Supernatural is fantastic!

[PKTrekGirl]

I really consider Supernatural to be the spiritual successor to The X-Files. 2 people going places and investigating strange goings on is the focus of the show really, but the story arc is more tightly done than the x-files.
It's very much just supernatural goings-on with the occasional horror episode, there is a lot of humour to the show so even in the scariest episodes there's usually something to lighten the tension and make you laugh.
The episodes range from horror to creepy to out and out laughs. Definitely worth checking out if you're an X-Files fan I think.

I've never been one to enjoy slasher films, or gorefests.

Nothing against them, just never GOT them.

Supernatural is one of my favorite series though for its incorporation of folklore, mythology, legend, & wit.

One of my favorite series to read is The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and I've always considered Supernatural about as close to Dresden as we've seen on TV thus far. (and that includes the Syfy Series based on but not much resembling the Dresden books)

If you've ever seen the film Constantine w/ Keanu Reeves, you get an idea of how the real world can co-exist right alongside the weirdness and most people never know of it, rationalize it away, or just plain can't accept what they've seen.

Supernatural, is definitely a show for fans of Buffy & Angel, but again, with a darker twist than either.

Both of these comments were really helpful - thanks for posting. Very encouraging as well since I enjoy The X-Files, Buffy/Angel and Dresden (although I did not read the Dresden books - only saw the series).

You guys have convinced me to try out Supernatural - I have borrowed the S1 DVD set and will start this week.

This might have been covered earlier, but how many seasons are there so far? And how is the show doing? Is it expected to continue for a while or what?

 

[startrekwatcher]

You guys have convinced me to try out Supernatural - I have borrowed the S1 DVD set and will start this week.

I really enjoyed S1--a lot of people were lukewarm on it but I liked it since it was a simpler time for the show with mostly standalone stories with a bit of a larger arc in the background. The standalones were also pretty interesting and stood well on their own unlike in latter years where little effort was put into them and they existed mainly as a means to an end.

This might have been covered earlier, but how many seasons are there so far? And how is the show doing? Is it expected to continue for a while or what?

It is currently in its sixth season on the CW. Apparently ratings-wise it is doing pretty good even on Friday nights and with Smallville ending I won't be surprised if CW renews it for a seventh season--personally I think the show has run its course but many other fans would disagree.

For me S1 and S4 were its best years. S2, 3 and 5 were really uneven.

 

[Alex1939]

I will dissent with some of the love here. I really enjoyed seasons 2-3. I don't like the direction of the plot from there and I felt certain themes were way overused by that point. I could not fully recommend this series to anyone.

But the show provided hours of enjoyment at any rate. A strange comparison, but I'll say it is better than Heroes.. but in a similar fashion I would only ever re-watch the first season of Heroes and I would only re-watch the first 2 or 3 seasons of Supernatural.

 

[startrekwatcher]

But the show provided hours of enjoyment at any rate. A strange comparison, but I'll say it is better than Heroes..

Yes as a series it is better than Heroes--no doubt but none of the 5 seasons that have aired in their entirety were as consistent, as well written, as much fun as Heroes S1 with all the complicated storytelling weaving several disparate threads together and all the great cliffhangers and twists as well as the effective build up. There was not one bad episode in S1 of Heroes while even S1 and S4 of Supernatural had several weak episodes.

but in a similar fashion I would only ever re-watch the first season of Heroes and I would only re-watch the first 2 or 3 seasons of Supernatural.

Even in the weaker SN seasons there were episodes that were as good as the best of S1 and S4. For instance, I would skip a huge swath of S5 but wouldn't pass on "Children are Our Future", "Abandon All Hope", "My Bloody Valentine", "Swan Song".

 

[PKTrekGirl]

It is really interesting to me that when it comes to the seasons people say are 'good' it's all over the board. Just in the last couple of posts, startrekwatcher prefers 1 & 4, and Alex1939 prefers 2 & 3. For me, that is kind of a good sign, because I read that as no season being terrible.

Glad to hear it is still doing well too and that it might continue past this year. Seems like a good run - another good sign, IMO.

 

[Alex1939]

Yes as a series it is better than Heroes--no doubt but none of the 5 seasons that have aired in their entirety were as consistent, as well written, as much fun as Heroes S1

Even in the weaker SN seasons there were episodes that were as good as the best of S1 and S4. For instance, I would skip a huge swath of S5 but wouldn't pass on "Children are Our Future", "Abandon All Hope", "My Bloody Valentine", "Swan Song".

I'd agree on both points. There are parts of season4 and 5 I've enjoyed, season 6 not as much. I'm not a fan of how big they went with the overall plot but there are great moments and episodes. Certainly Castiel is an interesting character and well performed.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

It is really interesting to me that when it comes to the seasons people say are 'good' it's all over the board. Just in the last couple of posts, startrekwatcher prefers 1 & 4, and Alex1939 prefers 2 & 3. For me, that is kind of a good sign, because I read that as no season being terrible.

Glad to hear it is still doing well too and that it might continue past this year. Seems like a good run - another good sign, IMO.

I think there are different aspects of each season that make them all worth watching. I'd say there are reasons I'd say each season has only gotten better but then there's problems with each season that make you think "ok maybe not". Season 4 is probably the worst, but I think the blame comes down to the writer's strike more than anything.

Season 5 was the planned end of the show and it would have been a strong way to go out, I thought season 6 was a mistake but I'm still finding things to love about it, so hopefully if it goes on it can stay strong.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Season 4 is the best for overall consistency of excellence.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Season 4 is the best for overall consistency of excellence.

Maybe I'm misremembering, but I seem to remember it didn't really cover the arc very well because they ran out of time and had to jump to the end of it quickly.

 

[Technobuilder]

^That was Season 3. (There was a writer's strike) Season 4 was a full season.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

^That was Season 3. (There was a writer's strike) Season 4 was a full season.

Ah, so I am misremembering. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Captain Mike]

With all due respect and my own personal opinion, I have liked S6 so far. A helluva lot of plot twists that are keeping watching and guessing "What is happening now!??"
All that and the plot of a new Big Bad. I am beginning to think that they are going to throw someone we know and have seen in that role?

 

[Vasquez Rocks]

Love the show...there's been some episodes I didn't like all that much but I can't think of one I've loathed. Nearly very show I like has at least one episode that I just out and out hate but I can't think of a Supernatural one.

I totally agree with your assessment of the show. I honestly can't think of one episode that I flat out hated either.

I just discovered the show back in August on TNT and it's been a fun ride going through all six seasons. I'm very nearly caught up too.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

With all due respect and my own personal opinion, I have liked S6 so far.

I've really enjoyed season 6. I was afraid it was going to suck. I've been pleasantly surprised.

 

[mswood]

Well I like to think of it in another way, Bobby both friend and family, yet if Bobby did the things Castiel did, I honestly think Bobby wouldn't be a part of Dean's life, except as a resource of information.

There are things Sam can do that he gets a pass for (and even some of them have been enough to push him out of Dean's life), yet Castiel some how gets a pass.....

Cass did pull Dean out of Hell. I would think that earns you a lot of leeway.

And that, folks, is the understatement of the millennium...

Sure Castiel saved him from hell, and has threatened to throw him back. And not from his friendship but under orders, the same orders that lead him to push for ending the world. And while Dean doesn't know the worst of it, he does know Castiel did work (and certainly towards the end) knowingly to start the end of days.

And who does Dean care more for then himself, well that person has been saved, would the person that saved him get a pass for his behavior? Clearly we know that answer is a big fat no. Clearly Dean can work with Castiel, but we know he has serious issues with Castiel's motivations and his actions, all of which have been more informed then say Sam's. Yet we have never had a point where Dean has pushed Castiel on his actions. We have had Dean push for Castiel to change his mind, yeah but no real recrimination for his actions, ever. Even now John doesn't even get a free pass (another who saved him from the reapers), for his mistakes.

So I just can't buy the friendship, I can see the bond of a comrade in arms, but not as a friend.

 

[mswood]

With all due respect and my own personal opinion, I have liked S6 so far.

I've really enjoyed season 6. I was afraid it was going to suck. I've been pleasantly surprised.

You were very vocal that the show needed to end at the end of season 5. Unlike myself, who wanted to see how bad they could ruin it before saying they needed to kill the show.

As for this season, besides season 4, I think this is the most consistent a season has been up to episode 11 (I still like season 2 better at this point though). As I have really only serious issues with one episode, but even the ones I really like there is something missing to the main reason I like the show, the relationship between Sam and Dean, and hopefully we will see that start up again.

 

[Snaploud]

I'm not sure that there's always such a big distinction between "comrade-in-arms" and "friend," but, if it helps, I always got the impression from the writing that Castiel has more of a desire to be "friends" with Dean the other way around. I think Castiel has always been rather lonely in that way.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

I agree. There is a desperate loneliness to Castiel. That's a keen observation. He could be drawn to how Dean carries on, no matter how much trauma he's been forced to endure. It makes sense to me, from a character standpoint, how a lonely, disaffected angel who had faith in a god he'd never seen, who found out his brethren had been betrayed by others of his kind, would be drawn to Dean and not necessarily to Sam. Dean and Castiel are very alike in that way.

 

[mswood]

Friend is someone who you have an emotional connection usually based on shared values and interests. Comrades in arms are often people of wildly different backgrounds, with interests that often aren't shared who unite typically due to a single shared interest.

Typically friendship is held to a higher level of scrutiny.

For example Castiel's interactions with Dean and Sam is typically due to his interests, not Dean or Sam's. I help you when it helps me, mentality. And this includes the period when Castiel didn't have other obligations.

Compare that to Bobby, and the boys. Bobby will help the boys whenever they ask, be it something he personally is effected by or not. Same with Sam and Dean (if they are asked...). Just as if Castiel asked Dean and Sam to help him (on something that didn't have an impact on their lives, I am sure they would try and help).

Now I can understand both Castiel and Dean being friendly with each other, just not being friends. After all their is a difference.

 

[mswood]

I agree. There is a desperate loneliness to Castiel. That's a keen observation. He could be drawn to how Dean carries on, no matter how much trauma he's been forced to endure. It makes sense to me, from a character standpoint, how a lonely, disaffected angel who had faith in a god he'd never seen, who found out his brethren had been betrayed by others of his kind, would be drawn to Dean and not necessarily to Sam. Dean and Castiel are very alike in that way.

Actually isn't Sam the one who (since Castiel has meet them) carried on pretty much no matter what has happened. Dean has often thrown himself out of the game.

What they do share is a sense of being used or betrayed by their family. For Dean that's John and Sam. For Castiel is pretty much every angel.

And of course all three leads are terribly lonely people. Castiel because of the events in Heaven. Dean to to keeping almost everybody away from his true self. And Sam in discovering that pretty much his whole life has been manipulated by others.

The only other thing that I can see Dean really seeking out of Castiel is that in regards to humanity Castiel is basically a child. Dean really has a naturing side (once you dig down).