Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 12, 2019

Longevity by itself is not the sign of a great show. It's rather a show's ability to maintain a freshness and appeal deep into its run. Of course, the two usually go hand-in-hand. And that's the success that defines Supernatural, Creator Eric Kripke's Horror/Adventure show which is set to enter its fifteenth, and final, season on the air. It will mark the end of a long and storied legacy that dates back to 2005. The show has remained faithful to its roots but still evolves its characters and complexities without the use of any debilitating crutches, even if various signs of fatigue are starting to show. Indeed, in season fourteen there's a feel of fatigue in the flow, a sense that the timing is inching ever more right to put a cap on the series. It's been a long run, a productive run, an engaging run, often an engrossing run, but one cannot escape the feeling that the characters, the actors, and the audience all are experiencing a bit of weariness that the home stretch of season fifteen will more than likely remedy en route to wrapping things up, and certainly with a few twists and more than a couple of bangs.

Note: Warner Brothers has released all previous thirteen seasons of 'Supernatural' to Blu-ray. It is highly recommended that newcomers go back and start at the beginning. For convenience, below is a link to each individual season listing.

• Season One
• Season Two
• Season Three
• Season Four
• Season Five
• Season Six
• Season Seven
• Season Eight
• Season Nine
• Season Ten
• Season Eleven
• Season Twelve
• Season Thirteen

Official synopsis: Sam and Dean have matched wits with monsters , demons, Heaven and Hell. But in season thirteen, the Winchesters stumbled upon a terrifying alternate universe -- an apocalyptic world where they were never born -- all while training Jack, the son of Lucifer, and trying to save their mother, Mary Winchester. The final battle with Lucifer and the archangel Michael altered the Winchesters' lives forever...and created an even greater threat for Sam and Dean. The boys are back and willing to risk everything for their loved ones in all 20 thrilling new adventures, including a historic 300th episode with a Winchester family reunion that will never be forgotten.

The season -- and much of the series -- revolves around that 300th episode, a terrific little slice of time with the Winchester family in "Lebanon." It's a moving family reunion episode that’s been a long time coming and executed with both classic Supernatural narrative lines and deep heartfelt content that feels like an emotional glue that's brought the entire series together. Supernatural has never been bereft of heartfelt content but this one's a doozy, in all the right ways, offering a story that's as compelling as it is moving, as true as it is tender, and as Supernatural as it gets.

Season 14 is otherwise a well-rounded, again if not a bit repetitive and rote, entry, pushing characters and story forward while engaging in much of the same, familiar, and comfortable dealings that have come to define the series in recent seasons. It's becoming a bit difficult to buy into the idea that everything the Winchesters face is anything more than a dramatic obstacle, not a truly perilous, life-threatening encounter. Will that change in season 15, with the potential for the series to turn back to so many of the brothers' past encounters all maybe looking for one more go at their nemeses? It's entirely possible and it's hard to imagine the season just continuing forward without any real challenge or sacrifice with series-defining consequences. After all, season 14 ends with a bang; the brothers learn much about who they are and how they've been doing what they do, but they also lose a key ally and find themselves in one of their most perilous positions yet. Chances are, season 15 is not going to disappoint.

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p presentation that is unsurprisingly not at all dissimilar from its recent brethren. It's been digitally sourced, of course, and yields high-end textural delights that allow viewers to explore every facial nook and cranny, stubble of beard hair, and other fleshy delights with ease. The image maintains positive sharpness for the duration, boasting good, clean definition to clothes and environments alike, of which there are many of both to explore. Colors are well-rounded, presenting more intense, more deeply saturated hues with boldness and complimenting those with grounded, realistic support tones. Skin tones appear accurate and black levels pleasantly deep and true. Viewers will note some flaws around the edges -- a little aliasing here, a jagged edge there -- but little reason to worry. Inherent video noise does populate much of the show, even in some moderately well-lit shots, scenes, and sequences. This is a strong, accurate presentation from Warner Brothers.

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is much like the accompanying video in that there's no major change from past, recent seasons. It's active and engaging, a pleasing symphony of music, action, and ambient effects that gel together in an always harmonious manner. Clarity to every element is superb. Music never misses a beat even through its fairly sizable stage engagement both along the front and considering its wrap into the rears. The low end drives fairly hard here and elsewhere in support of various effects. Action scenes are the top highlight, offering very impressive width, effortless flow around the stage, and perfect engagement with easy come balance and a well defined feel for both movement and orientation. Likewise, immersive atmospherics through various bustling locales pull the listener into each one, all presenting with harmonious accuracy and a sense of envelopment that is vital in defining any of the season's settings. Lastly, dialogue is clear and well prioritized from a natural front-center position.

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season contains supplements on all three discs, which include sporadic deleted scenes and a few commentary tracks to go along with the obligatory featurettes and a comic-con panel. The release ships in a slip box and includes a digital copy code.

Disc One:

• Deleted Scene (1080p, 0:31): A single scene from episode six, "Optimism."

Disc Two:

• Audio Commentary: Writer Davy Perez and Actors Briana Buckmaster, Samantha Smith, and Mark Pellegrino for episode 11, "Damaged Goods."
• Deleted Scenes (1080p): One scene from episode 11, "Damaged Goods" (0:51) and two scenes from episode 13, "Lebanon" (2:05).
• Supernatural Homecoming: Exploring Episode 300 (1080p, 19:18): A closer look at episode 300, "Lebanon." It explores key moments and characters from the past and returning or re-exploring them for this episode, John's appearance in the episode, episode themes, and more.

Disc Three:

• Audio Commentary: Actors Samantha Smith and Mark Pellegrino for episode 17, "Game Night."
• The Winchester Mythology: The Choices We Make (1080p, 24:51): A lengthy insight into the characters' arcs throughout the series and through this season.
• The Supernatural Comic-Con Panel for 2018 (1080i, 35:32): Rob Benedict, Richard Speight Jr., Robert Singer, Andrew Dabb, Eugenie Ross-Leming, Brad Buckner, Alex Calvert, Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, and Jared Padalecki chat up the show in front of a hyped audience.
• Deleted Scene (1080p, 1:23): A single scene from episode 19, "Jack in the Box."
• Gag Reel (1080p, 11:37): Humorous moments from the shoot.

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

No buyer's remote, no malcontent feelings, but it's certainly the right time for Supernatural to be eyeing its end. Season fourteen has its share of highlights and high points but it's also struggling to stay relevant. That doesn't mean it's struggling to remain entertaining, because it's not, but it's absolutely pushing a bit too hard to find a reason to stay on the air. No doubt that the occasion of its final season and closing episodes will reignite a spark that's a bit dimmer in season fourteen and hopefully result in the best Supernatural yet. Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season delivers a typical Blu-ray experience. Audio and video are fine and in-line with series standards. A nice helping of extra content is included. Recommended.