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agt_spookyOur favorite Supernatural fangirl, Bettina Charles, over at tvguide.com is back!
Bettina will be reviewing the SPN repeats all summer long. Which is great, because she didn't start out reviewing them when the show first aired. And her two predecessors were definitely lacking in enthusiasm for the show.
It's going to be great to get her take on the show from the very beginning.
She went nuts over the pilot, so her review is long and behind the cut.
Go! Read! And don't forget, you can leave Bettina comments on her reviews at the Watercooler section of tvguide.com
May 25, 2006: The Pilot (OAD: 9.13.05)
OK, let's recap: Supernatural's getting a second season. That's the best news ever. And now, WB, the future CW, is running repeats all summer long — starting with the pilot.
Now, first of all, let me say that because of my job at TV Guide Channel, I've had to view a lot of pilots, and Supernatural was one of the best ones last fall. Hands down. Curiously enough, viewing this episode didn't get me hooked on the show. I didn't jump onto the bandwagon till somewhere around "Skin." But something tells me I've made up for the oversight.
I really do think that this pilot, heavy exposition and all, set up the season so well. It gave us a little bit of everything: the history of the Winchesters; the dysfunctional brotherly relationship; the ghost/monster-of-the-week gimmick (the Woman in White); the search for their dad; some of Sam and Dean's personal stuff (meaning Dean's issues with authority, Sam's wish for a normal life and the credit-card scams); the importance of the Impala to Dean; and the Winchester crusade to rid the world of the evil thing that killed their mom as well as the other evil things that inhabit the Earth. Plus, did you check out how short and out-of-his-face Jared's hair is? Wow.
Three "I Can't Believe" Moments:
1) I can't believe... the show didn't have a vision or a flashback with Mama Winchester at least one more time after the pilot and "Home." Here's to hoping they bring the actress who played Mary back sometime during Season 2.
2) I can't believe... the Jeffrey Dean Morgan we saw in the pilot is the Jeffrey Dean Morgan we have grown to love today. We saw him all lovably cuddly (and then d-e-a-d) on Grey's Anatomy, and we saw him wonderfully gruff and then as Demon Dad on Supernatural. Back in the pilot, he was just some guy playing Big Daddy Winchester in a flashback where he handed baby Sam off to Dean to escape the fire and the thing that killed his wife. Seriously. The man has come a long way since last Septemeber.
3) I can't believe... we've come so far. I remember when I was thinking: "We don't know enough about Sam and Dean!" Now I'm still sort of asking that question, but not nearly as much. Eric Kripke and the writers have definitely filled in some of the blanks (but there are so many more that still need to be filled).
Top Five Moments:
1) Dean comes back into Sam's life again: The first time we see the brothers, Dean has broken into Sam's college apartment that he shares with his girlfriend. Sam naturally thinks its a burglar and a fight ensues:
"Whoa, easy tiger."
"Dean? You scared the crap out of me."
"That's because you're out of practice."
"Or not. Get off me."
2) We get our first peek into the psyche of Dean Winchester. He's asked Sam to go with him to find Dad. Sam, of course, is reluctant to leave the safe, normal life of Stanford:
"I can't do this alone."
"Yes, you can."
"Yeah, well I don't want to."
3) Dean's love of hard-rock music is established:
"I swear, man, you gotta update your cassette tape collection."
"Why?"
"Well, for one, they're cassette tapes. And two, Black Sabbath? Motor Head? Metallica? It's the greatest hits of mullet rock."
"House rules, Sammy. Driver picks the music, shot gun shuts his cake hole."
4) Sam and Dean are on the bridge looking for the Woman in White. Sam questions the entire crusade:
"If it weren't for pictures, I wouldn't even know what Mom looks like. What difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, mom's gone. And she isn't coming back."
"Don't talk about her like that."
I defy you to tell me that you don't think of "Devil's Trap" every time you see this scene from the pilot, only reversed with Dean seemingly questioning the whole revenge angle of the crusade.
5) A muddied-up Dean does his best to avoid Sam's attempt to apologize:
"Hey, Dean? What I said earlier about Mom and Dad, I'm sorry."
"No chick-flick moments."
"All right. Jerk."
"Bitch."
This Eric Kripke-penned episode is so very quotable. Here are six more of my favorite lines:
— "So how'd you pay for that stuff? You and Dad still running credit-card scams?" "Yeah, well, hunting isn't exactly a pro-ball career."
— "You know, Sammy is a chubby 12-year-old. It's Sam, OK?" "Sorry, I can't hear you. The music's too loud."
— "No, sir, we were just leaving. Agent Mulder, Agent Scully."
— "You think you're just going to become some lawyer, marry your girl...." "Maybe. Why not?" "Does Jessica know the truth about you? I mean, does she know about the things you've done?" "No, and she's not ever going to know." "Well, that's healthy."
—"That Constance chick. What a bitch!"
—"I'm not sure you realize just how much trouble you're in here." "You talkin' like misdemeanor kind of trouble? Or squeal like a pig trouble?"
There are lot more quotes I loved, but I had to stop somewhere. Feel free to add to the list. As for the episode, I'm still wondering how in the world Dean managed to come back for Sammy in time to save him from dying a fiery death along with Jessica. Anyone have ideas? I know I owe you guys some more info on TV Guide Channel's interview with Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I'm here to say, I will deliver. Unfortunately, I have been busy with a season-finale special based on Lost that finally aired and a little vacation time. I promise, I will get it to you. If I don't, then remind me. And then remind me again. And I know I didn't respond on whether WB is airing the 70-minute extended Supernatural megamix or they cut some of it out, I'm just not sure. Although it seemed like everything was there. If you guys know, let me know.
Bettina will be reviewing the SPN repeats all summer long. Which is great, because she didn't start out reviewing them when the show first aired. And her two predecessors were definitely lacking in enthusiasm for the show.
It's going to be great to get her take on the show from the very beginning.
She went nuts over the pilot, so her review is long and behind the cut.
Go! Read! And don't forget, you can leave Bettina comments on her reviews at the Watercooler section of tvguide.com
May 25, 2006: The Pilot (OAD: 9.13.05)
OK, let's recap: Supernatural's getting a second season. That's the best news ever. And now, WB, the future CW, is running repeats all summer long — starting with the pilot.
Now, first of all, let me say that because of my job at TV Guide Channel, I've had to view a lot of pilots, and Supernatural was one of the best ones last fall. Hands down. Curiously enough, viewing this episode didn't get me hooked on the show. I didn't jump onto the bandwagon till somewhere around "Skin." But something tells me I've made up for the oversight.
I really do think that this pilot, heavy exposition and all, set up the season so well. It gave us a little bit of everything: the history of the Winchesters; the dysfunctional brotherly relationship; the ghost/monster-of-the-week gimmick (the Woman in White); the search for their dad; some of Sam and Dean's personal stuff (meaning Dean's issues with authority, Sam's wish for a normal life and the credit-card scams); the importance of the Impala to Dean; and the Winchester crusade to rid the world of the evil thing that killed their mom as well as the other evil things that inhabit the Earth. Plus, did you check out how short and out-of-his-face Jared's hair is? Wow.
Three "I Can't Believe" Moments:
1) I can't believe... the show didn't have a vision or a flashback with Mama Winchester at least one more time after the pilot and "Home." Here's to hoping they bring the actress who played Mary back sometime during Season 2.
2) I can't believe... the Jeffrey Dean Morgan we saw in the pilot is the Jeffrey Dean Morgan we have grown to love today. We saw him all lovably cuddly (and then d-e-a-d) on Grey's Anatomy, and we saw him wonderfully gruff and then as Demon Dad on Supernatural. Back in the pilot, he was just some guy playing Big Daddy Winchester in a flashback where he handed baby Sam off to Dean to escape the fire and the thing that killed his wife. Seriously. The man has come a long way since last Septemeber.
3) I can't believe... we've come so far. I remember when I was thinking: "We don't know enough about Sam and Dean!" Now I'm still sort of asking that question, but not nearly as much. Eric Kripke and the writers have definitely filled in some of the blanks (but there are so many more that still need to be filled).
Top Five Moments:
1) Dean comes back into Sam's life again: The first time we see the brothers, Dean has broken into Sam's college apartment that he shares with his girlfriend. Sam naturally thinks its a burglar and a fight ensues:
"Whoa, easy tiger."
"Dean? You scared the crap out of me."
"That's because you're out of practice."
"Or not. Get off me."
2) We get our first peek into the psyche of Dean Winchester. He's asked Sam to go with him to find Dad. Sam, of course, is reluctant to leave the safe, normal life of Stanford:
"I can't do this alone."
"Yes, you can."
"Yeah, well I don't want to."
3) Dean's love of hard-rock music is established:
"I swear, man, you gotta update your cassette tape collection."
"Why?"
"Well, for one, they're cassette tapes. And two, Black Sabbath? Motor Head? Metallica? It's the greatest hits of mullet rock."
"House rules, Sammy. Driver picks the music, shot gun shuts his cake hole."
4) Sam and Dean are on the bridge looking for the Woman in White. Sam questions the entire crusade:
"If it weren't for pictures, I wouldn't even know what Mom looks like. What difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, mom's gone. And she isn't coming back."
"Don't talk about her like that."
I defy you to tell me that you don't think of "Devil's Trap" every time you see this scene from the pilot, only reversed with Dean seemingly questioning the whole revenge angle of the crusade.
5) A muddied-up Dean does his best to avoid Sam's attempt to apologize:
"Hey, Dean? What I said earlier about Mom and Dad, I'm sorry."
"No chick-flick moments."
"All right. Jerk."
"Bitch."
This Eric Kripke-penned episode is so very quotable. Here are six more of my favorite lines:
— "So how'd you pay for that stuff? You and Dad still running credit-card scams?" "Yeah, well, hunting isn't exactly a pro-ball career."
— "You know, Sammy is a chubby 12-year-old. It's Sam, OK?" "Sorry, I can't hear you. The music's too loud."
— "No, sir, we were just leaving. Agent Mulder, Agent Scully."
— "You think you're just going to become some lawyer, marry your girl...." "Maybe. Why not?" "Does Jessica know the truth about you? I mean, does she know about the things you've done?" "No, and she's not ever going to know." "Well, that's healthy."
—"That Constance chick. What a bitch!"
—"I'm not sure you realize just how much trouble you're in here." "You talkin' like misdemeanor kind of trouble? Or squeal like a pig trouble?"
There are lot more quotes I loved, but I had to stop somewhere. Feel free to add to the list. As for the episode, I'm still wondering how in the world Dean managed to come back for Sammy in time to save him from dying a fiery death along with Jessica. Anyone have ideas? I know I owe you guys some more info on TV Guide Channel's interview with Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I'm here to say, I will deliver. Unfortunately, I have been busy with a season-finale special based on Lost that finally aired and a little vacation time. I promise, I will get it to you. If I don't, then remind me. And then remind me again. And I know I didn't respond on whether WB is airing the 70-minute extended Supernatural megamix or they cut some of it out, I'm just not sure. Although it seemed like everything was there. If you guys know, let me know.
