Supernatural Goodness: Alexander Calvert on Jack, J2 and the SPN Family 

WARNING: Mild Supernatural spoilers and speculation

For the lucky 13th season of the CW’s Supernatural, the producers are going big. An alternate universe. The fourth prince of hell. The son of Satan who’s also half human.

Jack’s presence gives Sam and Dean a purpose in the wake of losing so many of their friends, frenemies and relatives. Cas, Crowley and Mary are all gone — some of them permanently, some less so — but the Winchester brothers have this uncontrollable force keeping them busy right now.

Sam and Dean’s reactions to Jack are unsurprisingly polar opposite from each other. Sam’s immediate inclination is to protect Jack and make sure the nephilim uses his power for good, not evil. Dean, on the other hand, wants to rid the world of this potential unstoppable weapon of mass destruction.

As for Jack himself, well, he’s trying to figure out life. He’s roughly three plus days old. But he looks like an adult. He’s super innocent but learning a lot everyday, including the joy of nougat. And, last week, he had to fend off Asmodeus (Jeffrey Vincent Parise), one of hell’s most powerful, who tried to manipulate Jack into unleashing the sure-to-be-scary shedim.

Yes, Jack’s dealing with some shady business as well as negotiating the dynamic of his caretakers, two demon-hunting siblings who are hurting emotionally.

Thankfully, TV Goodness was able to talk to the actor who portrays Jack. We chatted with Alexander Calvert about this week’s episode, one that sees Sam working with Jack on controlling his powers. We also touched on the nephilim’s dynamic with the brothers, whether Jack can be molded, working with Jensen and Jared, and his introduction to the Supernatural Family.

TV Goodness: What’s it been like for you since your Supernatural episodes have started airing?

Alexander Calvert: It’s come at me pretty quickly, I’ll say that. Yeah. People have been really positive and are really enjoying the new season and I think they’re enjoying seeing what Jack brings out of Sam and Dean. I’m just really happy that people are liking it and relating to characters and enjoying the new journey.

TV Goodness: What are you enjoying most about playing Jack?

Calvert: I think the part I like the most about playing Jack so far has been his optimism. He’s got a real optimism because he’s so new to the world about life. That’s been kind of fun to dwell in and live in. Obviously, he freaks out occasionally. For the most part.

TV Goodness: When he does freak out, he freaks out big.

Calvert: Yes. He’s kind of an uncontrollable force at this point.

TV Goodness: Sam seems to be the one to quickly establish a connection with Jack. How has that been to play and what can you tease or preview about next week’s episode because I think that Jack and Sam spend a lot of time together?

Calvert: Sam is quick to be empathetic and I think sees Jack’s potential and we really see, in the next episode, Sam’s attempt to help Jack get a hold of his powers, harness them, so ultimately, that Jack can be able to use these things for good and not for evil.

TV Goodness: What is that going to look like, the way Sam helps Jack?

Calvert: I would say like ninja training for the guy with telekinesis powers.

TV Goodness: What was that like to actually act out? Was that challenging for you?

Calvert: Yes, because, spoiler, I don’t have any real powers so it was…I like what it turned into because Jack, ultimately, [is] very frustrated with who and what he is and that was easy for me to play when kind of being in a stressful situation and trying to force accomplish a task that you could never accomplish.

TV Goodness: Dean and Sam don’t share the same opinions on how to handle Jack and deal with Jack.

Calvert: Definitely not.

TV Goodness: I think Dean and Jack are separate next week but what can you tease about how the dynamic between Dean and Jack progresses or evolves in the coming weeks?

Calvert: Maybe not in this coming week but what I do like about the two characters is, Jack finding himself in both of his father figures in Sam and Dean. I think Dean and Jack actually have a lot in common even if Dean is really hard, they both have this monumental loss that they’re struggling with how to process and I think everybody in the show is just kind of learning how to deal with that loss so I think Jack and Dean find some commonality that they don’t necessarily realize at this point.

TV Goodness: Dean always starts out acting harsh but he usually kind of softens eventually. Is there going to be a softening between Dean and Jack?

Calvert: I don’t want to say. I just think there’s…Ultimately, there’s a couple nice moments. Jack is really eager to impress the Winchesters. He wants to be a part of the crew, be a hunter so if he can do that and help them, I think that would really help their relationship and jack earnestly wants that.

TV Goodness: In “The Rising Son”, Sam was saying he thinks Jack can be molded. Do you think Jack can?

Calvert: It’s kind of one of those…it’s the fun nature-nurture equation. How much can someone change? How much can someone be molded into something? There’s obviously unlimited potential for Jack but I think the thing Dean struggles with is, how much is he like Lucifer? How much is he going to be true to that nature?

TV Goodness: How does Jack deal with the fact that he’s the son of Lucifer? He’s reading about him in the Bible but that’s got to be a huge weight on his shoulders.

Calvert: Yeah. He’s coming to grips with who he is, which is pretty monumental and he’s kind of on this journey to find out who and what he is. Obviously, the weight of knowing the evil that Lucifer and Jack himself is capable of, definitely weighs on him.

TV Goodness: Asmodeus entered the equation in last week’s episode and he was really sneaky about trying to manipulate Jack. Now that Jack knows the Prince of Hell is out there and maybe gunning for him and wanting to use him, how does Jack respond and can you tease if there are any more interactions between Jack and Asmodeus coming up?

Calvert: I really would like to see more of him because his preacher joining the congregation thing, was really fun to watch. I think Jack wants to have a home. He just doesn’t know, necessarily, where that home is yet and I think the powers of evil are going to try to tempt him with that.

TV Goodness: What’s been your favorite Jack moment so far and why?

Calvert: I think so far, it’s been the: “I like nougat.” People really like that one. My face looks ridiculous when I do it. I don’t know. People really responded well to that and I don’t know. It’s just been fun and people enjoy it.

TV Goodness: Can you talk about what it’s been like to work with Jensen and Jarred? Have they been giving you any advice? They’re kind of known for pranking. Just generally, what’s it been like?

Calvert: There’s definitely been a lot of pranking. They’ve been doing this for so long, they’re professional, they’re fun to work with, the crew loves them. It’s a really great working environment and getting to work with them everyday, it’s great.

TV Goodness: What’s been the most challenging part of this whole experience?

Calvert: I think the most challenging part has just been striking a balance between someone who’s so innocent and new to the world but also carrying around a lot of darkness and weight coming from the loss in his lineage and just having a balance between the evil and the good and the nature-nurture. Jack’s just carrying that with him all the time.

Supernatural airs Thursday nights at 8/7c on the CW. In addition to Sam helping Jack out with his powers, Loretta Devine (Missouri Mosley) is back for the first time since season one’s “Home.” Kim Rhodes (Jody Mills) returns as well. The set-up to the Wayward Sisters spinoff begins. Hopefully you guys are as excited about this as we are.