangel Raphael. There is a lot of humor as Dean substitutes Cas for Sam and
tries to get him laid at a brothel. Dean has obviously grown very close to
Castiel as he’s grown apart from his brother. The episode soon turns serious,
however, as they succeed in trapping Raphael. Raphael believes God is dead and
wants to bring about the apocalypse. By the end of the episode, Dean tells
Castiel that he’s actually happier without the burden of having to look out for
and after his brother.
“Changing Channels” is perhaps one
of the best episodes of the entire run of Supernatural.
Carver is able to spoof almost every genre of television show on the air as the
Trickster locks the brothers in “television-land”. They are forced to play
parts on a Grey’s Anatomy show, a
Japanese game show, a sitcom, CSI Miami,
and Knight Rider. The entire series
of parodies are a tour de force. However, this episode also contains one of my
favorite speeches in the entire series. When the Trickster finally admits that
he is Gabriel, he exhibits the kind of insight into his own family that has allowed
him to provide such appropriate life lessons to others. One of the best moments
is when he draws the direct parallel between his own family and brothers and
the Winchesters and neither Dean nor Sam can see it. This episode touches
strongly on two of the recurring themes: family and free will versus destiny.
It has fantastic dialogue, humor, and drama.
In “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid,” we
are treated to some insight into Bobby’s past when his dead wife comes back
from the grave. In this episode, the bond between the boys and Bobby is
explored. Bobby’s dead wife, Karen, reveals how much she loves him, when she
confesses to Dean that she remembers Bobby killing her but won’t tell him
because her job as his wife is to bring him peace not pain. Dean tells her that
Bobby is like a father to them and they won’t let him be hurt. This is also the
first episode that we see Sheriff Jody Mills. She is tough and smart – one of
the best female characters in the entire run of the series.
Carver’s final episode for Supernatural was “Point of No Return” –
the 100th episode of the series. This episode sees Dean being
stopped from saying yes to Michael by Castiel and Sam. It also sees the angels
substitute Adam for Dean as Michael’s vessel. This episode sees Dean at his lowest
point and ready to give up. When Bobby confronts Dean he lashes out with the
most hurtful thing he can say to Bobby, which is ‘you aren’t my father.’
Castiel has to go after Dean and loses his temper with him, beating him up as
he berates Dean for giving up when Castiel has given up everything in the name
of the Winchester cause. What keeps Dean from ultimately giving in is Sam’s
faith in him not to. Dean and Sam try to save Adam – also their brother – but aren’t
able to by the end of the episode. Dean’s final words in the episode confirm
the importance of both family and free will: “I don’t know if it’s being a big
brother or what, but to me, you’ve always been this snot-nosed kid that I’ve
had to keep on the straight and narrow. I think we both know that’s not you
anymore. I mean, hell, if you’re grown up enough to find faith in me, the least
I can do is return the favor. So screw destiny right in the face. I say we take
the fight to them and do it our way.”
So, in season 8, with Jeremy Carver
running the show, I’m expecting to see family and the brotherly bond front and
center. I’m expecting there will be both humor and drama. I’m expecting well
delineated characters and terrific dialogue. I’m also expecting to see well
developed and thoughtful plots that are grounded in a solid foundation. I’m
hoping to see some old faces too. I’m more excited about this season than I
have been about one since both Carver and Kripke left. Come October 3 at 9pm, I’ll
be sitting in the dark waiting for some classic rock to start the next segment
of our journey...
Here’s
to Winchester Wednesday!
Streaming Options
