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John Allman

If you’ve ever wandered the aisles at the video store or surfed the DVR pay-per-view options and seen a bunch of movies that you’ve never heard of, chances are John has watched them. Why? He loves movies. All kinds of movies. Good, bad, so-bad-they’re good, even the truly unwatchable ones. He mostly loves horror and science-fiction and drive-in exploitation movies that most upstanding model citizens wouldn’t dare watch. Then he writes up his thoughts so you can decide - watch, don’t watch or avoid at all costs. Sometimes he even gets to talk to the cool folks who make some of your favorite films.

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John Allman

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TV on DVD: Supernatural - The Complete First Season

Posted Jun 23, 2010 by John Allman

Updated Jun 23, 2010 at 11:20 AM

Supernatural: The Complete First Season
Genre: Horror
Created by: Eric Kripke
Run time: 936 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Format: Blu-Ray

The Lowdown: It was only logical that any new television serial, particularly one starring some relatively unknown hunky heartthrobs, that proclaimed to want to reintroduce mainstream audiences to dark and eerie and bloody tales of terror, would be met with skepticism.

And, granted, the very first episode of “Supernatural” had moments that seemed to spell doom – the over-cranked classic rock, the recycled spectral siren of a ghost luring motorists to their death.

But how refreshing, nearly six years later, to see that some of the very first images and mythology introduced – the deaths of Sam and Dean Winchester’s mother and, years later, the death of Sam’s girlfriend, both perpetrated by the yellow-eyed demon – would continue to resonate and haunt these siblings through five seasons of spectacularly gruesome, surprisingly fresh storylines featuring all manner of creature from ghosts to demons to Satan himself.

“Supernatural” is that rare TV series that has consistently gotten better over time. Each season has adhered to a solid storyline, deviating occasionally for the one-off monster-of-the-week episode, but always managing to pull together down the home stretch for a satisfyingly intelligent finale.

Creator Eric Kripke has managed to inject humor throughout the entire series’ run from the funny as hell ‘Ghosthunters’ spoof called “Ghostfacers” to even poking jabs at the online cadre of fans who fantasize about the Brothers Winchester doing more together than battling evil…ahem.

The long-overdue Blu-Ray release of Season One is an excellent opportunity for longtime fans to refresh their memory with why these characters and the wonderful supporting cast struck an immediate chord. The storyline in the first season deals with the Winchesters trying to find their father, who has gone missing while out on a hunt. It’s taunt, action-packed and provides the perfect narrative device to introduce viewers to the family’s difficult and dangerous background as long-time demon hunters.

By season’s end, the show is firing on all cylinders, and continues to do so. The fifth season just concluded with a magnificent season-long arc using the brothers as the chosen vessels of Lucifer and God. Season Six, supposedly the last, seems poised to pit the boys against one another for a final showdown.

TV doesn’t get much better than this. Gory kills every episode. Hot random chicks, both human and demon. Strong, emotional attachment to the core characters. Even the classic rock that accompanies each episode feels just right.

The Stuff You Care About:
Hot chicks – Many and varied.
Nudity – No.
Gore – Considerable, for TV.
Drug use – No.
Bad Guys/Killers – Satan, God, demons, hell hounds. Take your pick, this show has featured them all, even zombies and vampires and shape shifters.
Buy/Rent – Buy it.
Blu-Ray Bonus Features – Exclusive: “The Devil’s Road map,” an interactive guide to the first season’s urban legends and show mythology; Paley Festival panel discussion with cast and crew. Additional: (Carried over from the original DVD release) Director, creator, cast commentaries on two episodes; two featurettes; extended/unaired scenes; gag reel.
On the Web – http://www.cwtv.com/shows/supernatural
Release Date – June 15, 2010