Before we get into this, let me clear about something: I will always love Supernatural. There's probably nothing the show could do - short of permanently killing Sam or Dean - that would ever make me not want to watch it.
Does that mean I'm blind to its occasional faults? Of course not. I think that the show has so many incredible qualities. It's funny, it's smart, it's dramatic and the actors who work on it regularly are fantastic and under-appreciated.
All of that being said, there were things about season 6 that could have been improved. When I look back on the series as a whole, I repeat what I've said many times: season 4 was my favorite. Not only for the overall season-long arc (which was terrific), but also because it had great stand-alone episodes. I liked season 6 for so many reasons, but when I look back on the season I think I enjoyed a lot of the individual episodes (like "Frontierland", "The Man Who Would be King", "The French Mistake" and "Caged Heat", for example) as opposed to the season-long arc.
I also didn't mind the cliffhanger at the end concerning Castiel. I'm actually not that concerned that Castiel will be permanently leaving the show. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see that happening, even if he gets less screen time. So I've decided to come up with a list of things I'd like to see in season 7. I asked other Supernatural fans as well, including my good friend Monnie (@squeemonster). Some of them stem from aspects I didn't like in season 6, while others stem from the events in the finale.
I think season 7 is a terrific opportunity for Supernatural to continue to prove it's one of the best shows on television. I think that some aspects of season 6 can be attributed to the fact that the show had finished a fairly comprehensive five year plan and needed a chance to reboot itself.
As a reminder, here's what The CW has released as a description for next season: "In season seven, the Winchesters will find themselves in an increasingly sinister, changing landscape, up against a new foe unlike anything they’ve ever fought. They’ll find their old tricks, weapons and hiding places all rendered useless. All they’ll have is each other. And the certainty that, like the last of the cowboy outlaws, whatever they face, they’re not going down without a fight."
So here is my list of things I'd like to see in season 7. Supernatural returns with all new episodes in the fall on The CW.
What do you think? Do you agree with my choices? Did I forget anything you'd like to see?
Update: I've been reading through all the comments and it seems like the general consensus is that Dean should get a stronger storyline next season that's directly related to the myth-arc. You're all right and I agree completely! As for Sam remembering Hell...what I was trying to suggest is that he doesn't have to be tormented by them constantly, but he needs to at least deal with the after-effects. Nearly all of season 6 was focused on Sam, the wall and the Hell memories, so to completely sweep them away would be kind of ridiculous. But yes - like many of you have suggested - I don't think he needs to wallow in them constantly.
Just because I didn’t mind the Castiel cliffhanger, doesn’t mean I want to see him be lost to Sam and Dean forever. Along the same lines that Dean had to battle Sam and his darker tendencies in seasons 4 and 5, I would be okay seeing Castiel go down his own dark path and perhaps become the “big bad” for next season. But at some point Castiel needs to be redeemed. I still hold to my belief that the souls of Purgatory are making him behave in a manner he wouldn’t otherwise (unless I’m proven wrong) and that’s fine, but eventually he needs to be saved. Cas is inherently a good character, and while I can accept that he needs to work through his issues in season 7, I don’t want to see him dead or permanently “evil”. And I want him and the Winchesters to make up again because they're family! :(
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I'm with you on most of those picks, but I'd also like to see some loose end tie-ups from S5 too. Dean not going after the two hunters that killed he and Sam in Dark Side of the Moon is ridiculous. Samuel tried to let them die – these guys killed them!
Also I want to see the guys on the motel tripster again – they hardly went near a motel they seemed to be living out of Bobby's place. I'd like to see some ingenious ways to bring back certain characters too. Rufus is a must – Jo, Ellen and Ash- I think we could use a retro Gabriel ep if we can't have him back in the present and maybe introduce a Winchester uncle. I would also like Adam resolved too – it is particularly unfair to leave the poor bloke down there with Lucy and Michael (I would like to see Paul Bettany guest star too). He's bloody awesome.
Word to all of this, and especially to more badass hot-as-Hell Dean, and to the brothers being a team and supporting each other every step of the way. And word especially to your hopes for Cas… please, Show, save Cas. Have the brothers going all out to save him because they love him and because it's totally in-character of them to do it. Have him then earn his redemption and be fully reinstated in Team Free Will.
He's a character who means so much to so many fans and he deserves this, for all he has sacrificed for Sam and Dean.
I agree with 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16. I especially agree with #9. I do think it would very cheap to just, once again, wipe Sam's Hell memories and not allow him to deal with them. It'd seem like a copout that we went all the rest of the 2nd half of the season with this protective wall giving him amnesia and now he remembers everything. I'd rather not see anymore amnesia for Sam or having his Hell wiped. Not only that, but I don't see how it can be. If Death couldn't "hack the Hell part off" then how on earth could transformed Cas believing he's God or anything else do it? It'd make no logical sense. I think Jared would ROCK the Sam Hell scenes, so I'm praying that they do not retcon this. My poor heart will be crushed if they do. :(
Also, LEAVE SAM'S HAIR ALONE! NO HAIRCUT EPISODE PLZ!!! lol :P
And I definitely want more awesome brotherly moments. I don't think we have anything to worry about in regards to the brotherly bond since the official synopsis for Season 7 said that all Sam and Dean have is just each other. It's taking on a Butch and Sundance theme this season which I'm excited about, but I do want more brotherly moments throughout the season this time.
One HUGE thing that I'd like to see and didn't see it named here was more emotional focus on the brothers. Last season the whole entire season was so plot-driven that we barely had any emotional focus. Past seasons we've had a mixture of the season being both plot and emotionally driven, so I'd like to see more emotional focus and not so much plot but just enough plot to know what's happening and enough emotion to be able to connect with the characters.
I only care about the brotherly moments if Sam realizes that he basically sucked at supporting Dean during HIS recovering from Hell and that he shouldn't have mocked and ignored it. (Seriously complaining to Ruby of all people about Dean, really?) I'm not interested in hearing Sera haveing Dean say that Sam had soooooooo much harder time than him and that's why it's OK for his time in Hell to be mocked while Sam has to be treated daintily in comparison.
Besides we've already had them die together only to find out that Dean's idea of Heaven and Sam's are two very different things. I actually think Dean and Pamela would have a much more fun time hanging out than Sam and Dean in Heaven.
THIS.
Seriously, point 1? Absolutely what I want to see. Castiel redeemed. Castiel not evil. Castiel not dead. Because I am so sick of the death of good characters in any series, but especially in this universe given Dean and Sam have lost enough family and friends already. And Castiel is now family. He's saved their hides so many times, he deserves them to save him. And it would be true to the characters of Dean and Sam that they would try… they don't give up on family.
Agree with so many of your other points – good rock music, good Dean and Sam moments, more BAMF Dean. Though I suspect you'll get some resistance from many quarters re: Sam cutting his hair. *g*
Thank you for expressing so much of what I want to see. From your lips to Godstiel's ears that somebody, somewhere, is paying attention.
Glad you like it!
Haha, I didn't know so many people had a love-on for Sam's hair! :)
Terrific list! I'd also add that I'd love, love, love for Dean to get a developed, cohesive arc of his own this season. I'm positive that Sam dealing with his hell memories will be a main theme so he'll have a storyline. And while I'm sure Dean will be there for Sam, a lot of fans want more for his character than just playing a supportive role in someone else's story (which is kind of how it's felt since late S5). It really doesn't matter what that storyline would be, whether it be the one most directly involved with helping save Cas or some direct tie to the new uber plot or an actual individual arc that the writers are actually invested in (unlike his domestic melodrama that was pretty much just filler.) Just something for Dean's character that fans can feel as excited about as they've been for Sam and his hell experience or now Cas and his storyline.
Word to this – something that will have the fans talking about "what's going on with Dean" all season, as well as Sam and Cas…we all like to have stuff to talk about, that's what being in fandom is all about.
I want to love the story, and I want to be excited about how Dean, as much as the others, will be involved in that story.
Maybe take his character down an interesting unchartered road.
Oh, and I want him to save Cas with Sam and Bobby backing him up.
This. Unfortunately it's very hard for me to get excited about anything on this show when they treat Dean like an afterthought who has no purpose except as filler so I don't get "excited" about Sam's storyline or Castiel's storyline because I'm too busy being pissed off of at the lack of SUPERNATURAL main theme related storyline for Dean, for himself, not just because he happens to know one of the other characters. There are at least half a dozen or more dropped plotlines related to Dean, some of them just from last season, many dating as far back as Season 1(Dean's interesting relationship with death, which nothing ever comes of, in it's many forms, started back in Faith, for example). Dean's smart(maybe not college smart, but he's far from dumb), quick witted, he's a total whiz with symbols/spells and extremely tough and comes up with creative, outside the box solutions – use some of that for GOOD. I'm so tired of everything on this show being doom and gloom. Even when they win, they still lose.
And yes I want Dean to save Castiel, with Sam and Bobby playing back up, giving him support, as he's so often had to do for others.
It would also bring full circle Dean and Castiel's relationship, which started when Castiel just happened to be the angel who managed to pull Dean Winchester from Hell during the siege.
Castiel pulled Dean from Hell, stuff happened which changed both of them immensely and created a friendship neither ever would have dreamed of before, now Dean will save Castiel from this, which is the equivalent of Hell for dramatic purposes. The Dean Winchester I've seen through all these years would attempt to do nothing less for someone he loves and he loves Castiel(I'm not slashing here, Castiel's family).
I agree with all your points, especially point 1. Castiel needs to be redeemed, and Dean needs to be the one to save him. I believe that Dean has a responsibility to put some validity behind the statement he made about Cas being like a brother to him. If this really is a true statement, he should not give up on Cas. Besides, if Dean had trusted Cas more and treated him better, they may not be in the situation they are in now.
I also think that Castiel needs a long-awaited emotional breakdown.
He has had so much build-up over the past two seasons, and we have never even seen him shed a tear. French Mistake does not count.
Also Misha Collins has said that he would like Castiel to have an emotional breakdown, and he said that he would actually enjoy doing a scene like that. So writers, why not let him do it? I think that many fans would like to see that. Do you agree?
Great list. I agree with all of it – particularly re keeping the Winchesters as a team, and bringing back some of those little moments.
I agree with every thing that you said and especially i want to see more
brotherly moments and their relationship on track :D and what i really would love to see is a hair cut for jared*-*BUT just a little lol
I really want to see Cas saved and I'm not as confident as you that it's going to happen. If it doesn't, I'll switch to Fringe because Sera Gamble's comments about what is and isn't redundant when it comes to the storyline for season 7 diverge fundamentally from mine. If I want to watch a seasons 1-3 redux, I can just stick the DVDs on. The show has come a long way since then and I'm not interested in regression. Aside from that: can we please have a central mytharc role for Dean that doesn't get regifted or erased from canon? Because as a Cas-stroke-Dean fan, season 6 gave me zip.
Dean fixing the Impala, GOSH! PLEASEEEEEEE! I DO love to see him working on the car xxxxx
What I want to see in season 7? Dean and Cas`s profound bond restored!!! Otherwise, I will watch something else.
No more brotherly moments! Those are so redundant!
Save Cas!!! Let him be good again!! How can a showrunner want to kill off such a great and popular character!
AGREE with you on probably all of those!
But mostly; save Cas.
i just want to see one thing above all…redemption for castiel because he deserves it…because he lost everything for the human and angels , his family…because that's the spn spirit…after treason, bad path, separation and arguments comes the time of forgiveness, love, family and friendship and REDEMPTION…castiel is the spn family…so after dean redemption, sam redemption, it's the castiel redemption time
i want to see more episodes writed by englund because he is for the spirit of spn…thanks for the 6.20, tribute to castiel
i want to see MY dean badass but loyal and real friend and not the 6th season dean so unpleasant and invisibleand unfair
i want a clear plot (like the 4 and 5th season, the best one), a clear vilain (not God-cass)…
i want the spn with kripke mind on it…sorry gamble i don't like to see all a seaon of a centric brothers season like the old one…need to see bobby and castiel on the show not just for 1 or 2 episodes…spn , dean and sam are nothing without the assist character
i want back crowley, meg "clarence", mother of all…back on the show
i want my spn back
For Dean to save Cas and then redemption for Cas, badass Dean – more hand to hand combat, shooting and choping more heads.
Dean to have a clear arc for S7 that is of importance to the world, no more circling around Sam.
TFW working together, new hunters, a good fermale character.
Gabriel back.
Solve the Adam issue.
More Crowley.
Better monsters (no more lame spiders, dragons, mannequins)
Word to all of this!
OK I agree with most that except(I love how you put that about Dean being of importance to the world, not just circling around Sam) I really feel no requirement for either more recurring hunters or a female recurring character. Personally I am much more interested in them giving us interesting guest stars as People in Peril for Dean and Sam to interact with.
I miss so much when Dean and Sam would roll into town, meet some people who needed saving from the latest supernatural baddie and we'd see them interacting. I still remember a lot of those Season 1 and 2 guest characters because they were interesting and colorful and not only had their own stories but allowed us to see various sides of Dean and Sam through their interaction with them.
I'd like to see that again.
I also have to admit I don't give a damn about Adam. Adam went into the cage because he CHOSE that path. He decided he'd rather damn the world so long as he got what Michael promised him. If he got out and is now in heaven, that is FINE, but I have no interest in seeing Dean and Sam blamed for his situation or anything like that or hearing about poor wittle Adam. Adam had a choice and he chose badly. Dean and Sam would have been vessels whether they were hunters or not, it was because of their blood not because of their hunting skills that they were vessels. So if Dean and Sam had been normal, they too would have been responsible for the choices they made. That's how many hero stories start out – normal guy or guys get pulled into extraordinary situation and they still have to make the right choices in the end. Being "normal" doesn't somehow make them blameless or immune to being responsible for their actions.
Please let there be finally the arc for Dean, Dean dealing with his Hell trauma (and not just drinking when the writers don't know what to do with him) and finding new friends outside of Sam. Dean helping Cas to become Cas we know and love and not that ass*** of the finale of s6.
A great big yes to all of these, especially no more conflict between the brothers. To be honest, that is all that really matters to be. If they are fighting together then I am fine with whatever else the writers want to throw at us.
I agree with all of these, except modify # 16 to include Dean and Cas too! ;)
# 1 is a top priority for me – Castiel needs to have a good story and a good redemption arc in Season 7. Otherwise, the show will send me a bad message about what to expect in Season 7. I also echo your wish of introducing well-thought new characters (PLEASE nothing like ANY of the Campbells) and DO NOT kill them off. Killing recurring characters is a bad habit the showrunners need to break. Also, how about making the overall feel of the season less doom and gloom?
Lastly, VERY important for me and not on your list: if there is an overall seasonal arc, let Dean play an EQUAL part in it. Dean/Jensen is too valuable to be relegated to second fiddle behind Sam or be a pawn in Castiel's story. Also, if he IS given a story, (like Lisa/Ben), write it well, as if it means something for the character. Perhaps pick up one of the zillion dropped Dean plots from Seasons 4 and 5?
Agree with 1, 2, 8 Also, Dean needs a myth arc all to himself and not be a caretaker AGAIN. This is after all Supernatural, not Supernanny.
4 . . . Well, at least stop with Sam not giving a damn about Dean or choosing demon/others over him. And when Sam does stuff like lecture Dean about mindwiping Lisa & Ben, have Dean smack him for real. But the bro-bond is pretty much mythical like a unicorn.
6 . . .No. I don’t care about Bobby.
9. No, no. no. In S4, Dean got mocked for feeling the effects of Hell, for expressing his 8 minutes of feeling terrible and if I have to see Sam moan and groan about the cage, I want a big hearty BOO HOO from Bobby to him because when it was Dean, he couldn’t give a crap. So NO, NO, NO. He already had enough time dedicated to him so unless he decides to be stand up and say that he was rotten to have mocked Dean's time in Hell, he can stuff it.
10. Yes, please stop. I miss most of the good ones and they keep the suckier ones hanging on longer. Heinricksen, Rufus, Ellen, I miss you.
12. Perhaps Sam should just shave his head or get a crew cut. I don’t think there’s anything to be done about that.
13 . I think it’s too late for that. It comes off as fake and cheesy now.
14. Straight shot to Heaven one-liner. That’s it. After Swan Song, I do NOT trust the writers not to use him to treat Dean like crap again.
Pretty much all of this, minus the crazy html. I don't care one iota about Sam remembering Hell. Not unless there's a "Boohoo Princess" in it for him. Brother moments don't mean anything anymore, either. Bobby and Adam can both pfft off the screen as well.
I'm sorry. I was writing in Word and copied & pasted w/o realizing it had all that gunk in the beginning because I was trying to get my thoughts organized while looking at all the recommendations.
I'm glad the author of this articles agrees that Dean needs a stronger storyline. I won't watch next season without one. I'd gladly trade skin for substance.
I also want a return to the Dean & Castiel friendship. I do NOT want a return to the kind of situation where the only person Dean has in his life is someone whose happiest memories don't include him & thinks that Samuel Campbell & Ruby are just like Dean and that's canon.
Considering Sera is basically against this entire list, we also need a new show runner. Ben Edlund can run the show for next season.
I don't know if I'm allowed to mention this here but there is a petition for Ben Edlund to be showrunner – so you're not the only one who feels that way.
I have had this exact conversation with these same points about the show! I'm so glad you brought up the music! It seems like such a little thing to nitpick, but music has always been such a huge part of the show, and this season it wasn't there. In fact, in the finale when we actually got some good classic rock I was actually jarred for a minute. But that, and especially the little moments between Sam and Dean are what I really miss.
Is it really too much to ask for Dean to save Cas and then to see Dean and Cas stripped to the waist fixing the Impala together? Yum.
Add me to everyone here who wants Cas saved. And I probably won't keep watching if he isn't.
Hahaha, don't forget Sam — sixpack, you know :))
From your mouth to the SPN TPTB's ears! This is all I need!!! Your list is what I want!!!! Please send it to the CW or to Kripke or Sera! They need to read this!!! And most importantly, Cas NEEDS to be redeemed! The character has given so damn much in the last 3 years, he deserves a hell of a lot better than to exit as a simple bad guy! If Sera doesn't want redundancy, how about instead of another year of Sam and Dean running around defeating the big bad, we get this time of Sam and Dean unwilling to simply kill the big bad because they want to save their friend and bring him home? Wouldn't that be a much more interesting storyline to have?
I'm hoping more than anything to see more of those little brotherly moments next season, now that the boys are on better terms than they have been in seasons! I'd especially love to see a bit of them working together to repair the Impala.
Also excited to see what they do with the issue of Sam's memories, and I'm probably going against the grain in hoping Cas's arc leads to a bad*** showdown between Cas and Death.
You are amazing. I hope the writers listen to you, especially about Castiel!
Thanks for the list and the ideas. I agree with 1, 2, 5, 7, especially 8, 10, 11. I can do without #9, since the show completely blew Dean's time in hell and I don't feel like having Sam play out what was originally Dean's story.
I also agree with those that would love to see a Dean centered season with Dean finally included in the mytharc, and staying there, not being torn out of it and given to Sam, yet again.
I can deal with having something resolved about Adam, but I don't care either way.
I would love more Dean stuff, and I would love to see Dean and Cas rebuild their profound bond. I really couldn't care less about the brotherly relationship, since all it means is that Dean will be all about Sam again while Sam is all about himself, as usual.
I also agree with M's list. For once, let the show be about Dean and Dean and Cas. Season 6 was wasted on being all about Sam. How about season 7 be all about Dean?
You are so cute. You are also very right. Castiel, in addition to being eye candy, must be redeemed.
The world needs hope. Losing Castiel to the big nothingness or to evil would indeed be a bummer. I like the way they grew Sam up. Even the actor himself. From the time that his love is killed and his hopes of becoming a normal person are lost. And then to go to hell and back.
It was different for Dean, because he had had thoroughly accepted his fate at such a young age.
I look at it as an epic. That way I won't be over critical of some parts that fall short of what I wish.
I would love to see more of an active storyline for Dean, one that is directly tied to the mytharc. There have been a number of storyline hints that have dropped in Season 4 or Season 5 that the show could've utilized, but they haven't, and I would love to see one of them picked up in Season 7.
I wish for a solid storyline for Dean that ties into the "mytharc" (with Dean being the smart, badass hunter that he is, of course!).
Otherwise, I'd like for Castiel to find redemption (with renewal of the profound bound, of course!)
(And hopefully Sam remains Sam. Enough with "what is wrong with him?" or trying to turn him into someone else.)
Good list and I agree with most of it but if we're going for gratuitous moment, we are definitely overdue for some Dean skin.
I didn't mind the cliffhanger either but only if it means a season-long storyline for Cas and not as the set-up to writing him off the show early next year which is the strong impression I am getting from Sera Gambles comments. I wouldn't mind if Cas was the big bad for a bit because I think he would be biggest challenge that the boys have ever faced. But I do want him ultimately redeemed, preferably because of his caring for Dean and Sam by extension. The best part of these past three seasons has been Dean and Cas' relationship. I certainly hope these writers are mature enough to realize that the boys having other people in their lives does not threaten the brothers' bond.
I too would like to see Dean given some importance beyond how well he supports his family. It would be nice if he actually had some importance to the plot as well. The reason we have had so much Dean angst and a significant lack of badass Dean is because he is pretty much irrelevant unless his storyline services Sam (and now Castiel) in some way. That doesn't leave him much to do but angst considering the many and varied ways in which he was betrayed by them both.
I definitely agree that the show needs more recurring characters because the show has gotten so bleak and hopeless and killing off Castiel would reinforce those themes exponentially, which leaves me as a viewer wondering why they, or I, are even bothering with such a sad and depressing world.
I don't really care about Sam's time in Hell because I feel like this entire season has been all about his post-Hell trauma. The fact that it was about keeping the memories at bay rather than tackling them head-on is the only way this story differed from Dean's so I really don't need them to spend another year on Sam's post-Hell trauma. Dean had no support or comfort when he was suffering from PTSD so I suspect that watching everyone fussing over Sam is just going to negatively impact on Sam by showing the contrast in how the brothers' deal with each other when they are in pain.
On that note, I would like some clear indications that Sam actually likes and respects Dean. I know he loves Dean, but these past four seasons, I have gotten the sense that Sam is only with Dean because he has no one else. Maybe those small brotherly moments that you mentioned are what we need, but I want them to go both ways like they did in the first two seasons. I want to see Sam show some open affection for Dean rather than the constant eye-rolling or bitchfacing. Something that was cute and little brotherly in the first two seasons, seems far more intolerant and judgmental in the wake of these past four seasons. The show keeps telling us how sensitive and empathetic Sam is but I rarely see that side of him directed at his brother. That's what I need to see to believe in the brotherly bond again.
I want season seven to be more about Sam. And hell ya to him dealing with his hell trauma. I want to see Dean helping him. But no to Castiel being redeemed. I don't care.
Agreed!
1) the impala, this character has to be dealt with & REPAIRED!!
2) i thought from what gamble has said that the castiel storyline would somehow have a total different flavor for season 7. the boards have suggested an angel/human hybrid…… it's lore!
3) ben edlund is crazy great!!! agree, he does it all! i drool for his eps!! written or directed but mostly written!
4) gamble again has said the bros will be stronger, nuff said!
5) ONLY disagreement i have with ya, ms clarissa, is that season 6 has seemed to be very stand alone in it's entirety! the eps have been epic in rememberance! i really think that continuity has been an issue this season!
6) we have great characters! let them live…. ash, ellen, jo, rufus, bela, the whole campbell family except samuel! i'm with dean on the death thing!
7) i adore the ghostfacers!!!!!!!!!!!!
haircutting: samson & delilah in a dream for sam!
thanks for the thoughts & a few moments of relief from the long, dry supernatural-less summer!
love the red!!!!!!!!!
A good list, but a myth-arc storyline for Dean that doesn't have him only and strictly supporting Sam and/or others, and that is followed through on w/o giving the awesome parts away to other characters needs to be a part of the list, too. And Dean finding a way to save Cas FTW!-long live the Profound Bond! Love your idea of Dean working on the Impala shirtless which feeds right into my request for more Dean skin in S7. Can't feel it for anything concerning Sam's hell memories considering how they treated Dean's-the minute amount of screen-time devoted to it, and the lack of support the character received from his loved ones within the storyboard make me hope that someone will wipe Sam's memories of his hell time, and save me fast forwarding through them.
I agree about the Sam/Hell thing. Dean imo was treated terribly by his loved ones and the only way I will want to see ANY of Sam's Hell experience dealt is if it majorly includes Sam and Bobby admitting they don't know how the frack Dean's managed to survive with the relative lack of support he had after his memories of 40 years in Hell returned and that the show remembers Dean did spend 30 of them being TORTURED(in terrible ways which were both described and hinted at).
Dean himself, in the show, spent approx. 8 minutes of screen time over the entire season "dealing" with Hell and that was despite the fact that they'd spent a season building up to it and then rescuing him from it and because of that they had other characters including his brother and Bobby, literally saying "boo hoo" to him, he was called weak, he was called whiny. So yeah if the show can treat Dean like that, then the only way I want to see Sam's time dealt with any more is if they acknowledge how insensitively Dean was treated and wonder how the frack he's hasn't spent most of time with his face to the corner, rocking back and forth.
The writers were so insistent on focusing on the fact that he broke, they have seemed to forget that the reason he broke is because the lead torturer of Hell took a very personal interest in getting him to break as quickly as possible so the first seal would break. So Dean's 30 years were probably equivalent to a few hundred for your average soul.
Dean's been living with all that in his brain, both the first 30 and the last 10, for over 2 years now and no one has seemed to remember or care, except in Season 4 where he was put down and mocked and just generally told to suck it up, after all how bad could it be? Sam paid a bit of lipservice to sympathy when he was told, but it was only an episode later that he started rolling his eyes.
When Dean had Sam lying to him and betraying him and choosing a demon over him but he still decided to fight for what was right and managed to bring Castiel with him, Dean was living with those memories of Hell. When he had Michael after him to be a vessel, Dean was living with all those memories. When they were trying to find a way to save the world and were being screwed with mind games by Zachariah, Dean was living with all those memories of Hell. When the brother he'd raised ended up in the cage and his best angel friend Castiel blipped away without so much as a goodbye, Dean was living with all those memories of Hell. When he was giving Lisa "the best year of her life" and being a father figure to Ben, even while he was grieving and desperately trying to research a way to get Sam out, Dean was living with all those memories of Hell.
Absolutely everything Dean has done and accomplished since episode 6 of Season 4 had been done with those horrendous memories of Hell in his mind. Yet even this season, you had the other characters treating him like he didn't know what Hell was like, not acknowledging that if anyone could fathom what Sam's soul was going through and why it would be far better for it be rescued even if it drove Sam mad for the period of his natural human life – it was Dean.
So if they plan of giving us Sam's Cage Match, I sure as heck hope they also plan on using it as an opportunity to acknowledge and remember what Dean's been through.
Very well stated, Timmy. MTE.
I like your list, Clarissa, but agree that Dean(and Jensen) deserve a more important role in the myth-arc, and yes, one that won't be taken from him and/or parceled out to other actors /characters at the eleventh hour of the season. That's *my* No.1 request; with Cas being saved(predominantly by Dean), so that he can earn his redemption, coming in at a close second. I will be mightily upset if they do away with the Profound Bond because it's been the best thing about the show for me since Cas came on-board. Definitely want more BADASS!Dean(LOVE! him. So much.) and ShirtlessDean(enough with the teasing!), too. More Dean working on the car scenes, please too. They rock.
SAVE CASTIEL Please. He deserves it, we deserve it. Castiel is not redundant to his many, many fans, fans who help boost the ratings that keep Sera Gamble employed and get the show onto the cover of TV Guide.
GIVE DEAN A STORYLINE that doesn't revolve around his more-special brother. After six years, surely it's time?
PUT ALL FOUR MEMBERS OF TEAM FREE WILL FRONT AND CENTER The episode that got the best all-round reception from the viewers and critics this season was Mommie Dearest: an episode where all four members of TFW played an important role and stood together. What rated low? Episodes like Clap Your Hands if You Believe, Unforgiven and Frontierland, all heavily promoted as brothers-only/bro-bond episodes. Surely this is proof enough that it's the stifling brothers-only dynamic Sera Gamble is rumored to be returning to for season 7 that is redundant and will probably see the ratings sink even lower – especially if Cas is written out early on, as has been rumored.
You can't go by ratings of single episodes because there are so many variables. For example some of those episodes were pre-empted in large markets, were on holiday weekends where most series' ratings were down, aired after episodes which may have turned people off from watching the next week's episode, etc.
Also Weekend at Bobby's was also very criticially well received and was one of the highest rated episodes of the season, by almost everyone, except those who hate Bobby Singer I guess. LOL And that had no Castiel and relatively little Dean and Sam.
I really want Dean to be right and remain right. Drinking demon blood is bad. Sucking down souls is bad. Why can't it remain bad? I do NOT want Dean to have to apologize for thinking sucking down souls is bad. I don't want Dean to be blamed for other people's decisions when he's not even allowed his own storyline and they insist on making him the least powerful character on the show.
I want the other characters to view Dean as strong, not rusty. To respect him as an experienced hunter and a man in his own right, and not love him in a condescending manner by treating him like a half-witted child even though they're the ones who act like children who desperately need him to be their nanny when he's not around. (I think it would be hysterical if God and Dean met each other and they totally understood how the other felt)
I agree that there shouldn't be in such a hurry to kill off friends and possible new family members. Life is so bleak, I can't imagine why either Sam or Dean choose to live, Matrix or no Matrix. The Status Quo seems like a kind of Hell so I'd like them to find a new way of living that brings them some joy.
I couldn't agree more. I want Dean and Cas back. Their relationship to me has always been one of the best in the series (perhaps even better than Sam and Dean). Cas did what Sam couldnt. He saved Dean from hell. They've had such touching moments in the past. Dean is the only one that can get Cas to come when he calls, and lets face it. When Cas rebelled in season 5, it was for Dean. I don't know. I just feel like we haven't had a really strong Dean centered season arc in a while. Season 1 focused on Dean but it was more evenly distributed, covering the brothers as a whole. Season 2 was pretty much all about Sam and his demon powers, especially the finale. Same thing for season 3. Even though it was suppose to be about getting Dean out of his deal, a lot of it just ended up being about Sam and the growth of his abilities. Dean's arc in Season 4, which frankly started off very promising, ultimately fell short and by the end of the Season everyone was focused on Dean becoming a monster and freeing Lucifer. I think Season 5 was more like season 1 with neither brother being the main focus, but Dean getting a bit more action. I was kind of hoping that this season the writers would continue to focus on Dean, but i think the convoluted story arch (along with the big revelation of Sam and his soullessness) kind of got in the way from making a really good Dean-centric arc. Frankly i'm hoping that Season 7 will see the revival of the badass older brother Dean was before Hell. Maybe even see some of the torture skills he picked up from Alastair while he was there. I wanna see Dean fighting and slashing and maybe even going undercover or on the run, as I think those are when Dean is at his best. I definitely want more brotherly banter and I wouldn't mind seeing Dean gain abilities of his own. I mean Sam got powers so why not Dean.
That's another thing that always bothered me. In season 1, Sam is a clairvoyant right? And over time he develops telekinetic abilities. These abilities become a big part of his story until season 5. I understand that now that he doesn't drink demon blood he'll be weaker and won't be able to exorcise demons with a wave of his hand or anything, but he wasn't drinking demon blood in the first 2 seasons and yet he still managed to see into the future and move stuff with his mind. so where did these powers go? I wanna see the return of Sam's telekinetic abilities and maybe him drinking a little demon blood (the brothers are gonna need all the help they can get if they wanna take down the new Cas-God). And I mean if Sam gets his powers back, then why can't Dean get some permanent powers of his own? i mean the man has done just as much as Sam and he's been hunting longer. He's the first son of Dean and Mary Winchester, he spent years in hell, he technically broke the first of the 66 seals, he's been everything from a vampire to a Reaper to Death itself, he's been brought back by angels, and lets not forget they he is the true vessel for Michael. I mean the demons went through all the trouble of turning Sam into the perfect weapon, am i suppose to believe that the angels didn't give Dean anything of use. I mean at one point wasn't he the "Sword Of Michael"? And I say that if the writers are gonna make Cas all powerful, they should at least give the brother's a fighting chance. Dean needs something. I don't care if all they do is give him back the Colt (although i honestly thing that should go to Bobby), Dean needs some kind of abilities of his own.
Why should the Colt go to Bobby? Dean is the one who has used it to the best affect and he's the best shot of the bunch, not that being a great shot(hands guns, shot guns, sniper rifles, bows) often means anything(Dean's good at it, so therefore the writers make sure it is a skill that is of little use as possible within the story itself except on rare occasions).
Otherwise I agree with what you've said. Especially your list of everything Dean's done and been through and just who he is and how that should count for something more than just being a cheerleader.
And anyone wonder why Soulless Sam didn't just drink demon blood? I mean why not?
I'm also missing the great music. I've been rewatching earlier episodes and the songs really add a level of coolness to the show and the lack of rock is quite noticeable now. Plus Supernatural was one of the only shows I'd seen that played any old music (AC/DC, Rush, Kansas, Def Leppard, etc.) consistently so they need to bring the rock next season.
I want Cas back as a member of Team Free will!! Dean need importance of his own!! Sams hell – couldn
`t care less…..
If Cas dies or stays bad, I see no reason for watching. The brotherly bond is nothing I want to turn back to. The boys needs TEAM FRE WILL fighting bad guys!!
When i get SamnDean together, supporting each other as a team with no fraction or big drama, and those little brother moments, and a good mix of crazy&wild, funny&badass (and the good old rock music)…. i will take whatever else the writers throw at me and die happy!!
(Cas or no Cas, I couldn`t care less!)
I'm not interested in a rerun of the early seasons, I just want a storyline for Dean and I want Cas saved. Sorry but I don't see how much more they can wring out of "just the boys" and like someone else further up said if I want that I have the DVDs. Cas has been in the show for 3 seasons and that makes him important to me and to a lot of fans. He's also important to Dean and Sam and frankly I'm getting tired of seeing all their friends except for Bobby die. Add me to the long list of people who say they won't watch if Cas isn't saved and back working with the brothers in s7.
Oh and yeah, not interested in Sam's PTSD unless it also touches on Dean's.
My issue with spending too much time on Sam's hell storyline is exactly what you mentioned, Clarissa: the show already focused an entire season on "what's wrong with Sam?", soulless Sam, Sam's guilt, Sam's memories, Sam's wall. Half of the finale- the most pivotal episode of the season- was devoted to Sam's storyline. There's never been another storyline on the show that's received as much concentrated attention in one season as Sam and his soul. Enough already! If Sam needs to deal with his soul reintegration for a few episodes, that's fine. But maybe the writers could actually give him some sort of arc that doesn't focus on Sam's continued victimization so much as allows for some meaningful character growth by his interactions with other people. Let the dude get a girlfriend, bond with another hunter, be worried about Dean, work on his relationship with Bobby. Enough with Sam's supernatural ties- after six seasons of those, I think the writers should shift gears and focus on Sam's character as a human being.
That is a great suggestion: "Let the dude get a girlfriend, bond with another hunter, be worried about Dean, work on his relationship with Bobby. Enough with Sam’s supernatural ties- after six seasons of those, I think the writers should shift gears and focus on Sam’s character as a human being."
It would be nice to see his connection to other characters. Right now Dean is the most personally connected character on the show – Cas' fav, Bobby's fav, Sam's only. We can look back and see that Dean was more connected to Ellen and Joe, Pamela, Rufus (although he was truly Bobby's friend, but between the brothers Dean spent more time with him), Bella, Hendricksen, etc. What connections has Sam had? Character that wanted to do him harm: Ruby, Yellow Eyes and Gordon (although Dean spent more time with him). What has this done? Relegated Dean to be the support and backup for everyone and Sam has been left to grow cold and weary. Some really good growth could come out of Sam connecting with other people. I want the bond between the brothers, but it doesn't have to be exclusive, Sam could benefit from other people in his life.
Yes. This is what I want for Sam. More people in his life.
Love your list! I also agree about Sam dealing with the hell memories. It would feel cheap if they didn't and he should totally get a haircut.
Although I think Sam has it, I would like to find out what happened to Deans necklace.
It's really the last thing I want to see. It's in the garbage where it really belongs because after the constant bitching Sam has given Dean about him being bossy and what not, then I don't want that back.
I also want a conclusion to the whole Adam arc. It seemed as though he was there, at first, to throw a wrench into the brother's dynamic for one episode, and then he was forgotten until they needed him to become a vessel for Michael. I want more Adam mentions and hopefully some sort of flashback to him and Sam in the cage with Michael and Lucifer. And I would also like to see more funny brother moments, and most definitely a Sam haircut. I kind of want Dean to be more bad-ass and man-whorish like he was in the first few seasons, too – just for some decent reasons for him to have his shirt off.
You have a very compelling list, and so much I do agree with.
1 – Yes I want them to save Cas, but unlike many other commenters, I want it to take time. I think it could be an interesting storyline and good for character development to delay his transformation back.
2 – I love Ben Edlund and always will.
3 – The noire idea just didn't work as so well. I'm not upset that they tried, I'm just glad it's over and it's time to move on to better way of story telling. Yes, a more coherent storyarch please. I will say that when the season is watched closely back to back as I chose to do before the finale it makes more sense (except the Campbell's and Eve which still both have me scratching my head – I know, I know, noire tricks – I say that's an excuse).
4 – I love the Bro love and will be quite happy to see them continue in a good place in their relationship. BUT – growth is needed. As has been pointed out, so much as been all about Sam, Dean unfortunately has been all about Sam and it has skewed their relationship. I would like to see them grow to a more balanced place.
5 – I do miss the music, but I also understand the issue with money so I'm not complaining too much.
6 – "Weekend at Bobby's" was one of my all time favorite episodes. Do it again!!
7 – Like "Weekend at Bobby's", this show has had many good stand alone episodes over the years and I'd be quite happy to see more. The whole season needs a near equal balance of both mythology and stand alone.
8 – I want nothing more than BAMF Dean, nothing. Wait, scratch that, BAMF Dean showing skin, that's want I want more than anything else for this show. I don't care how shameless that makes me.
9 – I do think, because of the weight they have given to Sam's time in hell, that the show will have to deal with it. The psychic pains he was obviously having in the finale at least will have to be dealt with. BUT, I completely agree that this is another place that the balance of the show has been screwed up. Dean was in hell too, and somehow that has been forgotten. The show doesn't have to be perfectly balanced, but this is one area that needs fixing. I think they both really need to deal with their respective times in hell. Sam has said that Dean is still haunted by his time in hell and that should be addressed. Someone above pointed out that Dean was tortured, and I'm sure because Alistair was intent on getting Dean to flip, that it was beyond what others in hell had to deal with – being the sole focus of the master tormenter in hell had to be seriously bad. But, it is the fact that Dean started torturing that really eats him up.
10 – I thought the death of Rufus and Gwen was pointless. It was meant to close out the Campbell arch and give drama to Bobby. Instead we were left with big gapping holes of confusion. Yes, please stop killing off everyone. I really liked Balthazar and Pamela was totally cool and didn't deserve to die (her death I thought was totally pointless since we did have the kid in the episode that could show how the Reaper's were back in business). I get it, people die, but over the years it has become a sickness infecting the writers – kill'emallitis.
11 – Since everyone's dead, yes, we need some new reoccurring characters. BUT, there are some others that could be revived (not from the dead physically, but from the dead and forgotten pile of characters). I liked Tamara from Season 3's "The Magnificent Seven". There are some great one time guest stars that could become more, like Linda Blair's character from "The Usual Suspects" or Loretta Devine's Missouri Moseley from "Home".
12 - I agree, he needs a haircut. I like it long, but it needs better shape, right how it's more moppy than anything else. Hairdressers, please fix.
13 – The great bro moments are like ambrosia to fans. How many of us go around quoting "driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole" or "Bitch/Jerk" and those are just from the pilot. So many other's have popped up over the years. They are just little moments, little lines or actions that show a connection between the brothers and send us over the top with joy.
14 – I like Jake Abel, if they chose to resolve this I won't be complaining.
15 – Dean shirtless and greasy fixing the Impala – it's a dream come true.
16 – Dean, more skin, Sam more skin, Cas more skin, and for the older ladies, Bobby more skin – YES, please!!
I have one to add:
17 – I've said it before and I'll say it again: more history. There is so much history behind the Winchester story that I want to see more of it. I don't mean time travel episodes that take us back before the boys were born, I'm talking about their childhood. It can be something simple, like in "Phantom Traveler" we met someone John and Dean had previously saved, or it can be bigger like what rich history Bobby has brought to the show. They talk about how the boys have been doing this since they were kids, well then, show us. Flashbacks rock!! Or, let us meet people that know them. I just want to see more of what made them into who they are.
Your list made me smile because it's perfect! I especially want badass funny Dean back permanently.
But I no longer want a major arc for him, because I no longer trust the powers to do right by him. It seems every arc results in the brothers' separation and angst, and they'd just turn Dean bad this time, since that's their typical MO…
What I want for him is "saving people, hunting things…" Seriously, they need to "save" again, not be the victims every time, who need a deus ex machina to save them. Power to the human, who Dean represents to me.
Bring back Death!
He was only in one episode in s 6 but it was the best one largely because of him, we need to see this plot arc involving 'the souls' include death more, perhaps as an advisor to the brothers on how to deal with Castiel. Give him more cheap food to eat – maybe a big mac and fries this time?
First half of s6 was brilliant, second half not as good… Eve should have been Gaia instead of Eve and should have stuck around. The Grandfather shouldn't have been killed without exploration of why he was such a jerk. The vampire alpha should have been allowed to live on and come back.
I agree with everything said but I'd like to add one thing that I hope will be addressed in Season 7+. John Winchester's family!
We know nothing about John's side. At all.
We know he was a Marine. We know Heaven was the cause of his relationship with Mary, but we don't know anything else.
What happened to his family?
Did he have any siblings?
Was he drafted or did he choose to be a Marine?
How did he meet Mary? Cupid said it wasn't easy, Dark Side of the Moon showed even after married it wasn't easy.
Can't we know a little bit more about him please? It's not fair that we know so much more about the Campbells, though it makes that we do, but we deserve to know a little more about John's family too, don't we?
I AGREE we should have a new show runner or turn it back over to eric k i have liked a lot of season 6 but its not been quite right after watching this great show since day 1 it needs changes i liked the lisa and ben story it gave a diffrent side to dean but she didnt show us enough of the relationship they had for us to connect with them as we should have i would like them to be back at some point in season 7 you carnt just wipe them off the show its not just wiping out a year with them its geting rid of 12 years which is when they first met its to dallas for me the boys are growing up and as much as i love the thing between them they have to be allowed to grow i think that after all they sacrifice for the world they should be able to both have people in there lives that they can love becides each other they wont be the first hunters to hunt and have a family as well not happy with sera g really want to see much better hopefully in season 7
Did any of you see the new promo? I find it very confusing. Any insights?
You nailed most of these suggestions- I really want a simpler-story driven arc instead of the dramatic nature of the series last season. I loved it, but I am ready to focus on the brothers relationship for one thing. We need those brotherly moments again.
More than anything….I want their Dad to come back!!!! Doesn't anyone else? Why is there no campaign for this? I love Cas, but I was really wanting their Dad to return and kick the Devil's ass. That didn't happen, ok, I won't give up hope that he will return as the single most badass character, I mean, HE is the one who taught the boys' everything they know! When he returned from Hell and helped stop the yellow-eyed demon, it was probably the most epic thing ever.
there has been some really good comments on here for season 7 and i have to agree with most of them i am very concerned that we have nothing on dean for season 7 that has never happened before its a bit of a worry i am hopeing she has something good for him but is keeping a lid on it at the moment i to want sam to deal with his hell issues but not all season and that cass should have redemption hope that does nt take all season either the relationship dean had was good or at least it would have been if it had been written properly and more time and thought had gone into it dont know if there is any love interest s for the boys in season 7 hav nt heard anything just want s good story line and some awesome stand alone episode s for season 7 car nt wait for september.