Blu-Ray Review: ‘Supernatural: The Complete Sixth Season’

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CHICAGO – “Supernatural” was supposed to end after five seasons. There were rumors of that fact long before it began in 2009 and it kind of felt like that acknowledged end point added a weight and gravity to the show. So, what are we doing here reviewing the recently-released sixth season Blu-ray on the eve of the premiere of the seventh season on The CW? You tell me. It’s still an entertaining show but it has the air of a sequel, kind of a copy of the original more than an inspired drama.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

“Supernatural” was always an underrated program — one with a loyal fan base but not much broad support and too little critical recognition. This program was consistently entertaining for at least four years. It’s been hit or miss for the last two (and too often miss) but the elements that made it work in the first place are still there and often shine through. It helps to have a stellar Blu-ray release to mark every passing year. Warner Bros. is arguably the best studio out there when it comes to TV in HD and fans won’t be disappointed in this four-disc set.

Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on September 1st, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Brothers Home Video

This CW staple works for the same two reasons that most shows succeed - quality writing and an effective ensemble to deliver it. If the show has a weakness, it’s that they’ve never quite developed the supporting ensemble effectively but the two leads - Jared Padalecki and, particularly, Jensen Ackles - have gotten better every year. And yet even they seemed a little tired by season six, which opens with Ackles’ Dean Winchester having been in domestic bliss for a year before his brother Sam (Padalecki) returns from Hell. Of course, a trip to Hell can change a man, and the different Sam (and the different Dean, having been out of the game for so long and with new priorities) did add a bit of flavor to the series.

Still, it’s hard to shake that feeling that we’ve been here before. How many times can Sam and Dean die? How many times can they avert the apocalypse? The show has actually reached a point where I long for the “throwaway episodes,” the installments where they don’t have to worry as much about the overall arc and can just let the actors have fun. It may not be as consistent as it once was, but “Supernatural” is still underrated. I guess it’s appropriate that a show in which both lead characters have died and come back from the other side would have life after presumed death.

If one of your favorite shows is coming to Blu-Ray and DVD, you should hope that Warner Brothers is the studio releasing it. They do TV on Blu-Ray right. “Supernatural” looks amazing in HD and even the DVD version is better than average technically for the format. Blu-Ray 1080p is absolutely the way to go - the video and audio are flawless - but if you haven’t jumped to the next-gen format yet, standard WB DVDs look much better than average.

Special Features:
o The Hunter’s Guide To Season Six
o Selectable “The French Mistake” Trivia Track
o Jensen Ackles: A Director’s Journey - The series star works behind the camera on Weekend At Bobby’s
o Supernatural And The Quest For The Soul
o “All Hell Breaks Loose” Parts 1 And 2 - Bonus episodes from Supernatural: The Anime Series
o Executive Producers Commentary on 2 Episodes
o “The French Mistake” Alternate Takes and Outtakes
o Gag Reel

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com