Back in 2005, the networks were looking to cash in on the surprise success of the serialized, supernaturally-charged hit Lost. Everyone was looking to jump on the genre bandwagon. Not terribly surprising, most of them failed to live beyond their first season, and in one case not even complete its freshman outing. The shows included Invasion, Surface, and Threshold. On the final year of netlet WB's existence, the powers that be decided to dip their toes in the water. They chose to go with a series that was not completely serial in nature, but did have plenty of room to expand any mythological aspirations. It was the only one to make it to a second season. That show is Supernatural. It is now on the verge of kicking off its third season, and I am more than happy for it.

Season one followed the Winchester brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles), as they searched for their missing father. In between their efforts, they often took the time to chase a variety of demons, spooks, and specters. Always hanging just over their shoulder is the shadow of a certain demon, one that is intimately entwined with the Winchester family, having killed Sam and Dean's mother, as well as Sam's girlfriend. Apparently, it has some bigger plans for the brothers. As the first season came to a close, the duo had been reunited with their father and learned that the demon had plans for Sam. The season ended with the trio on the run in Dean's killer 1967 black Impala, only to be rammed by a possessed trucker in a big rig. Were they dead? We were forced to wait months to learn what happened to them.

Season two got off to a strong start with an episode called "In My Time of Dying." It picks up immediately after the season one ending crash. The trio are still alive, although Dean is in a coma-like state which leaves his soul wandering the hospital trying to communicate with his brother and father. It is a very good episode that does just what that movie The Invisible couldn't: solve the mystery of near death.

Following the first episode, the two brothers are left to hunt and search without their father. While they are on their own, they are not alone in their quest. They find new allies in their hunt. More importantly, the second season goes much further into building the series mythology and increasing the serialized nature of the show which has bubbled beneath the surface since day one. It is like a combination of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X-Files.