ArchivingSPN

(everything on this blog will be updated and revised as needed)

• About Us [click here]

Purpose - *purpose Summary - *summary

• Topics [click here]

SPN’s Main Theme - *SMT Cast and Crew Thoughts on Fandom/Shipping - *CCTOF Bi!Dean? - *bi!dean Destiel? - *destiel Romance? - *romance Codependency - *codependency Blaze of Glory - *BOG “Despair” Season 15 Episode 18 - *spn 15x18 Pandemic Changes to Finale - *PCTF Thoughts on Finale - *TOF Walker - *walker C/M saved the show? - c/m saved the show Meta Issues - *meta issues Queerbaiting? - *queerbaiting

Considering Topics: Stands - *Stands Creative Control - *CC Spinoff - *Spinoff Mergers and Acquisitions - *M&A

• Timeline [click here]

2005-2022 - 20??

• Persons of Interest [click here]

based mostly on their Imbd profiles

(...) “It was a success story — it was Dean’s success story,” Padalecki reflects on the “Supernatural” series finale. “This guy gave his life for years and years and years and ultimately gave his life to have his No. 1 on the planet live as normal a life as possible.”

Shot amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the “Supernatural” season finale was not a parade of beloved guest stars getting one last good-bye, but instead focused on the Winchester brothers who started it all (with one very special appearance by Jim Beaver). Padalecki confirms for Variety that there was no version he had read that revealed who Sam’s wife was in those flashes through his later years. In the episode, she is seen out of focus, from a long distance.

“I think it was very, very purposely ambiguous and strangely I agreed with that,” he says. “I feel like a lot of what Sam did after Dean died was almost in honor of what Dean would have wanted, and Dean would not have wanted his little brother to marry Eileen, Ruby, someone in the life.”

Padalecki and Ackles shot Dean’s death scene and Sam’s goodbye to him on Sept. 4, 2020. “That day sucked,” Padalecki says. “It was all day, just watching Dean die. Going through that was really awful.” Less than a week later duo was shot reuniting in heaven, on what was their final day — and the final shot — for the series overall. Five weeks after that, Padalecki truly set Sam aside to step into his new role as Cordell Walker, the titular Texas Ranger who is mourning the death of his wife (played by his real-life wife Genevieve Padalecki) on the reimagining of “Walker, Texas Ranger” that is simply titled “Walker.” (...) Because Walker is in such deep grief when the audience meets him, Padalecki says that his challenge in the first season is to just keep it all together and try to balance being a good law enforcement official with being a good father.

“If he was on a boat that went down, he’s still trying to figure out how to stay above water; he’s not even looking for the horizon yet. It’s, ‘How do I fucking stay alive? My wife is gone, she did everything. I’m passionate about my job and making the world safer, but I can’t do that and be a dad. I may get in trouble with my job if I fail but I may fail my kids.’ He’s just trying to tread water,” Padalecki says.

Therefore, “it’s not about romantically moving on, but it’s also not really about trying to figure out how to move on” at all, he continues.

Regardless of how long a run “Walker” ends up getting to have, Padalecki says the central component of the show will always be Walker “not as a Texas Ranger who happens to have a family man, but a family man who happens to be a Texas Ranger.”

But, to be clear, even after jumping from one 15-year run on a broadcast drama straight into another broadcast drama, Padalecki says he hopes “‘Walker’ goes longer than ‘Supernatural.'”

“I get to wake up in my house with my wife and kids everyday and go to bed in the same house; I have a vote on where the story heads, so that makes me feel a little bit safer; the crew’s amazing; I love this city [Austin, Texas] and I have for years; I love the story we’re telling,” he explains.

During those 15 years on “Supernatural,” its fandom, he says, helped him realize “we can make a connection with other human beings in the real world by telling a story on television about random strange things as long as the underlying heart is there.” And that is what he hopes to continue for as long as he can. (...)

In the spring of 2019, while Jared Padalecki was finishing shooting what would become the penultimate season of “Supernatural,” he began to sketch out an idea for his next project. After starring in the WB Network/CW drama alongside Jensen Ackles since 2005, Padalecki’s first thought was of continuing their partnership beyond that one show.

“I was tired of being on camera for 20 years straight,” he says. “I wanted to produce a show called ‘Walker’ starring Jensen Ackles.” (...) The idea came to Padalecki in his Vancouver trailer after reading an op-ed by a law enforcement official who walked away from duty rather than submit to separating migrant kids from their parents and putting them in cages, as was being asked of him. “I thought, ‘What an interesting person who struggles with what they are bound to do by duty and what they think they should do by their own moral compass,’” he explains.

From the beginning Padalecki knew he wanted his show to be about such an officer, and he knew he wanted to film in Austin, Texas, which is not only the headquarters of the Texas Rangers, but also where he and his family reside. It wasn’t until the extended producing team of Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore and showrunner Anna Fricke were in place that he realized he should star in it, too, because it was his “passion project.” Then “Walker” was truly born.

“The original [series] was this lawman who abides by his own rules, and he would just do head-spinning kicks on people, and obviously we can’t do that now; that would be laughably bad,” Padalecki says. “We don’t want the audience to ever know whether Walker is quote conservative or quote liberal, or quote Republican or quote Democrat. This version of ‘Walker,’ we play with the gray area: This is not a show about a martial artist kicking minorities in the face; this is a show about a legit Texan saying, ‘Hey, I need to hear the whole story before I make a decision.’ So this version is less about what goes through somebody’s fists and feet, and more about what goes through somebody’s head and heart.

”Padalecki’s character will therefore challenge some antiquated notions of what it takes to be tough. “I’m sure there are some MAGA hats who may be pissed off,” he notes, but he was “just in no way interested” in doing a show that leaned into toxically masculine tropes.

Even though CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz acknowledges the show is “a different flavor” for the network, he wanted it on his schedule because of “a five-letter word,” namely, Jared. “Jared had a desire to do this; we had a desire to support Jared — it was a good mix,” Pedowitz says. “If we’re going to expand what the brand is, it’s good to expand with a person who has represented the brand so well through his career.” (...) “I want [Jared] associated in some form with The CW, no matter how it goes. So if it went with this as he only wanted to be a producer, that would have been fine,” Pedowitz says.

For Padalecki, earning the privilege to help shepherd a show from inception to air — behind the scenes in addition to on-screen — has been a singular experience. “I can protect that original idea, but furthermore I get to try and make sure our cast and crew are treated correctly and that some of the habits that can happen on a TV show that end up hurting people don’t materialize,” he says. (...) The CW put “Walker” on its development slate in the fall of 2019, when filming was underway on the final season of “Supernatural.” The plan was to shoot a pilot in April, but when the pandemic hit, Pedowitz pivoted strategy quickly and ordered the show straight to series in January. “I think we would have wasted people’s time trying to do a pilot in COVID,” he says, adding that if a production is going to run the risk of shooting, the network should be prepared for a series greenlight. (...) In between takes on “Walker,” Padalecki wants to create a family vibe for his fellow cast and crew members, which is taking some figuring out since COVID-safe protocols limit interaction. When they call “Cut!” at the end of a long day of shooting, he gets to hop in his car and head home to his wife, Genevieve Padalecki (who will play Walker’s deceased wife, Emily, in the new show), and his three kids, Thomas, Austin and Odette. Now more than ever, he can be a part of setting that routine at work and at home.

“For so long I didn’t know what my life was outside of ‘Supernatural.’ I’m starting to figure it out now,” he says.

[Context: Due to covid restrictions there were no TCA’s for 2020-21.]

(...) Let’s pretend we’re at TCA: When will you bring Supernatural back? If they boys want to come back, we’re ready to have them. (Laughing.) (...) Last year, you went straight to series on Superman & Lois and Walker largely out of concerns that there could be a WGA strike. Why is this an attractive model for some development this year?

A lot of is dependent upon what we’re dealing with in terms of production needs with ongoing series in a sense. The other is what’s the economic impact. Bypassing pilots is short-term less money than going straight to series. We look at the economic impact and if we believe enough in these shows and that will determine the decision. (...) Speaking of the studio level, Warner Bros. is in the midst of a massive change as Channing Dungey is replacing Peter Roth. How does the changeover at Warners — which co-owns The CW alongside CBS Studios — impact the network? What kind of conversations have you had with Channing about their content pipeline since Warners is your main supplier? Peter and I had remarkable partnership and relationship, and that will be missed. Channing worked with me when I ran ABC Studios and we’ve known each other for a long time. She’s very supportive of The CW and the shows that go on The CW. There are shows she’d like to keep there and get on the air there. Obviously, her priorities may be a little different than Peter’s. We are all working toward the same goal. (...) The CW is a joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS Studios. Since both studios have prioritized their own studios, how much longer does it make sense for them to operate a linear network?

That’s a question for them. for the moment, both parent companies are happy with how this is set up. They recognize the value of The CW brand for selling their shows in digital aftermarket.

jensenackles: “Go get ‘em cowboy. @thecwwalker starts tonight starring this guy I know. @jaredpadalecki I better see some sweet roundhouse kicks!!!” - Jan 21, 2021

(...) Jared said in a meet and greet that this was Sam’s happiest moment in a way because it was what started him on the path that became so fulfilling for him, as he got back on the road with his brother. Having heard Dean’s confession of how terrified he was that Sam would turn him away, Sam showed up in clothes that evoked that moment, at the time when Dean would never have to worry about being without his brother again. Damn it, more tissues… (...) (...)When the finale script was read by the actors, Jensen Ackles wasn’t sure he could get his head around Sam and Dean dying, so he spoke to the person who he knew he could trust to give him a read on whether it really was a good ending – the man who created the characters and the show, Eric Kripke. After talking with Eric, he got it – and came to wholeheartedly support the ending.  (In fact, both Jared and Jensen have said that they count the finale as a favorite episode, perhaps the favorite). Shortly after Jensen’s chat with him, I had a chance to chat with Eric and I asked him what he’d said to make Jensen feel so much better. He didn’t spoil the ending, but he did remind me that Sam and Dean deserved “peace when they are done”. And the only way they could find peace is if it was no longer their mantra that “we got work to do”. As long as there were things to fight, the Winchesters would have work to do. Their peace, in other words, had to be on another plane of existence, one where there are no monsters. That’s what Sam and Dean found at the very end of Supernatural, in Heaven. And that’s beautifully full circle. (...) In their chapters in There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done, both Jared and Jensen talked about how important Sam and Dean are to them, and how even the end of the show won’t change that. Pretty sure alot of us can say the same. (...)

Context: On Dec 13, 2020 a fan started a conversation saying Jensen’s ad-lib lines in SPN 15x18 “Despair” had caused the Spanish translation “y yo a ti” . Narwhalltime’s (who had supposedly worked on the spn set) tweet about Dean’s “what are you talking about man?” line also not being in the script was quote-tweeted, which prompted Narwhalltime to respond:

TFW2pointO: “Jensen's ad-lib caused all this drama. 🤣 #supernatural #SPN ‘https://teamfreewillbettertogether.tumblr.com/post/637414660...′″- Dec 13, 2020

SimaCrofe: “The whole thing is blown out of proportion, I hope fandom will finally put it to rest. Do you know if "what are you talking about, man?" was a choice on Jensen's part too?” - 2:33 PM Dec 13, 2020

[source], [source]-tumblr post

TFW2pointO: “We believe so, but are looking for the final script in order to confirm. ‘narwhalltime: dont fucking tell me y'all really think the "what are you talking about, man?" line was actually scripted and not altered to make it sound more hetero AHAHAHAHAHAH i have to laugh #spn #destiel’“- Dec 13, 2020

narwhalltime: “I know the word “draft” can be misleading to people who don’t work in the industry, but scripts are always called drafts. There is no “final script”. They just release revisions and then change the “color” of the script/pages. Yes, white is the 1st color, but- “ - Dec 13, 2020

narwhalltime: “I believe the pages of that scene remained white til the shooting date” - 8:12 PM Dec 13, 2020

ced1694: “Misha also said he never thought the confession would happen either that they would make it real but he’s so happy they did #DLCONLINE #DarklightConventions” - 3:38pm Nov 8, 2020

[source]

mothdean: “how #DLCONLINE went down:

misha: it's a romantic love confession, i knew about it for a year, jensen 3 months i was worried what he'd say but we both agreed to do it. i thought it was so important. us: 📈📈📈 misha: in my interpretation its unrequited us: 📉📉📉📉” - 3:47 PM Nov 8, 2020

[source]

NorthernSprw: “From misha’s meet & greet re 18 and Cas’s ILY scene:

- he got chills when Bobo first pitched it to him last yr. Was thrilled

- never thought the show would go there

- yes, it is romantic love

- he has been playing it that way (romantic love) “for a while”, definitely all S15″ - Nov 8, 2020

NorthernSprw: - “Misha knew this scene was coming long before Jensen did

- he’s surprised there are people who still view Cas’s ILY speech as platonic, thinks “we made it pretty clear””- 3:49 PM Nov 8, 2020

[source]

NorthernSprw: “- he agrees though that there can be other interpretations. He almost wrote an op-ed about Cas & LGBT representation , but decided not to because he doesn’t want to decide viewers’ interpretations for them” - 3:49 PM Nov 8, 2020

[source]

NorthernSprw: “- he kind of thinks Dean does not feel romantic love back; but he interrupted himself here to say “I’m speculating”, & again made the point that he does not decide people’s interpretations; he wrapped up with “I don’t know what’s in Dean’s head. And Cas doesn’t know”“ - Nov 8, 2020

NorthernSprw: “- says, if Jensen had been against it, they wouldn’t have been able to do it. Said he actually can’t quite remember any details of how jensen initially reacted. But Jensen was on board w the scene, w the whole idea“ - 3:49 PM Nov 8, 2020

[source]

adoringcas: “Misha doesn’t think the Bury Your Gays trope will be the lasting point of “Castiel’s end.” He knows the intention of the crafting of the story wasn’t to embody that trope. #DLCONLINE“ - 3:54 PM Nov 8, 2020

[source]

adoringcas: “For people confused, I understood this as Misha believing Cas’ coming out and his confession will be the thing Cas’ death is remembered for, not the Bury Your Gays trope. He knows how much time and love and effort went into that scene #DLCONLINE ‘adoringcas: Misha doesn’t think the Bury Your Gays trope will be the lasting point of “Castiel’s end.” He knows the intention of the crafting of the story wasn’t to embody that trope. #DLCONLINE′” - 4:19 PM Nov 8, 2020

[source]

SoundsOfSeries: “#INFOSOS SPOILER Ruth was live tweeting about episode 18 but she stopped when the scene happened because she was in tears because of Misha's acting. She said it all finally made sense. #DLCOnline” - 4:49 PM Nov 8, 2020

[source]

raths_kitten: “Misha likes episodes like Baby where he gets paid in full but doesn’t have to do more. #DLCONLINE” - 6:08pm Nov 8, 2020

[source]

raths_kitten: “Does it feel like The End or is there a „but“ at the end? Misha: It‘s Supernatural, so... nobody is ever really dead on SPN holds. He thinks a reboot in 20 years is possible. #DLCONLINE” - 6:16pm Nov 8, 2020

[source]

raths_kitten: “Misha wants to add that he appreciates Rich giving them enough rehearsal time & letting them properly dissect it beforehand. & that he sheduled it as last scene to give it proper attention. #DLCONLINE” - 6:26pm Nov 8, 2020

[source]

ced1694: “MISHA LEGIT JUST SAID THAT CAS’ CONFESSION “Pretty much made Destiel canon” #DLCONLINE #DarklightCon #Destiel #DESTIELisCANON” - 6:27pm Nov 8, 2020

[source]

raths_kitten: “Richard adds that it was such a gift to the fans, to give that character such a journey to relate to. Network TV usually doesn’t take risks like that. It was the best play he saw all year. #DLCONLINE” - 6:27pm Nov 8, 2020

[source]

SPNBunkerNA: “Q. Talk about THAT scene. #DLCONLINE” - Nov 8, 2020

SPNBunkerNA: “A. Misha explains the scene to the cast who didn’t know what happened. (Will say more later).” - Nov 8, 2020

SPNBunkerNA: “Mark says everyone knew Cas was in love with Dean. Matt cajoles about Richard getting the amazing performance out of Misha. Cuz Matt couldnt convince him to do it in his scenes. #DLCONLINE” - Nov 8, 2020

SPNBunkerNA: “A. Richard was glad to have a chance to have a scene that matters on network TV. #DLCONLINE” - 6:29pm Nov 8, 2020

[source]

SPNBunkerNA: “They talked about the plane crash a bit. #DLCONLINE” - Nov 8, 2020

SPNBunkerNA: “Richard said they had conversations for weeks about that scene and made changes up to the last minute. #DLCONLINE” - Nov 8, 2020

SPNBunkerNA: “They talked about the surreal nature of having Destiel trending above election and Putin. #DLCONLINE” - 6:33pm Nov 8, 2020

[source]

ced1694: “Mark Sheppard “The election would take care of itself but Destiel is forever” FUCK YES SAY IT MARK 😭😭😭😭😍😍😍😍💚💙💚💙💚💙 #DestielForever #MishaCollins𓂺 #Supernatural  #CastielForever” - 6:32pm Nov 8, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “Never even heard of it 🤔 ‘jolivira_: TheAdamWilliams do you ship johnlock’”- Dec 12, 2020

jolivira_: “watch this video and then please let me know your thoughts on the subject matter ‘https://youtu.be/fsKWdvsxvN4‘“- 12:08 PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “Watched it.. and I saw the series. Didn't clock it myself but they're certainly quirky as a team. Or whatever they are. I usually don't ship. I came across Destiel by chance and I warmed up to it after seeing the dissertations and rewatching key episodes. It's a thing. ‘ jolivira_: watch this video and then please let me know your thoughts on the subject matter https://youtu.be/fsKWdvsxvN4′”- 1:01 PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

jolivira_: “So are you officially confirming that you ship destiel and not johnlock? ‘TheAdamWilliams: Watched it.. and I saw the series. Didn't clock it myself but they're certainly quirky as a team. Or whatever they are. I usually don't ship. I came across Destiel by chance and I warmed up to it after seeing the dissertations and rewatching key episodes. It's a thing.’ “- 1:07 PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: I officially confirmed that I ship Destiel some 5-6yrs ago. 🤷‍♂️ ‘ jolivira_: So are you officially confirming that you ship destiel and not johnlock?’”- 1:24 PM Dec 12, 2020

Context: On Dec 11, 2020 SPN’s then visual effects I/O coordinator, Adam Williams, made a tweet about the leaked 15x18 script. Which then sparked a long chain of quote tweets between Adam and a handful of fans that lasted until the next day. -cont.

frostedflake: “so you agree dean wants to be in a relationship with cas ? ‘TheAdamWilliams: It's more complicated than that. I'm  straight but I've had two "boyfriends". We loved each other, we just didn't want each other's danglers. It wasn't about sex it was about who we were. When Dean clocks Cas after Cas gets cleaned up.. cmon. You can see it with your own eyes.’”- 2:39 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “Is in a relationship with Cas, you mean I don't think Dean wants to penetrate Castiel's anus with his penis. A kiss wouldn't hurt though. 🤔 ‘frostedflake: so you agree dean wants to be in a relationship with cas ?’”- 2:41 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

HallmarkDestiel: “He just keeps opening his mouth and making it worse. I feel... invalidated.”- 3:09 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “If you needed me to share your views in order for you to feel validated then I guess the quicker we nip that in the bud the better. https://twitter.com/HallmarkDestie...” -3:13 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

winterangeI: “the way you literally don’t care how you’re spouting biphobia right now ‘TheAdamWilliams: If you needed me to share your views in order for you to feel validated then I guess the quicker we nip that in the bud the better.’”- 3:13 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “Some people spend their time online accusing everyone they see of biphobia, transphobia, trying to silence people, blah blah. It's a knife that has become dull with improper use. And we all know it and can ignore it. ‘winterangeI: the way you literally don’t care how you’re spouting biphobia right now’”- 3:24 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

winterangeI: “the way i actually respected you at first and now you’re just invalidating my sexuality and others and calling fans thieves and just... you’ve lost me man” - 3:28 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “Bye 👋 ‘winterangeI: “the way i actually respected you at first and now you’re just invalidating my sexuality and others and calling fans thieves and just... you’ve lost me man’”- 3:33PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

CANONCASTlEL: “dude. surely even someone with their head shoved half as far up their arse as you would be able to hear it when someone tells them they are hurting other people.” - 3:35 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “Tweets don't hurt anyone. And if you think they do you should travel the world a few years and see what pain looks like. ‘CANONCASTlEL: dude. surely even someone with their head shoved half as far up their arse as you would be able to hear it when someone tells them they are hurting other people.’“- 3:38 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

BUCKYSHIELD: “words hurt did you not learn that when you were a kid or” - 3:44 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source] - This response is now from a deleted account and therefore gone but the Wayback Machine shows us what it looked like originally.

TheAdamWilliams: “If someone on Twitter saying a fictional character on a television show isn't bi hurts someone then it's on them. I'm not responsible for how someone responds to what I say, I'm only responsible for what I say. ‘BUCKYSHIELD: words hurt did you not learn that when you were a kid or’”- 3:53 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

mm_potterhead: “It's unbelievable that you still don't understand. This is because you said Dean is attracted to someone of the same gender and still not bisexual. If Dean likes Cas, he's bisexual or pansexual."- 10:42 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “Cas doesn't have a gender. So Dean is whatever the Tumblr term is for that. Don't let the labels ruin a good story. ‘mm_potterhead: It's unbelievable that you still don't understand. This is because you said Dean is attracted to someone of the same gender and still not bisexual. If Dean likes Cas, he's bisexual or pansexual.’“- 10:45 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

mayaderendyke: “things that just make sense: supernatural being written by people like this ‘ TheAdamWilliams: It's more complicated than that. I'm 💯 straight but I've had two "boyfriends". We loved each other, we just didn't want each other's danglers. It wasn't about sex it was about who we were. When Dean clocks Cas after Cas gets cleaned up.. cmon. You can see it with your own eyes.’”- 1:33PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “I'm not a writer for Supernatural My fanfic is on point tho ‘mayaderendyke: things that just make sense: supernatural being written by people like this’”- 1:37 PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

QClexa: “ i dont usually go for m/m fic but i'd read it if it was written by you. drop ur ao3 account king” - 12:32 Dec 12, 2020

[source] - This response is now from a deleted account and therefore gone but the Wayback Machine shows us what it looked like originally.

TheAdamWilliams: “My fanfic isn't m/m stuff, it's script outlines. ‘QClexa: i dont usually go for m/m fic but i'd read it if it was written by you. drop ur ao3 account king’” - 3:56 PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

naterpillarr: “Hey did u know that there are asexual gay/bi men ‘TheAdamWilliams: It's more complicated than that. I'm  straight but I've had two "boyfriends". We loved each other, we just didn't want each other's danglers. It wasn't about sex it was about who we were. When Dean clocks Cas after Cas gets cleaned up.. cmon. You can see it with your own eyes.’- 2:21 PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “No but I could predict it. Every combination possible will at some point arise. But like the light spectrum how we divide and categorize things is arbitry outside of the usefulness it serves us. Some people are simply not interested in sex. Call it what you will. 🤷‍♂️ ‘naterpillarr: Hey did u know that there are asexual gay/bi men’“- 2:24 PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

naterpillarr: “But I think what people are trying to say is, they feel as if Dean being in a relationship with Cas means he's bi or pansexual, and that that sort of representation is valuable to them. They feel as if you're taking that away from them” - 2:29 PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “I never denied the relationship.. I just don't think Dean is bi. I'm not robbing anyone of their opinion. Why do people want to rob me of mine? ‘naterpillarr: But I think what people are trying to say is, they feel as if Dean being in a relationship with Cas means he's bi or pansexual, and that that sort of representation is valuable to them. They feel as if you're taking that away from them’“- 2:32 PM Dec 12, 2020

[source]

Context: On Dec 11, 2020 SPN’s then visual effects I/O coordinator, Adam Williams, made a tweet about the leaked 15x18 script. Which then sparked a long chain of quote tweets between Adam and various fans that lasted until the next day.

TheAdamWilliams: “SPN hired fans, someone stole a script, blah blah shocker.

Looks like a draft that was in Prod Office by the watermark. People's names are on their own copies

Even after Prod left the studio a fan with the tattoo was there for tear down. Amazed more shit wasn't leaked or stolen” - 1:39 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

alwaysbeenariel: “Regardless of whats true or not, both version confirm d*stiel was never going to go canon. ♥️ ‘TheAdamWilliams: SPN hired fans, someone stole a script, blah blah shocker. Looks like a draft that was in Prod Office by the watermark. People's names are on their own copies Even after Prod left the studio a fan with the tattoo was there for tear down. Amazed more shit wasn't leaked or stolen’”- 2:21 PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “IMO Destiel is canon, but I don't think Dean is bisexual. He loves Cas but he isn't a d-man. Cas doesn't have a gender, really, but his suit has a dangler and Dean likes his tacos. ‘alwaysbeenariel: Regardless of whats true or not, both version confirm d*stiel was never going to go canon. ♥️’”- 2:29PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

alwaysbeenarielIf: “Cas is gender-less and Dean is straight. I don't see how destiel is canon? It's more of a headcanon ship. But not an actual confirmed relationship. Dean is confirmed straight. Cas's confession might be canon but not Destiel.  Dean likes tacos 💯 ‘TheAdamWilliams: IMO Destiel is canon, but I don't think Dean is bisexual. He loves Cas but he isn't a d-man. Cas doesn't have a gender, really, but his suit has a dangler and Dean likes his tacos.’”- 2:33PM Dec 11, 2020

[source]

TheAdamWilliams: “It's more complicated than that. I'm 💯 straight but I've had two "boyfriends". We loved each other, we just didn't want each other's danglers. It wasn't about sex it was about who we were. When Dean clocks Cas after Cas gets cleaned up.. cmon. You can see it with your own eyes. ‘alwaysbeenariel: If Cas is gender-less and Dean is straight. I don't see how destiel is canon? It's more of a headcanon ship. But not an actual confirmed relationship. Dean is confirmed straight. Cas's confession might be canon but not Destiel.  Dean likes tacos💯’” - 2:38PM  Dec 11, 2020

[source]

HUNTERSDAYA_: ““i had a boyfriend. no homo tho.” ‘TheAdamWilliams: It's more complicated than that. I'm  straight but I've had two "boyfriends". We loved each other, we just didn't want each other's danglers. It wasn't about sex it was about who we were. When Dean clocks Cas after Cas gets cleaned up.. cmon. You can see it with your own eyes.‘”- 3:00PM Dec 11, 2020

  [source]

TheAdamWilliams: “Maybe one day you will be fortunate enough to understand. Probably not, but maybe. ‘ HUNTERSDAYA_: “i had a boyfriend. no homo tho.”’”- 3:05 Dec 11, 2020

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The response to Adam below was deleted and is from a now deactivated account but thanks to the Wayback Machine we are still able to see the old response.

deadfloweranemo: “Adam, what you mean by all your tweets is- BROMANCE. we call that bromance honey. The thing between Cas and Dean is BROmance. Not romantic but platonic. These guys love each other, sex is not included.” - 12:08 Dec 11, 2020

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TheAdamWilliams: “I disagree that Destiel is just Bromance or that a lack of sex equates to simply Bromance. But please, ladies, tell me more about how much you understand male/male relationships. ‘https://t.co/orJ0bkCOBj This Tweet is unavailable.‘”- 3:11pm Dec 11, 2020

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TheAdamWilliams: “I disagree that Destiel is just Bromance or that a lack of sex equates to simply Bromance. But please, ladies, tell me more about how much you understand male/male relationships. ‘deadfloweranemo: Adam, what you mean by all your tweets is- BROMANCE. we call that bromance honey. The thing between Cas and Dean is BROmance. Not romantic but platonic. These guys love each other, sex is not included.’”- 12:11 Dec 11, 2020

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(...)Stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles have also remained with the series throughout its run, long after most leading men would’ve thrown in the towel (...)

“As long as ratings stay stable, and they want to do the show, and I’m still in the chair, I’m going to be their biggest supporter to continue,” CW president Mark Pedowitz says. “I think ‘Supernatural’ is going to be around in some form long after I move off this chair, and the best thing I can do for the guys, and for the studio, and for the showrunners is basically make sure we don’t mess them up.”

Much like its protagonists — monster-hunting brothers Sam (Padalecki) and Dean (Ackles), who have quite literally been to heaven, hell and everywhere in between over the course of the show’s run — “Supernatural” has time and again proven its resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, becoming an anchor of The CW’s lineup. (...) (...) “In my wildest dreams, I was hoping we would get to a fourth season. Sure enough, it was probably right around the fourth season that I think we finally started to relax and realize that we had a certain amount of stability,” Kripke says. “And that was the introduction of Misha Collins [as the angel Castiel], and that was the time that I probably started sleeping at night. But I’ll tell you one thing, the fact that we always felt we were on the edge and one breath from extinction was really good for the show creatively in those early years. We took risks that we probably wouldn’t have taken had we felt more stable. We used to say in the writers’ room all the time, ‘Look, we’re getting canceled next year, so smoke them if you got them.’ We really encouraged everyone to take big swings because we really, sincerely believed that we were about to be canceled, and so why not spend all the story you could spend? And I think that led to a lot of exciting moments.”

(...)Through it all, the show has maintained a steady audience — now standing as the fourth highest-rated show on the network behind superhero series “The Flash,” “Arrow” and “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.” (...) Ostroff left The CW in 2011, and Pedowitz says he was already a fan of “Supernatural” when he assumed control of the network. (...) The show had been bounced around The CW’s schedule for much of its run, and had been relegated to Friday nights when Pedowitz joined the network.

“It’s generally where shows go to die, and we stayed there and not only did we not die, we actually survived and somewhat thrived,” Ackles notes. “And then I think when Mark came in and took over for Dawn, he looked at the numbers and looked at what was working and said, ‘Why is this show on Friday nights? Not only is it working there, let’s give it some prime real estate and see how much better it can be.'” (...) It was the emergence of “Arrow,” The CW’s first foray into a grittier brand of superhero series, that gave “Supernatural” a new lease on life.

“We didn’t have anything compatible for ‘Arrow,’ and we thought there was still life in the show, and we thought what better way to do it than by giving it the time period after ‘Arrow’?” Pedowitz says. “And as luck would sometimes have it, a confluence of events happened. The first Netflix deal was done, so all the past seasons went up, and all of a sudden, you saw an influx of viewers that had not seen the show before.”

In fact, all of The CW’s most successful series have enjoyed scheduling stints with the show, Pedowitz points out: “‘Supernatural’ was paired with ‘Vampire Diaries’ for its first season; ‘Supernatural’ was paired with ‘Arrow’ for its first season. ‘Supernatural’ was paired with ‘The Flash’ for its first season. ‘Supernatural’ is now back on Thursday at nine, and we believe it’ll be a great boost to ‘Legends of Tomorrow.’ So ‘Supernatural,’ in a weird way, even though it’s the lead-out, has had a direct impact on some of our bigger hits.”

The show is now one of the most popular on social media, regularly selling out conventions around the world. “I would much rather have our devoted fan base than 20 million people just casually watching,” Padalecki says. “The word of mouth has been a huge part of ‘Supernatural.’ I feel like sometimes people [think], ‘hey, that show has 20 million people, we don’t need to talk about it,’ but when there’s something that you feel like, ‘hey, this has two million people, I want my friends to know about it, I’m not going to assume that they know about it.'”

After so many seasons of feeling “on the verge of unemployment all the time,” Ackles says Pedowitz and Roth have given him a true sense of security.

“It’s an incredible support group that we have, not only the network but with the studio as well. I wish I could work with Mark and Peter for the rest of my life — I’d be happy. They’re just quality, smart people and they’re champions for our show and have been for many years now, and it is a huge vote of confidence to have your bosses in your corner,” Ackles says. “Peter’s been saying we’re halfway there since episode 100 and then we get to 200 and he’s like ‘oh, still halfway there,’ so he’s obviously stoked that the show’s still going on. The fact that Mark says that we’ll keep going as long as we’re happy… I don’t even know how to qualify that. It’s awesome, especially when it has to do with a program that I’m so proud of and a story that I still enjoy telling and a character that I still love playing.”

Both Ackles and Padalecki insist they’re not putting an expiration date on the series. “Jared and I talked and we’re going to just keep going,” Ackles says. “He and I, we talk about getting to episode 300 and that’s just another milestone… and then when we get there, we’ll keep going and see what the next milestone is. One of the many reasons we’ve managed to get to where we are is, I don’t think we really set parameters or limits or any obstacles. It’s just like, ‘Let’s keep our heads down and let’s just do the best work that we can and hopefully, people will continue to watch and we can keep telling these stories.”

Says Kripke, “I’m proud that it’s the last surviving WB show, but I’m also really proud that it’s just a sign of how durable ‘Supernatural’ has turned out to be. And obviously, the show itself is the thing I’m most proud of.”

(...) In 2005, his face went global when the first season of Supernatural was aired and people liked what they saw.

The series revolves around the Winchester brothers (played by Ackles and Jared Padalecki) following in the footsteps of their father to rid the Earth of demons, evil ghosts, monsters and the bogeyman. Armed with salt, their father’s journals on how to banish demons, and boyish charm, they travel across the United States in their black 1967 Chevy Impala, hunting down demons ... hoping to one day kill the yellow-eyed demon that took their mother.

It’s the kind of show that would have immediate cult following – it has classic rock tunes featured in every episode, good-looking leads, excellent character development, scary stuff, comedic moments and engaging plots.

Still, Ackles is also aware that Supernatural, which spends equal time on the relationship between the brothers and that of demon-busting, is a series enjoyed by a wide diversity of people, “... from the little 12-year-old screaming girl to grandfathers and grandmothers,” says Ackles. (...) He says that it is also one of the luxuries that come after shooting for three seasons now – not only do they understand each other, both he and Padalecki can afford to take more chances with the characteristics of their respective characters, allowing them to read a line a bit differently from what’s written.

At the same time, he humbly admits that “the writers are the brains of the operation” and that Supernatural creator Eric Kripke keeps the two of them on their toes and guessing what’s going to happen next to their characters.

The notion that Supernatural could be cancelled after one season seems ridiculous now as the series has proven only to get

better and better with each season. (...) For Ackles, five seasons seems to be the magic number for the series to run – not too long and just enough to end it well.

On the other hand, one thing that appears to bear heavy on Ackles’ mind is the great amount of time he spends making the series. Since he and Padalecki are in every scene, both the actors work every single day spending nine months out of every year in Vancouver where the series is filmed. This hardly leaves room for a social life or to get a couple of movies under his belt.

So when Supernatural added two female characters in the third season, Ackles thought: “This was going to be our ticket to a little bit more time off. But unfortunately, they can’t be on the show without being directly involved with us, so if they’re on the show we’re on it with them.” And, he’s back to square one.

Not that he’s complaining; the man obviously loves his job, admitting to missing it greatly during the writers’ strike that happened earlier this year.

He says: “I really like the process of television. I like the fact that you can get months and even years of developing a character and finding the different nuances and different relationships with the different characters.

“I enjoy the process of television. I also enjoy the speed of television. I get on a film set and I’m like (snores) because I’m used to working at such a rapid pace with television because we’ve got deadlines.

(...) One thing I'll say, however..when the writers and I are procrastinating in the room, we sometimes discuss a possible "Supernatural" spin-off...a prequel that relates the adventures of Samuel Colt and the band of hunters who roamed the Old West. As I said, I consider "Supernatural" a kind of modern-day Western, so it'd be cool to go all the way with it, and make an actual horror western. And I like the idea that the "Supernatural" universe is a fleshed-out one with a history that goes back centuries. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be able to tell that story. (...) How do the writers foresee the end of the show? Have you planned that out yet?

I'm certainly not going to tell you what the endgame of the show is...but yes, it is planned out. I know what the last scene of the series is. I've known this final story, how it all ends, from the very beginning, from before we even shot the pilot. And I've never wavered from it, not once. Some smaller story threads shift a bit - a Roadhouse here, some psychic kids there - but at the end the day, those aren't what the show's truly about, at its core. But we've always been steadily on the course of the main story, the big story, and we're heading towards it in a very conscious way. (...)

(...) At the heart of the show are brothers Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles). When they were young their mother was killed by a demon. Now they're on a quest to hunt down such ghouls.

The brothers were named after the characters Sal and Dean, from the classic beat novel On The Road, by Jack Kerouac. Kripke didn't like the idea of having a lead named Sal, so he switched to Sam.

He says he was always fascinated by the fact that the story of the "heroes' quest" is one that has been told many times over.

"It just taps into something primal and universal in the human experience. When you break it down, The Matrix is the same as Star Wars, which is the same story as Lord Of The Rings, which is the same as Wizard Of Oz."

They may be similar in concept, but Kripke says that for the feel of the show he was more inspired by early '80s cult favourites such as Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist, An American Werewolf In London and Evil Dead 2.

The latter two, while incredibly scary, were also injected with a dose of comedy, which is the tone Kripke has tried to work into Supernatural.

As for Poltergeist, the reason why Kripke says it works is that horror is occurring in the suburban home, a familiar location, not a haunted home in the woods.

"It's the idea that horror can happen in your own backyard. How many viewers have to worry about the vampire in the gothic castle?"

After Sam and Dean, the third most-important character in the show is the black Chevy Impala the brothers ride about the country in.

When the car was smashed at the end of the first season, Kripke was hounded by people wanting to know if the car would come back. It has.

"When I was originally writing the show I wanted to give the guys an American muscle car. My first choice was a '65 Mustang.

"My neighbour said it has to be a '67 Impala, because you can put a body in the trunk.

(...) Question: Was it always your plan to have John Winchester die in order to advance the plotline? — escapism101 Kripke: Yes, it was always in the cards. It was never a question of "if," it was a question of "when." We knew it would make the stories more intense and vital if the boys were chasing and fighting the Demon themselves, instead of simply chasing Dad. It makes the boys alone, scared, outgunned, overwhelmed, with the odds stacked against them — which will be good drama. And the overall emotional story for the series, after all, is how these boys become men, and for that to happen, their mentor has to die and they have to step up and take his place. (...) Question: Is it easier or more difficult to show and develop Sam and Dean's relationship, as well as tell the overall story, with only two regulars on the show? In terms of finding reasons for them to interact and talk, potential audience fatigue, etc.... — JenJenJen Kripke: It is challenging. Almost every episode, we need to tell an emotional or relationship story about the boys, or else some other kind of deeper thematic, so that it's not just about monster hunting or shallow horror-movie stuff. We always say it's not a show about monsters, it's a show about family, so yes, in the writers' room, we work very hard to find those emotional stories, and ones that we haven't told yet. Luckily for us (and unlucky for Sam and Dean), they've suffered so much tragedy and loss, and they're so wildly dysfunctional, that we haven't run out of emotional stories yet — and it doesn't look like we're going to anytime soon.

Question: Are you expecting the death of John to have a "significant" change on the personality of both boys — making Dean more capable of a relationship with Jo, for example — or does it go back to being Dean and Sam from Season 1 after a little while? — ugahill Kripke: On the surface, Sam and Dean will seem very much like themselves — Dean will be a smart-ass, Sam will be empathetic. However, on a deeper level, John's death had a major impact on them and in many ways caused them to shift roles. Sam, once reluctant to become a hunter, begins to accept his role in the family business, because he wants to respect his father's memory. Dean, on the other hand, begins to buckle under the pressure — from the pain of John's death, from the secret that John burdened him with before he died. Dean begins to act in more violent, more reckless, more hard-core ways. Don't worry, Dean will still be the charming, devil-may-care guy you know and love, but every so often you see a crack in the facade, and when you do, it's scary. (...)

Drawing from urban legends and American folklore for its weekly ghost stories, “Supernatural,” takes the WB back to its bloodcurdling roots -- “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” -- and pushes the genre with visual effects and gore reminiscent of popular horror flicks, such as “The Ring” and “The Grudge.”

“We have a folklore in mythology that is as rich and developed as any world culture’s and as uniquely American as baseball,” said Eric Kripke, the creator of the show that debuts at 9 tonight. “I found that such an interesting and untapped source of stories. People have heard these stories, but they’re all part of this great mythology of America that speaks to the unique fears we have in America. They’re every bit as relevant today as when they were originally told because if there’s any one cultural zeitgeist at the moment it is that we’re living in the age of anxiety.”

In the show, two of the WB’s homegrown young stars, Jensen Ackles (“Smallville”) and Jared Padalecki (“Gilmore Girls”), play brothers Dean and Sam, who are on a strange road trip, trying to find their missing father and battling satanic forces that may seem familiar to those who know their horror mythology: the Vanishing Hitchhiker, the Hook Man, Blood Mary.

Ackles, 27, and Padalecki, 23, have grown up on the network and were handpicked as the series stars. Just don’t expect them to be their usual sensitive, sexy selves. On this show, their eyes bleed and they are chased by a half-man, half-beast through the woods, and that’s just for starters. (...) The WB, which has struggled badly the last few seasons, has high hopes for the critically lauded “Supernatural.” It’s comely stars and offbeat humor will help, but mainly the show relies on one emotion to draw viewers: fear.

“We want people to turn the lights off when the show comes on and figure out that they bit off more than they could chew and now they’re in trouble trying to go to sleep at night, staring outside the window,” said executive producer McG (“Charlie’s Angels” and “The O.C.”). “We want to make you a little uptight where you have to call a friend or play solitaire on your computer to take your mind off the things that go bump in the night.” 

The 31-year-old Kripke’s fascination with urban legends began in elementary school when he read the story of the Hook Man, which led him to one of his favorite books, “Kentucky Fried Rat and Other Gruesome Stories.” In college, Kripke examined the tales for what they said about American culture at a given time. (...) For the last eight years, Kripke dreamed of parlaying his “personal obsession” into a television series. First he envisioned it as an anthology but quickly learned that concept would not sell in Hollywood. Then he imagined reporters as his protagonists, fighting the demons in search of the truth. He shelved that one too. Then the road trip idea, with two estranged brothers in their ’67 Chevy Impala, navigating the back roads of America, clicked.

Kripke showed up for his first week of work with a list of 40 to 50 possible ghost stories and urban legends to work from.

“I landed on this idea to have this mythic road trip across the country, and it became the best vehicle to tell these stories because it’s pure, stripped down and uniquely American,” Kripke said. “These stories exist in these small towns all across the country, and it just makes so much sense to drive in and out of these stories.”

David Janollari, the WB’s president of entertainment, believes that the brothers’ road trip is the series’ most engaging element. “It allows you to feel on a week-to-week basis that the show is very real, that it could happen in your hometown or anywhere in the U.S.A.,” Janollari said.

“Supernatural” also signals a new day for the 10-year-old network that’s mostly watched by teenage girls. With protagonists who are in their 20s -- not high school -- executives hope to attract an older slice of the 18- to 34-year-old demographic as well as parents who will watch the series with their children. The shift is part of the network’s design to pick itself up out of a two-year ratings slump during which it has failed to develop a hit.

“It does represent a little bit of an aging up of the network for us, but not drastically out of our wheelhouse,” Janollari said. “In the features world, the moviegoing audience of horror films is 60% young and female, which is a natural fit for our network. The name of the game is to get attention and create buzz-worthy shows that people are talking about, and I think this show has all the bells and whistles that will make men and women alike sit back and enjoy a really scary ride.”

Sam Winchester (Padalecki) is the rational brother, the one who temporarily left the family’s crusade to pursue a law career and fall in love.

But tragedy has once again befallen Sam, and he has no choice but to hit the road with older brother Dean.

“Dean is kind of like Hans Solo, this rebel renegade guy,” Ackles said. “He’s got his own version of authority and his own version of doing things. And he’s fearless. I am really digging the relationship between the two of them and the fact that they’re dealing with something really cool and scary in their own blue-collar, rugged way.” (...)