After the insidious death-by-formula-tweaking of
Veronica Mars,
Supernatural fans are outraged at the inclusion of two female characters into the
Supernatural cast of regulars. It’s not so unusual for die-hard fans to be averse to change, but could the new cast members be a good thing?
Months after the announcement of
Supernatural’s feminine additions, fans are still smarting over what is being perceived as a low-brow attempt at widening the shows male demographic.
In fact, in a supporting sense there have been characters similar to the impending Bela and Ruby in
Supernatural’s past that have played well with the audience. The assumption that the change is one originating from The CW’s programming executive may be incorrect. It could be that the creators themselves felt the change would bring a much needed freshness to the Winchester brother's saga. In fact, while rabid change-averse
Supernatural fans rail against CW exec Dawn Ostroff for the change, there isn't a shred of evidence that the network demanded any changes to
Supernatural's formula.
On the other side of the fence there is a small, but growing, contingent of fans that are welcoming the change. The boys have been going it alone for far too long, according to the counter argument. With the ‘war’ beginning, it only makes sense that the world of those in the trenches gets a little smaller.
The important fact to keep in mind is that networks, as well as writers, have a tendency to roll with the punches. Shows like
Supernatural usually owe their success to keeping a keen thumb on the pulse of the audience. At worst if the additions do turn into a nightmare as far as fans are concerned, the creators could easily terminate them mid season without blinking an eye.
- Jon Lachonis, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of TheCW)