First Impression Review: The WB’s Supernatural

REVIEW
SUPERNATURAL

By LJDB

Rarely does The WB warrant any critical buzz for its series. Other than the critically acclaimed, but Emmy snubbed Girlmore Girls, The WB barely gets mentioned in the same sentence as the “Big 4” networks.

However, this season with the sudden, yet expected, jump in the supernatural/thriller drama, The WB is making waves. Supernatural joins ABC’s Invasion, CBS’ Threshold, and NBC’s Surface in the newly reinvigorated fantasy genre (thanks to ABC’s Lost. But while NBC’s Surface is already being declared DOA, Supernatural is generating some much-deserved press.

Supernatural follows Jensen Ackles (NBC’s Days of our Lives) and Jared Padalecki (Gilmore Girls) as Dean and Sam, two brothers who search for their newly missing father after he goes in search for an evil force that killed his wife almost 20 years before. On their way, the brothers battle against the most infamous urban legends, from ghosts to demons, all the while continuing to figure out who or what evil force killed their mother years ago.

What works is that the writers do not make the series out to be a horror movie version of The OC or One Tree Hill. And unlike recent horror movies out in theatres, Supernatural has a legitimate story that is used as the backdrop for the weekly battle against whatever appartion they come across.

Ackles and Padalecki are more than capable leads and show that they are more than just good looking. The dark tone of the series is punctuated by welcome moments of witty remarks or playful banter between the brothers, while still keeping true to what it has set out to do.

The “BOO” moments are genuinely take you by surprise. While not incredibly scary, the subtle, yet effective scenes leave something in your head that you will all of a sudden, randomly think of when you least expect to.

It is easy to say that the urban legends that they will soon tackle may relate in some way to stories passed down in your own family. The “lady in white” from the premiere episode immeadiately reminded myself of the “white lady” that walks along the provincial Philippine roads on a dark, stormy night.

The WB has developed a series that can hold its own against anything ABC, CBS, or NBC can put on the air… maybe even topping some of the “Big 4” offerings. While Supernatural may not become a Lost-sized mega-hit, it will have a loyal following that will definitely grow.

Spine-tingling, intriguing, mysterious, fun… Between The Amazing Race on CBS, ABC’s Commander in Chief, NBC’s The Office/My Name is Earl and Fox’s Idol-aided hit House, Supernatural is definitely worthy of the timeslot traffic jam that is Tuesdays at 9PM.

Image from SFGate.com
SUPERNATURAL
Airs Tuesdays at 9PM on WB20

NEXT REVIEW: SURVIVOR: GUATEMALA
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