I am rarely impressed by television shows. Generally they disappoint me and are a waste of my time.
The only show I ever truly loved was Firefly and I didn't find it until it had been canceled for two years so my timing was a bit off.
But a fellow Toledoan changed my mind. Eric Kripke created a show that had me falling head over heels again.
When Supernatural aired I had read what the show was about and wasn't interested, but I instructed my husband to download the pilot for me so I could watch it when I had time. I dreaded it. I adored one of the actors, Jensen Ackles, left, from other projects and the idea he was on a television channel that rarely netted any respect from me (The WB, now The CW) didn't convince me to give it a chance.
Much like Mariah's mistaken view of Moonlight that has since been corrected, I found myself thinking the show was cheesy at best based on the idea that two men, brothers, go around chasing ghosts. It's so much more, though.
When I finally watched the first episode, I was expecting dumb humor, but got the real back and forth wit of two brothers. I also noticed some familiar names as Kripke wove in his ties to northwest Ohio to the show. Every street name in the series can be found somewhere in Toledo. Recently, when the license plate changed on their car, it was switched to an Ohio plate. A down to earth creator was only part of the draw for me, though.
The chemistry between the two actors was amazing and continues to carry the show to new heights today as they prepare to start their fourth season.
I watched the show hungrily, blowing off such hits as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Grey's Anatomy.
Supernatural features two brothers who lost their mother when a demon killed her. Dean Winchester, played by Ackles, was four and Sam Winchester, played by Jared Padalecki, was six months old. While Dean has fond memories of the normal life they once shared, Sam only knows the life their father thrust them into for the sake of revenge.
John Winchester watched his family fall apart and learned many facts about things that go bump in the night. Sam's role was to stay innocent and Dean's was to be John's little soldier, despite the loss of childhood innocence.
Now, the two boys drive around the country in a beautiful muscle car, a '67 Chevy Impala, listen to classic rock regularly, dig up graves and salt and burn bones to stop spirits from tormenting the innocent.
While technically heroes, their upbringing has some dire consequences when ghosts probe at the men's weaknesses as you can see from the trailer for Season 1's "Asylum."
Their life was difficult at best and eventually Sam left to go to college and get away from the crazy ghosthunters his family had become. Dean, after John disappears, finds Sam and they 
search for their father together. Just when Sam is ready to tell his big brother goodbye again, his girlfriend, Jessica, left, is killed by the same demon who killed his mother. He packs his things and goes back on the road.
The first season revolves around trying to find their father. The second season has more to do with Dean hating himself and thinking he isn't worthy of his life. It also covers the mystery of who the demon is and why he was so intent on picking at the Winchester family.
The third season is easily my favorite. Dean has always been the protector of his baby brother and that switches completely as Sam finally understands how much his brother has given up for him. That knowledge propels him to fight for Dean at any cost and Heaven help anything or anyone that attempts to hurt his brother in any way.
The fact that these men fight beasts and things that the average person considers urban legends is always at the forefront, but there is an underlying family drama underneath all of that and when it shows up, it leaves you breathless at the uniqueness and yet the reality of the famly dynamic it reveals. When I say breathless, by the way, that would be from laughing so hard that you can't come up for air. Check out the brotherly moments that keep me coming back for more.
Dean is supposed to be the man who won't settle down and goes through women like disposable contacts while Sam is the brother who wants a normal life with the white 
picket fence. Eventually you discover that Sam wants to hunt down every evil thing out there more than anything else while Dean secretly dreams of having a wife and child to love. Through it all, family is the main reason they both survive the things that come at them weekly. If you have any siblings or even a best friend, you'll understand how special the brotherly relationship is with these two.
While I think everyone should watch this show which comes back on the air on Kripke's 34th birthday, April 24, at 9 p.m. on The CW, I'd suggest you do whatever it takes to watch the first two seasons on DVD first. Mariah and I insisted our two co-workers give the show a chance. They only saw the pilot episode. That's all it took. Both of them have borrowed our first season set DVDs and they're both making their way through them quickly because Supernatural isn't a show you can just turn off and it will receive weekly comments by me for the last few episodes. It's much more deserving than Beauty and the Geek anyway.
I urge you to give it a chance. 
Adventure, a tiny bit of romance, humor and some situations that really make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. What could be better than that in a show?
~Chandra
Hey, the complete third season is being released September 2. That's a lot earlier than other years I think and in time for my birthday present to be not too late. ;)
The features have also been announced, but I'm not sure if this is all of them or not. As far as I know the details are still unsure, but there are at least these lovely surprises on the DVD. 
GhostFacers! Confessionals Minifeaturette Gallery - I'm not sure what this is exactly or what it may entail, but that ep was hilarious so I'm sure I'll be impressed. 
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