TV Review: "Supernatural"

TV Review: "Supernatural" (TV- 14)

Supernatural is one of those shows that has a little bit of just about everything. The core of the show is to follow two brothers around in their 1967 Chevy Impala as they hunt down malevolent supernatural creatures who seek only ruin in the world. From the beginning of the show, now entering its 12th season, you can be sure to encounter a fair share of mystery, suspense, and drama... and maybe some butt kicking too.

Synopsis: The relationship of the brothers, Sam and Dean, is very close. The writers have had some fun with this over the past 12 seasons by inserting a fair share of humor throughout each episode. Humor becomes a coping mechanism for the brothers as they feel the weight of the world is often placed on their shoulders. And because the Winchesters often use fake IDs in order to help with their work as "hunters," fans of the show have come to expect them to use creative fake names and unique costumes (they've even dressed as priests on several occasions).

Character Development: Without getting into too many details, the show excels in the character development department on many levels. The characters are very realistic and very dynamic. If you've grown up close to your siblings, you will see some of those relationship qualities mirrored in the Winchesters. Season 1 starts off with Sam as a college student. He has done his best to get away from "the family business" of hunting down things that scare in the night. Over the course of the years, Sam has to grow up quite quickly as he gets deeper and deeper into the life of a hunter. While Dean does not seem to change as much as Sam over the course of time, viewers take note that the large-looming moral decisions the brothers have to make each season takes their toll on Dean. While he enjoys bringing humor to dark situations, he often does so in order to cover the moral weight that he carries.

Is it real?: Yes and No. The first few seasons of the show included a few bits of good theology. In fact, they used a number of prayers and blessings found in Catholic prayer books. The use and pronunciation of Latin was hit or miss; however, I do give them credit for the attempt. Latin is not used often today, after all. On the other hand, many of the creatures in the show, while found in legends and myths, are not actually real. I am sure that even the casual viewer of the show can grasp that. If you want to know more about the Church's teaching on this and compare it to what they show in Supernatural, you can listen to my podcast series "The Supernatural and the Church's Teaching Tradition"

Bottom line: Yes. I'd rate it a 8.5 out of 10. This has been one of my favorite shows on television since it began in 2005. It has been a great subject for discussion in my family, friend, and parishioner circles. It was actually one of the major inspirations for me to record my short podcast series "The Supernatural and the Church's Teaching Tradition" in the attempt to explain what the Church teaches. It has been rated (TV-14) for due to some of the violence and adult content. I would not recommend this show for anyone who may be under the age of 14. The content can cause nightmares. If you have only heard about Supernatural from your friends, but still have not sat down to watch an episode, the series is currently available on Netflix (as of this writing)