Supernatural - A Birthday Boxed Set..

Well, I had to share this. I opened up my Birthday Pressie from my partner to find the complete boxed set, all Fifteen Seasons of Supernatural...

I mean, ok, I had dropped such loud and obvious hints that even the next world would have heard it, but even so! The complete series in this exquisite box!

I know that many of you may have already watched this over the years, but as my followers would know, and those close to me, if you have read anything about my life that I have shared, I have been in a social and modern day wilderness for quite some time.

So Supernatural? I missed this. All of it. I was vaguely aware of it on the peripherals but I didn't have the time then to get into it when it was running live or streaming later.

But it is of course, just the sort of series that I like, as I am am a devotee of the X Files, after all.

I like to watch content like this because you can learn something. You could say this was my natural habitat, being well aware of this sort of content on the show; different planes of existence, the world of spirits and entities you might not want to meet too often depending on how friendly they are. It is inevitable in my line of work when it consists of visiting churchyards and other super-charged places of the sacred with my camera, hoping to capture some element of what I sometimes encounter.

It is an example of courage that script-writers and producers are still willing to travel down these difficult roads that many want to avoid, not least because of possible ridicule, but these days, people have become more interested and open-minded about the supernatural world around us than what they used to be.

Some films, and popular shows like this are visionary; they fall into a different category, where it ends up being something very special indeed. The characters go places that sometimes even the actors did not expect. In other words, it evolves.

From what I understand, Supernatural was such a show. It ran from 2005 to finally concluding in 2020. Although with this kind of show, does it ever really finish? After all, much to my delight, the X Files came back for another series much later on.

Messengers of God, Denizens of The Holy Hierarchy

But the clincher in the final decision in getting this boxed set came from my partner when I mentioned that an 'Angel' appears in the series and goes on to star in a leading role. I was aware of the actor Misha Collins as a poet first actually, then I became aware he had acted the role of Castiel the Angel, in Supernatural later. My partner decided that an Angel who has managed to have that much air time from 2008 [when he joined the show] to 2020 deserves a place in our library of films and boxed sets!

The conversation on opening my present went a bit like this...

"Oh! You have got me the whole series..."

"Well, you said an Angel was in it."

"But...this went on for years...you got the whole lot?"

"You said the guy who plays him was a poet as well, yes?"

"I...well, yes amongst other things, but..."

"Angels change lives, help people."

"I know, but..."

"You are helping with your work on Flickr and your website."

"I know, but..."

"You are my Angel you know."

"..........?!!"

"And I think you are an Angel to other people now as well."

".........?!!"

Reader, I think you can see why I married him all those years ago.

Possible spoilers ahead, if you have lived without a TV for the past fifteen years or so...

I knew that the Angel Castiel made his appearance in Season Four, from looking at the booklet included in the boxed set, but I have tried to avoid reading too much about it to be honest, just as I did not want to know how the whole series of Supernatural started.

At the time of writing this we are up to the end of Season Three. Not that we have been glued to it or anything...

So it seems that this is a good place to pause and write this before my Angel Brethren makes an appearance.

We were not prepared for the impact that the wonderful characters of Dean and Sam Winchester made on us. These two brothers are continuing their father's work of fighting and ridding the world of demons and any other unpleasant creatures who were perhaps human at one point, but then again, maybe not.

No smoke without fire, the old saying goes, and the researchers for the show have really done their job well! A mixture of folklore and mystery, fairytales with a dark edge, [because the Brother's Grimm really did have that right], and the running thread of the afterlife spilling over into our human existence here on earth, and not always in a pleasant manner either. This show is often sad, poignant and beautifully scary. We were reeled in from the get-go.

As to why this family try to rid the world of demons we find out as it goes along. A family tragedy meant that the two brothers lost their mother and later on a girlfriend of Sam's, to the demonic world of manipulation and interference. Since then their father tried to protect his two sons, until he was 'lost' as well. Their father John, charged the elder brother Dean, with the task of protecting Sam, as it turns out he is a 'special child' with abilities that will come into play later on.

On the way we are introduced to characters that help mould this story...while others are despatched with brutal abruptness. When Sam's life becomes threatened and therefore the two brother's apparent destiny, Dean takes a momentous decision and sells his soul to a demon to bargain for his brother's life. The contract is about to run out after a year, and they have run out of ideas to revoke that contract. We have got to the point where the hellhound dragged Dean off to Hell at the end of Season Three.

We sat there in an anguished silence.

It was anguished because we had grown to love these characters, wonderfully acted by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as the two brothers Sam and Dean Winchester. We have become invested, and want to know what happens to these characters. I swear that from the start my partner fell in love a little with Dean [who wouldn't?] he loves his machismo and cheeky attitude, tempered by his dedication and loyalty, his love for his family. With Dean I am sensing he is going to go on more than a physical journey of discovery. There is a heart of gold in there and I suspect we are all going to end up in a molten heap of emotion as we suffer revelations right along with him.

With the character of Sam I can empathise with the younger sibling struggling to find their way in life. I can also recognise that slight edge to the character when he realises that he is not like the rest of his family. But there is no denying his love for his brother, his loyalty for all his family, despite the differences.

And this is what is so appealing about the show. Supernatural is about much more than the ever-present 'Supernatural'. The show is also about the ties that bind families together, and the things that try to drive them apart. It is also about finding friends and partners along the way, and testing those loyalties in battle-tested situations.

There is a certain amount of gore and horror on the show, but that deos not bother me, but it might be too much for some. It is in a sense, and forgive the pun, just another slice of real life, which can be brutal at times. But so are the difficult subjects of loyalties and which 'army' you fall into. We both liked the way the show blurred these lines, where demons were sometimes helpful, [but usually only for a price, or if it suits them], yet humans cheated on their partners in matters of love or some sort of financial or selfish gain, making contracts that eventually caught up with them, and paying the consequences when the debt was called in.

The mirror reflects good and bad in all worlds...

In real life, nothing is as black and white as it seems. All of us live in the various shades of grey that exist in-between, whether that is in our personal lives or sometimes politically, in the workplace or interacting with our families. Sometimes we just have to keep the peace as best we can.

Love between people is not finite either. It is not always clear cut as to what exactly that love is, or what it means. I am sensing that this show will test those boundaries as it develops, just as we do in 'real' life.

The otherworld, faith and the murky world of the occult are topics that divide people. All I would say here is that it is only by experience that you will either embrace this in your life or reject it. Sometimes it is to do with timing. Faith and belief [in anything] will only come into your life when you are ready to accept it. Nobody should be forced into any belief system, it does not work that way and will ultimately be rejected by the person who will most likely end up feeling resentful of the intrusion into their life.

For myself I have a strong spiritual belief. This is evident from my work, [see link below to my website from where this Blog is run] which explores my belief, and my encounters at various locations. I do not feel as though I have to explain or prove myself to anyone; it is just part of who I am, I have always been this way, as far back as I can remember.

But this does not mean that I cannot still learn about the world I live in. This universe is endless, full of promise and light, yet also darkness and despair. I am always seeking more information, so I can be prepared to navigate through any new experiences and knowledge I might gain.

Always keep an open mind, you might be surprised...

Supernatural is a show that explores all these different aspects of our lives; those experiences that can delight us, terrify us, or fill us with compassion. The show has the ability to open up a dialogue, to get you thinking, to open up your mind to possibility.

The show is as relevant today as it was the first time it aired. I could explore each episode, and I most likely will, but for now, we are caught up in the narrative of the whole story. If you are reading this and you have not seen the show you need to find out for yourself whether the show is for you, but don't dismiss it out of hand, you might be surprised.

I suspect I will want to return to talking about the Supernatural series in another Blog. There are so many twists and turns, and it must have been agony watching this when it was first shown, waiting from week to week to find out what happens to our favourite brothers and the adventures they got themselves in, or were dragged into, sometimes literally..! Plus the really quite evil cliff-hangers from season to season the writers, producers and directors came up with to torture the fans with from year to year.

We have a way to go however, and the impending presence of the Angel in Season Four will no doubt be a 'game-changer' as they say, where perceptions will no doubt alter in all sorts of ways. Angels have a habit of doing that to people.

This little discussion has been a chance to share our first impressions of the show, the arrival of something that will probably amount to the presence of a force of nature in our home, but one that I am familiar with and welcome. But any such insights that come to me I am more than happy to share, as any inspirations or imparted wisdom from any source should not just languish in dusty tomes never to be read.

The path of the soul is often a troubled and difficult one, and even celestial beings have their challenges. When all is said and done, everything is a form of life from the vast creation of this universe; but it just might not be what you were expecting when you encounter it.

So my partner and I will be diving into Season Four now, and when the tensions become overwhelming I might well write another Blog about it. But by the time we get to the end of it all in Season Fifteen I may well be completely wrecked, along with my partner.

And I might also say here it is like being in a time warp or experiencing time speeding up, as we are watching these characters [and the actors] age....

For me, I am watching lost years. But then I went inward in that period of time...on a deeper journey, perhaps not so different from what I am watching on this show. So in a way, I am finding this experience of watching this show personally life-affirming.

The third wheel in the relationship, at least until the Angel appears...

And let's not forget the Impala! Dean's beloved classic car has become another character on the show. He calls her 'Baby', and I can see why. I suspect a lot of us have a nickname for our cars...mine has a name...but I will reveal that another time....

Dean's car is a wonderful personal touch on this show, and the classic chevy suits Dean's personality perfectly. She becomes her own presence on the show, and part of Dean.

Look at that number plate...

Has the Angel been here all the time?

So until next time folks,

Goodnight.

If you would like to explore my work more, you can find me at:

www.shelleyturnerpoetpix.com

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Please note that all thoughts expressed in this Blog are my own and all images are from my own Boxed Set of Supernatural, including the screenshots from the DVD's.

All props used in the images are from my own collections.

© WARNER BROS Entertainment Inc. retains the copyright, and this Blog is not for profit, merely a sharing of my admiration for this wonderful series.

Boxed Set Featured:

Supernatural - The Complete Series

© 2021 WARNER BROS Entertainment Inc.

All rights reserved.

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