Supernatural Psychology

Supernatural is arguably the best American fantasy horror television series to date. With fast paced action, every monster from one’s childhood (and some not), great music, and an amazing car; this show takes its audience on the adventure of a lifetime. The main characters, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jenson Ackles) Winchester, are not only brothers, they are hunters. Their mother was killed by a demon twenty-two years ago, now their father is missing after a hunting trip. Dean tracks Sam down at college to help him do what their father raised them to do: hunt monsters. Along the way, they collect clues to the whereabouts of their Dad.

As the oldest, Dean is very protective of Sam, often referring to him as “Sammy.” Because Dean was four

Each one will have viewers on the edge of their seat wondering if the boys are going to win, or if their time has finally come. In season two Sam was killed and Dean made a deal with a crossroads demon to bring him back. Crossroads demons are demons whose sole purpose is to make binding contracts for one’s soul. This ode to Faust is a special Easter egg for the diehard horror fans. The deal is, they grant almost any wish, and in exchange they claim the person’s soul at a fixed point in the future. In return for Sam being brought back to life, Dean got one year before he had to pay up. I think this story line had such an impact on fans because of the real underlying question: How far would one person go to save a loved one? This example, like many others, is just one aspect of the show that has fans coming back season after

Now there’s acting, and there’s good acting. Anyone can stand in front of a camera and recite a script, but the ones that can make the viewer forget for a second that the show is fiction, those are the ones I want to see. The joy of watching a scene unfold; being so caught up in the actor’s performance that everything in the real world melts away and all that is left is the character on the screen. In season six, Sam returns from Hell minus one important piece of himself: his soul. Jared Padalecki plays “soulless Sam” in such a subtle but profound way that the viewer gets the feeling that this is not the same person even before it’s revealed what’s going on. He effectively managed to rip away all emotion and character traits and still stay in character. One fan wrote, “From the very beginning, Jared Padalecki has embarked with great talent and passion on this perilous quest. Bound by camera angles, page limits, special effect preparations, expense accounts and tight schedules, he manages to breathe life into a character in a most amazing manner” (Jasminka). Good acting, in my opinion, is an actor that can get an audience so in tune to their character’s personality that even the slightest change in demeanor will immediately throw up red flags in their heads. Jared Padalecki’s performance of Sam Winchester does just