Weekend Review – “Supernatural: Season Two”

The Winchesters are back. In the wake of the first season, they know more about the thing that killed their mother, and their time with their father has taught them more about the resources available to hunters.

Cast and Crew Information

Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester
Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester

Created by Eric Kripke
Written by Sera Gamble (5 episodes), Raelle Tucker (4 episodes), John Shiban (4 episodes), Ben Edlund (3 episodes), Matt Witten (2 episodes), Eric Kripke (2 episodes), Cathryn Humphris (2 episodes) and Michael T. Moore (cowrote the season finale with Kripke)
Directed by Kim Manners (6 episodes), Robert Singer (3 episodes), Phil Sgriccia (3 episodes), Mike Rohl (2 episodes), Charles Beeson (2 episodes), Tim Iacofano, Steve Boyum, Rachel Talalay, J. Miller Tobin, Eric Kripke and Bradford May (1 episode each)

Availability Information

This season is available only on DVD.

Premise

The Winchester men are still hunting the thing that killed Sam and Dean’s mother. Now they’ve got better armaments, more resources, and a hint of things still to come.

High Point

Episode 15 (“Tall Tales”) kicks off a string of great episodes, but of that string, I have to pick episode 17 (“Heart”) as my favorite in that batch.

Low Point

One of the writing choices made in the two part finale. My favorite new element of the season was taken off the table.

The Review

This season still feels original. The attitudes and plans from the first season haven’t changed dramatically, but the hints of plans and the new supporting characters give it a different structure and feel. I give it 5 out of 6.

The effects are as rock solid as ever. This is a show that knows how to work within its budget, so that what you see on screen is consistent and convincing. I give it 6 out of 6.

One of the things I liked about the first season was the strength of the stories right from the outset. It seemed to be a show that knew its footing from day one and kept delivering at that level. I was wrong. The series came into its stride with the fifteenth episode of this season. The entire fifth disc of this season (“Roadkill,” “Heart,” “Hollywood Babylon” and “Folsom Prison Blues”) just knocks it out of the park with each entry. The series managed to get better. I give it 6 out of 6.

The acting this time around was still great. Ackles still doesn’t seem to be acting at all, while Padalecki’s existing skills have improved somewhat. (Again, I refer to “Heart.”) I give it 5 out of 6.

The production is still great. They know how to put a series together. I give it 6 out of 6.

The emotional response is better than before. Stakes are higher, and non-event episodes have long term implications. (If you aren’t moved by “Heart,” you don’t have one.) I give it 6 out of 6.

Overall, this is another great year in a great series. I give it 5 out of 6.

In total, Supernatural: Season Two receives 39 out of 42.