Back in 2005, when the networks rolled out its usual suspects of new shows, I kept my eyes peeled for any that looked like they might stand out from the rest. There were only a couple, but one in particular seemed like it might have the makings of something good. "Supernatural" was sold as being an occult thriller and the previews offered promise. My one worry was that the series would be one of those 'hip & cool' shows that feature models instead of actors in order to attract the still burgeoning MTV crowd. Most of the ads featured stars Jason Paledecki and Jensen (Jensen???) Ackles who, at first glance, seem as though they fit into that exact category.
However, my wife and I decided we'd give the show a try in the hopes that it would exceed our expectations. That's where the magic of having satellite TV came in handy as we could 'record' the show and watch it whenever we felt like it. (Yes, I realize we used to be able to do that with VCR's, but who has those anymore?)
Anyhow, we ended up being totally sucked in by the first episode and continued to enjoy the show as the season carried forward. Both Ackles and Paledecki proved to be decent actors, but it was the show's stories and style that really 'hooked' us.
As the series began we were introduced to the Winchester brothers, Sam (Paledecki) who was whiling away his hours at college and Dean (Ackles) who prefers to follow in their father's footsteps. Of course the job is a rather odd one, in that Dean crosses the country in search of supernatural events on order to a) fight demons and send them back to Hell and b) track down the demon that killed their mother when they were children. Sam had chosen to leave this life behind, but is drawn into the never-ending battle by Dean after their father goes missing. Reluctant at first, Sam's resolve is set after a tragedy that mirrors his mother's demise strikes his new life. Together, the two brothers set off in '67 Chevy Impala (that my wife loves) in search of their father.
In many ways "Supernatural" both lived up to and exceeded my expectations. There was a bit of the 'hip & cool' feel to it, but it did not pervade the series. As a matter of fact, as that first season wore on, that style seemed to drop off a bit. What we really liked about the show was the idea it used that each of the 'demons' they fought were linked to popular urban myths. One week would find them fighting off the 'Hook Man', while another brought them face to face with the mysterious 'Lady in White' who stalks the streets late at night looking for a ride home. They even did an episode about 'Bloody Mary', which I thought was especially effective.
Of course, as the season hit us with 22 episodes, I cannot say that every one of them hit a home run, but the great majority of them were excellent. One that stands out as particularly frustrating was "Bugs", where the boys set up shop in a new housing development plagued by strange murderous… well… bugs. Truth be told, the episode as a whole was actually still pretty good, but when it is learned that the bugs only attack at night it falls apart. When Winchesters find themselves holed up in one of the house fending off the horde, the 'night' only appears to last about 15 minutes. As the sun sets, the bugs start coming and our heroes keep finding new places in the house to hide. But the bugs get through each door pretty quickly. When they finally make it to the attic and you think they are just about to die… the sun starts to rise. There's no way the sequence of events, no matter how they were edited, could have taken place over several hours. That ending pretty much ruined an otherwise good episode. But, if that's the only complaint I have over a full season, that's saying something.
The second season continued to focus on some great urban myths, but they did not completely take over the show. This season brought in a more cohesive story arc, which brought the boys face to face with their long-lost father… as well as his fate. This caused a big rift in their relationship, which could not have come at a worse time. The boys not only catch up with the demon that killed their mother, but the outcome of the confrontation causes Sam to question his place in the war against evil. Again, almost every episode was a winner, but my favorite had to be "Hollywood Babylon", which featured Gary Cole as a smarmy producer. His performance makes the entire episode worth watching. I was also very impressed with the episode "Bloodlust", which featured Amber Benson as (of all things) a vampire. This was an especially interesting episode in that it dealt with the idea of whether or not all things supernatural are necessarily evil. But the cream of the crop had to be "No Exit", which brought the boys into a battle with the spirit of H.H. Holmes. Holmes was known as America's first serial killer and was featured in the superlative documentary “H.H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer" by John Borowski. You can catch my review of that DVD here. I recommend it as a great film to watch before checking out this particular episode.
About this time, I wondered if the series could continue if it stayed on its path. The third season hinted at some changes and of ‘bigger’ things. But it wasn’t until the fourth season that bigger things meant an out and out Apocalypse. Sam & Dean were not only going to be fighting demons, but were coming face to face with angels. I know, this sounds silly, but the direction the fourth season was anything but. There was a war brewing between the forces of good and evil and the boys were going to be front and center. This was never more certain until the final moments when Sam’s actions bring forth Lucifer and kick start the end of the world.
I was initially worried about the fifth season of “Supernatural”, in that the show might have gone too far, but I was suckered right into it thanks to the excellent writing and cinematography. The story arc, which put the brothers up as being the ‘vessels’ for Lucifer and the archangel Michael to inhabit in order to wage their battle never once let me down. Every plot point thrown into the mix, no matter how far-fetched, worked perfectly into the show’s grand design. I honestly did not feel let down by a single episode.
The most interesting thing about the fifth season however, was that it ended on a perfect note. Not cliff-hanger per se, but what could be perceived as an actual ending to the series. And it was perfect. If there had been no sixth season, I could have accepted it where it stood. There was no need to go any further, just leave where it lay.
Fortunately, the series didn’t end and the sixth season took us on a roller coaster ride of heaven against hell, this time ending with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger.
Season seven started right back up, and while it resolved the cliffhanger in the first episode, it also introduced a brand new villain for the boys to fight. Moving past demons and angels, they are now up against the un-killable Leviathans… and ancient race created by God that pre-date everything. They are smart and they are organized. While not the best villains to ever hit “Supernatural”, they do the job and offer some interesting moment.
Sadly, there are some major changes to the cast in this season as well. Not to give away any spoilers, you may guess just from my saying that the changes, while shocking, may just hurt the show in the long run. The second half of the season is still pretty strong, but it suffers from the absence of certain characters. The one thing that saved it from being a complete downer was its return to some of the ‘monster of the week’ formula that worked so well in the early days. This season the Winchester’s also get to fight ghosts, pseudo vampires, and cursed object. There is also another time travel episode, which is kind of trite but still interesting. Especially in the introduction of a rather ‘famous’ hunter.
The Bluray release of season seven offers excellent transfers, which really sell the show’s special effects. The audio and video are superb, often rivaling some big budget motion pictures. As for special features you’ll find three commentaries, all of which are well worth listening to. There are also a couple of featurettes that offer seven of the season’s directors the opportunity to talk about the experience as well as the composers a chance to discuss scoring the episode “Time After Time”. For those who enjoy Jensen Ackles… ahem… singing…there is an outtake featuring his fill rendition of “All Out of Love.” Additionally there are a few deleted scenes and a hilarious Gag Reel.
“Supernatural” is still a terrific show. Bottom line…. If you don’t like it… your I.Q. is just a little too low.
Episodes:
Meet The New Boss
Hell Cruel World
The Girl Next Door
Defending Your Life
Shut Up, Dr. Phil
Slash Fiction
The Mentalists
Season 7, Time for a Wedding!
How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters
Death’s Door
Adventures in Babysitting
Time After Time
The Slice Girls
Plucky Pennywhistle’s Magical Menagerie
Repo Man
Out With the Old
The Born-Again Identity
Party On, Garth
Of Grave Importance
The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo
Reading is Fundamental
There Will Be Blood
Survival of the Fittest
Starring: Jason Paledecki, Jensen Ackles, Jim Beaver
Extras: Three episode commentaries; Directing Supernatural: Seven directors talk about their work on Supernatural; Composers talk about scoring Time After Time; An outtake of the full version of Jensen singing Air Supply’s “All Out Of Love” from Slash Fiction; Unaired scenes; Gag reel
Specifications: 1080p High Definition (1.78:1); Dolby Digital 5.1
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: 9/18/2012
