Image Credit: Diyah Pera/The CW
Everyone’s favorite hacker-turned-LARPing queen-turned-hunter-in-training is back. Yes, tonight’s episode of Supernatural will again feature Felicia Day as Charlie, now in her third appearance in the series.
The last time Supernatural fans saw Charlie, in January’s “LARP and the Real Girl,” she wasn’t too pleased to see Sam and Dean show up on her LARP stomping grounds, Moondoor. “If you guys are here, monsters are here,” she told them. But she has since warmed to the idea of being in the midst of the supernatural. In tonight’s episode, it’s Charlie who brings a case to the Winchester boys.
This newest episode, called “Pac-Man Fever,” nods to Day’s passion for gaming that she has put on display in her web series The Guild. Charlie and Dean find themselves inside a very video game-like world.
Day tells EW that the episode features some serious, emotional scenes that deepen the brother-sister-esque relationship between Dean and Charlie, but there are also plenty of comedic moments.
“I would definitely say look forward to [a scene in a] clothing store for some of the funniest Dean reactions on the planet,” Day teased.
Read on for more from Day about shooting the episode, meeting Supernatural fans, and how “Pac-Man Fever” features some Tomb Raider inspirations.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What did you think when you first read the script for “Pac Man Fever”?
FELICIA DAY: The script is absolutely fantastic. Robbie Thompson, the writer, has written all the Charlie episodes. This particular episode is not only classic Charlie in that there’s a lot of wit and banter and character moments, but there’s a lot of gut to it as well. This is really about Charlie’s past, about peeling at the layers, and I couldn’t have imagined something more interesting or compelling than this script.
How do Charlie and Dean end up in the episode’s video game dreamland?
The game element is partly tied to the monster, the supernatural element that Charlie comes to the guys with, but also it has something to do with Charlie’s past, which is really an interesting way to join those two ideas in this video game world.
In this episode, Sam and Dean suspect that Charlie is hiding a secret that could get her killed. What can you tell us about this secret?
It’s all about Charlie’s backstory, about her history. There’s always an air of mystery about Charlie, and in this episode a lot of these mysteries are unveiled. She is someone who I think is very alone in this world, and that’s why I think she’s drawn to Sam and Dean so much because they do have that sort of similarity in that they’re outside of the regular world. I think that’s why Charlie’s drawn to them and so proactive and trying to be a part of their world, by coming to them with a case and wanting to be a part of the process of solving it.
What did you think of the costume you got to wear for the video game scenes?
I love the costume. I thought it was really iconic without being exploitative. Charlie is a really powerful girl, and some video games have some interesting wardrobe choices for female characters, but this one – the Tomb Raider game came out right around this episode when we filmed it, and I saw a lot of similarities, that character being evolved to be a more empowering character, a more realistic character, and I think that’s reflected a lot in Charlie’s outfit. She is definitely ready to rock. But at the same time it’s practical.
You’ve done your fair share of work on geektastic projects with devoted fan bases. How has the fan response to your character on Supernatural compared to fan followings on your other shows?
That’s why I love being in the world that I am. I love being a part of fandom. I love that fans have a sense of ownership in a world and the characters and their lives. I met a lot of Charlie cosplayers over this past year. I’ve seen fan art. I just love interacting with the fans. They’re so supportive and interested in the lore and the world of Supernatural. They’re invested. And they have a community amongst themselves, which is very similar to coming from the Joss Whedonverse and Eureka and what I have myself with The Guild. That’s a community, and we’re all enjoying something and participating in an alternate world. I love that. That’s who I am as well. Being a part of the Supernatural world is just as much of a blessing as any other fan base.
And one Guild question for you – is it looking like there will be a seventh season?
We’ve been doing it for six seasons, and it’s definitely I think one of those things that maybe the economics won’t allow us to do a lot more in the format that we’re doing it. I’m very busy running the network Geek & Sundry and trying to work on other projects, but it’s always foremost in my mind, “How do I keep telling stories for these characters?” We just have to maybe find a different way to tell them.
“Pac-Man Fever,” episode 20 of Supernatural‘s eighth season, airs Wednesday, April 24 at 9 p.m. on the CW. Check out the episode’s promo below:
Follow Emily on Twitter: @EmilyNRome
Read more:
‘Supernatural’ does the Harlem Shake
‘Supernatural’ scoop: Look who’s returning! Plus, ‘ruthless’ actions in store
‘Supernatural’ First Look: Charlie and Dean team up for a case — EXCLUSIVE PHOTO
