So, uh, Supernatural spontaneously started sounding like a good idea

[snick_backup]

Hence I have the first disc from Netflix. Pilot ep, here I come! Tell me true, flisties: how much utter dreck do I have to wade through before things start getting good?

Other things I am presently watching, just so we can all keep track: BSG, Avatar: The Last Airbender (I got to the good stuff, deird1!), and The West Wing.

Comments

[tashilover.livejournal.com]

SPN is fun, if you allow it to be. One of the reasons I love the show is because of the humor. You may not like it because of the gore. (I love it, though!)

First eppy is pretty decent. If my mom is any indicator, the ending made her say, "Oh shit!" out loud. =) All the eppies are decent, not great, but nothing that makes you wanna take your eyes out.

For me, it was episode 14, Nightmare, that got me really hooked to the show.

You can start there, if you like, since episode 14 does not require you to know every single little detail of the show to understand what's going on. (It gets picked up pretty easily.) But since you only got the first disc, the first four are fun. (Dean in the Water, eppy 3, is my fave of those four)

[diamondtook862.livejournal.com]

I don't like horror, so ghostyouknow27 kindly started me on the awesomest (non-scary) eps of the first three seasons and then let me dive in at season 4. She also warned me about all the scary/gross stuff. This is not your Buffy or Doctor Who Horror anymore.

Either way, I just finished season 3 this morning and have now seen all but the scariest of episodes (Texas Chain Saw Massacre tribute anyone?). I can say that once I got to ep 21-22 of season 1 I had to watch the next two seasons over three days. I barely got through much of s1, mostly because I was kinda bored. It might be because I knew how awesome the show would become, though (s4-5 are rockin' the Biblical twisted-allusions).

I'm excited you're joining the 'I love Buffy and (hopefully) SPN too' team. Also, in s3, Tricia Helfer guest stars :D and plays out my favorite horror trope ever. So, yeah.

[ghostyouknow27.livejournal.com]

If you have any affinity for cheesy horror and rock music, you'll like it pretty quickly. If not, a lot of people skip to the last two episodes of S1, since the previous episodes are almost entirely standalone MOWs (though a couple important things are introduced).

I think you'll find that S2 is defensibly good. Of course, my one roommate insist that the show is not and has never been good, so mileage varies. :D

[snickfic]

Ooh, thank you! I'm usually not much bothered by gore, but now two people in five minutes have warned me of it, so we'll see. *g*

It's good to hear that things start off with a bang in the pilot. If it makes an impact, I'll probably come back with a post later tonight. :)

[diamondtook862.livejournal.com]

I just rewatched ep 1 of s4 for the first time after seeing everything. *fangirls*

Also, I pimped you above. :)

I got so hooked I didn't need the s3 warnings...

[snickfic]

She also warned me about all the scary/gross stuff.

Noted. I don't always care about that stuff, but forewarning is nice.

I'm excited you're joining the 'I love Buffy and (hopefully) SPN too' team.

Heh! I know so many people that love it; it would be nice if I loved it, too. Especially since a lot of those people have been writing fic about it for ages now!

Even if it doesn't hit the spot, though, I'll probably need to watch the Tricia Helfer episode, just because. *g*

[cafedemonde.livejournal.com]

I love SPN. Its fun and campy and scary and gory. There are moments that will have you laughing so loud and moments that you will cringe, sometimes it's the same moment! And their writers realized that there are fans and fic out there and have incorporated that into the script from time to time, very cleverly done.

Its a show that's serious though, but doesn't take itself seriously. Have fun!

[cafedemonde.livejournal.com]

You said dreck! *giggles*

[diamondtook862.livejournal.com]

Oh definitely watch it (but not out of order unless you must). :) I lf I had known I would have watched it sooner! It was also (imho) the scariest one I'd seen... But seeing as I skip according to warning that may not be saying much.

I think you'll be fine if you like traditional horror movies. I've never watched any and can't even handle the previews!

[ghostyouknow27.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah -- SPN is also one of the funniest shows on TV, IMHO. That's what really got me hooked. It's similar to Buffy in that it has no problem making fun of itself. It's gotten a lot of mileage out of being meta, that's for sure. :D

[ghostyouknow27.livejournal.com]

That episode ROCKS. <3<3<3 a certain wingéd BAMF. :D

I saw! But not until after I'd posted. Also, yay! I find SPN is a hard show *not* to marathon. I'm glad you didn't need the warnings!

[deird1]

Avatar: The Last Airbender (I got to the good stuff, deird1!)

YAY.

Where are you up to?

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Well, there's only one hillbilly cannibals episode (my least favorite trope) but I can't even remember which season it's in. Otherwise: go nuts. It changes, but it's got a certain charm from the get go. I didn't fall in love until the homemade walkman/EMF detector, but that's just me...

[snickfic]

I just finished Zuko Alone. Aw, Zuko. I think Zuko and His Exquisite Manpain (is that what you called it?) might be my favorite arc of the show so far. (Although you're right, Toff - Toph? - totally rocks.)

[ghostyouknow27.livejournal.com]

S1! But you have another crazy hillbilly episode in S4.

[cindergal.livejournal.com]

SPN is big, gory fun with a classic rock soundtrack. :-) And it can be surprisingly touching at times. I don't consider any of it dreck, but the show does change a bit in tone over time as the mythology develops. I know a couple of people who tried it and didn't like it - but not many. *g*

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I really have no idea how you're going to react to the show, other than I think you will like the relationship between the boys. Which is what kept me hanging on for a long time.

S1 is pretty MOW-y, and I don't think it really gets good until John shows up for the first time. The use of American urban legends and folktales and the feel of a road trip (complete with greasy burgers, classic rock music, and motel rooms that were styled in the 70s) is actually really unique and I enjoy it a lot. It pretty much fails when it comes to female characters (though no doubt you've figured that out from fandom osmosis already). I believe I gave up somewhere in S5? When the worldbuilding ran away with itself and I just couldn't handle its treatment of women anymore. But I definitely enjoyed a ton of it for a long time, so I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Why? It's never fun. I'm looking at you, Torchwood. Plus, it's intellectually cheap and easy. Can you tell I Do Not Like? Perhaps it's just my issue...

[ghostyouknow27.livejournal.com]

Well, I didn't do it!

In all seriousness, I think it's just a common horror trope, and SPN has never met one that it doesn't like. It doesn't go quite as far as The X-Files, but that S4 ep comes kinda close.

[ever-neutral.livejournal.com]

The first season is watchable, but not great. Season 2 is where it starts being legitimately good. The series arc REALLY picks up over time, and by season 4 it's pretty fantastic. I believe the mythology/arc and the two leads are why SPN is generally considered one of the best genre shows right now.

[snickfic]

I'm actually not a horror fan at all, but I'm willing to put with horror tropes are there other things I like.

[snickfic]

Its a show that's serious though, but doesn't take itself seriously.

Well, if Buffy's any indication, then I think that makes it my kind of show. And I'm all for a show being a little self-aware, as long as they don't go overboard.

[snickfic]

I... did. Yes. Should I be embarrassed about this? Is this yet another word I've used without sufficient investigation of its origins?

[snickfic]

It's similar to Buffy in that it has no problem making fun of itself.

That's a good sign. I'm enjoying BSG a lot, but hoo boy does it need a sense of humor. Not a lot of one, necessarily, but enough to acknowledge that even in the middle of a horrific species-wide tragedy, all is not tragic.

And meta can be lots of fun. :)

[snickfic]

Well, I am having fun so far. We shall see. I confess, I don't think hillbilly cannibals annoy me as much as they do you, although if a show is going to go the cannibal route, I would rather they do it another way. For example, I am terribly fond of the X-Files episode about the chicken processing plant...

[snickfic]

Well, I'm having fun so far. And later, I gather, there is angst to the max, which I am not necessarily opposed to as long as it's played right.

[snickfic]

Heh. Check it out: I am already complaining about the treatment of women. But not to worry, I think I'll be sticking it out for a while yet.

But yes, I can already tell I'm going to really like the relationship between the boys.

[cafedemonde.livejournal.com]

oh no, you used it perfectly. It's just one of those funny words for me. Dreckitude is my favorite form :-)

[deird1]

Hurrah!

*pets Zuko*

Toph is my favourite character - except sometimes, when my favourite character is Zuko. (Or possibly Azula.)

[silverusagi]

S1 is mostly standalone eps, though things heat up when they get closer to finding John. But S1 and S2 deal with the storyline of Sam's powers and the Yellow Eyed Demon. S3 acts more as a bridge to S4/5, and S3 has slightly less of an arc because of the writers' strike. My favorite is S4/5 when the angels show up and the Apocalypse starts. But I like it all. S1/2 definitely have a different feeling (road trip, urban legends, etc), but most of the eps are a good idea of what the show is (unlike say, Buffy S1, where you find yourself telling people "The whole thing isn't like this.")

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

Whoo! Someone newer than me to the party. This is good.

I think it's fun. There are some odd duff episodes, sure, but I've stayed generally clear of the received wisdom on what's a 'good episode' and been pretty content. Sometimes looking up reviews later and disagreeing, too. Enjoy!

[louise39.livejournal.com]

When I watched SPN Season 1 [from netflix] the horror/gore turned me off but I'm reading the comments that the storyline changes so maybe I'll try again.

[snickfic]

Azula? Am I to assume she acquires more dimensions at some point? Because right now, she pretty much just has the one.

[snickfic]

Well, I mean to watch everything in order until I just get bored and stop, so S1 it is. And I am enjoying the two leads quite a bit, although I can't help wishing they bore a bit more family resemblance. They look absolutely nothing alike.

[deird1]

Hmm... hard to say.

I mean, it's not like she goes through some exciting character arc...

But... kinda? Maybe?

[snickfic]

Ha ha. I will have to watch and see. :)

[snickfic]

Oh, writer's strike, what strange TV you resulted in. Duly noted.

unlike say, Buffy S1, where you find yourself telling people "The whole thing isn't like this."

Heh. Yes. I mostly start people off with School Hard, because it's got the action, it's got the humor, it's got Spike, and it's past the worst of the S1 aftermath. Because S1, cheesy glorious fun though it is, is just not representative.

[snickfic]

I am! Yes!

I'm going to avoid the received wisdom, too. Much more fun to discover the really wonderful stuff on my own, like I discovered Superstar and FFL and the last bits of Beneath You.

[snickfic]

Good luck! If I get past S1, I'll let you know if things get less gory, although honestly, I'm not too hopeful.