I never really enjoyed the later “mythology” episodes of the “X-Files,” but sat through them dutifully so that I could get to the delicious monster-of-the-week episodes. But, I’ve never felt that way about “Supernatural,” the CW’s scarily witty and wittily scary show about demon-hunting brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester.
This “Hardy Boys” meets “X-Files” meets “Route 66” hybrid started out with an engrossing mythology–as a babe, Sam was touched by a demon, so to speak–and the nefarious purpose has only been revealed in drips-and-drabs through each episode; a particularly delightful way to consume the conspiracy without ruling out the fun of the monster-of-the-week.
You see poor Sam, it turns out, has special demon-y powers with which he accidentally brought upon the Apocalypse. And to top it off, it seems that he is destined to be the human vessel of Lucifer. Which would be bad enough, but his own brother is destined to be the human vessel of the Archangel Michael. (And you just know there’s gonna be a massive throwdown.) Sound goofy enough yet? Well, Dean and rebelling angel Castiel are off to find God, to get him to right all these wrongs, but God has left the building, as Ezekiel says. A search for God on the same network that brought us “Gossip Girl?” Yes, and it doesn’t make me want to change the channel.
It is a real tribute to the writers that I am absolutely addicted to the storyline. Populating the episodes with such wonderful characters as the Prophet Chuck, the dry and funny Castiel, and Sam and Dean, and such zinging dialogue, grounds the drama in a way that brings the divine comedy/drama down to a human level.
In last night’s episode, Archangel Raphael laments that God has abandoned his angels, his children, that God is dead. But Dean and Castiel refuse to believe it, with Dean likening Castiel’s faith in the search to his own seemingly irrational faith that he would find his father way back in Season One.
There is nothing heavy-handed about the treatment, no religious proscriptions; just a son looking for his father. In fact, the entire series refreshingly imbues humanity with real divinity. I have to admit that I’m curious, and a bit wary, to see how they treat meeting God, and the hinted-at battle royale between the brothers, but I have faith that it will be anything but cliché. So, bring on the mythology!