‘The Winchesters’: What Did You Think of the ‘Supernatural’ Prequel Premiere? (POLL)
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Winchesters series premiere.]
Dean (Jensen Ackles, narrating and reprising his role on-screen) says it best in the Winchesters series premiere: “Now, I know this story might sound familiar, but I’m going to put the pieces together in a way that just might surprise you, and in order to do that, I have to start all the way at the beginning.”
The Supernatural prequel tells the story of how Mary Campbell (Meg Donnelly) and John Winchester (Drake Rodger) met and fell in love. But first, John has to be introduced to the world of demons and monsters, which is exactly what happens after he comes home from the war in 1972. He crosses paths with Mary, first outside the movie theater, then as he’s looking for answers about his dad (Gil McKinney’s Henry — Supernatural fans know what happened to him) and a demon finds him. Mary easily dispatches of the demon (with holy water and an exorcism) before cluing John in on what actually exists in the world (including magic).
Mary’s dad (Tom Welling, beginning in Episode 7), too, is missing, having been on a hunt, and she’s now looking for schematics for a certain box. She just so happens to need to get into the same place that John has a key for, and inside, they discover it belonged to the Men of Letters. John finds his dad’s locker, but he still has plenty of questions, including the name of the young woman who saved him from the demon. Mary only gives it to him as they’re setting out to find Ada Monroe (Demetria McKinney), a lead in what happened to her dad. Mary’s friend Latika (Nida Khurshid) tries to get her to at least call Carlos (Jojo Fleites) in for help, but Mary refuses, given what happened last time. (He was busy making out with Mary’s ex-boyfriend and flaked on her.)
On their way to Ada’s, John admits he’s been seeing a fellow soldier who died after stepping on a landmine; he has pieces of his silver cross necklace in his arm. Mary takes out an EMF reader to show him he’s not being haunted. But she gets it: She sees the faces of everyone she couldn’t save, and she has yet to figure out how to cope with that.
Matt Miller/The CW
There is one problem: When they get to Ada’s, they find signs Samuel was there, but they’re too late. A demon has already possessed Ada (and is gone), and the one from earlier shows up in a new body. Enter Carlos, hitting the demon with a van (then holy water) and guiding John through his first exorcism. After, he does the sign of the cross to “Jimi, Janis, Jim Morrison, amen,” and focuses on what’s important: new clothes for John. (Carlos is already so much fun!)
With the demon problem handled, Mary, John, Carlos, and Latika look through Ada’s shop and find the schematics of that box: powered by dark magic, it traps and kills monsters. The runes just have to be traced in the right order. That’s when John comes in handy, recognizing a series of numbers as coordinates. That leads them to a cemetery in New Orleans (where we saw Samuel in the beginning of the episode).
On the way there and to the mausoleum where the box is, we find out that Latika feels like she owes Samuel, while Carlos shares a bit of his tragic introduction to hunting with John “Do all hunters have such tough beginnings?” the newbie to this world asks. “The only thing worse for how it starts for a hunter is how it ends,” Carlos informs him. We also learn that Mary’s cousin Maggie was killed by a vampire when she was 18. Mary wants out of the hunting life. In fact, she’s planning to walk away after she finds her dad. As for what she wants to do with the rest of her life, “I just want to live long enough to find out,” she tells John.
Matt Miller/The CW
Inside the mausoleum, they find Samuel’s lighter, and Mary and John head down through a hole to where they eventually find the box. But they’re attacked by a monster, and John uses the silver in his arm as a distraction, until Mary can drop him a silver blade to decapitate it. Meanwhile, Mary, Latika, and Carlos also deal with the possessed Ada, eventually using the box to trap the demon.
Back home, John shows his mom Millie (Bianca Kajlich) Henry’s things and asks how she kept it from him. She reminds him that she stayed. “When I was your age, all I wanted was this, my own garage, like my old man had. Then your dad and I met and we fell in love and it was just us. But then you were born, and I put you on my chest, and in that moment I knew I would do anything to keep you safe. Maybe one day when you have kids, you’ll understand,” she tells him. John gives her a letter from Henry (that’s McKinney’s voice): “If you’re reading this, then I’m gone. I’m sorry I kept the truth from you, John. There’s a dangerous world out there and our family has fought that danger for centuries. The answers to all your questions are at the address below. I love you and your mother, always.” Millie tries to warn him against going down that road, but John argues, “my entire life, I’ve been searching for something, and this is good versus evil, saving people, hunting things” — the family business! — “I was born to do this.”
Mary, John, Latika, and Carlos then meet with Ada, who recalls meeting Henry. All the Men of Letters she knew disappeared 15 years ago, she says. As for why Samuel wanted that box, it’s the only thing that can trop the Akrida, a malevolent force, a monster not of his world, that for centuries has been trying to invade. The Men of Letters got them every time, but they’re gone now. The Akrida want to wipe out everyone here, including demons and monsters, and take over their world. Samuel found evidence of the Men of Letters office in Savannah, which had records of how the Akrida crossed over in past. His plan was to find where coming in and use box to stop them. And so the five of them now have a new destination: Savannah.
The premiere ends on Dean, writing in his journal and leaning against Baby. “What they didn’t know was that the Akrida weren’t just a threat to Earth, but to all of existence. Now, like I told you, there’s going to be some surprises. Hell, I’m still trying to find all the puzzle pieces myself. But I’ll explain everything, and until then, I’ll keep picking the music,” he says before getting in the Impala and driving off.
The Winchesters pilot plays up the nostalgia just the right amount, with plenty to make Supernatural fans smile (though not in a way that’s overwhelming or would isolate new viewers). Among the highlights: a devil trap, a common theme (dad’s on a hunting trip and hasn’t been home in a few days), conversations about the life of a hunter on stairs, directors’ names — Kim Manners and David Nutter — and even the title card. Plus, there’s, of course Mary and John bumping into each other outside the theater showing Slaughterhouse-Five.
But what did you think of The Winchesters series premiere? Let us know in the poll below.
The Winchesters, Tuesdays, 8/7c, The CW
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P
If you love SPN, this is made for you. What an amazing show
19 7
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P
Very disappointed 😥
4
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G
Loved every minute! Amazing parallels to the original, but it also stands on its own as a great story. The cast blew me away.
5 3
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R
Was really hopeful but not impressed so far. Just couldn't hold my interest. Also, too much is changed from what was told about John's background in Supernatural. Will watch a few more hoping I can find that certain something to grab onto.
2 1
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P
Just waiting to see Scooby Doo pop up! Filming very supernatural like (much appreciated) but cast and storyline seems like watching a good ole mystery that they would have gotten away with if it wasn’t for those meddling kids!!
1
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C
I honestly didn't like it. It was honestly stupid,cheesy, ridiculous, and tries way too damn hard to be something it's not. The writing was terrible, along with the acting but the casts can only work with what they got. Which is a terrible script. This was done for the sake of money and not love of a show and it shows. Anyone who says it's brilliant and over hypes it are either kidding themselves, a heller, or just a die hard Jensen fan who sees that man can do no wrong.
5 4
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P
Loved the show!!! I hope there are many more!!!❤❤❤
4 3
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C
I'll probably love this series cause I love supernatural
3 2
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O
I loved everything about it.
4 3
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C
Keep it going i love it
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P
it was a great Pilot!!! I loved it and look forward to where it is going! It was so great to have that feel back missed SPN sooo much!
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C
It was good. The only thing is it's very different than what was described in Supernatural. Like John didn't start hunting til Mary died and Mary kept that part of her life a secret from John
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C
First episode was really good I love the the story line its different is gonna get better and better that was just the beginning
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O
All the way team jared no offense but sorry not feeling or seeing it luv the pic of jensen Jeffrey dean Morgan All forget jared in their
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O
Well besides the fact Jared's not in it right there is a total flop second what is it any of the wife's business it's their show not hers
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B
It was great. Can't wait for more. Bring back some characters as their younger selves please.
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R
Great start to the follow up on supernatural. Give them a bigger budget for better special affects.
1 1
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G
LOVE Supernatural so I was excited to watch The Winchesters. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. I'll likely watch a couple more episodes in the hopes it will become more interesting, but based on the pilot it doesn't hold a candle to Supernatural.
4 4
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C
If you loved SPN you remember things were not like this at all. Don't watch.
6 6
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B
I enjoyed it; the cast has great chemistry and I'm looking forward to seeing where the season goes. It's SPN but it's also it's own thing and that's okay.
2 3
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C
If you love SPN — stop everything and watch RIGHT NOW! It’s a perfect addition to the SPN universe
8 9
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O
Loved it, it had that same Supernatural vibe. Very well thought of plot. Hopefully this make it 15 seasons as well
2 4
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R
I think on a scale of 0-15 Seasons The Winchesters score a 1.5.
4 6
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O
Too much too soon. I guess i was picturing it showing each of their lives separately and then bumping into each other at the very end of the episode. And then trying to keep their secrets from each other in the following few episodes.
3 5
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B
If you love SPN then this show is not for you.
9 23