By John Keegan

This is notable because this reaction was ironic on several levels. Many of the same judgmental fans had been campaigning for months (if not years) for people to watch the show based on the near-absolute trust and adoration for the choices of creator and showrunner Eric Kripke. Yet here they were, openly chastising Kripke for making such a horrible and ill-advised choice regarding his own story, based on rumor and innuendo. Considering the many complaints about the irrational stridency of “Supernatural” fans on several entertainment boards, it’s reasonable to wonder if those same fans drove away more potential eyeballs than they attracted.

The first two seasons earned Kripke the right to tell his story as he saw fit (which, quite frankly, should never be a question in the first place). While legitimate complaints about the third season could certainly be made once the episodes began to air, the pre-premiere hatefest was one of the more embarrassing moments in the recent history of fandom. Seldom have fans of a struggling show done more to undermine the object of their obsessive affection.

Kripke’s best response would have been a season that eclipsed the first two masterpieces. Unfortunately, a few unexpected issues brought such hopes back to earth. The third season was not horrible by any measure (despite the ongoing complaints about the new female characters from some quarters), but it was not an improvement on the second season, which remains the best.

The first problem was the reduced production budget. The story of “Supernatural” has been escalating since the very beginning, so the demands of the story continue to escalate in lockstep. Because of the struggles of the CW network, as the production costs shift from the studio to the network, the budget is slashed accordingly to keep the network bill down. The end result is a war that must take place on the small scale.

The second problem was the massive effect of the writers’ strike. “Supernatural” lost six episodes out of the season arc, which amounts to nearly a third of the season disappearing without a trace. The decision was made to bring the season to the same endpoint regardless of the disruption to the story’s integrity, and generally speaking, the seams were showing in the end result. Then again, how could they not?

The third problem was, again ironically, the treatment of one of the new characters. Ruby, the demon hottie with endless ulterior motives, worked within the needs of the story as a recurring character. Bela, on the other hand, was never meant to have recurring status and was elevated to that honor after pressure was applied by the network. The writers never had a strong sense of how to handle Bela, and it was evident on-screen. This was a shame, because despite the criticism, the character had potential.

At the end of the season, however, it was still “Supernatural” and the story was able to deliver the usual character-driven goods. The Brothers Winchester were as angst-ridden as ever, and the season finale should serve to catapult the series in some unexpected directions. The Critical Myth average rating for the third season was 7.8, which represents a slight decrease compared to the second season. That’s gives great hope for the fourth season, however, since only the budgetary issue will remain in play.

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