September 13 is Supernatural Day, an official holiday announced at San Diego Comic Con this year, commemorating the date the Supernatural pilot first aired WAY back in 2005. So what is it that has kept fans loyal after over a decade of saving people and hunting thing in the Winchester family business? From storylines to the heart of the show, Supernatural fans have a lot to love.
The stories are still feel fresh and exciting.
Season 12 will air this October, and despite having so many seasons under their belt, the Supernatural writers stil manage to come up with stories that are fun, fresh, and exciting. Whether they’re pulling stories from urban legends, religion, literature, or folklore, the writers still manage to come up with new ideas. Of course, the season-long arcs aren’t the only things that keep the show fresh. With unique and fun one-off episode ideas like the episode “Baby” told entirely from the Impala‘s point of view, or the 200th “musical-ish”episode, “Fan Fiction;” the show is also not afraid to experiment with episodes throughout a season.
The show doesn’t take itself too seriously.
After so many seasons, it would be easy for the stars and show runners of Supernatural to get a bit of an inflated sense of their own importance. But one of the great things about Supernatural is that no one on the show takes themselves or the show too seriously. The “meta-sodes” alone prove that they aren’t afraid to make fun of themselves, but they also poke fun at the actors’ former projects and put the actors in ridiculous situations like “Dog Dean Afternoon,” “Yellow Fever,” and “Bad Day at Black Rock.” Seriously, who could forget this iconic scene?
For all of the heartbreak that happens on the show, it’s hilarious to see the writers and actors get a bit silly on the show.
Ultimately, the show is about family.
Supernatural gets pretty crazy. From the apocalypse, to God’s sister, fairies, literal lost souls, to several round trip visits to hell, this show is all over the map. But what keeps the show grounded is the brotherly bond between Sam and Dean. Regardless of how ridiculous, weird, and sometimes a bit unbelievable the story gets; the show’s foundation is in a story about two brothers who are extremely loyal to one another and who would do anything to save the other.
But even more than Sam and Dean, the show about family in general. From the boys relationship to their biological parents, their relationship with their pseudo-father, Bobby, and their relationship with Castiel, Kevin, and Charlie; this show’s heart isn’t in the adventures and supernatural creatures. It’s all about family, and that touchstone keeps fans and the show grounded in the craziest of plot lines.
The Fandom Is Also Family
Not only is the show about family, but after so many years, the fandom has also become family as well. That strong bond keeps fans incredibly loyal to the show, even after all these years. We call ourselves the Supernatural Family, and while lots of fandoms tout the family name, it’s an incredibly accurate moniker for Supernatural fans. With year-round Supernatural conventions for us to hang out together in real life, to the fandom looking out for each other with campaigns like Always Keep Fighting and founding the Supernatural Crisis Hotline, we prove that family really doesn’t end in blood. The Supernatural Family is not just a group of people who share an obsession with a TV show, but they’re also a part of a giant support system.
It’s More Than a Tight-Knit TV Show Fandom–It Is Also a Fandom That Does Good
The Supernatural fandom can be a bit bizarre, admittedly, but for all of our fandom quirks, we also do quite a lot of good. We’re not only a huge support system to other members of the fandom, but we also do what we can to help others. The fandom has come together to help raise money for great causes all over the world with the Wayward Daughters campaign, GISHWHES and Random Acts, in addition to the work the fandom has done to create a community of support with those dealing with mental illness. We may not be hunting things like Sam and Dean, but we are all working to save people.
It’s easy to remain loyal to a show that has such an awesome fandom. Supernatural has been on the air for a long time, and with such a loyal fan base it looks like the show will be around until the actors are ready to park the Impala for good.
Happy Supernatural Day, Supernatural family! Enjoy the day, and be sure to tell us what your favorite thing about the fandom and the show in the comments!
Image credit: The CW, AllTheSupernaturalGifs.Tumbr.com/Giphy, Wifflegif.com/Giphy, Wifflegif.com/Giphy