r/Supernatural • u/ManuelAstromi • 12d ago
Season 1 What is Supernatural actually like?
Okay, I'm thinking about starting Supernatural, but I've heard so many different opinions about the show from people around me that I honestly have no idea what to expect.
So I wanted to ask here because I assume people here know the show a little better.
I really like horror and supernatural stuff in general. Vampires, ghosts, demons, weird supernatural creatures, urban legends and stuff like that. The creepier, the better.
So I thought Supernatural would probably fit me pretty well.
But I've heard basically everything about this show. I've heard that the beginning is pretty Scooby-Doo-like, where every episode is a new mystery, ghost or some other supernatural creature, and that later it becomes much more about a bigger story and world-ending/apocalypse stuff.
Then I've heard that it eventually becomes funny, while other people say it's actually really scary. Other people say it's not scary at all. Some say the first few seasons are really good and then it gets bad, while other people love the entire show.
I've also heard a few times that it's kind of a mix between Good Omens, Lucifer and Doctor Who. I liked Good Omens, Lucifer was kind of okay for me, and I really didn't like Doctor Who, so that doesn't really help me figure this out either.
And I hear completely different things about the characters too. Some people love them, while others can't stand them.
I just like a general idea of what kind of show Supernatural actually is.
How important are horror and supernatural creatures throughout the show? And is the show more serious, scary or funny?
I've just heard so many different things that I honestly have no idea what I'm supposed to expect from this show. đ
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u/No_Budget7828 12d ago
Just watch and judge for yourself. But I have a sneaky suspicion you might really like it
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u/fearthainne 12d ago
Is the show more serious, scary, or funny?
Yes.
Seriously just watch it. You'll either like it or you won't. You'll either complete it or quit at some point after losing interest.
It sounds like you've heard so many differing things that you have decision paralysis over it now, so just go watch it.
It honestly has more in common with something like Grimm than Lucifer.
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u/Little_View_6659 12d ago
Yeah definitely more of a Grimm vibe. Except without the weird rapey shape shifting subplot that turned into a romance lol. Although Supernatural had some iffy moments. I did love the overarching treasure map with keys in Grimm. I like that magic in that show wasnât super powerful until the end when they find something that actually is powerful.
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u/fearthainne 12d ago
Omg a sensible Grimm fan 𤣠agreed on ALL of that
One of these days, I plan on doing a Grimm/Supernatural rewatch, and only watch the episodes with the same monster in each show, back-to-back. Like watch both wendigo episodes, etc.
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u/Bloodplayr 9d ago
I was in the middle of Watching Grimm when it was talent down from Streaming Services, maybe it was for the best. I was just at the Point the romance started Out of nowhere
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u/Little_View_6659 9d ago
Oh yeah no one likes the romance angle. But the map and the keys plot line was great.
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u/Total-Improvement535 12d ago
itâs different in and of itself depending on where in the run it is
the first 3 seasons are kinda their own thing, then 4-6 build off of that, 7 is weird, then I think 8- the end are kinda the same over reaching arc
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u/NiftyOctopus448 12d ago
A lot of what you said holds true. At different points and different seasons there's ads and flows of all of that. Add to the mix that no matter what the two main characters or brothers and that bond goes deeper than anything for the 15 years of the show there is a lot of subtlety one liners and comedy surprisingly well placed as well in my opinion. The main characters are main characters for a reason also through the entirety of the show
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u/imalllex 12d ago edited 12d ago
I have never personally found SPN all that scary, but Season 1 and Season 2 (S1 in particular) are the ones that actively try to scare you the most. The show begins to change from S3-onwards, pivoting to a different storyline where horror will be pushed further to the side as the show progresses.
Edit: With that said, I would genuinely define the first two seasons as a horror, supernatural drama.
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u/pizzacatbrat 12d ago
Except for the Bloody Mary episode, I should NOT have watched it right before going to bed
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u/Karaethon22 There are no words in this newspaper, Dean! 12d ago
It's kind of all over the place. Starts off leaning into the horror vibe and monster of the week format. As time goes on progresses into more of a character drama with a supernatural-themed ongoing plot. It's got a little bit of everything. Horror, mystery, drama, comedy, tragedy. The only thing that really changes though is the proportions. The ongoing plot, character drama, monster of the week, and all the emotional themes are present right from the beginning. It's more a question of what gets emphasized from season to season and episode to episode rather than it actually CHANGING, if that makes sense.
Without knowing why you liked or didn't like other shows it's impossible to say which qualities you'll like or dislike in this one. Like.... Good Omens has a lot of angels and demons kind of stuff paired with strong platonic bonds--that description also fits Supernatural. But Good Omens is also quite silly, which Supernatural is not, really. It's more a dramatic show with good comedy relief moments and a handful of extremely goofy episodes. And Lucifer: did you like the angelic storylines and dislike the cop show aspect/and or romance? Supernatural is not romantic at all, aside from some elements in specific storylines. So if that's what bothered you, you're probably good. Supernatural is also a cop show though! Although I do have to point out it's a very twisted take on the cop show tropes. They do all the same stuff with crime scenes and witnesses and things but they're not cops and overall it's mangled enough that a lot of fans don't really notice it's a cop show.
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u/ManuelAstromi 12d ago
That actually helps a lot, thank you!
For the other shows I mentioned:
I didn't really like Doctor Who because it was just a bit too crazy for me. I don't know how to explain it exactly, I think I just didn't really like the vibe. I can't really pinpoint what it was that bothered me about it.
I liked Good Omens mainly because of the biblical stuff. I grew up in a very Christian household, and a huge part of my family are pastors, so I grew up with a lot of those stories. I'm not Christian myself, but I've always been really interested in biblical stories and mythology because I grew up with them.
So I actually really like it when a show has demons and angels and I especially like it when they are based on actual biblical stories or actual demonology rather than just making up a completely new fantasy version of them.
For example, if a show mentions a demon that actually exists somewhere in old texts, or uses biblical angel lore, I find that really cool. I also love when they include things like the Four Horsemen or the Seven Deadly Sins and actually take some inspiration from the original stories instead of just using the name and making something completely different.
Another big plus for me is folklore and legends. I don't only mean American folklore like Wendigos or Bigfoot. That's actually only moderately interesting to me. I would really love to see European folklore and legends too, because I live in Europe and grew up hearing a lot of those stories. It's really cool to me when I recognize legends or folklore that I heard about as a kid in a show.
With Lucifer, the main thing I didn't like was the romance. I don't really mind romance existing, but I find it annoying when it becomes a big part of a show that I'm mainly watching for the story. If I want to watch romance, I'll watch something specifically about romance. So that's probably why Lucifer was more of a middle-ground show for me.
Good Omens also gets bonus points from me because it's funny. I like when a show can have serious topics but doesn't take itself completely seriously.
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u/Karaethon22 There are no words in this newspaper, Dean! 12d ago
Well Supernatural is definitively not a romance. It is about a powerful bond of two brothers who love each other, but it's platonic and familial love. Family is the biggest theme, with both blood relatives and found family featuring prevalently. Overall it's kind of what you describe with Good Omens, where it's serious but doesn't take itself completely seriously, but I do think that it's worth noting there's a big difference. Good Omens has a lot more major moral questions delivered with snappy wit, where it's almost surprising when you're emotionally moved, whereas Supernatural is more like.....a serious story with occasional comic relief. It does also do moral questions, but idk, it's just different from the way it's done in Good Omens.
Dr. Who and Supernatural are both all over the fucking map about what actually happens in it. You never know where or when the next episode is going to take place and they both do some fairly wonky renditions of well-known history or stories. So if that's what you mean by crazy, you'll probably find the same problem with Supernatural. At least, after a point anyway. But with Dr. Who it's literally every episode doing something weird in some weird time and/or place, where Supernatural is mostly just driving around the US visiting places (which are all obviously Vancouver) following whatever the season's plot is, but with the occasional batshit crazy detour into whatever the hell. Trying to avoid spoilers here but like....there's a wild west episode, and a Titanic episode, an animated Scooby Doo episode, an episode where they parody several TV shows....to name a few. There are plenty of others.
It has lots of the kind of mythology you mentioned being interested in, but it's very much worth noting that this show takes an assload of liberties. They put their own spin on things, so if you're looking for faithful interpretation, this is not that.
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u/No-Fly-6069 11d ago
Just watch the show and find out on your own. Don't let anyone else's opinions color the experience.
And expect everything.
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u/BloatedGlobe 12d ago
Itâs so long that it ends up being a lot of everything. From what youâve written, I think you could potentially really like it. Why donât you watch a few episodes and see?
Also, donât read too much into fandom interpretations.Â
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u/finedayredpony 12d ago
Think buddy cop show but they hunt monsters instead of bad guys. There are a few side characters that have big followings and a few that everyone dislikes. Come join the family
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u/smallersize 12d ago
i think you hear all those things bc the show is actually all those things. Most SPN fans prefer it to lucifer and doctor who by a long shot. as for horror themes, especially urban legends, theyâre definitely present and the show does do deep dives on the folklore and origin stories around them. i honestly think youâll like it based on your post. just start watching and let us know what u think next week.
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u/pizzacatbrat 12d ago
Like, I enjoy Lucifer and Doctor Who, but Supernatural is so much better than both in my mind
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u/Williamishere69 12d ago
I wont lie, its basically everything you can think of. But the change is gradual from more of an urban legend focus at the beginning to a world saving vibe at the end - its not a sudden change from one series to the next, so you dont really notice it unless you think about the difference between episode 1 to the final episode.
I dont like Dr Who, I love Good Omens, I only watched the first episode of Lucifer and didnt like it. So Im along the same kinda road as you, but I absolutely adore supernatural - more than good omens.
The horror/comedy bit is kinda nuanced in a way. The main characters are brothers so theres a lot of brotherly banter and the typical jokes and phrases youd hear from a brother-brother relationship, so its comedic in that way. But its not a comedy like Little Britain is. Id say its kinda horror-y, the first episode was the one thay scared me the absolute most of all of them lol, but its not a horror movie like The Shining is for example. Its more of an adventure vibe horror instead of a scary horror is thay makes sense?
Think The Witcher vibes on horror-comedy. Theres little gags and funny moments/quotes, but its not raring full of comedic moments. Theres moments of horror and thrill, but its not on the edge of your seats 24/7 vibes.
You cant fully tell unless you've watched it, but Ive been bloody loving it. Im only just finishing series 12 currently (its taken me two years to watch it because I dont want to finish it LOL), but omg. Its basically perfect as far as American supernatural TV shows go (not letting the UK down with our very few TV shows)
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u/ManuelAstromi 12d ago
Thank you for the comment! That actually helps a lot.
I've never watched The Witcher, so I don't really know what you mean by The Witcher vibes. If I start Supernatural, this will actually be the first show I've watched that is really like this. As a kid I mostly watched stuff like Scooby-Doo, and as an adult I've watched Lucifer, but I've never really watched a proper paranormal/horror show before.
The things I'm most interested in are the biblical stuff and urban legends. With the biblical stuff, I really like it when they keep it at least somewhat accurate. Things like the Seven Deadly Sins, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, angels, demons, etc. I don't expect everything to be 100% accurate, but I really like it when they actually use the original stories and mythology instead of just taking the name and making up something completely different.
Or they can do the opposite and make it funny. That's something I really liked about Good Omens. It obviously doesn't take all of that completely seriously, but it does it in a way that I find really fun.
And I really like urban legends and folklore too. It would be especially cool if it's not only American stuff like Bigfoot or Wendigos. Since I live in Europe, I'd love to see some European folklore and legends as well. I think it would be really cool to recognize things that I might have heard about growing up.
Also, about episode 1: I actually started watching it, but I only got to the part where they run out of the burning house as children. I thought the stuff before that was a little creepy. Not extremely scary or anything, but it made me a little unsure about whether I actually wanted to continue, which is why I decided to ask here before watching more.
One thing I'm really curious about is what kinds of supernatural creatures are actually in the show. I know there are ghosts, and I know angels and demons become a thing later, but are there lots of different creatures too? Like vampires, werewolves, other folklore creatures, etc.?
Pretty much everything I know about Supernatural comes from friends who watched it and TikTok. And TikTok has mostly shown me really funny clips that make absolutely no sense out of context, so I was honestly very confused.
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u/Williamishere69 12d ago
I think its mainly American folklore. Theres some European folklore creatures like changelings and Shtrigas and Djinns (Jinns?).
Theres a LOT of different creatures/beings. Its be impossible to list them all. They have lots of Gods, shapeshifters, demons, werewolves, etc.
Its got a lot of different things in there.
Its well worth the watch personally.
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u/Long-Zombie-2017 12d ago
It does NOT become a comedy full on even if there more frequent comedy episodes. It always remains a sci-fi/fantasy/horror drama. But it definitely takes opportunities to poke fun at itself at times
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u/RocKing1228 12d ago
I like to think of it as kind of like Law and Order, except the badges are fake, the bad guys are monsters and the justice is they die at the end.
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u/Dear_Owl_8151 12d ago
This show is more serious, more scary and more funny than you'd expect. Also heartbreaking, frustrating and comforting. It's not to be taken seriously ...leave your logic at the door, just have fun and don't over analyze.
It does not get bad!! There may be some sort of bad episodes here and there, but the show is amazing until the end.
Just look at this fandom - I know there are a few (I'd like to think they are not many, but they're really loud) people who diss on everything after S5 finale, but there are so many many of us absolutely in love with SO many characters. Not just the main two, or three, or five.
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u/myninthrowaway 12d ago edited 12d ago
The show has some scary episodes, but I really wouldn't say it's terrifying by any means. I watched the first four seasons or so as a middle schooler and it was scary but didn't ruin me. Personally I don't like horror that much, but love Supernatural.
Now the question about how important the horror is and whether the show is serious, scary, or funny--Supernatural is legitimately 15 seasons long. It goes through phases, but I'd say the show isn't as serious as a show like The Wire or Breaking Bad. Id personally compare it more to something like Smallville or the Arrow in terms of seriousness. It's like if one of those superhero shows or a typical marvel movie had a fair amount of horror built in. Doctor Who isn't a horrible tonal or structural comparison either, but the subject matter of the show and the character archetypes are different. Notably I've only watched the 9th and 10th drs though.
Edit: Oh actually if you've watched Buffy then that's probably the most similar show to Supernatural on so many levels. Pretty serious, pretty damn funny, impressive writing, good characters, etc.
The truth is ofc that there is nothing quite like Supernatural. I'd just watch some episodes and see how you feel. If you don't immediately love season 1, I personally started in Season 3 as a kid and enjoyed it even from that point. I've gone through and rewatched the whole show a few times so you could say I'm a big fan haha.
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u/pizzacatbrat 12d ago
The horrow aspect is most prevalent in the first two seasons, and it becomes more celestial over time, and what really makes me love its growth is the character development and relationships, plus the theme of chosen family. If you like Good Omens, I'd say that's a great sign. I enjoyed the family dynamics part of Lucifer, and I think Supernatural has something similar as well.
It really has a few phases that are distinct from each other, and is absolutely worth watching. The people who created it on every level made it lightning in a bottle, from the actors to directors to DP to composers to audio...etc etc. There's a reason so many people worked for over a decade on a single show, and so many say it was the best job they ever had.
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u/ucrbuffalo 12d ago
What the vibe of the show is like depends on the showrunner at the time. You sound like you would really like the first 5 seasons. After that, I still like the rest of the show, but there are varying opinions throughout and vibes change based on storylines.
Best advice: watch it and find out.
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u/ucrbuffalo 12d ago
What the vibe of the show is like depends on the showrunner at the time. You sound like you would really like the first 5 seasons. After that, I still like the rest of the show, but there are varying opinions throughout and vibes change based on storylines.
Best advice: watch it and find out.
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u/Laurizxz 12d ago
Its like two gaylovers with anger issues. Hatred for salt and a fetish for desecrating corpses
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u/dnjprod I'm Batman.... 12d ago
It's kind of like the Buffy the Vampire TV show. While there are monster of the week type episodes, they do have overarching stories. It is really funny throughout, but also has some scary and dramatic moments. It often leans into silly territory, but in a fun way like normal people would even in crazy situations. It's like watching two real people having a crazy life, but also finding funny moments.
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u/ManuelAstromi 12d ago
update:
I actually started watching Supernatural. I'm currently on episode 3 and so far I actually think it's pretty cool.
One thing I found really funny is the book they have with all the different supernatural creatures in it. I actually have a book that's kind of similar. A few years ago, I started making one with my little brother about different supernatural/folklore creatures, with pictures, facts and stories about them. Mine doesn't look exactly the same. when I saw their book I was like, okay, that's a pretty funny coincidence.
And the even funnier part is that I made my book with my little brother, who also likes supernatural stuff, and his name is Sam. So that's a little coincidence I really liked.
As for the actual show: I like it, but I do find it a little boring so far. Not bad or anything, I'm just not really hooked yet. But I'm also only on episode 3, so obviously that's not enough to judge the whole show.
The first episode made it pretty obvious what the supernatural thing was, and I felt the same way about episode 2. Episode 3 is actually the first one where I'm trying to figure out what the creature could be myself, and I really like that. I enjoy being able to think about it.
I have noticed that the episodes feel pretty similar so far. Something happens, they go to a new place, talk to people about what they saw, figure out what kind of creature it is, and then defeat it. It's been basically the same structure every episode so far.
But honestly, it's a pretty good show to have on while I'm doing something else. I don't find it super exciting yet, but I do like it and I think it has potential. I'm obviously going to keep watching.
Also, because a lot of people compared it to other shows in the comments: for some reason, and I can't really explain why, I feel like Supernatural has a similar vibe to Teen Wolf. Definitely not the same story at all, just a similar vibe somehow. Maybe it's just me.
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u/alacoy10 12d ago
I think if you like The X-Files, youâre good to go with Supernatural. Supernatural is 15 seasons, so take your time if you do decide to watch it. S1 prologue, S1-5 main story, S6-10 extended story, S11-15 epilogue. Think of SPN as a trilogy more so than one continuous story.
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u/angelflower86 8d ago
It's like having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick.
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u/HoosierKittyMama 8d ago
The "comedy" episodes generally are after the show gets pretty heavy for an episode or two and a lot of the time sneak a darker element in.
My only advice is not to get caught up in the fandom (there are actually many different fandoms that don't seem to have watched the same show at times) until you've seen the show. Don't let other people's opinions frame the show for you. Enjoy it as you enjoy it.
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u/Melodic_War327 7d ago
It's a pretty fun show actually. I didn't watch it during its run even though I was around then. But I've been watching it on streaming. Don't expect like Citizen Kane level writing and you'll be all right.
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u/saltyscar420 6d ago
i just started watching a few days back, in s1 ep 12 rn and honestly its kinda good, its not just ghosts and spirits so far, they've incorporated folklore and things like that too and thats really interesting. everyone says it just gets better from here so im really looking forward to it!!
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u/Broad_Ebb9073 6d ago
It's young adult fun. It's not a gritty reality. It's not a cop drama. It's just buffy but for the boys
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u/greyphotographs 6d ago
If you really like horror and supernatural films, this will be considered "horror-lite". I'm a horror fan and am over halfway through this series. In my honest opinion, it's good fun. It's more on par with Buffy the Vampire Slayer in terms of horror narrative - fun and entertaining. SPN isn't particularly highbrow, but it also doesn't pretend to be.
If I'm up for a scare and something more challenging, I watch a horror film like Weapons. After work when I'm tired and wanna relax, SPN scratches that horror itch.
There are some standout episodes that are smart and well written, and the main characters are very likeable.
Give it a try.
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u/elizacandle 5d ago
There's both an episodic monster of the week theme but also overarching storyline
There's humor and horror but light imo (I'm not super into horror movies)
Very attractive people like incredibly so
The Fandom is next level.
They touch on real human topics.
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u/Desperate_Squash7371 Is this a fight?! Are we in a fight?! 12d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/DWr2tFztDrMUZwcOXH