You may recall a few months back, when I boldly claimed that I would review a series in its entirety, providing criticism and ratings to every episode. The series I chose to do was Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and the whole experience lasted for the first five made-for-TV pilot movies. About halfway through the first actual episode of the series, I simply couldn't take it anymore and the box has been sitting on my shelf, unopened, for about 8 months now. So now, I'm going to try again, with more practiced critical aptitude, and with the assistance of a show that, from everything I've heard, doesn't suck anywhere near as intensely.
So here we are, watching Supernatural, and after a brief title flash, we're 22 years in the past, watching a young family in their twilight goodnight ritual. Little Sam is sleeping soundly in his crib while Daddy John holds young something-year-old Dean in his arms. A few hours later, Mommy is startled awake by... well, I've never been a fan of too much plot synopsis, so I'll just tell you that she's startled awake by something supernatural that eventually kills her dead, much to the chagrin of John.
Flash forward twenty two years to find Sam and his girlfriend gushing over his upcoming law school entrance interview. 'Where's the connection?' you might ask. And the answer is one of the premieres most successful successes. Out of nowhere, Dean shows up, and he's clearly the grittier of the two. However, in hearing them talk, it's explained that, for years, John had trained his boys to hunt and combat supernatural forces, and only after a falling out, did Sam decide to pursue a more conventional life. Without ever actually seeing Sam and Dean working together we their father, Dean's exuberance and Sam's reluctance make us yearn to see them get back on the saddle, go out and kick some demonic tuchus (a word which, by the way, is not recognized by Blogger's spell check).
Once they do go off on an adventure (on the condition that Sam will be back for his interview), they encounter some evil and balance it with levity. Pretty much immediately, Supernatural pushes the envelope in terms of what you're used to on non-HBO or -Showtime television. Blood drips, people burn alive, a beautiful woman's face turns utterly ghastly while trying to seduce/murder someone, and the list goes on. All the while, we are comforted by the boys' calm familiarity with the situation. While they may be upset and thrown off guard while being attacked, they recompose with dedication to getting their job done, and more that often, a touch of humour. They've seen this kind of stuff before, and even though we've never seen them see it, we believe that they have.
Then there's the ending, and what a great ending it is. (Spoiler Alert) After Sam and Dean arrive back at Sam's apartment/dorm/whatever it is, Sam goes to curl up in bed with his girlfriend. As he lays down, alone, as it sounds as though she's in the shower, he looks up to see her pinned to the ceiling in an exact replication of his mother's death. Not only does the image perfectly bookend the episode, violently restarting their mission, it frees Sam to pursue the supernatural ass-kickery that we so very much want him to participate in.
There may, for some viewers, be a twinge of guilt at enjoying the final scene so very much, with the shot of Sam, now looking very determined, bad-ass, and manly, proclaiming his resolute but terse dedication to his new cause, since it comes at the expense of a perfectly innocent character's life. But, if you're anything like me, you'll get over it fast.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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