Pilot

The pilot does everything a good first episode should do. It gives you a flavor of the characters, gives a pretty good sense of the possibilities of the world and makes you want to watch the second episode right away. If I had one complaint about the opening it would be it is not as comedic as the show ended up being. It is true that over the years the show has shifted into more a melodrama, but the monster of the week format that plays for much of the early seasons is used to good effect here. The weeping woman (woman in white) is a good antagonist to build the pilot around as it is lore focused and a ghost with personality. Nutter's direction is very atmospheric. I wish the show kept the washed out look...it is just moodier.

This episode introduced the world to Sam and Dean; it is a classic of the show.

"Supernatural" S1 E1, the pilot episode, delivers a compelling and eerie start to a series that would go on to become a cultural phenomenon. This episode is a strong and engaging introduction that masterfully sets up the core premise and the compelling dynamic between its two central characters, Sam and Dean Winchester.

The premiere wastes no time in establishing the show's unique blend of horror, mystery, and family drama. We are immediately drawn into the tragic and supernatural history of the Winchester family and the disappearance of their father, which serves as the main hook for the season. The brothers' reunion, driven by a shared mission to find their father, is handled with a genuine mix of brotherly banter and underlying tension.

The monster-of-the-week case, involving the urban legend of the "Woman in White," is well-executed and provides a perfect example of the show's chilling and suspenseful tone. It effectively combines a classic horror story with the show's distinct style.

Both Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles deliver strong, charismatic performances right from the start, embodying the distinct personalities of Sam and Dean. Their chemistry is palpable and immediately establishes the brotherly bond that is the heart of the series.

Overall, "Supernatural" S1 E1 is an excellent premiere that successfully introduces a compelling mythology, a thrilling blend of genres, and two charismatic leads. It's a must-watch episode that promises a long and captivating journey ahead.

Pilots generally try to do a few things: they introduce audiences to a new world; they establish the tone, pace & stakes, they build-out characters and character-dynamics, and they try to hook a viewer into coming back. Supernatural is successful on every count.

The directing and cinematography of this pilot stand out from the get-go. The first 3 seasons are shot on 35mm film, which really adds to the dark, gritty, horror-esq vibe of the show. And the pilot encapsulates good cinematography. You can tell shots are well thought-out in a way that contributes to the story and the narrative tone. The scene framing was aesthetically interesting to look at, but in a way which helped draw you into what was happening (instead of distracting you from the story at hand).

The acting is good, but does leave room for improvement. This isn't a critique on Jensen or Jared's talent, but they're still feeling out their characters at this point-haven't quite settled into their roles, and the trust that's built up between between actors which can (and will) take scenes to the next level isn't there yet. The bridge scene argument where Dean lunges at Sam in anger feels a bit contrived, for instance. But that said, they overall do nice job.

For a pilot, the writing is pretty decent and very smart. Starting a story is hard. They work a lot of exposition and backstory into 40 minutes, in ways that loop back into the plot. For ex: they address 'how do they pay for hunting?' pretty quickly, but then it comes back around in a way that helps advance the search for their father. From a writing standpoint, there's a nice parallelism in what happens to Mary Winchester at the start of the episode & what happens to Jess at the end of it.

The episode ends by coming full-circle, allowing for the real story to begin. You leave with a sense of who Sam and Dean are as people, with a sense of their complicated relationship with each other and their father, and with a sense of mystery to bring you back. Which-as far as pilot episodes go-is the ultimate success.

Overall a strong pilot, and a compelling introduction into the world that will take over millions of viewer's hearts for the next 15 years.

-Violet Vance.

So, this episode was interesting enough. However, the whole time I was acutely aware that this was an episode designed to get the brothers together as a team, ready to kick supernatural butt. Therefore, the story felt a little contrived. The fact that Sam is roped into this by the death of his girlfriend, rather than naturally making the choice or learning what his true calling is - I didn't love that.

Ghosts aren't the most original idea, but at least they put a nice little spin on it. The show is a little darker than I expected, talking about child murders and whatnot.

I enjoyed the Nutty special effects. At times it looked really trippy.

The chemistry between the brothers is good. However, casting guys that are so handsome is a little distracting.

The dialogue felt a bit clunky and forced at times. Hopefully that gets smoothed out in later episodes.

Does this mean Sam isn't going to law school?

I love supernatural 1-5, stopped watching it at 9, it loses its charm a bit but well saw the newish scooby doo episode and with the series ending i thought why not just watch the whole thing. Babyfaced Dean and Sam try to find their dad, have some brotherly squabbles, Sam seems like the center of the show whereas Dean seems like the goofy sarcastic confident guy who is there for laughs and giggles, he really has the best one-liners. We get backstory of their family, a bit cramped up but ok its the pilot they gotta introduce stuff fast. The ghost is average but well its hard to make a truly frightening horror tv show, spn shines in its bond and comedy. The ghost starts off promising though the end is ehh. Its enjoyable and makes the time pass and you have a mystery you are invested in, the premise also sets up our characters well with the little info we get. The start of a legendary show.