The 2007 Writers' Strike cut this season of Supernatural down to 16 episodes instead of the usual 22. Given that the season's major story arc gets a mite repetitive even at this leaner length - mostly because said arc's inclusion in any given episode is generally just a retread of the two Winchester boys having the same conversation over and over - the loss of 6 episodes might be a good thing, overall.
If you've read my previous reviews of the show, you know the basic concept we have here: two brothers roam the US, finding and dealing with all kinds of supernatural beasties. Demons, vampires, witches: they're all in here. The show then mixes this "monster of the week" formula with longer-running plotlines; the first two seasons were largely about chasing down "The Yellow-Eyed Demon" for instance, while this one is driven largely by the repercussions of their final showdown with him.
This season also introduces two new recurring characters. The first is Bela, a thief who specialises in occult items, and who becomes something of a thorn in the brothers' sides. The second is Ruby, a (nearly ten-year old spoilers!) demon who aids the brothers against her own kind. Of the two, I think Ruby works better - the writers seem to have been a little too fond of having Bela get one over on the Winchesters, which gets a bit wearing.
On an episode by episode basis, this season has its ups and downs. "Mystery Spot", for instance, is probably my least favourite episode to date, because of how dreadful the last fifteen minutes or so are. "The Kids Are Alright", on the other hand, is deliciously creepy, while "A Very Supernatural Christmas" and "Ghostfacers!" are both fun change-of-pace episodes.
Overall, if the whole "wandering monster hunters" premise sounds like your kind of thing, Supernatural remains worth a look.
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