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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed shows.

Supernatural

EMAILPRINTSERIES: WB, Tuesday 9:00p (60 minutes)

Supernatural
59
9.2 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 207 votes
Read user comments
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Show Info

Genre(s): Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Created By: Eric Kripke

First Air Date: September 13, 2005

Summary

Starring Jared Padalecki, and Jensen Ackles

Two brothers travel the country looking for their missing father and battle evil spirits along the way, in stories inspired by urban legends and other folklore.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

88

People WeeklyTom Gliatto

The series' grim tone and overall look of a grimy world in perpetual need of dusting or wiping is a long way from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and closer to Japanese movies like The Grudge. [12 Sep 2005, p.45]

80

Philadelphia InquirerJonathan Storm

It's likely to startle you the way no show has since The X-Files.

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80

Orlando SentinelHal Boedeker

This creepy storytelling carries extra punch because the drama has an excellent, easy-to-root-for cast.

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80

San Jose Mercury NewsCharlie McCollum

A creepy, atmospheric, sometimes downright scary hour of TV.

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80

Hollywood ReporterBarry Garron

"Supernatural" is unlike anything else out there and should build a following among viewers who appreciate its combination of spooky mythology and mystery adventure.

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80

Miami HeraldGlenn Garvin

Padalecki and Ackles are hunky, funny and a joy to watch.

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75

USA TodayRobert Bianco

Of all the season's new dark-arts adventures, WB's aptly if generically named Supernatural may be the simplest and the scariest.... It wants nothing more than to frighten you -- and tonight, it does.

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75

San Francisco ChronicleTim Goodman

Ackles and Padalecki are good-looking, yes, get to drive a '67 Chevy and will undoubtedly run into a lot of really hot women in peril, but "Supernatural" works. It's just serious enough, just hip enough and, as advertised, more scary than imagined.

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70

Los Angeles TimesPaul Brownfield

A loud, believably unbelievable ghost story, a different ghost from classic lore guest-starring each week.

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70

Seattle Post-IntelligencerMelanie McFarland

"Supernatural" plays like a high-octane B-flick. You could be mildly ashamed at how much you like it.

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70

NewsdayDiane Werts

It's a romp and a half.

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70

Pittsburgh Post-GazetteRob Owen

It is a well-made little show of horrors that's likely to scare and thrill its target audience.

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60

Washington PostTom Shales

There isn't much in "Supernatural" to engage viewers older than Sam and Dean, but it's certainly not the worst of the new troop of spookers.

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50

The New York TimesAlessandra Stanley

The stars are appealing WB veterans, but it is hard to believe that subsequent episodes will carry the same edge as the premiere. "Supernatural" is not "The Sixth Sense," it's "Ghostbusters' Creek."

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50

Cleveland Plain DealerMark Dawidziak

The creep factor runs high, and it had better in a series called "Supernatural." But the series also has its overly familiar and just-plain-silly moments.

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40

VarietyBrian Lowry

A perfectly serviceable if not particularly inspired bumper.

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38

New York Daily NewsDavid Hinckley

Leaden, predictable and, at times, unintentionally funny.

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30

Boston GlobeMatthew Gilbert

As unimaginative as its title.

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30

Chicago TribuneMaureen Ryan

Genre fans used to the emotional depth and extraordinary storytelling of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" will find that this show is not even remotely in "Buffy's" or "Angel's" league.

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30

SalonHeather Havrilesky

As flat and robotic as the show may be, a teen "X-Files" meets "Red Eye" is likely to pull in high ratings.

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25

Slant MagazineEric Neigher

Supernatural's shortcomings could have been mitigated were its plotlines authentically scary.

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20

Kansas City StarAaron Barnhart

These brothers are like most WB stars and starlets, pretty faces with negligible theatrical skills.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this show is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 207 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Leah T gave it a10:
It's truly a shame that this series has not been reviewed in it's newer seasons - because it has become apocalyptic brilliance and nothing else on television hits the spot quite like these two brothers and their relationship. Oh, and monsters don't hurt a bit either. Give it a shot, if you've any sense.

Roman gave it a9:
From the 1 episode I saw, I though it was a great show. However I am biased toward fantasy/religion/mythology dramas, just like this one. Plus both main Characaters are hot!

Barry G. gave it a10:
Supernatural is the best genre show since Buffy and Angel. It has a lot of depth, layers, intelligence, richness, and above all, brilliant storytelling, direction, and acting. I am shocked at what some of the "critics" say. Goes to show that anyone without the slightest clue can be a critic.

bob anonomouse gave it a10:
Its not like other shows its not the same thing over and over and its not predictable like Smallville.

Joel D gave it a9:
I've actually gotten more interested in the show the further it progresses, though I can understand why it seems to send some people fleeing in other directions. Oddly enough most of the complaints seem to revolve around how much this sucks compared to Buffy, which sounds oddly as if the people saying this are just craving more Joss-based content than actually structuring a critique. o.O Others say that the acting is flat, which I'd also disagree with, given I've seen some finely played emotional scenes in the show, albeit rarely; the actors seem more than capable of displaying such emotions, it's just that typically their characters are supposed to be ever so slightly dead inside. Run around fighting terrifying man-eating creatures, see how badly you get screwed up... Some have even complained that the actors are attractive (not really getting the logic there, though I imagine it's something to do with realism in television, to which I must laugh hysterically.) As for the few reviews that seem to go on total rants... well, how are you supposed to argue with someone who doesn't actually provide an argument beyond bile? The show's certainly had its weak episodes, but compared to some of the later seasons for some shows (*cough*Smallville*cough*,) I still find the material to be emminently entertaining, even more so for the last couple of seasons than for the first. Admittedly this is because I've always enjoyed shows that didn't take themselves too seriously, such as, yes, Buffy or Firefly, and most of Supernatural's episodes have plenty of that. A few circle entire episodes around campy fun, like Ghostfacers. The current plot, revolving around the idea of Lucifer being resurrected, is one I'm actually enjoying quite a bit. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Monster-A-Week episodes, but eventually every show (except maybe cartoons and sitcoms,) starts to develop an underlying plot. Otherwise, the series never actually goes anywhere, and it'd probably go under a great deal sooner with no real direction. Besides which, the concept of angels and demons warring awakens the geek within me. >_>; Overall, a must-watch show, though I'd recommend starting around season 2 or 3; I personally think it's where the show puts its best foot forward.

Ryan D gave it a9:
One of my favorite shows on TV. The first season was a little too brooding and emo and can give a bad impression. In season 2, they dropped the excess angst and went full steam ahead into kickass town and haven't looked back since. The tone is just serious enough to keep you scared and just playful enough to let you know it doesn't take itself too seriously. I'd love to see more variety in the monsters they fight and the occasional return to the urban legend stories that the show started around but if they don't change a thing, I'll still happily keep watching.

M J gave it a10:
Excellent series! A friend of mine convinced me to watch her season 1 DVD and i was hooked from the first episode. As an X-Files fan, I saw a lot of the attraction of SN needs to be credited to Kim Manners, the great late director of many episodes (even filming in Toronto). Jensen is a great actor and deserves Emmy recognition, I have no idea why the CW takes its best show and pits it against the top rated shows currently on TV. A 10 all the way, sorry to see it will be ending with Season 5.

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