Supernatural Season 10 Premiere Review: Black

This review of the Supernatural season 10 premiere contains spoilers.

As these “Road So Far” images flash by, we remember just how much Supernatural there’s been on TV. This is the beginning of the tenth season, a season in which we start out with brothers on the opposite side of the good and evil playing field. We hope our double-digit milestone will prove to be the season to beat all seasons. It’s a tough order to fill.

The opening with the strung up demon woman has a great reversal. When she muses that a Winchester is “one of us” we assume she’s talking about Dean. The camera whips around to show a furious Sam instead. Perhaps she was commenting on how far Sam is willing to go for information now. Season one Sam would not approve.

The Mark of Cain needs to be sated, and that’s just what Crowley does when he sends a couple of Abaddon’s remaining supporters after Dean. It’s sort of a training thing, and Crowley advocates that they go back to “work.” Demon Dean, however, is not all about this “work” nonsense. Demon Dean just wants to drink, party, and sleep with random women (and sing really bad Karaoke. What‘s that about a musical episode again?). Really, his demon side isn’t all that evil. In fact, we see a bit of his old heroic side when he beats the crap out of a woman’s abusive boyfriend. If only he knew when it was acceptable to stop. The Mark of Cain still has a malign influence on Dean, and violence is his answer.

We get an update on Castiel’s condition, and the scene opening in a crusty apartment lets us know Castiel’s physical condition before his pitiful coughing does. Our collective hearts break when he says he misses Dean. Sam decides to keep Castiel from the task of finding his brother—a decision he assumes will keep Cas out of harms way. Of course Angel Hannah would come to Cas with another job to fill.

The Angel Daniel expounds the beauty of freedom when Castiel and Hannah approach him and request he return to Heaven with the other angels. It’s another moment in the Supernatural universe when we realize—the angels have really crappy lives. No free will, and they often grow to despise humanity? That sucks. Our Castiel was lucky to break the mold. He bonded with the boys (mostly Dean) and experienced humanity up close and personal. He took something from that experience, while angels like Hannah are eager to get away from it.

After a lot of talky-scenes, the premiere picks up momentum again when Sammy’s car stalls, and the new hunter points out the kill switch in Sammy’s car, then the remote in his own hand. After a swift punch out, he gleefully says “Guess you’re a righty,” indicating the sling on Sam’s arm. Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with modern cars, but this kind of nonsense wouldn’t have happened if you drove that Impala, Sammy. Go with the classics.

Supernatural always has to balance very polarizing tones in an episode. The show is clearly in the horror genre, but has many light moments and episodes, and downright funny lines and characters. This episode was teased as both dramatic and comedic, playing up the funny bar scenes and the funny “Porn Guy” references. The episode didn’t seem to be sure where it wanted to be, emotionally. In fact, it didn’t feel like the most dynamic premiere I’ve seen in a while. I expect better from episode two. Let’s see an epic battle for Deanmon to save his brother (whom he still cares for, somehow) from the crazy new hunter in what looks to be one of the sets from Smallville.

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