Supernatural handout one

1. Concept Evidence of Postmodernity in Supernatural, ‘The French Mistake’
Media Language • The use of the ‘freeze frame’,use of greenscreen,clapperboardsshowsthe constructednature of the text.. We can see the
cameras. Use of real namesnotcharacter names.Toldoff for makingupown lines.Jensenmisseshismarkandstandsinthe wrong
place.Jensenmoansaboutwearingmake up.We see the stunts.WE see andhear the directorandotherbehindthe scenesstuff.
Theyshootthe setas well asthe action. Real people
• The storyline onlyworksbyshowingthatthe textisconstructedandopeningcriticisesitbymockingthe ‘real’worldof the
construction.
Genre • The audience isunable topredictwhat will happennextasthe charactersappearingin‘reality’isunsuspected.
• Genre isdifficulttodefine:comedicelementsaswell asactionanddrama (andfantasy!)
• TV Drama – basedonrelationships,resolvedstoryline,mostlyserious
• Comedy – we laughat the facttheytheysay the TV showisnot that good,attractive guydying,makingupownlines
• Action– The assassin(demon),fightscenes,bloodydeaths,use of weapons
• RealityTV – real life,handheldcamera
• Horror – basedonangelsand demons,somethinginthe backseat….Use of jump scares
Representation • Angelsare consideredthe epitomeof goodnesshowever,the angelsare presentedascorruptandvillainous.
• The heroesare aggressive andare showndrinkingcopiousamountsof alcohol.
• The episode representsitsowncreators asstereotypeswho,youwouldexpect,tosurvive!
• heroesare made funof. Mischawas a sillyperson,notmanly,heroic.Mockingthe celebritylifestyle –lama,lotsof picof themselves.
• Men are notverymanly.
• The programme delightsincreatingstereotypesof actorswhichisa comfortingexpectationof the audience –however,the
characters openingcriticisetheirownlifestyle,whichcreatescomedy.
Ideology • The ideologyof the angels(goodvs.evil) isquestioned alongwiththe ideaof God.Plusthe ideologyof the programme,where
viewersexpectCasstohelpandbe a friendtothe brothers(ratherthanusingthem)
• Maybe notthat pomo – goodvs evil.Goodwinsinthe end butGod is absence frombothworlds.
• Commentingon ourobsessionwithSocial Media.
Narrative • The narrative confusesthe audience astheyare often‘lied’to – neverreallyknowing(alongwiththe characters) whichisthe ‘real’
reality.
• The narrative continuesfrompreviousepisodes,there isalong storyarc that clearlycoversa numberof episodes(andthe audience
are expectedtoknowit).
Audience • Audienceshere are active participantsinthe constructionof the text,asseenfromthe ‘interview’scene aswell asMischa’sconstant
‘tweeting’tothe fansof the programme.
• Audiencesneedtobe engagedwiththe texttofull comprehendthe complexityof the storyline:fansare rewardedbytheir
knowledge of the show(stars,rumours,identifyingwiththe actors)

2. Strinati
The breakdown of the distinction
between culture and society.
(mediatisation)
Theyare ina show,ina showand theyrefertoothershows.Theygoogle themselvestofindoutwhotheyare as theydon’t
knowand needtouse the mediato learn/define themselvesbutwe knowthatthisis an interpretationof the real societysois
not accurate.The boysdo notlike thattheyare celebritiesandare uncomfortablewiththeircelebrityimage asitdidnotreflect
whotheythoughttheywere.Cultof Celebrity –we buyintothe flashyhouse andgreatlifestyle,Itisalsomade funof inthe
programme.The characters playthemselves(actors) andhave BobbySingerasa character….. Some are beingthemselvessome
are actingTheyuse real names.“Ithinkisthisa TV show’Theythinktheyare inAmericabutin fact theyare in Canada….
An emphasis on style at the expense
of substance and content.
Use of make up on the actors – needstolookgood/at the expense of talentbuttheywere notthathappyaboutit.Good
lookingcarbut it breaksdownandis notpractical!!!!.The glassand otherset/propfeaturesare easilybreakable.Inthe show
withinthe showthe boyscan notact!!! Theymake lotsof mistakes.Jadedhasapet Alpaca – celebritiesneedtohave weird
petsto be a ‘celebrity’ –JB had a monkey,MT hada tiger.InJ house there isa massive picof himself onthe wall,reallybig,
expensive asisthe restof his house – he has the celebrityhouse buthe isnotcomfortable init.Goingtoa charity‘event’,don’t
evenknowwhatthe charityis.The petlama. The popart on the walls.Theylooklike real actors(withmake up) buttheyare
reallyreallybadatacting (inthe show).
The Breakdown of the distinction
between high culture (art) and
popular culture
The paintingof J isin the style of AndyWarhol – a very,veryfamousartistwhopersonifies thispostmodernidea(taking
commonobjectsandusingthemto create newformsof art – blendinghighartwithpopculture).The directorisveryupset
whenthe boysdissthe showand the fans.
Lots of postersand magazineslayingaroundmakingthe showlooklikeitisamazing
Confusion over time and space The two Js are veryconfusedaboutthe space/realitytheyare in.Isthisthe directormakingasubtle pointaboutourworld and
howwe can nolongerworkout time andspace.Whenthe twoJs come throughthe window – thisiswhere the ‘space’changes
and the confusionbegins
Then/Now –use of titlestoshowthat the time changesandwe needto knowwhathas come before inorderto understand
the now.Andsome of the infoisfroma while ago….
Confusionoverlocation –showissetin AmericabutisfilmedinCanada.One of boysevensays‘we are not eveninAmerica’
(linkstoculture vssociety – PerceptionvsReality)
Decline of Meta-Narratives It doeshave metanarrative - itmostlyhasa traditional narrative structure (beginning,middle andend) butitisnotcompleted
self contained. Youdoneedsome priorknowledge tomake sense of itall.
The Meta Narrative of Religionisextremelyimportantinthe narrative –charactersare fightingthe forcesof goodandevil
(angelsanddemons) and thishasbecome more importantinthe TV seriesinthe last6 years. Linkedtothe growthof religion
inAmerica.HoweverGodismissingandangelsare not beingverynice……