Lynn S. Zubernis

How a Show, and the Support of Its Fandom, Changed--and Saved--Lives May 2017 marks the end of the twelfth season of the CW hit Supernatural, a television show about two demon-hunting brothers (and an angel) that is at the center of a fan community as tight-knit as family--a virtual support system that spans the globe. The three-time People’s Choice Award winner for Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show and Tumblr’s 2015 Most Reblogged "Live Action TV” show has made a name for itself by supporting and encouraging its fans to "always keep fighting,” a main theme echoed in the show, and demonstrating the inspiring truth to a memorable line from early in the show’s run: "Family don’t end with blood.” In twenty powerful chapters written by Supernatural’s actors and fans, including series lead Jared Padalecki, Family Don’t End with Blood: How Supernatural Has Changed Lives examines the far reach of the show’s impact over the last eleven years. Supernatural has encouraged fans to change their lives, from getting "sober for Sam” to escaping a cult to pursuing lifelong dreams. But fans aren’t the only ones who have been changed. The actors who bring the show to life have also found, in the show and its community, inspiration, courage, and the strength to keep going when life seemed too hard. In keeping with the show’s message to "always keep fighting,” and to support the important work of combatting stigma and encouraging those who are struggling to speak out, a portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to charity Attitudes in Reverse, whose mission is to educate young people about mental health and suicide prevention. Contributors from Supernatural’s cast include: Jared Padelecki ("Sam Winchester”) Jim Beaver ("Bobby Singer”) Ruth Connell ("Rowena MacLeod”) Osric Chau ("Kevin Tran”) Rob Benedict ("Chuck Shurley aka God”) Kim Rhodes ("Sheriff Jody Mills”) Briana Buckmaster ("Sheriff Donna Hanscum”) Matt Cohen ("Young John Winchester”) Gil McKinney ("Henry Winchester”) Rachel Miner ("Meg Masters”) Edited by Lynn S. Zubernis, a clinical psychologist, professor, and passionate Supernatural fangirl, Family Don’t End with Blood provides an insightful and often uplifting look into the way international fan communities become powerful, positive forces in the lives of so many.

Cast and Fans on How Supernatural Has Changed Lives

Family Don't End with Blood

A follow up to Family Don't End with Blood (2017) from the same editor, this collection of essays celebrates the lasting impact of Supernatural as it comes to an end.

Actors and Fans Celebrate the Legacy of Supernatural

There'll Be Peace When You Are Done

Katherine Larsen

Once upon a time not long ago, two responsible college professors, Lynn the psychologist and Kathy the literary scholar, fell in love with the television show Supernatural and turned their oh-so-practical lives upside down. Plunging headlong into the hidden realms of fandom, they scoured the Internet for pictures of stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki and secretly penned racy fan fiction. And then they hit the road—crisscrossing the country, racking up frequent flyer miles with alarming ease, standing in convention lines at 4 A.M. They had white-knuckled encounters with overly zealous security guards one year and smiling invitations to the Supernatural set the next. Actors stripping in their trailers, fangirls sneaking onto film sets; drunken confessions, squeals of joy, tears of despair; wallets emptied and responsibilities left behind; intrigue and ecstasy and crushing disappointment—it’s all here. And yet even as they reveled in their fandom, the authors were asking themselves whether it’s okay to be a fan, especially for grown women with careers and kids. “Crazystalkerchicks”—that’s what they heard from Supernatural crew members, security guards, airport immigration officials, even sometimes their fellow fans. But what Kathy and Lynn found was that most fans were very much like themselves: smart, capable women looking for something of their own that engages their brains and their libidos. Fangasm pulls back the curtain on the secret worlds of fans and famous alike, revealing Supernatural behind the scenes and discovering just how much the cast and crew know about what the fans are up to. Anyone who’s been tempted to throw off the constraints of respectability and indulge a secret passion—or hit the road with a best friend—will want to come along.

Supernatural Fangirls

Fangasm

Travis Langley

A fascinating analysis of the psychology behind the popular TV series Supernatural. Following the adventures of two brothers who investigate deeply strange and paranormal mysteries in their never-ending road trip, the TV show Supernatural has many fans eager to better understand the psychology behind the series' themes and characters. Through 20 essays, this collection examines such issues as The role grief and trauma play in the protagonists' lives The importance of music to the narrative What motivates someone to hunt monsters and why we want to believe in magic The various archangels and archetypes depicted How people can cope with tragedy, loss, addiction, and fear to become heroes who do the right thing The dynamics of fandom: how fans relate to the narrative, characters, and actors, and continue to engage with series through fanfic, social media, and other practices

Lynn S. Zubernis

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