Supernatural (TV series)

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Supernatural is an American horror television series that concerns the paranormal. The series, which is filmed in Vancouver, BC, Canada, debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. The second season premiered on September 28, 2006, and the third on October 4, 2007, though its run was interrupted by the writers' strike. Supernatural returned for a fourth season on September 18, 2008.^[1]

[edit] Plot

The series follows the brothers Dean and Sam Winchester, played by Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, who travel across the country in a black 1967 Chevy Impala investigating and combating paranormal events and other unexplained occurrences, many of them based on folklore, myths, and American urban legends as well as classic supernatural creatures such as vampires, werewolves, and ghosts. Eric Kripke, the series' creator, cites Neil Gaiman's The Sandman and American Gods as influences on Supernatural, along with American Werewolf in London and Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey.^[2]

The plot of the series has evolved over time, beginning initially with the Winchester brothers, Sam and Dean, looking for their father throughout most of season one. Once they find him, the show becomes about killing Azazel, the yellow-eyed demon responsible for the death of their mother 23 years ago. This is accomplished, but not until after Azazel's plans are completed and a door to Hell is opened, although only momentarily, releasing a horde of demons into the world. This event also sees the death of Sam, who is subsequently resurrected by Dean selling his soul at the end of season two. In the third season, the plot of the show focuses on trying to save Dean from his deal. Along the way, they meet a demon named Ruby, who has an interest in Sam and claims to be able to help save Dean, as well as Bela Talbot, an "acquirer" and seller of occult objects who is constantly a thorn in their side. The brothers eventually manage to track down the demon who holds Dean's contract, a powerhouse named Lilith who also wants Sam dead. However, Sam and Ruby ultimately fail to save Dean, who is killed and sent to Hell. Season four begins with Dean awakening dazed and confused in a grave, having been rescued by an angel named Castiel on orders from God. Sam on the other hand, has further developed his abilities with the help of Ruby during the months that Dean has been dead. It is soon revealed that Dean was revived to help stop Lilith's plan of breaking the 66 seals, which would let Lucifer walk free once again.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Main characters

[edit] Recurring characters

* Credited on-screen as a star in the third season, in select episodes.

[edit] Minor characters

Main article: Minor characters from Supernatural

[edit] Episodes

Main article: List of Supernatural episodes

[edit] Recurring elements

While the locations and storyline changes on a near weekly basis, there are a few things that show up regularly.

[edit] The parents

While only featured in a select few episodes, Sam and Dean's parents play a pivotal role in the series. The influence of John Winchester is seen in the series even after his death, as the boys constantly reference his journal for advice. They repeatedly run into other hunters or civilians that knew John very well.

[edit] The Colt

The Colt, and thirteen original bullets, were made by Samuel Colt for a paranormal hunter in 1835. According to legend, anything shot with it will die, including creatures normally immune to any and all weapons. It also serves as the key to the Devil's Gate. At the end of the second season, the last bullet is used to kill Azazel, and the gun is thought to be useless. However, Ruby later assists Bobby in repairing the gun so that it can use more bullets. Towards the end of the third season, Bela steals the gun from the brothers and gives it to Lilith in an attempt to get out of her own deal she made ten years prior.

[edit] Dean's car

Dean's trademark black 1967 Chevrolet Impala was passed down to him by his father, who bought it in 1973 after Dean, sent back in time by Castiel, convinced him to purchase it over a 1964 VW Van in the episode "In the Beginning". It bears a Sedgwick County, Kansas license (though their hometown of Lawrence, Kansas is actually in Douglas County) plate KAZ 2Y5, a reference to Kansas, the Winchesters' home state, and 2005, the year the show premiered. Starting in the episode 2.20 "What Is and What Should Never Be", the car sports a new Ohio license plate (CNK 80Q3) to aid the brothers in hiding from the FBI.

The car has been prominently featured on the series, beginning with the teaser of the pilot which shows John Winchester holding his two sons as he sits on the car and watches his house burn. The car is Dean's most prized possession, and he protects it with nearly the same ferocity with which he protects his family. Despite this, however, he attacks the car's rear with a crowbar after a talk with Sam in the episode "Everybody Loves A Clown" due to the pressure from his dying father's secret about Sam. In the pilot episode, the trunk is revealed to hold various weaponry to fight the supernatural.

In an interview at a convention, Ackles said the main Impala they use has a 427 and skid plates. The actual car was bought from the Kelley family of Farmingdale, NJ in 2005. The Kelleys were the second owners of the car, they bought it from the original owners. The car was bought new in 1967 at Mathews Chevrolet in Farmingdale, NJ. It was originally baby blue with baby blue interior and dual bench seats.^{[citation needed]} After Sam inherits the car following Dean's death in the third season finale, he revamps the radio with an iPod jack.^[5]

[edit] The Roadhouse

First appearing in "Everybody Loves a Clown", Harvelle's Roadhouse is a frequent stop for hunters. It is owned and run by Ellen Harvelle, whose daughter, Jo Harvelle, works there as a bartender. Ash lives in the building, with a room of his own. In the episode "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part 1", Dean Winchester and Bobby Singer arrive at the Roadhouse, finding it to have been burned down by Azazel's followers. In "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part 2", Ellen is revealed to be alive, but that everyone else inside the roadhouse, including Ash, has died.

Series creator Eric Kripke stated that he hated the Roadhouse, which led to the decision to destroy it. According to him, "It just didn’t work in a road show... It’s a road show! But we have a home. No, that’s the point, it’s a road show, so you don’t have a home. So, burn it!"^[6]

[edit] Ruby's knife

Main article: Ruby (Supernatural)#Weaponry

This weapon is first seen in the third season premiere, "The Magnificent Seven". The knife functions similarly to the Colt, as it is able to kill demons. Ruby never explains its origin or age, but is quite skilled in its application and use.

[edit] Singer Salvage Yard

Main article: Bobby Singer

The salvage yard is owned and run by Bobby Singer, and sometimes serves as a hideout for the main characters.

[edit] Production notes

Supernatural is a Warner Bros. Television Production Inc., in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision. From executive producers McG and Peter Johnson with writer/executive producer/creator Eric Kripke and director/executive producer David Nutter. Though the pilot was filmed in California, principal filming takes place in Vancouver, British Columbia^[7] with post production work taking place in California.^{[citation needed]}

Production was halted on December 5th 2007 upon completion of the twelfth episode due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Originally twenty-two episodes were ordered for the third season, but the season number was shortened down to sixteen episodes, with four new episodes airing in April and May 2008.^[8]

Like other recent TV dramas such as Lost, the show does not have an opening credit sequence or theme music, but instead only a title card, generally following a brief recap of previous episodes and the current episode's opening scene. In Season One, the "Supernatural" logo is a flickering aqua-blue text. In Season Two, it appears in flames and the "A" becomes a pentagram. In Season Three, "Supernatural" is a moving silvery text against a background of clouds of spirits. In Season Four, black bird wings flutter across a white background, followed by "Supernatural" flickering in red against a solid black background. Beginning with the first season episode "Scarecrow", the name of each episode appears before the cast credits.

A "previously" sequence before each episode highlights a montage of past events. This may be scored to a classic rock song, particularly when the episode is important to the story arc. This was first done with the episode "Salvation", in which the entire season was recapped to Kansas's "Carry On Wayward Son".^[9] This song was used again in the second and third season finales.

The production team also created a "coming soon" sequence midway through Season Two, set to Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog".

Series creator Eric Kripke has stated that the series' storyline is planned out for five seasons, and that he hopes to end it there on a high note.^[10]

[edit] Alternative platforms

[edit] Tie-ins

[edit] In-continuity

[edit] Ratings

Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of Supernatural on The WB and The CW.

[edit] Season one

When it first aired on September 13, 2005, Supernatural rated higher than 2003's One Tree Hill premiere in adults 18-34, adults 18-49 and total viewers (5.69 million). Supernatural attained the time period's highest adult 18-49 (2.5) rating for the WB in two years. The episode was #2 in its time period among persons 12-34 (2.5), men 18-34 (2.2) and men 12-34 (2.1), achieving gains over the time period season premiere of One Tree Hill in 2004. Supernatural improved over the WB's hit series among adults 18-34 (2.6, +4%), men 18-34 (2.2, +120%), adults 18-49 (2.5, +19%) and men 18-49 (2.1, +110%) as well as men 12-34 (2.1, +91%) and total viewers (5.69 million, +15%). On October 11, 2005, Supernatural scored its best ratings yet in persons 12-34 (2.6/7), women 18-34 (3.1/8), women 18-49 (2.9/7) and women 12-34 (3.4/9). The series also scored its best ratings yet in teens (3.0/9) and female teens (4.4/14). Supernatural also attracted its second largest audience to date (5.5 million), adults 18-34 (2.5/7), adults 18-49 (2.4/6) and men 18-49 (1.9/5). On January 31, 2006, the drama series achieved all-time ratings highs for the series in adults 18-34 (2.6/7), women 18-34 (3.3/8) adults 18-49 (2.6/6) as well as women 18-49 (3.1/7) and men 18-49 (2.1/5), households (3.8/6) and total viewers (5.82 million). On March 30, the show was moved from Tuesday to Thursday and suffered a ratings decline which many thought was due to the lead-in (from Gilmore Girls to Smallville) and competition (in fact the series aired against CSI: Crime Scene Investigation). On May 4, 2006, the first season finale achieved its best rating after the timeslot move and scored 3.99 million viewers and an estimated 3.0/5 households ratings.

[edit] Season two

The CW schedule was officially released on Thursday, May 18, 2006, confirming Supernatural's place in the program line-up, where it still airs on Thursdays, in the same timeslot, with the same lead-in, Smallville, and aired against Grey's Anatomy and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Supernatural was the only new series from The WB's 2005-06 season that was renewed for a second season by The CW. The second season premiere aired on September 28, 2006 and earned an estimated 2.7/4 rating, out-performing 2005's premiere of Everwood Thursday at 9PM on The WB by 46% in adults 18-34 (1.9/5), 111% in men 18-34 (1.9/6), 19% in women 18-34 (1.9/4), 31% in adults 18-49 (1.7/4), 60% in men 18-49 (1.6/4) and 11% in viewers (3.9 million). On October 26, 2006, the show matched its season best in adults 18-49 (1.7/4) and women 18-49 (1.8/5), and held 90% of "Smallville's" women 18-34 (1.8/5 v. 2.0/6) audience and 100% of its women 18-49 (1.8/4 v. 1.8/5) audience and in total viewers (3.65 million and 2.8/4 households). On March 15, 2007, with guest-star Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), the show averaged its third largest audience of the season, earning 2.3/4 and 3.5 million in total viewers. The second season finale on May 11, 2007, averaged the worst ratings ever in adults 18-49 (1.2/3) and in total viewers (2.72 million).

[edit] Season three

The third season premiere aired on October 4, 2007, average only 2.97 million viewers and 2.0/3 households, 1.2/3 in adults 18-49 and 1.2/3 in persons 18-34. The special episode aired on November 1, 2007, ranked the best ratings for the third season in total vievers (3.24 million and 2.0/3 households), adults 18-49 (1.3/3) and persons 18-34 (1.4/4). That week, Supernatural was the third most-watched show on the CW and tie with a fresh episode of America's Next Top Model. On December 13, 2007, the CW aired the second special episode of the season and average a 2.0/3 rating in total viewers and 1.3/3 in persons 18-34. It was the fourth most-watched show on the CW that week. On January 31, 2008, after a one-month hiatus and with its first episode aired against Lost, it scored 2.94 million viewers and 1.8/3 household, 1.3/3 in adults 18-49 and 1.2/3 in adults 18-34. That week it was the third most watched show on the CW. On February 7, 2008, it ranked the lowest ratings in 3 years, and averaged only 2.68 million viewers, 1.1/3 in adults 18-49 and adults 18-34. Despite this, it was the fourth most-watched show of the week on the CW. On February 21, 2008, a 2-hour full night event of the series, averaged 2.90 million viewers from 8-10 pm. The fresh episode aired at 9pm, scored 3.23 million viewers; Supernatural rose to its second largest audience of the season, and best among adults 18-34 (1.4/4 rating), women 18-34 (1.4/4) and men 18-34 (1.5/4). It was the third most watched show overall, and the most-watched scripted drama show on the CW that week. On April 24, 2008, after a long post-strike hiatus, Supernatural had its lowest ratings in three years with only 2.217.000 viewers and 0.9/2 in adults 18-34 and it was the eighth most-watched show on the CW after all drama shows and reality shows such as America's Next Top Model, Girlicious and WWE Friday Night SmackDown. The season finale on May 15, 2008 pulled 3 million viewers and it was the 2nd most popular script drama show of the network.

[edit] Season four

The fourth season premiere aired on September 18, 2008, averaging its highest rating ever since its debut on The CW Network with 3.96 million viewers, a 33% surge over the season three premiere and a 1.7/5 in adults 18-49, up 42% from one year earlier.^[14]. On October 16, 2008, the show was watched by 3.06 million viewers, making the lowest rating for the season. On October 30, 2008, the show climbed to its best performance in adults 18-34 (1.4/4), adults 18-49 (1.5/4) and total viewers (3.6mil) since its season premiere on September 18, 2008.^[15].

[edit] International