Our refined yet fierce leader, Alice, on Winchester Family Business asked us “What would be your spinoff pitch?” Well I did that once before but… I think she wants me to be serious this time. So…
SPN: Bloodlines
No I’m not being too cheeky here. I actually think a static location – like a city – could work in the SPN universe. The problem is that you need to take the idea and make IT fit into the canon and ‘verse, instead of what the show runners have done the last few seasons and twisted the ‘verse to fit whatever idea popped into their heads. To whit:
- If you’re going to do “monster families” don’t make any of them vampires or werewolves. Not only is it cliché, but the canon established on those two races in SPN make a lot of problems for using them in this set up. The other 3 choices are fine (glad to see I guessed right on djinn) but you’ll still need 2 more. Or here’s an idea: find a myth the show hasn’t touched lately and create a new family based on them!
- Move it out of Chicago! I mean no offense to Chicago natives but families fighting over it is old hat. What if you went to another city? Maybe even try filming there! (yes I’m glaring at you, Justified – Lexington, KY my ass) You could try choosing a growing city that still has plenty of rural and backwoods areas surrounding it (I can name a few from just my state alone, I’m sure other commentators can name some from theirs) giving a nice tension (even invoking coyotes) where monsters move in as their habitats are encroached upon.
- Or if you keep it Chicago, change up the power dynamics! See, what made SPN work when it first started is that the show was brimming with near limitless potential (one of the reasons the RPG of the show is my fanatical favorite). As it’s set up now, what stories can be told with SPN:BL? It’s pretty much set up with: maintain the status quo. It’s ST:Voyager all over again where you know season long arcs and MOTW episodes are all going to end the same way. Maybe have the families historically powerful but all the chaos and shenanigans of the Winchesters’ last few years have broken them. Broken, the families now try to regain their former glory while sabotaging the others. Or make it where historically there was only the mob, but now monsters are learning from humans and moving in on what we do. Make it a game-of-thrones-esque power play of rising powers.
SPN: War Zone
Set the show in a high conflict place outside the United States. Like what if it was in Mexico, dealing with drug cartels and monsters? Maybe Crimea. Me, I’d pick Jerusalem. 3 humans – an Orthodox Jew, Sunni Muslim, and Copt Christian all come together by happenstance into the hunter life. Dark humor prevails as they clearly want to kill each other, but delay because the monsters are a bigger threat (why yes, I do love the series Samurai Champloo) something like, “after we kill this vampire, I’m stabbing you” (except of course they don’t). How are their faiths affected by the revelation? Is the conflict over this place fueled by the monsters, or are they just taking advantage of human nature? How would you deal with fighting on both sides of you?
SPN: Into the Black
No, this is not just shameless self promotion. Part of why I undertook this project is because the idea that Firefly/Serenity is 500 years in the future of Supernatural fit so well I had to give it life. The show wouldn’t even have to use my crew but could invent their own. Still, the ability to bring in a whole other fandom (that already has a lot of overlap obviously) while possibly bringing the great Joss Whedon into the set up… combining SPN style, western style, and sci-fi style would just be too perfect to pass up. If I could get all the rights straightened and get everyone to play nice together, this would be my dream. Crazier crossovers have happened…
SPN: [prequels!]
Bobby + Rufus – young hunters getting started. SPN mixed with That 70s Show. Or a historical prequel such as going more into Samuel Colt & other hunters out in the old West or even earlier such as among the first Americans or Europeans. Actually if the budget for it was doable, “SPN:Rome” (following the saga of the family ‘Winchesterus’) would be BAD-ASS.
SPN: Underground
The reformation of the Men of Letters leads the organization into conflict against the Thule society. The new generation of MoL must keep the conflict secret especially because they cannot let their enemies know how week the reborn organization is.
Well those are my picks. Any you have or any you want to vote on? 😉
Hunting Muses 