The Winchesters Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Pilot
Megan Behnke
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The Supernatural journey finally continues!
The series premiere of The Winchesters is here, and it was nothing short of the supernatural.
On The Winchesters Season 1 Episode 1, John Winchester and Mary Campbell meet for the first time, and their lives are changed forever.
As a Supernatural fan, I can say with my whole heart that The Winchesters is such a great series.
Like a lot of fans, I was weary with how they would tell John and Mary's story since what was shown on Supernatural is different from the prequel series.
But this story, as different as it is, is so fresh and new and still keeps you glued to the screen.
Drake Rodger and Meg Donnelly portray John and Mary, taking up the mantles from Matthew Cohen and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Amy Gumenick and Samantha Smith.
Now, I know this story might sound familiar, but I'm gonna put the pieces together in a way that just might surprise you.
Dean
They bring such fresh perspectives to these characters that you have known for so long.
Although the story is a change from what we know, the characters are still familiar.
John has returned from the military trying to find anything about his father.
In Supernatural, we did find out that Henry wasn't around much when John was younger due to Men of Letters, which is also the case here.
My dad went hunting for demons, and now he's missing.
Mary
Mary, meanwhile, is a hunter, of course, trying to find her own father, who, wink wink, went to fight some demons and has gone missing.
Sound familiar?
The thing that is also great about The Winchesters is that you don't have to have any knowledge of Supernatural in order to be a fan or enjoy it.
The first episode introduces you to all the important characters and even tells you a little backstory.
This is when we're introduced to Carlos and Latika (or Lata).
Nothing more hydrating than holy water.
Carlos
Carlos Cervantez, portrayed by Jojo Fleites, is a very confident hunter.
But he definitely provides comedy when needed and is not afraid to show off his skills.
Lata, meanwhile, is a hunter-in-training and a librarian.
She will do anything to go on a hunting trip with Mary, no matter the risks.
The two of them are a force to be reckoned with, and it's nice to be following a team of hunters this time around.
The chemistry between John, Mary, Lata, and Carlos is certainly there, and I am so excited to see what this young group will bring to the table as they carry on the Supernatural legacy.
Of course, we have to talk about Dean Winchester making a return.
Jensen Ackles is always a delight to see, and him reprising Dean just feels right.
Although this series serves as a prequel, seeing and hearing Dean telling his parents' story straight from his dad's journal makes it feel like Supernatural.
And of course, we can't forget about the Baby appearance, as the car has been a character in the original series as long as Sam and Dean.
As for the actual story, it felt right at home with Supernatural.
As previously mentioned, both Mary and John are looking for their fathers or looking for answers about what happened to them.
Their research takes them to a bunker that will more than likely play a big part in the rest of the season/series if we are lucky enough to get another season.
Turns out, the truth is right here.
John
The bunker that is found turns out to be a Men of Letters bunker, though different from the one that was a prominent home for the Winchester brothers in the later seasons of the original series.
There, John finds out more about his dad being in the Men of Letters and realizes that he's been too hard on him for leaving.
For the first time, we are also introduced to Millie Winchester, John's mechanic mother.
We never met her in Supernatural, so to finally meet John's mom, played by Bianca Kajlich, was so great.
You learn the sacrifices Millie had to make in order to properly care for her son, and Henry's leaving was very hard on her, as was John enlisting in the Army.
We also learn that the only reason why John was able to enlist in the Army was because he forged his father's signature.
So even back then, John wasn't always the greatest, but he did what he had to do.
I really do love that this series gives you a set of new characters and stories to love, despite some of it already being established.
But they do it in a way that still feels like Supernatural, which of course, involves demon possession.
Let the past stay in the past.
Mary
Although this is only the first episode, there is so much potential for storylines that could further connect to Supernatural.
Again, with the story being different than what was already established, I didn't know how this show would go.
But after having seen the first episode, I have complete faith that the series will be a great one.
The Winchesters is the first spin-off of Supernatural to go to series after backdoor pilots for Supernatural: Bloodlines and Wayward Sisters failed.
And it's clear why The Winchesters came out on top.
Supernatural was based around the Winchester brothers.
So naturally, a spin-off would have to involve the Winchesters in some way. And what better way than to where it all started with their parents?
This also gives an excuse for Jensen Ackles to come back as Dean to share his parents' love story in a way that fans may not be familiar with.
As I said before, you don't have to have seen Supernatural in order to watch The Winchesters, as everything you need to know is pretty much explained in the first episode, which is nice.
But if you are a Supernatural fan, the series is a breath of fresh air from what we watched for 15 seasons.
Despite some of the story being different, it's a fun series, and the characters are all either relatable or kickass or both.
Saving people, hunting things. I was born to do this.
John
Seeing how these stories evolve throughout the season will definitely be something to look forward to.
It may be too early to think about any other Supernatural alum joining the series, but The Winchesters works pretty well on its own.
Okay, Fanatics, what did you think about the series premiere of The Winchesters?
Are you excited for the rest of the season? If you're a Supernatural fan, how do you think they're doing with the storytelling so far with John and Mary?
With the stories, the characters, and everything in between, I have no doubt that this show will go far. Maybe not as long as Supernatural, but hopefully for quite some time.
Drop your thoughts in the comments and be sure to watch The Winchesters online any time via TV Fanatic!
Megan Behnke was a staff writer for TV Fanatic, who you can follow on Twitter.
