 DVD Review: Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season
By Craig Byrne - KryptonSite Webmaster
Warner Bros. is following last week's Smallville Season 8 DVD set with the DVD release this week of the fourth season of the show's former Thursday night companion, Supernatural, which sees its fifth season premiere on September 10.
With Supernatural, when the creators say they're going to send their lead characters to hell they mean it... literally. Even after Dean's return from the fiery pits, both he and Sam are keeping secrets with one another that they're not ready to reveal. The recurring presences of new character Castiel and the newly-recast Ruby complicate matters even more.
 I admit I'd always been a peripheral fan of Supernatural. I watched a few episodes in Season 1 and wasn't quite feeling it yet. I had the Season 3 DVD and while there were episodes I enjoyed, nothing made it a must-watch. Seeing Season 4 in completion changes that quite a bit. I was surprised how easy it was to jump on with the Season 4 premiere. Yes, there are three seasons of continuity that came before, but it's such a fresh point to jump on to that I hope others follow my lead, pick up the DVD, and see it for themselves.
There was a lot that impressed me in Supernatural Season 4. Aside from the obvious very consistent storytelling and character behaviors, they seem to have some really good casting people... whether it's creating a teenage Sam and Dean who apparently go to Smallville High, younger versions of the Winchesters' parents, or even the third brother they never knew they had who somehow manages to resemble both of them... there are some good folks. For older guidance, there's character actor Jim Beaver as Bobby. I wish Smallville would take Supernatural's lead in using an older character the leads could go to for advice. They've got Phil Morris's number; they should use it.
Supernatural also does a good job of towing the line between seriousness and camp. Yes, certain situations are ridiculous and they poke fun at it, but you don't feel your brain rotting out either. The humor that is drawn from the characters is often visual; if it's a look on the face or the feeling you get when they're acting really out of character - such as an episode where Dean is a suit wearing executive who listens to crappy music and Sam is a low-level employee wearing a gaudy yellow company outfit.
There's a running arc through the season, but much like the show was easy to hop on to at the season's beginning, it was also easy to watch several very good self-contained episodes. There's an episode done like a classic horror movie. A great Back to the Future homage involving the Winchesters' parents. They even mock the whole "jumping the shark" element of a new sibling that they'd never heard of before, and somehow along the way, they have you LIKING it.
One popular aspect of Season 4 (at least from what I've seen on forums, and in my own experience) is the introduction of Misha Collins as the angel Castiel. There's a good episode near the end of the year that explores his human host, but more than anything, he's a very solid, very good addition to the show's cast.
There's one episode I particularly enjoyed where a family moved into a haunted house. It's very "Haunting in Connecticut" except for the TV episode is actually much more engrossing. (Sorry, Kyle.)
And then there's "The Monster At The End Of This Book." This is one of the most self-referential pieces of television ever (it takes the talk about "spoilers" on Doctor Who to a whole new level) and I loved every second of it. "They know we're brothers right?" indeed.
Here are a few technical specs you might also be curious about:
The Packaging: In my Smallville DVD review, I commented that I liked Warner Bros.' new way of packaging things, with a hard case and "pages' within. Not more than a day after I posted that, my Supernatural pages BROKE. It's pretty flimsy and hard to put back together. Which is unfortunate, because it's compact and nice, but that's annoying.
Instead of a booklet there's a fold-out brochure-type setup that describes what is on each disc.
The Extras: There are a few commentaries, but the highlight "extra" is, of course, the blooper reel. I wish other shows did the same. This is so funny, and so much fun to see.
There are also featurettes looking at the three places you go in the afterlife, with interviews with religious and paranormal experts. There's heaven, limbo/purgatory, and... the other place.
The Final Verdict: Seeing all 22 episodes has me primed for the Sept. 10 season premiere where the show will be following The Vampire Diaries on Thursday nights. It just figures now that I've gotten hooked that it's split from Smallville. However, unlike those of you who saw the season finale back in May, I only have two weeks of waiting between seasons to find out what happens in the season premiere. Hopefully all of you will be posting away about it in our Supernatural forum here at KryptonSite.
Definitely check this DVD out. It's a lot of fun, and if you haven't seen Seasons 1-3, you'll still "get it." Great job to everyone involved.
Oh, and one thing to look for if you do get this set: Jensen Ackles. "Eye Of The Tiger." That's all I'm gonna say...
See a gallery of images from the fourth season of Supernatural!
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