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Released by: Warner Home Video
Released on: 9/10/2013
Director: various
Cast: Jarad Padalecki, Jansen Ackles, Misha Collins
Year: 2012-2013
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The Show:
Supernatural…you know, that show on The WB about the pretty boys chasing ghosts and urban legends? After eight seasons, two television channels, and numerous time-slot changes the program is still going strong and still has a built-in audience that has put the show into cult status. And with good reason: it's good stuff. Once you get past the fact that it is on a cheesy network and the two male models having the majority of the screen time, it quickly becomes evident there is more to the show than dreamy brothers getting into adventures. This is an intricate show with great character development, more blood and guts than the average PG-13 horror movie, and at times more atmospheric and creepy than most modern horror films.
As with typical serial dramas, every season has one main story arc, with other arcs revolving around it. Some episodes are more relevant to he main plot and some are throwaway episodes that do little to further the season's story. Season Eight has its share of the latter, with what seemed to be attempts at possible spin-off shows, but for the most part the season stayed on track with its major story of the guys working to close the gates to Hell forever. That sounds like a tall order, but Sam and Dean Winchester are no strangers to the seemingly impossible. They've fought the most powerful of demons, gone to hell and back (literally), and saved the world from The Apocalypse. Close the Gates of Hell? Pfft. They'll do it.
Season Eight brings to the table tablets written by the Hand of God on the orders of God Himself. These tablets can close both the gates to Hell and the gates to Heaven, and needless to say neither party wants their access to Earth to be sealed off forever. With the help of the Prophet Kevin (Osric Chau), the Demon Tablet is translated to reveal three tasks that must be performed by the same person to close off Hell. That's the main story line. Secondary stories involve what happened between Season Seven and Season Eight, which was approximately a year's time. Sam (Jared Padalecki), went on to live a normal life while Dean (Jansen Ackles) fought his way out of Purgatory with the help of his vampire friend and ally Benny (Ty Olsson). Lots of flashback action occurs throughout the season, but in the end it really doesn't amount to a whole lot. Its mainly just to cause a rift between the brothers only to ultimately bring them even closer together than ever before.
The angel Castiel (Misha Collins) has his own troubles to deal with, having also escaped Purgatory and dealing with his guilt from actions taken in the previous season. Adding to his stress is another angel, Naomi (Amanda Tapping), who gives him orders that he doesn't want to carry out; orders that involve his harming the Winchesters. Also in the mix is the demon Crowley (Mark Sheppard), the self-proclaimed King of Hell. He certainly doesn't want the demon tablet translated and will do all he can to keep it from happening. Even working with Castiel if that's what it takes. Look for some characters from the past to show up: the dead Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver), the dorky Garth (DJ Qualls) and the quirkily sexy Charlie (Felicia Day). Like with The Loveboat when a single black woman boarded the boat you knew Isaac the Bartender was going to board her, anytime you see DJ Qualls' name in the opening credits you know its going to be a funny episode.
Compared to previous seasons, the eighth is pretty consistent. Only one stinker of an episode comes to mind and that was fourth one. Titled “Bittenâ€, its about a group college students dealing with a friend who was bitten by a werewolf of sorts, but its told through the eyes of a shaky camera, as in “found footageâ€. You can skip that one and not miss anything. It blows. Some of the aforementioned episodes with characters seeming to be propped up for potential spin-offs aren't overly important to the main arc, but are entertaining. In all honesty, you could probably watch the first three episodes and the last few and get pretty much what you would out of watching all 23 episodes in the season, but if you're a fan of the show why would you do that?
Video/Audio/Extras:
The show looks fantastic in HD, as expected. Intricate detail, great colors, deep black levels…it's weird to call a picture that looks so nice something we've all come to expect, but that's just what it is. The 1080p AVC-encoded image delivers great skin tones, eye-popping colors and simply a great image. Even when the show is working in low light conditions, things are clear and perfect looking. The audio is handled by a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and it sounds as good as the video looks. The show is known for its use of classic rock songs and they crank it up during those moments. Great sound comes from all angles with plenty of rear channel and subwoofer action. The balance is great, with the dialogue and music never crowding each other out.
Extras are pretty good, spread out over the four discs. Three of the 23 episodes have commentary by the creative team. These are pretty run-of-the-mill, and if you dig commentaries these might work for you. Three featurettes can be found scattered about, each running around 20 minutes, plus or minus. One is about the making of the footage Sam and Dean find in the episode that sucks. Another one discusses the tablets used throughout the season and the role they play. The third focuses on the angel Castiel and his evolution throughout the series. The main actors and the creative team share thoughts and info, without a bunch of sugar coating. Some scenes can be viewed of footage that didn't hit the airwaves, and a gag reel finishes things up. All in all, the extras a worth viewing as they are with the other seasons.
The Final Word:
If you've never given the show a chance, you should. You could jump on in Season Three, get hooked, and then go back and start at the beginning. It took the show a couple seasons to really get in its groove. It hit its peak with the end of season five, but the show still manages to impress. Seriously, give it a shot if you haven't.
Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!
