Supernatural 1:1-3

1:1 PILOT

Directed by David Nutter. Original Airdate: September 13, 2005.

Watched and Reviewed on May 22, 2011

Synopsis: "Take me home." A long a lonely California highway, a mysterious woman in white lures men to their deaths - a terrifying phenomenon that may be the brothers' first clue to their father's whereabouts.

Within a span of about forty minutes, the pilot episode does a great job of introducing the characters, establishing them, and laying the groundwork for a back story that can be explored in episodes to come, all while leaving enough room for the two leads to embark of their first Scooby Doo-ish Monster of the Week adventure. In other words, it does exactly what a pilot is supposed to do and it's pretty entertaining to boot. I enjoyed how the "Woman in White" played out, and how it was incorporated into the running storyline as well. In other words, it doesn't seem as random as your typical Monster of the Week episode on any given television show involving the paranormal and supernatural. Overall, a good pilot that leaves me liking the chemistry between the two leads and wanting to see where the rest of the season goes.

Score: 7.5

1:2 WENDIGO

Directed by David Nutter. Original Airdate: September 20, 2005.

Watched and Reviewed on May 22, 2011

Synopsis: Deep in the Colorado woods, deep in horror, Sam and Dean's search for their father leads to the blood-soaked path of the Wendigo, a cannibal spirit of Native American lore.

An OK episode. Not as strong as the pilot, which is understandable, but a good episode nonetheless. As for the Wendigo, it was a little disappointing and I'll just leave it at that. I can't see this going down as a memorable one.

Score: 6

1:3 DEAD IN THE WATER

Directed by Kim Manners. Original Airdate: September 27, 2005.

Watched and Reviewed on May 23, 2011.

Synopsis: Is a series of drownings in a Wisconsin lake the work of a vengeful spirit? A young eyewitness, traumatized into silence by the shock he experienced, may have the power to prophesy the next drowning.

So, the search for the brothers' missing father has come to a standstill, and if it weren't for a few obligatory mentions of their pops, you'd think the writers of the show forgot about it or something. I'm curious to see how long they plan on dragging this out. Anyway, this episode could be classified as a ghost story. Despite having some horror cliches, like the single mother who raises a traumatized or autistic child who draws a lot, and the small town out in the middle of nowhere that holds a dark secret, I found this episode to be pretty good. It actually feels as ambitious as a feature-length film despite its limited running time. The plot is pretty solid for the most part and the episode has a very serious approach, which I appreciate.

Score: 7.5