Supernatural is an American drama and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they hunt demons and other figures of the paranormal. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television, in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision. The current executive producers are Eric Kripke, McG, and Robert Singer; former executive producer Kim Manners died of lung cancer during production of the fourth season.
The series, which is filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, was in development for nearly ten years, as creator Kripke spent several years unsuccessfully pitching it as a series. The pilot was viewed by an estimated 5.69 million viewers and the ratings of the first four episodes prompted The WB to pick up the series for a full season of 22 episodes. Originally, Kripke planned the series for three seasons, but later expanded it to five. The fifth season began airing on September 10, 2009, and concluded the series' main storyline however, The CW officially renewed the show for a sixth season on February 16, 2010. Kripke has confirmed that he will not be returning as showrunner; however, he will still remain as an executive producer. Sera Gamble, replacing Kripke as showrunner, has stated that the sixth season will focus on the brothers' relationship.
Season One
Main article: Supernatural (season 1)
Season One consists of 22 episodes that aired in the United States beginning September 13, 2005, and ending May 4, 2006. The first sixteen episodes aired on Tuesdays at 9:00 pm, after which the series was rescheduled to Thursdays.
Two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, team up to find their father, John, who went missing on a hunting trip. However, their father isn't a typical hunter: he hunts supernatural creatures like ghosts, vampires, and various demons and he's trained his sons to do the same. Along the way, Sam and Dean save innocent people, fight creatures and ghosts, and collect clues to their father's whereabouts. Sam begins to mysteriously develop psychic abilities and visions as they travel. They eventually find their father, who reveals that the creature that killed Sam and Dean's mother years earlier is a yellow-eyed demon and the only thing that can kill him is a legendary gun created by Samuel Colt.
Season Two
Main article: Supernatural (season 2)
Season Two consists of 22 episodes that aired on Thursdays at 9:00 pm in the United States beginning September 28, 2006, and ending May 17, 2007.
The season follows Sam and Dean as they deal with their father's death and continue to hunt the yellow-eyed demon with assistance from new allies Ellen, Jo, and Ash. Part of the demon's master plan is eventually revealed as he gathers Sam and others like him, leading to Sam dying. Dean makes a deal with a crossroads demon to bring back Sam in exchange for his soul, which will be collected in one year. In a final confrontation, in which Dean kills the yellow-eyed demon, a Hell's Gate is opened, releasing numerous demons from within.
Season Three
Main article: Supernatural (season 3)
Season Three consists of 16 episodes that aired on Thursdays at 9:00 pm in the United States beginning October 4, 2007, and ending May 15, 2008. Originally 22 episodes were ordered for the third season, but production was halted on December 5, 2007, upon completion of the twelfth episode due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. The season number was shortened to sixteen episodes, with four new episodes airing in April and May 2008.
The season mainly focuses on trying to save Dean from his deal and tracking down the demons that were released from the gate. Along the way, the brothers meet a demon named Ruby, who has an interest in Sam and claims to be able to help save Dean. Also, they meet Bela Talbot, an "acquirer" and seller of occult objects, who is constantly a thorn in their side. The brothers eventually learn what demon holds Dean's contract; a being of great power named Lilith. The brothers, along with Ruby, track her down and attempt to kill her. Lilith is unable to stop Sam due to his mysterious abilities, however, Dean's contract expires and his soul is taken to Hell.
Season Four
Main article: Supernatural (season 4)
Season Four consists of 22 episodes that aired on Thursdays at 9:00 pm in the United States beginning September 18, 2008, and ending May 14, 2009.
Dean is rescued from Hell and brought back by an angel named Castiel; one of several angels who appears throughout the season. The rest of the season follows the brothers as they work with Castiel to stop Lilith's plan of breaking the 66 seals, which would allow Lucifer to walk free once again. Sam and Dean's relationship is also strained as Sam starts siding with Ruby over Dean. He also begins to give into his demonic side by drinking demon blood to become strong enough to defeat Lilith. After tracking down and killing Lilith, Sam learns her death is actually the last seal and Ruby was deceiving him all along. Dean arrives too late to stop him, but kills Ruby as Lucifer's prison opens up beneath them.
Season Five
Main article: Supernatural (season 5)
Season Five consists of 22 episodes and was rumored to be the last season, due to Eric Kripke's statements over the years that he has planned for the show to run for five seasons. Despite this, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles had contracts for a sixth season, and The CW renewed the series on February 16, 2010.
The fifth season revolves around the fight to stop Lucifer and save the world from the Apocalypse. Throughout the season, Dean and Sam battle both angels and demons as they fight their destiny to become the vessels of Michael and Lucifer. Unable to defeat Lucifer, they defeat each of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, whose rings act as the keys to Lucifer's prison. The idea of destiny versus freedom and choice play a big role. Throughout the season, Dean, Sam, Castiel, and Bobby each have a crisis as they near giving up. However, through each other's support, they continue forward until the end.
Season Six
Creator Eric Kripke originally planned for the show to last only five seasons, but due to increased ratings from the fourth and fifth seasons,the CW network renewed the series for a sixth season. Kripke has confirmed he will not be returning as showrunner; however, he will still remain as a hands-on executive producer, leaving Executive Producer Sera Gamble to take over the reins.
Gamble has said the sixth season of the show will focus on the brothers' relationship. The season will steer towards the format of the early seasons with "lots of meat-and-potatoes closed-ended episodes, and...a season-long story arc to weave in". According to a press release by the CW, Heaven and Hell are now in "complete disarray", forcing Sam and Dean to reunite to "beat back the rising tide of creatures and demon-spawn" that "roam across a lawless and chaotic landscape".
Filming for the season began with the Ackles-directed fourth episode, "Weekend at Bobby's", to give the actor enough time for preproduction.Misha Collins will return as series regular Castiel as will Jim Beaver as Bobby Singer. Mitch Pileggi will make multiple appearances as Sam and Dean's grandfather. The recurring role of Christian, the maternal cousin of Sam and Dean, was given to Corin Nemec he is described as "capable, calm under pressure, and very good at his job" Kim Rhodes will return as Sheriff Jody Mills,as will Fredric Lehne as Azazel.
The season will air on Fridays at 9:00 pm in the United States on the CW and will premiere on September 24, 2010.
Other Informations:
The Colt
The 1836 Colt Paterson, Texas—usually referred to as "The Colt"—was made by Samuel Colt for a paranormal hunter. According to legend, anything shot by this gun, using one of its thirteen original bullets, will die, including creatures normally immune to any and all weapons. John Winchester gives it to the demon Azazel in return for Dean's life being spared after an almost-fatal car crash, and at the end of the second season, Azazel uses it as a key to open a gateway to Hell that Samuel Colt had sealed. The last bullet is then used to kill the demon, though it is later repaired to allow the use of more bullets. Towards the end of the third season, Lilith's right-hand demon Crowley acquires the gun and hides it. It is then featured in two time-travel episodes, before Crowley returns it to the Winchesters so that they can kill Lucifer. However, Lucifer later reveals there are five things in creation which the gun cannot kill, and he is one of them.
The gun used in the series is actually a replica Colt ball and cap gun modified to fire metallic cartridges. On the barrel of the gun is inscribed the Latin phrase "non timebo mala", meaning "I will fear no evil". On the handle is a carving of a pentagram, with much of the finish removed to give it an aged appearance. The props department also has a rubber version of the Colt to be used in fight scenes for pistol-whipping.
Impala
Throughout the series, Dean drives a black 1967 Chevrolet Impala. Having been passed down to him by his father, it is Dean's most prized possession, with actor Jensen Ackles feeling it is Dean's "life" and "sanctuary". The brothers travel in it throughout the country as they hunt the supernatural, and the trunk holds various weaponry. In the first two seasons, it has a Kansas license plate with the number KAZ 2Y5, a reference to the Winchesters' home state of Kansas, and the series premiere date of 2005. Towards the end of the second season, the car sports a new Ohio license plate (CNK 80Q3) to aid the brothers in hiding from the FBI
The origins of the Impala were first depicted in the comic mini-series Supernatural: Origins, in which John Winchester takes ownership of the car from Mary's uncle after accidentally getting him killed during a hunt. However, fans responded negatively to this, as John is shown with the Impala in the teaser for the pilot episode, which is chronologically set before the comic series. Due to this, the comic was altered for the trade paperback version, with the Impala's true origins later being depicted in the series' fourth season. Having been sent back to 1973 by the angel Castiel, Dean convinces his father to purchase the Impala over a 1964 VW Van. The car's origins were further explored during the Season 5 finale, in which a frame story surrounded the plot of the episode tracking the Impala's history from its manufacture, through several previous owners, up until the present day.
All of the cars used in the show are stock 1967 Chevrolet Impalas four-door hardtops. They feature Chevrolet small-block engines, recolored interiors, custom seats, and nonfunctioning radios. Other than the one used in the original, all of the Impalas had to be painted black for the series. One of the Impalas used features a detachable roof and doors for up-close shots, and is capable of being separated in half.
Ruby's knife
Ruby possessed a mysterious and presumably magical demon-killing knife, which Kripke refers to as "a hand-to-hand version of the Colt". Its handle is made of elk antlers, and the knife has engravings on both sides of the blade, although the symbols are all balderdash. It has been seen and used many times following its introduction in the third season. Upon being stabbed in a vital area, the demon suffers immediate death, usually taking the human host with it. It is unknown if it is effective against other supernatural beings, although it is useless against angels. Furthermore, the demon Alaistair is resistant to the knife's power. How the knife functions has yet to be revealed, and creator Eric Kripke doubts it ever will be, stating, "I like to leave some things mysterious. And that’s likely to remain mysterious."
66 seals
Holding Lucifer at bay are over 600 mystical seals, only 66 of which have to be broken for him to be released. The first seal needed to be broken is a "righteous man" spilling blood in Hell. The demon Lilith ensures Dean Winchester gets sent there at the end of the third season. While in Hell, Dean's decision to torture souls breaks the first seal. This allows Lilith to begin breaking the remaining seals, prompting the angel Castiel to resurrect Dean from Hell to stop her in Season Four. The remaining seals are broken over the course of the season, with the final seal being broken by Sam when he succeeds in destroying Lilith in the finale "Lucifer Rising".
Trouble with the law
Because Dean and Sam do not get paid for their hunting, the brothers earn their living and pay for their hunting equipment through credit card fraud, poker winnings, and pool hustling. Furthermore, their investigations often put them on the wrong side of the law, as they have desecrated graves, impersonated various officials, and committed breaking and entering. Framed for murder and bank robbery by shapeshifters, Dean has become a highly wanted man, and the brothers are occasionally pursued by various law enforcement officers, most notably FBI Agent Victor Henricksen. Because of their wanted status, the brothers often use aliases, usually derived from hard rock musicians, film references, or, in a meta-reference, the book Fleth and movie based on the book where the title character does the same thing. However, in the third season episode "Jus in Bello", Sam and Dean are presumed dead in the explosion of the Monument County, Colorado, Sheriff's office and jail, ending the FBI's pursuit of them.
Interesting facts:
Early on in the series, Dean's cell number is given, and for a while the studio had it set up so that anyone dialing the number would hear Jensen Ackles reading the message: "This is Dean Winchester. If this is an emergency, leave a message. If you are calling about 11-2-83, page me with your coordinates." The number is 1-866-907-3235.
The car Sam and Dean drive is a 1967 Chevrolet Impala, which has been nicknamed the Metallicar by fans of the show. The show uses five black Impalas.
The only known sources of income for the Winchesters are credit card scams, poker games and playing pool.
Dean's car, up until episode 2.20, had Kansas (the brother's origin state) plates with the number KAZ 2Y5. It currently now has Ohio (Supernatural's creator Eric Kripke's home state) plates with the number CNK 80Q3.
After the first season, the show was picked up by The CW because The WB merged with UPN to form The CW.
While filming season two, Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester), broke his wrist after performing one of the stunts on the show.
Many of the episodes are based on existing legends, myths, and ghost stories. For example the episode "Crossroads" is based in part on the legend of Robert Johnson - who in turn borrowed it from another Blues singer.
Most season two episodes are either named after movies ("Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things", "The Usual Suspects") or classic rock songs ("In My Time of Dying", "Born Under a Bad Sign", "What is and What Should Never Be").
The round blue/skull sticker on the top of Sam's season one laptop is from a prominent local North Vancouver mountain bike company, Deep Cove Bike Shop.
The character of "Bobby Singer" was named after executive producer Robert Singer.
The original concept had a reporter going to investigate the urban legends and writing about them in his column instead of having the Dean and Sam concept.
Sam's birthday is May 2nd (born in 1983). This coincidentally also became Eric Kripke's (the show creator and executive producer) son's birthday in 2007, which Kripke describes as "Creepy".
Dean's birthday is January 24th (born in 1979).
Originally Jensen Ackles auditioned for the role of Sam Winchester. When Jared Padalecki came in and read for Sam a slight recasting was done. Producers called Jensen and asked if he'd rather use his charm for Dean, saying he was the Han Solo character of the duo and what kid didn't grow up wanting to be Han Solo? Jensen accepted. It became known that he was previously interested in that role, because Dean was funny.
Riverview Hospital, a large mental health facility used as the main set in the season 1 episode Asylum, has also substituted for a prison, a regular hospital, and an apartment building on different episodes of the show. This is evidenced by seeing the same distinctive staircase in different episodes.
The Latin inscription on the barrel of the Colt says 'non timebo mala', which translates to 'I will fear no evil'.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (John Winchester) is only 12 years older than his on-screen oldest son, Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester).
Both Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki grew up in Texas - Jensen in Richardson, and Jared in San Antonio.
There is a particular clock that shows up in almost every episode.
An important aspect of the show's music is classic rock, most of which comes from creator Eric Kripke's own record collection, although one of his favorite bands - Led Zeppelin - has always been too expensive to license.
The role of Ruby was written for Kristen Bell. But she turned it down, Katie Cassidy was cast instead.
Jim Beaver's character (Bobby) was only supposed to make a one-time appearance.
Throughout the series, whenever a room is numbered, the room number is always 237. (When Dean sneaks into the old lady's hospital room "Supernatural: Something Wicked (#1.18)" (2006) the number on the door is 237. When Dean is in the hospital, talking with Tessa in "Supernatural: In My Time of Dying (#2.1)" (2006) it's announced over the PA system that there's "an emergency in room 237." In "Supernatural: Playthings (#2.11)" (2007) Sam and Dean check into the Peirpont Inn and will be staying in room 237.) Room number 237 is the room Danny Torrance is told to stay out of in The Shining (1980).
Fandom
Being a cult series, Supernatural has garnered a dedicated fanbase. They are active online, and many have written fanfiction stories about the show, with a portion of the writers dedicated to stories involving a sexual relationship between Sam and Dean Winchester—known as "Wincest". The writers have jokingly referenced this several times in the series. The first fan conventions dedicated to Supernatural took place in Nashville, Tennessee, in October 2006 and in London in May 2007, and conventions have since expanded through to Germany and throughout the United States. The series' stars and large guest cast make appearances, with fans from the United States, Europe, China, and Australia attending.
Before the debut of the series' fifth season, in which Lucifer is finally freed from his imprisonment, fans attempted to promote the show through the website Twitter
Enough fans posted the hash tag "#LuciferIsComing" that it made it into "trending topics"—a list depicting words and phrases posted with the highest frequency on the website.However, Twitter users who were unaware of the fans' intentions responded with numerous posts of "#GodIsHere", and all the messages were eventually removed due to complaints. Actor Misha Collins, who portrays Castiel in the series, tried to continue the campaign by requesting that fans post "#PDiddyIsScaredOfHisTV", rapper P. Diddy being the one whom many fans believe to be the instigator of the initial backlash.However, after an hour, these messages were also blocked.
Music
Supernatural features a synthesized orchestral score, although real instruments such as guitars and cellos are used at times. Special instruments have also been used to relate to specific episodes, such as playing "bluesy gospel music" on a broken-down piano in the faith-healing episode "Faith". Unlike other television shows, the series features two composers: Christopher Lennertz and Jay Gruska. Each composer scores every other episode, giving them extra time to write the scores, which usually end up being around 30 minutes per episode. They write themes for their own episodes and characters, and work with one another if there is overlap between episodes. They try to base the music on the visuals of the episode, such as in the episode "Dead in the Water", in which off-angle shots are accompanied by repetitive and discordant notes, and spoken words such as "water" and "die" are followed by a lower pitch to create a "gurgly" sound. While there are similarities in the scores for situations such as the brothers and their father, about a third of each episode's score is newly written for the supernatural legend.
While original scores are used throughout episodes, another important aspect of the series' music is classic rock, which creator Eric Kripke threatened to quit over when the network would not allow its inclusion. Most of the songs are from Kripke's private collection, although one of his favorite bands—Led Zeppelin—is too expensive to use. Some episode titles are references to Led Zeppelin songs. The series has featured such bands as Blue Öyster Cult and AC/DC on more than one occasion. Multiple songs are usually used throughout each episode, and accompany "The Road So Far" sequences before select episodes that highlight a montage of past events. Although Kripke prefers to keep a fine line between the score and songs used, sometimes Lennertz and Gruska are required to write short sections of rock-like music to fill fifteen- to twenty-second gaps, as it would be too costly to acquire song rights.
source: wikipedia
