Research Summary
Vampires, werewolves, and demons, oh my! The CW’s hit show Supernatural dives into the world of the supernatural and all things that go bump in the night. I am a huge fan of this show and have seen every single episode; some I’ve loved, and some I haven’t loved. The show’s producers incorporate religion as a basis for all their mythical monsters. The show mainly follows the religion of Christianity, but it also incorporates other religions as well. Some episodes have monsters from an Ancient Egyptian perspective, or Greek Gods and Goddesses. My research mainly focused around how the producers incorporated religion in storylines, but also twisted many of the myths into something more vile and sinister. This research will help my own adaptation of the same storyline with different perspectives on religion. In my adaptation, I will explore the many different theories involving religion, and straying from the ever so constant one of Christianity. Throughout season seven of Supernatural, the storyline follows Christian myth of Leviathans. In my adaptation, I strive to use the basis of different religions to change the image of the Leviathans into something else. By doing this, I will show that using various other religions throughout a series can make a show even more successful when it incorporates the beliefs of all different kinds of people.
Annotated Bibliography
“Lecture Preview: TV, Religion, and the CW’s Supernatural”
This article focuses on how the producers of Supernatural use the myths and folklore more from Christianity and Catholicism more than any other religion. Even though the show uses does use other folklore from other religions, the major monsters are always from Christianity. In consulting another colleague of hers, Professor Erika Engstrom states,
“This led us to conclude that Catholicism received a sympathetic treatment by the show’s writers, while creatures from “other” religions and folklore, including Greek, Roman, and Norse Gods that preceded Christianity, could be defeated by the mere mortal Winchesters”.
Engstrom’s Statement will inform my adaptation about the over-use of Christian folklore. It will give me other opportunities to use other religions and folklore aside from Christianity. Using other religions in my adaptation will make it better because I will have other perspectives on older religions and folklore.
“Religion and Supernatural”
In this article, the author, Foz Meadows, repeatedly criticizes but also applaudes the frequent use of Christianity and how and how it’s made fun of. Meadows comments about how the writers of the show continuously use Christianity, but also make fun of it,
“On the one hand, you've got a show that unequivocally situtes Christianity as being both true and ultimate, in the sense that everyone seemingly goes to Heaven or Hell, and where angels, demons and other Biblical entities frequently steer the plot. But on the other hand, it's also a show where the Christian god is portrayed as a drunk, sexually frustrated writer who exists alongside deities from other religions, angels indulge in orgies, the King of Hell is a sympathetic ally and the Biblical Apocalypse was averted because two guys in plaid killed three of the four Horsemen, made a deal with Death and trapped the Archangel Michael in hell with Lucifer, who's coincidentally a fan-favourite character”.
Part of the humor of the show comes from the satire of the Christianity. But as Meadows says, you have a show that favors one religion over others, but then also makes fun of it. This will help my adaptation because it will allow me to make use of humor in order to keep people interested.
“The TV Series Supernatural- An Interesting Twist on Religion”
In this article, Jacky Baldwin mainly focuses on the use of the mythological creatures and how they are the main component of the show more than religion is. Although aspects of religion are a major part of this show, Baldwin states,
“Researcher Douglas E. Cowan (2008) states that “Cinema horror is replete with religion and always has been”. This statement is obvious when examining today’s horror/thriller genres. However, although the theme of religion in Supernatural is significant, it is not the intended focus. Religion is merely incorporated as a compelling way to captivate the audience. The purpose of religion in the television show is as a thrilling adjunct to the predominant themes of the evil demons, ghosts, spirits, the afterlife and the constant struggle between good versus evil”.
Baldwin points out the obvious factor religion plays in this show, but also how it’s not the “intended focus”. The intended focus is obviously the monsters that are portrayed in the show. This article will inform my adaptation by focusing on what the show is really about, not just all things religion. Even though religion is a huge part in the show, it’s about the monsters and their origins and these monster get twisted around and made into even better monsters.
“Angels and Demons: Religion, Story, and Modern Mythmaking in Supernatural”
In this paper, Jeffry Mahan explores the different aspects of the show as a whole. He explores the religion aspect, the monsters, and even the effect the show may have on people. In regards to how the show may effect people, Mahan states,
“The intent here is not to belligerently critique Supernatural for making clever use of its American cultural mythology, but to merely explore some of the ramifications of that mythology in practice- especially of Jewett and Lawrence are correct to claim that this “monomythic copout” is “the greatest potential danger to the political (democratic) order.” We may agree with their essential point while downplaying their alarmism, but popular culture by its very nature has a much further-ranging impact on ordinary people’s thoughts, moods, and opinions” (4).
This paper is very important when making my adaptation. Religion is a huge part of this show, but so is how this show effects people. This show practically tells people how to kill monsters and how to evade law enforcement. This will help my adaptation because I can change the aspect of the show that causes people to react the wrong way.
“The Production of Post-Supernaturalistic Mythopoesis in Contemporary Nature Religion”*
This paper explores how science writers are creating a new mythopoesis of post supernaturalistic nature religion. The author, Todd LeVasseur looks at the complex interaction between religion and science and how it can help theorize emerging supernaturalistic sentiments and narratives. He mentions,
“The point of this paper is to show that the process of mythmaking, or the human propensity to use language- whether metaphorical, mythological, or poetic- to express the ineffable, is found in all religions” (54).
LeVasseur means that everything that happens when making myths basically originates from any and all religions. This can help my adaptation because any myth has to come from some religion somewhere. As I try to incorporate many different religions, I know that everything comes from something.
“Supernatural Selection: How Religion Evolved”*
This paper looks at religion as a whole. Stefaan Blancke explores the main concept of what religion actually is. He explores whether religion should be considered a by-product of human cognition or and evolved solution to some adaptive problem. Blancke states that,
“The ubiquity of the supernatural ideation poses a serious problem to any adaptationist account because it makes defining religion next to impossible and this obscures what religion could be an adaptation for” (123).
Blancke is basically saying that there is no real definition of religion when looking for an origin of it. This will help inform my paper because there is no origin of religion, it goes back for as long as anybody knows. This will be helpful in my adaptation because myths and folklore make for an interesting story the older they are.
Works Cited
Blancke, Stefaan. “Supernatural Selection: How Religion Evolved.” Journal for
the Study of Religion, Nature & Culture, vol. 9, no. 1, Jan. 2015, pp. 122–124. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1558/jsrnc.v9i1.26395.
“Lecture Preview: TV, Religion, and the CW's 'Supernatural,' Feb. 3.” University of Nevada, Las
Vegas, www.unlv.edu/news/article/lecture-preview-tv-religion-and-cw%E2%80%99s-supernatural-feb-3.
LeVasseur, Todd. “‘The Production of Post-Supernaturalistic Mythopoesis in
Contemporary Nature Religion.’” Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture & Ecology, vol. 16, no. 1, Jan. 2012, pp. 50–72. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1163/156853511X617812.
“Religion & Supernatural.” Religion and Supernatural, www.holdfastmagazine.com/
religion-and-supernatural/4589772228.
Rhodes, Hilary. “Angels and Demons: Religion, Story, and Modern Mythmaking in
‘Supernatural.’” Academia.edu, www.academia.edu/13160074/Angels_and_Demons_Religion_Story_and_Modern_Mythmaking_in_Supernatural_.
Annotated Bibliography
“Lecture Preview: TV, Religion, and the CW’s Supernatural”
This article focuses on how the producers of Supernatural use the myths and folklore more from Christianity and Catholicism more than any other religion. Even though the show uses does use other folklore from other religions, the major monsters are always from Christianity. In consulting another colleague of hers, Professor Erika Engstrom states,
“This led us to conclude that Catholicism received a sympathetic treatment by the show’s writers, while creatures from “other” religions and folklore, including Greek, Roman, and Norse Gods that preceded Christianity, could be defeated by the mere mortal Winchesters”.
Engstrom’s Statement will inform my adaptation about the over-use of Christian folklore. It will give me other opportunities to use other religions and folklore aside from Christianity. Using other religions in my adaptation will make it better because I will have other perspectives on older religions and folklore.
“Religion and Supernatural”
In this article, the author, Foz Meadows, repeatedly criticizes but also applaudes the frequent use of Christianity and how and how it’s made fun of. Meadows comments about how the writers of the show continuously use Christianity, but also make fun of it,
“On the one hand, you've got a show that unequivocally situtes Christianity as being both true and ultimate, in the sense that everyone seemingly goes to Heaven or Hell, and where angels, demons and other Biblical entities frequently steer the plot. But on the other hand, it's also a show where the Christian god is portrayed as a drunk, sexually frustrated writer who exists alongside deities from other religions, angels indulge in orgies, the King of Hell is a sympathetic ally and the Biblical Apocalypse was averted because two guys in plaid killed three of the four Horsemen, made a deal with Death and trapped the Archangel Michael in hell with Lucifer, who's coincidentally a fan-favourite character”.
Part of the humor of the show comes from the satire of the Christianity. But as Meadows says, you have a show that favors one religion over others, but then also makes fun of it. This will help my adaptation because it will allow me to make use of humor in order to keep people interested.
“The TV Series Supernatural- An Interesting Twist on Religion”
In this article, Jacky Baldwin mainly focuses on the use of the mythological creatures and how they are the main component of the show more than religion is. Although aspects of religion are a major part of this show, Baldwin states,
“Researcher Douglas E. Cowan (2008) states that “Cinema horror is replete with religion and always has been”. This statement is obvious when examining today’s horror/thriller genres. However, although the theme of religion in Supernatural is significant, it is not the intended focus. Religion is merely incorporated as a compelling way to captivate the audience. The purpose of religion in the television show is as a thrilling adjunct to the predominant themes of the evil demons, ghosts, spirits, the afterlife and the constant struggle between good versus evil”.
Baldwin points out the obvious factor religion plays in this show, but also how it’s not the “intended focus”. The intended focus is obviously the monsters that are portrayed in the show. This article will inform my adaptation by focusing on what the show is really about, not just all things religion. Even though religion is a huge part in the show, it’s about the monsters and their origins and these monster get twisted around and made into even better monsters.
“Angels and Demons: Religion, Story, and Modern Mythmaking in Supernatural”
In this paper, Jeffry Mahan explores the different aspects of the show as a whole. He explores the religion aspect, the monsters, and even the effect the show may have on people. In regards to how the show may effect people, Mahan states,
“The intent here is not to belligerently critique Supernatural for making clever use of its American cultural mythology, but to merely explore some of the ramifications of that mythology in practice- especially of Jewett and Lawrence are correct to claim that this “monomythic copout” is “the greatest potential danger to the political (democratic) order.” We may agree with their essential point while downplaying their alarmism, but popular culture by its very nature has a much further-ranging impact on ordinary people’s thoughts, moods, and opinions” (4).
This paper is very important when making my adaptation. Religion is a huge part of this show, but so is how this show effects people. This show practically tells people how to kill monsters and how to evade law enforcement. This will help my adaptation because I can change the aspect of the show that causes people to react the wrong way.
“The Production of Post-Supernaturalistic Mythopoesis in Contemporary Nature Religion”*
This paper explores how science writers are creating a new mythopoesis of post supernaturalistic nature religion. The author, Todd LeVasseur looks at the complex interaction between religion and science and how it can help theorize emerging supernaturalistic sentiments and narratives. He mentions,
“The point of this paper is to show that the process of mythmaking, or the human propensity to use language- whether metaphorical, mythological, or poetic- to express the ineffable, is found in all religions” (54).
LeVasseur means that everything that happens when making myths basically originates from any and all religions. This can help my adaptation because any myth has to come from some religion somewhere. As I try to incorporate many different religions, I know that everything comes from something.
“Supernatural Selection: How Religion Evolved”*
This paper looks at religion as a whole. Stefaan Blancke explores the main concept of what religion actually is. He explores whether religion should be considered a by-product of human cognition or and evolved solution to some adaptive problem. Blancke states that,
“The ubiquity of the supernatural ideation poses a serious problem to any adaptationist account because it makes defining religion next to impossible and this obscures what religion could be an adaptation for” (123).
Blancke is basically saying that there is no real definition of religion when looking for an origin of it. This will help inform my paper because there is no origin of religion, it goes back for as long as anybody knows. This will be helpful in my adaptation because myths and folklore make for an interesting story the older they are.
Works Cited
Blancke, Stefaan. “Supernatural Selection: How Religion Evolved.” Journal for
the Study of Religion, Nature & Culture, vol. 9, no. 1, Jan. 2015, pp. 122–124. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1558/jsrnc.v9i1.26395.
“Lecture Preview: TV, Religion, and the CW's 'Supernatural,' Feb. 3.” University of Nevada, Las
Vegas, www.unlv.edu/news/article/lecture-preview-tv-religion-and-cw%E2%80%99s-supernatural-feb-3.
LeVasseur, Todd. “‘The Production of Post-Supernaturalistic Mythopoesis in
Contemporary Nature Religion.’” Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture & Ecology, vol. 16, no. 1, Jan. 2012, pp. 50–72. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1163/156853511X617812.
“Religion & Supernatural.” Religion and Supernatural, www.holdfastmagazine.com/
religion-and-supernatural/4589772228.
Rhodes, Hilary. “Angels and Demons: Religion, Story, and Modern Mythmaking in
‘Supernatural.’” Academia.edu, www.academia.edu/13160074/Angels_and_Demons_Religion_Story_and_Modern_Mythmaking_in_Supernatural_.