TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT! Cento. Ein hundert. Ekato. Cent — No matter what language you say it, “100” is a milestone number. The number itself is mathematically perfect. And if you live to see your 100th birthday, the President of the United States sends you a special letter. But that is not the “100” we are talking about here.
In an era of more channel choices than ever before, the digital power to see what we want when we want it, and the burden of an antiquated ratings system unable to account for all that, it is nothing short of miraculous for a television series to reach the airing of one hundred new episodes, and still keep going strongly. Being able to accomplish this milestone indicates a staying power that very few new series are able to tap into in order to survive past their first season.
Before we sit down Thursday night in giddy anticipation of the airing of episode #100 of Supernatural (titled “Point of No Return”), let’s take a look back at how cast and crew celebrated this momentous occasion and what they had to say. They carefully dropped just a few spoilers back then (even though we know much more now) and it was still a time that everyone was waiting to hear if season five would really be the last. Luckily a few weeks after the party, season six was made official. Let’s reminisce on that wonderful time before Thursday’s epic event.
IT’S PARTY TIME!! It is well-known that on the average episodes are filmed about two months before they actually air, and are written even months before that. Early February was the magic time for “The Point of No Return” and the occasion was marked by a large and fun celebration at District 319 in Vancouver on the night of January 30, 2010. Dawn Ostroff, President of The CW, along with Peter Roth, President of Warner Brothers Television, joined the party to honor the hard-working and multi-talented cast and crew stationed in Vancouver, along with their visiting creative team usually based in Los Angeles. Their versatile talents were put to good use as crew members picked up their favorite instruments and formed an appropriately-named band just for the occasion, The Impalas. Their frontman was none other than series star Jensen Ackles, who seems to shy away from public singing, but when he does, it makes one wonder how there could be so much talent wrapped up in one package. Key players were also in attendance and here is what some had to say.
PETER ROTH: The mythology [of the show] is deep, the chemistry is palpable, the quality of the writing and the execution is excellent. It is our honor and privilege to be able to celebrate one hundred episodes and still going strong.
DAWN OSTROFF: You’ve got real drama, real scares, real horror, and yet real humor. The show gives the audience a creative experience every single week; it is a mini-movie and we never know what we’re going to get.
McG: One hundred episodes, let’s cut the cake! We had to sell our souls to the devil to make it happen. I think the success of the show is credibility, the passion of the fans, and the ability to tap into the expectation of a very passionate fan base.
JARED PADALECKI: It’s a great feeling to think ‘really? One hundred?’
JENSEN ACKLES: Not many shows have gotten one hundred. The fans have not only stayed with us, but they have really lobbied and campaigned for us. And [the Supernatural crew] really is a family and I can’t thank them all from the bottom of my heart for making an outsider so welcomed, and I’m humbled to be a part of something this great every single day.
SERA GAMBLE: No one ever thought we would get this far! We have really devoted, really focused fans and it’s because of them that we have one hundred episodes.
JIM BEAVER: It’s a good show. Even the [episodes] I’m not in are pretty good. I think if it weren’t for the really strong response of the fans, we might not have made it this far.
ROBERT SINGER: To keep a crew together this long is just spectacular. And it is a credit to [the crew] working together.
Of course, they had more to say in response to specific questions.
JENSEN ACKLES: commented on whether he and Jared are really like brothers in real life. “He and I have spent more time together than with anyone else in the past five years. From the very beginning that has been one of the key ingredients to making this successful and making the show go for not only one or two seasons, but for one hundred episodes. That ingredient is still there, it’s still fresh, and that’s a good thing.”
PHIL SGRICCIA: Executive Producer and director extraordinaire discussed his role in the ‘Eye of the Tiger’ outtakes and his pivotal role in the creation of the gag reels. He also discussed working with some of the other actors, stating that Samantha Ferris and Alona Tal (Ellen and Jo) hit it out of the park with their performances. He had the chance to be one of the first directors to bring them into the show and directed them a couple of times in between. The last episode they appeared in was extremely powerful as their characters gave themselves to the cause, and it was the first time that [Creator] Eric Kripke cried in the editing room. But characters never really die on this show since their ghosts can return. He mentioned that one of his favorite episodes was “The End” where Jensen plays against himself and called it one of the best episodes they’ve ever done. He also provided many words of praise for Jensen and his ability to portray two different Deans. There is also a warm spot in his heart for “Abandon All Hope.” His next big directing project is the 100th episode. He teased that they will be bringing back characters we have seen in the past, some alive, some not so alive. It will be a giant mythic story where Sam and Dean will be fighting in parts of it and, and as for the rest of it, you’ll need to wait to see!
McG (Executive Producer): “I’m a huge fan of fanfiction. I think it’s a wonderful art form where people get to write and extrapolate upon existing stories and do their thing. And now it’s getting into a film construct where people are creating alternate film; shooting fan films in their garage, telling stories of what is going on with Sam and Dean. It’s incredible and I love that in this new media age where you’re free to create on such a high level. It contributes to the mythology of the show very nicely. All the wheels are going to come off and season five is wrapping up. In fact, I’m here to raise money from Peter Roth and Dawn Ostroff to make sure we have all the dough we need to provide a kick-ass finale. We’re going to leave it all on the stage, a few people are going to get hurt, and we’ll see what happens. But you never know. If we have an intelligent point of entry into season six, that may happen. It’s up to the fans. If the fans speak, then we’re going to give them what they want. We owe it to the fans. We’re only here because of the fans and the passion of the fanbase. They have spoken and made it clear to the people that run Warner Brothers that this show has a place on the air. We are truly partnered with the fans of the show. And we are listening. When the fans give feedback, we do what we can to incorporate those desires into the storytelling of the show. Jared and Jensen are indeed good sports and Eric Kripke does a great job ingesting and redefining the feedback we get along the way.”
ROBERT SINGER (Executive Producer, Director): When asked, “How did Bobby get his name?” he replied: Eric came up with that name and did it really sneakily naming that character Bobby Singer. He did it while I was up here [in Vancouver] directing and he snuck it into the script, and before I could do anything about it, it was in there. I actually had friends of mine in New York from thirty years ago tell me ‘you’ve really gone Hollywood now naming a character after yourself.’ They won’t believe that it wasn’t me. But it wasn’t, it was Eric. “Are you at all like Bobby?” Well, we’re both curmudgeons, but other than that, not too much. “Favorite episode?” Monster Movie, which was written by Ben Edlund. It was done in black & white, it had Dracula and the Werewolf, which are the movies I grew up with. It was a great thrill to be able to direct in that style and still keep in the Supernatural vein. “Any comments about #100?” It’s a big episode and we’re spending more money than we should on it. We were fully aware that it was #100 and a lot goes on and I won’t give it away. It moves the story along, that’s all I’m going to tell you.
SERA GAMBLE (Executive Producer, Writer): “We’re going to touch on all four Horsemen [of the Apocalypse] before the season is out. We’re planning just in case, since we haven’t yet received word that there will be a season six, but there are some positive signs. We certainly never thought that we would go even this far and I’m very grateful to still have a job! Since none of us are slackers, we have been preparing for the possibility of a season six pretty much this whole season. We have a lot of ideas and if it happens, we’re ready to go. And there are so many places to go from here. We are definitely gong to finish the arc of the Apocalypse and wrap up the mythology that we set out to wrap up in five seasons. But there is more story to tell! We have the opportunity to almost do a sequel and if we get it, we’re going to grab it!
BEN EDLUND (Executive Producer, Writer): I think that we’re going to continue to build on this ‘thing’ that they’ve been watching. This story, we’re taking it very seriously. It’s going to go to some really amazing places. I think the end of the season is going to be a truly epic thing. The’ll be rewarded for their loyalty, in my opinion.
THANK YOU FANS! More than any other show, Supernatural owes its longevity to its devoted and proactive fans who recognized the quality of this series early on and took advantage of all that the internet had to offer in order to bring it much-needed attention. The dedication of the fans was also recognized by key persons as they took a few moments to personally impart their appreciation.
SERA: “We never would have made it to one hundred episodes without the fans, so thank you so much. We are here because of you; it is entirely, totally, completely because of you! Thank you! More than any other show on television, we made it to one hundred episodes because of the fans.”
JENSEN: “There are no amount of thank you’s that I can say to the fans. I hope they know how deeply gratifying it is to be a part of something that has gone on this long and has been so successful, plus to have the support and fanbase we have. They are so protective and supportive of the show and it makes the whole thing worthwhile when you get reactions for what is essentially your work and your art. And then to come to a thing like this [party] and enjoy, it really IS because of them. If they don’t watch, then we don’t stay on the air. They’ve been watching, so here we are.”
JIM: “I’m very thankful to the fans. Thank you; all 8,947,000 of you; all of whom are my Facebook friends. Thank you for sticking with us. It seems just like yesterday when we started and here we are at a hundred. I hope it goes for a couple hundred more. These guys [Jared and Jensen] will be kinda old by then, but Bobby is perpetually young, so I’m not worried about him.”
MISHA: “What would I like to tell [the fans]? That I love and adore them and can’t wait to see them soon. That I wish the television set was two-way so that I could see them as well. But (seriously) I guess I don’t know what to tell the fans. I could say something trite like ‘the show wouldn’t exist without them’, which is true. So this party is just as much the fans’ party as it is the creators’.
ROBERT SINGER: “One hundred episodes is a milestone for me. It is a rare occurrence in our business and we’re thrilled and humbled by it.”
JARED: “Everybody says this and it always sounds so cheesy and cliche but you guys really are the reason that we’re here celebrating our 100th episode and about to finish our fifth season. Without getting into specifics such as the ups and downs of the world economy, the writer’s strike, our economy, have been massive [issues] that if we didn’t have you guys behind us, we wouldn’t be where we are now celebrating such an accomplishment, So thank you, thank you, thank you! I hope we can make you happy for another hundred episodes.
In the end, Jared said it best, “Tonight is a celebration of y’ all.” To which Jensen added, “Spoken like a true Texan”, once again demonstrating the camaraderie that is such an embodiment of the show. But he closed it off by saying “here’s to one hundred more.”
Although nothing would please me more than being able to watch these two talented and handsome actors for five more years, I am ecstatic simply knowing that the series will continue for a sixth season. Perhaps once we come full circle in this extraordinary journey, where the brothers have repaired their relationship and we are secure in knowing that the Winchesters are out there saving people, hunting things, and carrying on with their family business, we will then be able to admit we are ready to say goodbye, which just might be at the end of season six. Because I certainly am not ready to say goodbye as this season comes to an end.
Congratulations Supernatural! In the words of another iconic sci-fi persona, “Live long and prosper.” And THANK YOU to the entire cast, crew, and creative team for one hell of a ride! Now, excuse me while I go chill the champagne.
SUPERNATURAL airs Thursday, 9:00 pm on The CW with its epic and milestone 100th episode.