Supernatural Out of the Box

<p> <I>Supernatural</I> is one of the most successful horror TV shows ever providing fifteen seasons of the adventures of Dean and Sam Winchester as they hunt monsters and save the world. It has nurtured a passionate fan base which has been far more directly integrated into the show than is typical. Wry and self-aware <I>Supernatural</I> repeatedly breaks out of the televisual box to acknowledge its fans and its own fictionality.</p><p> Though there have already been several studies of <I>Supernatural</I> this volume is the first to focus extensively and intensively on the show's metafictional elements. This essay collection argues that <I>Supernatural</I> is not merely a horror show but is a show about how horror works as a genre and how fans interact with their favorite material. From exploring how the show has equated authorship with divinity to considering its incorporation of fandom and closely reading several key episodes the essays in this volume seek to examine the multiple layers of textuality found in <I>Supernatural</I>.</p>