Supernatural (Up to and including the first episode of season three)

There are certain shows on television that just seem like something I should watch.  I'm not talking about the Big Bang Theory, as that show is atrocious.  I don't care how many people tell me I should watch it, as it is garbage.  What I am talking about are the shows that seem right up my alley, shows like Supernatural.  Last winter, I watched the first season and a half while visiting my parents.  I borrowed season two to finish watching.  I got around to that right before Christmas.  Since then, I've been trying to find the series for sale at a half decent price.  I picked up seasons four and five for $15 each, but I have still been looking for season three.  As it turns out, once I buy something, it appears on Netflix.  Tonight, I logged on and watched the first episode of season three.

It turns out that Supernatural is actually pretty good.  I generally expect network shows to be weak, which may not be fair.  In this case, it most definitely is not fair or correct.  There are certain aspects of any show that must work together to create a watchable product.  For a show like Supernatural, the actors, the ongoing story, the weekly villains, and the special effects need to be in harmony to keep people tuning in.

Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam and Jensen Ackles as Dean, Supernatural pins its hopes for success on a decent actor and a charismatic one.  Ackles plays the looser of the two brothers as if he is having a ton of fun.  It probably helps that he gets all the fun lines, as well.  I'm a big fan of popular culture, which Dean regularly spouts off.  At the mention of the seven deadly sins, he immediately quotes Se7en, and I immediately giggle.  It doesn't take much to amuse me.  Padalecki's character is the more somber of the two but still played well.  It helps that the actors work well together and are believable as siblings.  The cast is rounded out by some good guest stars and capable regulars that pop up on occasion.

The plot is basically two brothers going around defeating evil.  That's something everyone can get behind, as long as they're not evil.  There are larger stories playing out in addition to the weekly bad guy set up.  Every week, we get a new creature/demon/devil/ghost/etc that the brothers must figure out and destroy.  The writers for the show pull from a multitude of places, which can keep you guessing.  The lore they are creating is interesting and impacts the ongoing story lines, as well.

While the dialogue can be kitschy, the cinematography and musical choices are only getting better.  Watching people destroy monsters while classic rock blasts is fitting and keeps the show from feeling dated.  Re-watching old episodes of Buffy, they can feel a bit dated due to the musical choices.  By choosing classic rock, it helps the show to not feel locked down, as far as the original air dates go.  Couple that with simple costuming and nice sets, and you see some nice production values.

The special effects may not be the best, but they are adequate for this type of network show.  As other aspects of the show are well done, it seems there wasn't as much money left over for special effects.  If anything is going to make the show seem dated, it's going to be the effects.  Some shots are fine, while others look as bad as the smoke monster on the island from Lost.

Be prepared to occasionally groan at the dialogue and special effects, but let yourself enjoy the show as a whole.  The actors are pretty good, and the stories are interesting and fun.  Supernatural is a great show when you want to be entertained but don't want to fully engage your brain.  If you have Netflix, you can always check the show out for free, since it's on there now.  You're welcome.  It's only there because I bought a couple of seasons.  The same thing happened when we bought How I Met Your Mother.