Pilot (Supernatural)

"Pilot"
Supernatural episode
A woman pinned to the ceiling with flames erupting around her.
Mary Winchester was killed in the episode's teaser. A papier-mâché replica of the actress was ignited on a fake ceiling to accomplish the effect.
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 1
Directed byDavid Nutter
Written byEric Kripke
Cinematography byAaron Schneider
Editing byPaul Karasick
Production code475285
Original air dateSeptember 13, 2005 (2005-09-13)
Running time46 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
List of episodes

"Pilot" is the first episode of the television series Supernatural. It premiered on The WB on September 13, 2005, and was written by series creator Eric Kripke and directed by David Nutter. The Supernatural pilot introduced the characters of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), brothers who travel throughout the country hunting supernatural creatures, as they battled a ghostly Woman in White (Sarah Shahi) while searching for their missing father (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).

Kripke was developing the concept for ten years before it was greenlit as a television series. Before it could be filmed, the script underwent numerous revisions. The episode was produced in Los Angeles, though future episodes were filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, to save money. The episode established the series' tradition of a rock-music soundtrack, and included background music scored by Kripke's friend Christopher Lennertz. It received mixed reviews, with critics praising the horror elements but having varying opinions of the lead actors' performances.