Supernatural fans have deemed this summer of reruns a "hell-atus." The fifth season finale "Swan Song" saw the Winchester boys pulled apart as Lucifer, utilizing Sam (Jared Padalecki)'s meat suit fell into the pit and Dean (Jensen Ackles) honored his promise to his baby brother and looked up Lisa to attempt to have a normal life. The very last shot of the episode was of Dean at the dinner table with his new, "normal" family while Sam stood outside staring through the window. How much time had passed since they were torn apart? And was the Sam standing there really even our Sam? Cut to black; we have to wait until September to find out.
However the cast and crew only had to wait until now! Work on the sixth season of Supernatural, which is once again filming up in Vancouver Canada, is beginning at the end of June, unprecedentedly early for a fall series to resume!
Season six will see quite a few changes to the show. First and foremost Eric Kripke has stepped down as showrunner, though loyal fans are confident writer/producer Sera Gamble will be able to carry on his vision well. After all, she has been with the show since the beginning.
Also, though the network has confirmed that fan favorites Jim Beaver (Bobby) and Misha Collins (Castiel) will be back, they have not said for how many episodes, which could mean some tearjerkers in the early part of the season! One CW publicist has been calculatedly cryptic by saying that the CW and Collins have some big news coming down the pike, which is leaving Twitter and fan forums abuzz with the possibility of some sort of spin-off. Maybe on the web ala Ghostfacers?
But today the major change appears to be that the episode with which they are resuming production is not the season premiere but instead the third episode in-- an episode to be "guest directed" by Ackles himself. This was done so the actor-turned-director would have ample time to prepare for his step behind the camera and not have be taken away from filming another episode for pre-production on his directorial debut. Basically this means that his screen time for episodes 6.01/6.02 won't be affected by his double-duty on 6.03. The CW and Dawn Ostroff know what a hit they have on their hands with this show, and it seems they want to keep those who carry it happy. Which means the fans will be happy by extension.
And those fans want to let their favorite star know just how happy they are! Previously they have raised money for Jared Padalecki's favorite charity, A Dog's Life Rescue, as well as to take out a trade ad to say "Thank You" to Eric Kripke for his wonderful creation. Now fans are gathering in a postcard campaign to congratulate Ackles on achieving yet another one of his dreams by sitting down in the director's chair.
As of press time, it has not yet been confirmed which actors will have prevalent roles (other than our Winchesters, of course) in this first-up episode. Fans are already staking out On Location Vacations to find out where to spot the Supernatural production trucks to get a first-hand view for themselves, though. Rumors have been flying that Mark Sheppard (Crowley) might make it in, as he was the third recurring role to be announced as returning for this sixth season, and he and Ackles have always had a great rapport on-screen.
And what about Mitch Pileggi (Grandpa Samuel)? The character was killed in episode 4.03 "In The Beginning"...or was he? The veteran actor is in discussions to reprise his role, and potentially on a recurring basis, too. How can that be? Will the boys spend a chunk of time in the past, or was he not really dead after all-- only presumed so and left on that stretch of road back in 1973? The network has already confirmed they are putting the Heaven/Hell arc to bed, so chances are, if he does return, it won't be from the after-life. Hmm...
About season six, Ackles has recently been quoted as saying: "Not being a hunter looks like a different world to Dean. All his life was dedicated to one single task, almost like a voluntary slavery, now it’s time to face the monster of real world. That’s totally new to me, through the acting perspective, and I’ll explore a lot more of Dean’s life, that’s why I’m so excited. A kind of introspective tension, like inside monsters."
Season six will show Sam pulling Dean back into hunting, a role reversal from the pilot six years ago to start the new arc for the brothers. Both men have been changed by recent events and by stopping the apocalypse, and their relationship toward themselves as well as each other is nowhere near the same, either. Be prepared for some tense rides in the Impala this year!
This fall, Supernatural moves to its new date of Fridays at 9 p.m. only on The CW. And for those of you Los Angeles fans who wish the show was shot here, you will still have your chance to meet the stars at Creation Entertainment's annual "Salute to Supernatural" convention, which has already been announced for 2011! Tickets for the event always sell out quickly-- especially the boys' autograph and photo ops'-- so be sure to reserve yours now to ensure you get your face time with them. As always, additional guests will be added as it gets closer to the event. Examiner hopes to see you there!
'Supernatural' Summer 2010 promo
Comments
I've been saying for a long time (well since I first met Misha lol) that he needs his own show! I think one on the web would be perfect b/c that's where he gathers his minions. We would help out however possible!
What a great article....I can not wait to see what Sera & everyone else has in store for the fans.
Mitch Pileggi plays Samuel Campbell Mary's father not Samuel Winchester.
I don't get what the CW is doing. So they need to shoot Jensen's episode first. Fine, shoot out of order, but why start so early? Why not give these guys a proper break first? It's not just SPN either. LUX is starting back up in two weeks which is earlier than usual, too. WEIRD.
Needs more wincest :P
"The CW and Dawn Ostroff know what a hit they have on their hands with this show, and it seems they want to keep those who carry it happy. Which means the fans will be happy by extension."
You have got to be kidding me! The CW has NEVER supported this show beyond their first year with them and now they're moving it to Friday night. Right now, the CW needs SPN more than the other way around. Too bad the guys had a 6 year contract instead of 5. I don't have high hopes with Sera in charge either - this is liable to turn SPN into a worse soap opera than it has become now. Mitch Pileggi and Mark Sheppard are welcome returns to the show however.
The end of season 5 completely killed my interest in this show. None of the spoilers seem even remotely interesting so far. It all seems kind of desperate and clutching a straws they way they are bringing back all these dead characters. I'll watch the episode that Ackles directed, but that's about it.
Season 6 is a chance for this show to redeem itself after it horribly derailed after a brilliant start in season 4 in part do to fan servicing and only got worse in season 5! So much damage done to the characters and it's own history by dragging this soap opera of a rift too long and too over the top. Which made it quite obvious there was never any five year plan. Swan Song was great but it was empty too after what came before it. Season 6 is a shot at returning this show and it's characters back to who they truly are evolved and grown but thie essence reinstated!
I just hope that S6 will not be another season of special super awsome Sam Winchester and useless, isignificant, unimportant, bacteria and punching bag of a brother, who is no longer part of the story. Dean's mytharc which turn out to be a bunch of lies for 2 years btw and made him to be Sam's driver in the story.
can't believe the comments above. *eyeroll*
I'M PSYCHED FOR SEASON SIX ...AND SEVEN...AND EIGHT - BRING IT!
I simply cannot wait for season six. I loved season five and the finale was one of the best I've seen. I loved how Sam redeemed himself at the end by sacrificing himself and I cannot wait to see how they bring him back.
Season 5 was a total disaster and a complete let down. Season 6 better shape up, or I'll be shipping out.
Giving Misha his own show? BAD MOVE! He's the only reason half of the SPN fans are still with the show.
Jensen Ackles deserves much more recognition than he gets for what he has brought to Supernatural through the years. In a more fair world he would have an Emmy on his shelf. I hope directing goes well for him.
I have no faith that season 6 will be good. I try to watch, but not due to plot. They killed any interest in plot during season 5, - the total turnaround from season 4, with the "righteous man" , "the only one to stop it" etc.... why take that away from Dean and give to Sam????
I will keep watching because of Jensen, but even he won`t be enough to keep me a regular viewer, if Dean is once again made "all about Sam".
Season 5 sucked big time, season finale made me laugh due to bad plot, be a junkie save the world.. goodness!
Give us more interaction between Misha and Jensen, then I guess it will be worth watching season 6. They carry the show!
Jensen and Jared for that matter deserve a lot more recoginition than they're getting. But since we're talking about Jensen he has given one too many performances that have been ignored by the Emmy's.
So this year I hope for two things. One is that we see Jensen or Jared nominated for an award and I hope for season 6 to be revived, free of the brother fights and angst of the previews years. I hope Sera won't keep this brothers fighting in the Impala like you mentioned in your article.
FOr a show that listens to the fans who obviously help make things happen for the show, the writers continue to ignore the fact that the fans do not want the Winchesters fighting.
The writers read everything else on the forums but this. Hope they open their eyes this year.
Good luck to all cast and crew and Jensen and Jared in particular.
The way season 5 ended has me thinking that there never was a five year plan. "swan song" was an episode that Jensen and Jared executed perfectly, but it couldn't have been the end of Kripke's five year arc.
Thus I hope season 6 doesn't become another season of repetitive fighting between the brothers, we know they're different, grown up etc, no need to keep this up.
The fans you guys all talk about don't support the brothers fighting story arc, never have and never will. I suggest everyone at CW take a look at the ratings last year.
Us fans we love the show yes, we support it yes, we go to the conventions yes, but someone please hear the voice of the fans saying SUpernatural is about family and families don't fight for years and years.
I agree with Me. Bring on the Wincest. Having said that, I'm not all that fond of the Dean and Lisa "one true pairing"...in fact, I hate it. Other than that, everything else is wonderful. I will just have to make sure I have a sudoku when Dean and Lisa do their thing. Oh, and if wincest is out of the question, bring back Sarah and SAM! I loved them together. They really had chemistry.
I agree with Me. Bring on the Wincest. Having said that, I'm not all that fond of the Dean and Lisa "one true pairing"...in fact, I hate it. Other than that, everything else is wonderful. I will just have to make sure I have a sudoku when Dean and Lisa do their thing. Oh, and if wincest is out of the question, bring back Sarah and SAM! I loved them together. They really had chemistry.
I agree with Me. Bring on the Wincest. Having said that, I'm not all that fond of the Dean and Lisa "one true pairing"...in fact, I hate it. Other than that, everything else is wonderful. I will just have to make sure I have a sudoku when Dean and Lisa do their thing. Oh, and if wincest is out of the question, bring back Sarah and SAM! I loved them together. They really had chemistry.
NO MORE ANGST BETWEEN SAM AND DEAN! I'm so freaking sick of it. I fell in love with the show because of Sam and Dean and how close they were. I want things to be like that again. Also, enough with the recurring characters, that's what fudged up season 4.
More recurring characters please, the boys have to expand the world beyond them. And no more Dean has to be about Sam all the time.
Jim Beaver confirmed via Twitter that he's in the episode. Go Uncle Bobby!!
This season is going to rock,lol,cas and bobby still on the run!cool.more hunting and less family fight pls...
Cannot wait for season 6 to get here to see Sam and Dean! How many more days to go until September 24? Pretty soon we will all be counting the days, minutes, seconds until the big moment arrives!
hi jared padalecki my name is angela and i love ur show i dont no what i would do with out it ;-) i dont no if u will get this but im just ganna ask anyways i really would love it if we could meet im in australia (victoria) geelong i really need to talk to you because i know your the only person that will listen i wont go into details but if u could add me on msn its sexcangie@hotmail.com and thats my fb acount too or u could ring me ill give u my earia code plus my mobile number so its +61 401597412 thaks xxx ang
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