"SUPERNATURAL"

Last Updated l July 18, 2005
Greetings. Like the previous years I have watched for you screeners for pilots of some of the new offerings that are coming on TV this fall. Up next: SUPERNATURAL, from the WB Network.

Pilot Review

Title
Network
Time Slot

Cast

Story

My Rating
Premiere

SUPERNATURAL
WB
Tuesday / 9:00 PM

Jared Padalecki
Jensen Ackles
Some Scary Ghosts

Two brothers encoun-ter unusual ghosts and local creatures straight out of ameri-can folklore and ur-ban legends during a road trip across the US hoping to find their mother's killer.

8/10
SEP-2005 (TBD)

REVIEW

ODDS

SCREENSHOTS

Dean from Gilmore Girls (Jared Padalecki) and Jason from Smallville (Jensen Ackles) have their own spooky series. What was supposed to be (on paper) an eye candy show for schoolgirls (or horny boys for that matter) turned out to be, and believe me I was the first one to be surprised here, both widely entertaining and scary. I sure didn't expect much so I was in for a big surprise, on the edge of my seat for 45 minutes. One of the best WB pilot I've seen in quite a while. Of course this is no Shakespeare, it's just a spooky show for teenagers, but still what a fun show to watch. Ackles sure did the right thing by leaving that boring Clark Kent show for that one. Plus we're now sure that Dean won't ever come back to Stars Hollow. What a relief.

So what's all the fuss about? One night Mommy gets killed, burnt to the ceiling - litteraly. Scary shit I tell you that. Turns out the rest of the family spend the next 20 years hunting ghosts and whatsnot in hope to find who or (presumably) what killed her. Then, one day Daddy goes missing on a mission and it's up to the 2 brothers (now in their 20s) to reunite and find him, and to a bigger extent, find what killed their mother once and for all. Revenge is always a good source of motivation on television. As usual I won't spoil any major storyline or the ending so that you can watch the episode with a fresh eye. All you need to know is that the story in this episode pretty much was basic but remained entertaining from start to end. You can't say that for every show (take that Fox's Bones).

The two leads, well-known WB heartthrobs, are not just yummy faces standing by. Both actors did a fairly good job on this pilot and there's a real chemistry between them. As brothers they are very different but also very complementary so there are plenty of stories to be told to explore their relationship. Another note, related to the cast, that need to be pointed out: the guy playing the brother's father pretty much looks like Jensen Ackles. That's great casting here folks. Makes it more believable. Yep guys, I'm already rooting for the brothers. Sure doesn't happen every day to me.

Director David Nutter, who used to work on The X-Files directs this pilot. There's definitely an X-Files-touch here (watch our for the Mulder and Scully reference) but it's for the better. I really liked both characters. Even though this is going to be some kind of Monster-Of-The-Week show, I liked the fact that the show created its own "mythology" in his very first episode. That's something I'm looking forward to. As long as Ackles doesn't turn out to be the son of that Dr. Quinn gal it's fine by me. Of course with that type of shows it's pretty much hit-or-miss every week but still if the next episode is as fun as the pilot then I'm definitely in for the long run.

Full Season Order to be expected. Definitely a keeper by WB standards (and mine).

Click here for more screenshots.

A Warner Bros. Television Production Inc., in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision. From executive producers McG and Peter Johnson with writer/executive producer Eric Kripke and director/executive producer David Nutter (Without a Trace, Smallville, Band of Brothers, The West Wing, ER, The X Files).

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