For those who have not seen Supernatural then firstly, you’re doing yourself a major injustice as it is one of the best genre shows to be released in the 21st Century. It didn’t necessarily start that way, go back to the first season and it’s a monster-a-week type of show, the two brothers show up, ‘Waste’ the thing that’s killing people and then drive off in the distance to some classic rock music that gets your foot tapping because its just that good.
But there’s 15 seasons of the show, it wouldn’t have survived if they kept to the monster-a-week plan, so they had to change. And by God they did, the show went further than any of the writers could have expected. Though one thing they kept, arguably the most important thing in the show, the relationship between the brothers Sam and Dean Winchester. This relationship is like no other sibling relationship, they will quite literally die for each other, over and over again to try and hold onto what little they have in the world. In this case its each other.
This show ticks off more bulletpoints under the title of masculinity than Wrestlemania, they drive around in an American muscle car, trunk full of weapons, saying one-liners as ghosts burn in front of them, and have so much control over their tear ducts that only a single tear will escape if they get really upset. Even with all of this masculinity and bravado running rampant from start to finish I must assume the only way the two leads are not only tolerable but down right lovable is because the show runners are aware of what they’re writing.
You can see how aware they are of the situation with how many Meta moments are sprinkled throughout the show, making filler episodes some of the best 45 minutes I’ve spent in front of a TV screen. However the largest reason the masculinity of the show is never too much where it becomes what we now call ‘Toxic Masculinity’ is as there are the two brothers that call each other out on any and all of their short comings. As no one can tell you when you’re screwing up more than a sibling.
It’s what brings people back, people haven’t been sitting down to 15 seasons of a show because they just really love ghost hunting, they sit down for 15 seasons because they care about these two brothers. Two people that have gone through more than most could even imagine and yet they still go on “Saving people, Hunting things.” Now, to go back to the title and the reason for this post, it’s been able to achieve so many fans for a show filled to the brim with masculinity without it being toxic.
Instead it’s the world’s perfect example of ‘Non-Toxic Masculinity’ they never hide away from the fact that when they act too big and too macho for a situation it doesn’t go well. No, instead it promotes the one thing men are too scared to admit most of the time, it’s okay to need help, it’s okay to talk about what’s wrong. Hell, for the majority of the show they’ll have episodes end with the two brothers having a heart-to-heart as they lean on the hood of the Impala and and sink a couple of cold ones.
So, in this 21st Century world of Men being closed off and over masculinity being a downfall of a lot of men in the world, there’s this 15 season genre show that is a master class in how to balance masculinity and heart to make a show with some of the best character moments imaginable. For those who haven’t seen this show but read this far then do yourself a favour and sit down to watch it. After 6 months or so you’ll be clenching your jaw with just enough force so that there’s only a single man tear that escapes.
The Nerdy Bartender 