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Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Release:2009
Studio:Warner
Avg Rank: 4.5 of 5 from 208 reviews
actors: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Jim Beaver, Genevieve Cortese, Maite Schwartz
directors: Adam Kane, Charles Beeson, Eric Kripke, J. Miller Tobin, James L. Conway
List: $59.98 --
Amazon Price: $19.99 (USD)
| Format | Languages |
- AC-3
- Box set
- Color
- Dolby
- Dubbed
- DVD
- Subtitled
- Widescreen
- NTSC
| - English (Subtitled)
- French (Subtitled)
- Portuguese (Subtitled)
- Spanish (Subtitled)
- Chinese (Subtitled)
- Thai (Subtitled)
- English (Original Language)
- French (Dubbed)
- Japanese (Dubbed)
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Editorial Reviews
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Resurrection. After enduring unspeakable torture, Dean escapes from Hell, rescued by an all-powerful creature he's never seen before – an Angel – a warrior of God who recruits Sam and Dean into Heaven's battle against Hell. And there are whispers that a certain fallen angel will soon be freed from his prison deep in Hell: Lucifer. If Sam and Dean can't stop it – if Lucifer walks free – he’ll bring on the Apocalypse. Meanwhile, the Winchester Brothers reunite and hit the road, battling the supernatural wherever they go. They encounter demons, spirits, Dracula himself and even a drunk, heavily armed 7-foot-tall teddy bear. All the while, the ultimate war draws them into its horror throughout this enthralling 6-Disc, 22-Episode Season Four. Caught between Heaven and Hell, between God and the Devil, the Winchester brothers must battle for the future of humankind.
(Source:Description)
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When a television series opens its new season with a lead character crawling out of his grave after escaping Hell itself, one cannot help but wonder: how will the rest of the episodes ever follow that? In the case of Supernatural's fourth season, the answer comes from above with the introduction of Misha Collins's Castiel, an angel dispatched to rescue Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) from infernal torment and reunite him with brother Sam (Jared Padalecki) for a very special mission. That quest--to stop the demonic Lilith from opening the 66 seals required to bring Lucifer to Earth and launch the Apocalypse--forms the backbone of the 22 episodes, which takes some fairly adventurous risks with the core of the show. Chief among these is the rift that deepens between Dean and Sam as they attempt to work together, despite their divergent destinies; also agreeable is the season's tonal shift away from its previous Monster of the Week format (though that's still intact for many episodes) and toward a single, more ambitious story and thematic arc. The sea change deepens the show's drama, intensifies the level of suspense and stakes in each episode, and pushes it several big steps away from its teen-friendly origins. Of course, there's still plenty of the show's trademark irreverence and humor to be found, especially in the clever "Monster Movie," which pits the brothers against a Shapeshifter that takes the form of classic movie fiends, and "The Monster at the End of This Book," where Sam and Dean discover a comic book with plot lines very similar to their own lives. By the time Supernatural's fourth season reaches its cliffhanger ending with "Lucifer Rising" (the title neatly sums up the plot), viewers should be fairly hungering for the next episode--a good sign that a veteran series is still hitting its stride. Extras on the six-disc set include commentary for three episodes: "In the Beginning," with executive producer Eric Kripke and writer Jeremy Carver; "When the Levee Breaks," with director Robert Singer and writer Sara Gamble; and "Lucifer Rising" with Kripke. Extended scenes are also available for several episodes, and the features are rounded out by a trio of somewhat ponderous featurettes on the concepts of Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell, as depicted in scenes from the show and discussed by its writers, theologians, paranormal investigators, and the like. Clocking in between 10 and 25 minutes apiece, the docs feel padded and somewhat undernourished in the information department. However, they're unlikely to detract from one's enjoyment of this stellar season. --Paul Gaita
(Source:Amazon.com)
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Customer Reviews
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Angels and Demons and Winchesters
Reviewer:
Courtney A. Walters
Rating: 5 of 5
I highly anticipated the return of Supernatural after the cliff hanger we were left with on Season Three. So far [there's still a couple more episodes of season four which have yet to air] this season has not been disappointing. From the beginning, with Dean escaping from Hell, to this raging war between the angels and demons, this is one action packed adventure and thrilling ride to be on. I have watched this show from it's debut, and it just keeps getting better. I don't want to reveal too much information for those who read this and have not watched SPN, and I also can't comment as much as I'd like because the season has not yet finished. However, I couldn't wait 'til it's completion to fill out a review for it, and I have definitely put this box set on Alert so that I know immediately when it's released this Fall [more than likely]. I can't wait to have these episodes on DVD to rewatch and relive. I highly recommend this show to anyone; this season stands so far to be the best of SPN yet.
Just wanted to add to my review quick: a lot of people seem to be wishing for a Supernatural soundtrack. Here are 2 awesome sites that will give you a list of songs played in every episode from Season One to Season Four. So get to downloading and making a SPN playlist of your own! :)
Edit: I'm so sorry; every time I put the URLs in for the sites, Amazon doesn't show them.. I'm going to try putting them into a comment for this review so check there if you're interested!
(2009-03-20)
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Fang-tastic Show!
Reviewer:
Jason King
Rating: 5 of 5
Supernatural, season 4 makes up for the 17 episodes of season 3 (thanks WGA people!)with a full 22 episode run. This is a rare gem of a show where I find myself rewatching a season every 3-4 months (never, ever boring). Seriously, this show has become something of a religion and has re-introduced me to classic, old school rock from the likes of AC/DC & Grand Funk Railroad.
Outstanding episodes here include: In The Beginning (where we see a smoking hot actress called Amy Gumenick as a young Mary Winchester); Metamorphosis; After School Special; Jump The Shark (which was Eric Kripke's in-joke about Chad Michael Murray being a third Winchester brother and introduces us to a new foe); The Rapture; Family Remains (unusually news topical) and saving the best for last: Yellow Fever, where at the very end, we have Dean Winchester doing his rendition of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" - believe me, you will watch that scene again and again! It's no wonder youtube get so many hits on it everyday and proves 80s rock DOES ROCK!!
On a sad note, this series marked the passing away of Kim Manners, who was very much a creative force in terms of direction, the overall look and feel of the show. We miss you, buddy - RIP.
As per usual, Jared Padalecki & Jensen Ackles are outstanding as Sam & Dean Winchester. Jensen is very much the Han Solo character who gets to quip funnier lines and pop culture references throughout; whilst poor old Jared has cranked up the emotional steering wheel 3 notches and is a revelation in the process. Fans of Heroes often do the Hiro scrunchy face when he time travels, but for me, I always do the Sam stretching-his-hand-out-before-extracting-a-demon-from-its-host routine. Before long, everyone will be copying it! These two actors have a chemistry I haven't seen since Niles & Frasier Crane. Also have to say kudos to Misha Collins as Cassiel, whom I really got used to, even if he does annoy Dean most of the time!
Whilst watching Shatner & Nimoy in Mind Meld, it was great seeing these legends of screen & TV, discussing their fond memories on Star Trek and personal lives. I hope that one day, we'll get Jensen & Jared doing the same about Supernatural.
PS: Don't be frustrated about the final scene of Lucifer Rising - Eric Kripke is genius personified and trust that he knows what he's doing - especially if season five is going to be the last. It's a classic cliffhanger, but the guessing game is on for what hell Lucifer will unleash! Forget girly rubbish like Twilight and stick to the real deal that is Supernatural!
(2009-05-17)
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outstanding!
Reviewer:
Ireul
Rating: 5 of 5
Supernatural, is clever, funny, relevant, and scary. With real characters we can care about and amazing situations that are rendered believable by the down to earth dialogue and event progression, this is a groundbreaking show. Gritty, real, and chock full of amazing effects this series is a must see for any Sci-Fi or Horror fan or anyone who is interested in being entertained. Written with a nod to the intelligence and humor of its audience I cannot rave enough about this series, every season keeps improving on the last and continuing the entire overall arch of the Winchester's with the legitimacy of any other genre. ABSOLUTELY watch.
(2009-01-17)
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Supernatural's 4th is 'Angelic'
Reviewer:
Barry
Rating: 5 of 5
Even though season three of "Supernatural" was tragically cut short because of the writer's strike, 16 episodes instead of the usual 22, it never came up short. It ended the season with one massive cliffhanger and left it's fans and viewers wanting to race through the summer to see what happened. Dean had to beat the clock thanks to his deal with the crossroads demon, and when the season ended, it left many people wondering how in the world it could continue. What did creator Eric Kripke have up his sleeve?. Will the show ever be the same?. Season four is still currently airing as of this writing, with only one more episode to go. The big season finale. It is sure to be brilliant thanks to an already brilliant season. So, what does season four have in store?. Let's get into it(without being spoilery)....
The basic premise for season 4 concerns Dean Winchester(the continually show stealing Jensen Ackles)and his reappearance out of hell. He and the others will wonder how it happened, who did it, and if it plays a bigger part in something. Brother Sam(Jared Padalecki)has his own demons, all the while the two of them still traveling the highways and back roads of America hunting down evil...with some new help along the way in the form of Castiel(Misha Collins).
Season four of "Supernatural" displays the show at it's very best. I have been thrilled and overjoyed with each passing season, one just as great or better than the last, and season 4 has truly elevated the show to another level. The scares, humor, and brotherly drama is all there in full force, but it seems so much more epic. The writers and everyone behind the scenes have thrown everything out there to deliver a whopper of a season. So, what to expect?. The season premiere, "Lazarus Rising", is the best season premiere of the show by far. It answers some questions, raises some more, and has a glorious introduction to Castiel. Perfect beginning. Other highlights of season 4 include "In The Beginning", which features a great guest appearance by Mitch Pileggi, Skinner on "The X Files". It's a great 'Back To The Future-esque' type episode that reveals some new surprises of the Winchester family. And they keep a comin' this season!. A top highlight is the fantastic "Monster Movie", a loving homage to the horror movies of the 30's and 40's, complete with the right staging, lighting, music and, best of all, shot in black and white. "It's The Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester" is a very cool Halloween episode. Fans waiting for the show to do an episode on the holiday shouldn't be disappointed. "Family Remains" is a classic horror story with a fun twist; "Afterschool Special" is a wonderful flashback episode looking at the Winchester bros in, you guessed it, high school; "Jump The Shark" is a shocking episode that puts a new wrinkle in the Winchester family; "The Monster At The End Of The Book" is just great. What may seem like a stand alone, quickly veers deep into the show and it's ongoing arc this season. The first few minutes are side splitting hilarious as the show takes a 'wink, wink, nudge, nudge' approach at it's own self and the fans. There are many more great episodes and moments, like the return of two fan favorites in "Are You There God?, It's Me, Dean Winchester", radical wishes coming true in "Wishful Thinking", and so much more. Bigm arc heavy episodes abound in "On The Head Of A Pin", "When The Levee Breaks", and others. Not a stinker in the bunch.
Season four is filled to the brim with excitement, action, scares, chills, and plenty of new unbelieveable twists, turns, and surprises. It could of all veered off course if it weren't for the incredible Eric Kripke, and all of the amazingly talented people working on the show. Of course, the shows rests on the shoulders of the Winchester boys themselves, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki. Ackles continues to knock it out of the park and continuously impresses with each passing season. He gets plenty to chew on here. Padalecki really came into his own as Sam in season 2 and has continued to evolve from there. He gets some juicy stuff here in season four and he takes Sam to places we haven't seen before. It turns into some tight drama, and the brother/family drama that the show is so much about is tested throughout the season. Elsewhere, Jim Beaver continues to be a strong asset to the show(and the boys)as Bobby, and Genevieve Cortese takes over the role of Ruby(replacing Katie Cassidy, who I liked better in the role). Misha Collins, as Castiel, is a wonderful new addition to the show. He has the right balance of mysteriousness with Castiel.
In the end, season four shows a series that is at the top of it's game. Hitting on all cylinders. Supernatural, like Buffy, just grows and grows from season to season, deepening it's story and inner family turmoil, with plenty of shocking surprises and twists along the way. Season four of Supernatural is shocking, brave, brilliant, witty, scary, and exciting. One can only wonder what Kripke and Co. have in store for us for season five.
(2009-05-02)
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A rarity for a show to get better and better as time goes on!
Reviewer:
Lydia Atsma
Rating: 5 of 5
As shows age, it is a very rare thing for it to grow in plot and suspense. But Supernatural is one of those rare gems that seems to do just that. As each season goes it grows into itself and I can't turn away. I can't wait for this season to finish and come out on DVD it truely is an under-rated masterpiece.
(2009-04-01)
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