Fan turned writer, turned fan, Robbie Thompson chats about “Supernatural.” The end of “Supernatural” is approaching, and way before the pandemic hit, Thompson sat down to chat with us about his feelings for the end. With the premiere of the last seven episodes starting this week, no better time than to read what Thomspon had to say about his experiences and how “Supernatural” changed his life.
Jadeen Mercado: Take me to the day you found out you would be writing for “Supernatural?”
Robbie Thompson: I was coming off a couple of shows that had gotten canceled or didn’t work out, it was kind of a bummer and I only knew about spn bc I’m old friends with Richard Speight, jr. We have a lot of old friends from USC and I love Richard. But I have only seen his episodes and if you watch SPN from his perspective it’s a little crazy. Ha. I would watch them and say this show is great, but it also looks insane. My agent called me up at the time and was like ‘how you feel about Supernatural’ and I was like let me watch it and see what I think because I only know Richard’s episodes. So I went to the library and checked out 3 seasons and I was like I’m just gonna watch the pilot and I’ll go online to find out what the greatest hits are and that was my first time typing in “Supernatural” episode guide. Which if your safe search is off, you’re in for trouble. I put in the pilot, and I loved it. The sun rose and the sunset, and I ended up watching 3 seasons in 2 weeks. I went back to the library and got the remaining seasons, 4 and 5. 6 was currently airing.
I went and met with Sera Gamble and Bob Singer, and at that point, I really wanted the job because I was really into the show. It took a while, I think they had other candidates. I don’t think I was their first choice, I was very inexperienced at the time. I really owe a lot to Bob and Sera because they really took a chance on me. I didn’t have the experience yet to take on that work, but I got the call from my agent who said they want you to start right away. But I was a little scared because I missed the first week because I was back home in Michigan, but I got there and everyone was great. Kripke was there in the first week of the writer’s room. It’s crazy because your pitching story ideas about Bobby Singer and Bob Singer is giving you notes. It’s a really surreal experience. It was great, Adam Glass and I became quick friends on the show, it was really cool to feel a part of the show. Pretty soon then your pitching story ideas and your writing.
JM: You are a big part of fandom, you have a lot of fans and people love your episode for you, what is that like for you?
RT: That’s incredibly kind of you to say, it’s always great when I’m at a convention like this and ppl come say hi and tell me they love the show or anything I was involved with at the show. To me, it’s more about the show than me. The show has such a unique fandom, most of my friends are tv writers, and when I tell them people know specific episodes and lines that you’ve written on a show they think I’m making it up because of its a very unique experience. “Supernatural” fans are incredibly passionate and incredibly kind, they’re really generous with time and energy. It’s always a thrill when anyone responds to anything you write, that’s the dream you have of a writer. It’s a huge compliment, it’s very humbling. It’s very surreal. I’m grateful to the show, and to the people who take the time to say nice things.
JM: Did you ever get a chance to visit set, what was that like as a writer?
RT: Yeah, I went up to set a couple of times, I went up and shadowed Bob a few times when he directed episodes I had written. I went up for ‘Slumber Party’ and ‘Pac Man Fever,’ I think. It’s amazing, the cast and the crew have been together for a very long time. In particular, the crew is the most tight-knit talented group of people. Look, I don’t work on the show anymore so I’m not blowing smoke, they really are. It’s incredibly welcoming, it’s really fun. It’s a little surreal because after you’ve watched at the point like 150 plus episodes its like, oh yeah, there’s Jared.
I think it was in that episode ‘Pac Man Fever’ Sam is sick and Jared and I were hanging by the monitors. He was telling me about some book he was reading, being his chatty, charming, sweet, kind Jared self. Then the crew was like okay we’re ready to go and he’s like oh excuse me. He walks like 10 feet away and I look at him on the monitor and he looks sick. I’m like, is Jared okay? Then I realized, oh no he’s an actor, dummy. He’s performing a part.
But everyone is really nice and kind. It’s an extremely tightly run show, to the writing side, to the production side to the post-production side. So going up there is a thrill. It’s a tough show to make. It’s really hard and its a testament to the people who really run their departments extremely well. For years “Supernatural” never had any standing sets, it wasn’t until the Men of Letters bunker came around that we finally had a place to call home. The challenge of making that show has always been really really high. I personally think the level of quality products on the show is top-notch. It’s a testament to the crew. They are amazing.
JM: How do you feel “Supernatural” has changed your life and what would you say to the fans now that it’s ending?
RT: How has “Supernatural” changed my life?! Well, we’re sitting at NYCC chatting, I got into comics because of “Supernatural.” There was an editor at the marvel that liked supernatural, Ellie Pyle, we had mutual friends and I ended up working for marvel. “Supernatural” has completely changed my life for the better, I made great friends. I met an amazing community of the SPN Family, which are some of the nicest, most dedicated, most passionate, kind, generous, loving people you could ever meet. I don’t know if I have a message for everybody, but I love y’all. It’s a real thrill and a privilege to come to shows like this and get to meet fellow fans of the show and get to talk about the show that we love. I don’t think the show ever really ends, I think the road goes on so you know season 15 is season 15. I’m not calling it anything else other than that. I’m excited to see it and see where they go. My message would be I love y’all.
JM: How did you get involved in writing, how did you realize this was something you loved?
RT: When I couldn’t afford film for a camera, because that’s how old I am. Ha no I always liked writing and I wanted to make movies and one of my best friends made an independent movie, Steve Shiboski, and everyone rallied around his script because it was so well written. I just thought like maybe I’ll learn how to write scripts and that’ll kind of rally the troops. I went to a film school to learn writing for screenplays and I got addicted to it. I really loved it. I like various forms of writing but screenwriting is so much fun. Especially when its collaborative the writing room. I love that feeling. Working with a group of people with a common goal of telling a story is really exciting and it’s really creatively satisfying.
JM: What the process like when you join a TV show to write?
RT: Its really dictated by the showrunner they’re sort of like your general, your quarterback. They really set the tone and your job, no matter if your a staff writer or co-exec producer is to make their jobs easier. Because being a showrunner is impossible. When I look back at the showrunners I worked with like Sera and Bob, Jeremy and Bob, and now its Bob and Andrew. Their job is so hard but the fact they’ve been able to hit their marks every year, produce the show on schedule, on time is insane. I think your job is to do the homework. If ts pre-existing, watch everything. If it’s inspired by something, read all the material you can. Usually, a showrunner on a new show will be like ‘hey here’s a reading list’.
“Supernatural,” I watched every episode and did my homework. Then our biggest job in the writer’s room is to just listen to what the room wants. Eventually, the story will tell you oh I want this. Don’t fight, don’t try to insert X, Y, or Z. Listen to the story and listen to what the showrunner needs. That’s your job, to help them. That’s a part of a job I really like, you feel like you’re on a team. You’re all kind of growing in the same direction.
JM: Would you consider yourself a “Supernatural” fan?
RT: Oh absolutely! Of course, I am. I knew once I watched the show and met bob 4 seasons in that I’m a fan now. Even if I don’t get this job I’m a fan now and will watch this show. It was a unique experience for 5 years. I didn’t get to watch the show because I was working on it. So I knew everything that was going to happen. 100% a super fan of the show
JM: What are some last words you can leave us with?
RT: If you’re sad about the show ending, I’m right there with ya. We’re on this journey together, the road goes on afterward.
Follow on Robbie Thompson on Twitter.
Written by Jadeen Mercado
