Eonline's Kristin sat down and dished with Eric Kripke for more tidbits on the upcoming Supernatural episodes and what it will take to make sure the series survives. Before we get to the spoilery details, Paul McGuire, Executive Vice President for Network Communications at The CW, gave a statement to About.com on the network's decision to move Supernatural. (On February 28, as reported previously, Reaper will take Supernatural's slot with Smallville as the lead-in, and Supernatural will temporarily vanish from the schedule).

"The CW is very supportive of Supernatural and continues to be," McGuire stated. "The show continues to deliver strong episodes viewers like yourself have embraced. The move to air encores of Reaper Thursdays at 9 is an attempt to get sampling for that show, which is in its first season, unlike Supernatural, which is a proven veteran."

It's good to hear an official voice from The CW making a statement of support, but to some, it may still sound like lip-service. While a new show like Reaper does need extra push and attention, it doesn't benefit the network to let its "veteran" languish unnoticed. Particular with the writer's strike affecting the pilot season, it's better for everyone if Supernatural's ratings stay consistent.

Courtesy of SF Universe, we also have word about a small change in the episode airing order. Relax! There's no down side to this change. Not only will we get fresh new footage of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) in action, The CW has added a repeat of a classic Supernatural episode to the line-up.


The next four episodes of Supernatural will now air as follows (spoilers from here on out):

January 31 -- 2x09 "Malleus Maleficarum"
February 7 -- 2x10 "Dream A Little Dream of Me"
February 14 -- 2x11 "Mystery Spot" (formerly 2x12)
February 21 -- a repeat of season two's "Nightshifter," followed by the brand-new 2x12 "Jus In Bello" (formerly 2x11)

In the interview with Kristin, show creator and executive producer Eric Kripke said the choice to air "Jus In Bello" last was an attempt to make the most of things during the strike, to "end on an action-packed mythology note." With the strike lasting so long, Supernatural faces a twelve episode season. Kripke expressed some of his frustration with the show's scheduling. "We kind of have a Murphy's Law time slot," he said, referring to the news that Lost will have its mid-season premiere January 31st, opposite the first of Supernatural's batch of new episodes. As for what can keep Supernatural alive, Kripke stressed the importance of word-of-mouth. "The fate of the show lies in the [fans'] hands more than anybody else's...the main thing that determines whether we're back is just viewers."

On what we can expect in "Malleus Maleficarum," Kripke said the episode will be "a classic witch and coven and hexes sort of thing. In that hour, we'll learn something big about Katie Cassidy's character, Ruby. Her backstory and the reason she's fighting on the side of good are revealed."

(More details on the upcoming episodes can be found here).

The introduction of female characters has always been problematic on Supernatural, with fans having mixed reactions. Kripke admits that while Alona Tal, who played Jo Harvelle in season two, "is a terrific actress" who "did valiantly and beautifully with the part we gave her," he worried if they "conceived this character the right way." Some fans never warmed up to Jo, a young woman with aspirations to become a hunter. Others feel she turned out to be sympathetic and layered, even if she hasn't yet gotten to finish her story arc. Kripke is more optimistic about Katie Cassidy's Ruby and the mercenary Bela Talbot (portrayed by Lauren Cohan). "I think they're strong, and they're entertaining, and they are fun to write for," he stated, although he added he wasn't satisfied with the Bela-centric episode "Red Sky At Morning" because it "put too much of Bela out too soon."

He also indicated that in the next four episodes, fans can expect things to ramp up considerably. "Usually, for us, the second half of the season is a lot more hectic than the first half. The first half is kind of building, and the second half is when all the crap starts happening."

So set those DVR's, and warm up the DVD players.

Sources:
Eonline
SF Universe
About.com