Sunday, September 27, 2015

Supernatural: Top 50 Episodes (Seasons 1-10)

As we near the coming of the landmark eleventh season of Supernatural, I've paused to reflect on the past ten seasons. There have been highs and lows, good seasons and not so good seasons, and a whopping 218 episodes. I thought about going through and ranking every single episode, but honestly, that seemed a monumental and WAY too difficult a task to complete. I don't even really remember some episodes that well, which would mean having to go through and watch a bunch of mediocre ones again, and... yikes. That would take up WAY too much time.

So, I decided to sort of split the difference and go with the top 50 episodes instead. This task was still somewhat difficult, as once I got past the top 30, many episodes still kind of got a shoulder shrug reaction from me. Nonetheless, I have prevailed!

What I found most interesting were the number of episodes from each season that made it into the top 50. Season 5 led the pack with a whopping 9 episodes, which amounts to about 18% of the entire top 50 episodes. All in all, the first five seasons hold 72% of the top 50 episodes, with the last five seasons only getting 28%. Clearly, I favor the Kripke years here. For a complete breakdown of episodes by season, see below:

Season 1 - 5 eps
Season 2 - 7 eps
Season 3 - 7 eps
Season 4 - 8 eps
Season 5 - 9 eps
Season 6 - 2 eps
Season 7 - 4 eps
Season 8 - 2 eps
Season 9 - 3 eps
Season 10 - 3 eps

Without further ado, let's get on with it.

50. Weekend at Bobby's (6x04)

Supernatural 6x04 - Weekend at Bobby's

Rufus: Oh, good, you’re home! Listen. You gotta help me bury a body.

Seeing things from Bobby's perspective was interesting, particularly how it's clear the boys become a little too reliant on him being a fount of knowledge at all times. For a character that was only meant to be in maybe one or two episodes, he sure became an important part of the series.

49. Sacrifice (8x23)

Supernatural 8x23 - Sacrifice

Abaddon: Hello boys.
Crowley: That's my line.

Everything from season eight led up to that final scene with Sam and Dean. Sam, ready to sacrifice himself to close off Heaven and Hell. Dean, not ready to let him go. Selfish? Yes. But this Winchesters above all else is a continuous theme. Seeing all of the angels plummet to Earth was a pretty cool ending cliffhanger as well. 

 

48. Lucifer Rising (4x22)

Supernatural 4x22 - Lucifer Rising

Dean: Sammy, let's go.
Sam: Dean... he's coming.

For everyone that hated Ruby, she finally got her just desserts in this finale. But not before she got Sam to also kill Lilith and thus let Lucifer free of his cage. A big set up for the fifth season, and a culmination to one of the strongest seasons of the series.

 

47. Book of the Damned (10x18)


Castiel: Your carpal tunnel and your bullet wound are now healed. You may want to continue wearing your wrist brace at night, though.
Charlie: Did we just become best friends? 

Castiel finally gets his grace back. And also finally meets Charlie, which seems odd. The group finds the Book of the Damned that they hope will free Dean from the Mark of Cain, though the book does look like it may be more trouble than its worth. 

 

46. The Girl With the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo (7x20)

Supernatural 7x20 - The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo

Dean: She's kind of like the little sister I never wanted. 

Two Charlie episodes back to back on here? Yes, while I thoroughly enjoyed Charlie as a character, there were still other, stronger, episodes that beat these ones out. This episode was where we first met her in her native habitat before getting all enveloped in the supernatural world. Always a welcome source of humor in otherwise dark times.

 

 45. First Born (9x11)

Supernatural 9x11 - First Born

Crowley: So, what do you call this decor, anyway? Rustic obsessive? Paranoid deco?

The introduction to the bad ass that was Cain, and the start down the path of the Mark of Cain that would become the bane of my existence in season 10. Sorry, it lasted way too long. But back in the beginning, it was an interesting concept.

 

44. Abandon All Hope (5x10)

Supernatural 5x10 - Abandon All Hope

Sam: It's gotta be a trap, right?
Dean: Sam Winchester, having trust issues with a demon. Well, better late than never.

Did you know it wasn't until this episode that Crowley actually was introduced? Crazy, I know. It feels like he's been around forever. Of course, this episode is most memorable for the loss of two strong female hunters in the Harvelle women. Jo was a tough character to like sometimes, but I don't think anyone wished her to die quite like this, especially not taking her mom Ellen out with her.

 

43. Heart (2x17)

Supernatural 2x17 - Heart

Sam: Dean, always with the scissors. 

This was one of those episodes where the case started to become more personal for the Winchesters. And what really started that whole thing about any woman who sleeps with Sam being destined to die. I guess you could say Jess started that, maybe? Anyway, this episode was lighthearted at first, then became super poignant in the end, which is something the show has usually done pretty well.

 

42. The Kids Are Alright (3x02)

Supernatural 3x02 - The Kids Are Alright

Dean: You know, just for the record... you got a great kid. I would've been proud to be his dad.

Putting any feelings toward season six aside, everyone wished Dean had been able to have his happy ending with Lisa and Ben. This is an example of the audience getting what they wanted eventually, and it not being quite what they hoped for. Anyway, this episode featured Dean getting close to a kid who was very similar to him, and the first time we find out Ruby is a demon.

 

41. Something Wicked (1x18)

Supernatural 1x18 - Something Wicked

John: All right. If something tries to bust in?
Young Dean: Shoot first, ask questions later.
John: That's my man.
The first time we get to see the Weechesters, though not the most poignant time. Still, this was an episode that showed a glimpse into the Winchester past, which was much needed at the time, and also paralleled what was going on in the case of the week. Perhaps some of the other episodes I ranked lower are more memorable than this one, but I just enjoy this episode, period.

 

 40.  Free to Be You and Me (5x03)

Supernatural 5x03 - Free to Be You and Me

Castiel: This is a den of iniquity. I should not be here.
Dean: Dude, you full-on rebelled against Heaven. Iniquity is one of the perks.

Honestly I'm just obsessed with the montage set to Simple Man in the beginning of this episode. I love it. There was also some comedy there with Castiel trying to be a hunter with Dean, and the emotional struggle of Sam fighting against Lucifer taking on the form of Jess.

 

39. Death's Door (7x10)

Supernatural 7x10 - Death's Door

Bobby: Idjits.

This episode might have ranked higher if they didn't mess it up by bringing Bobby back as a ghost. I will forever and always HATE that story line. But this episode itself was very affecting, and one of the few times we get a glimpse into Bobby's mysterious past.

 

38. Home (1x09)

Supernatural 1x09 - Home

Mary: You get out of my house. And let go of my son.

The beginning of the first season of Supernatural was really just introducing the various ghosts and creatures the boys would have to face. Here was when things started to veer more toward the personal, and all for the better. They had to go home to their old house in Lawrence, KS for the first time ever, and we met Missouri, who sadly was never seen again on the show. A shame.

 

37. Brother's Keeper (10x23)

Supernatural 10x23 - Brother's Keeper

Sam: What evil?
Dean: The Darkness.
Sam: What the hell is that?
Dean: Well, what does it sound like? Does it sound like a good thing?
Everything in season 10 led up to this finale. Dean's struggle with the Mark. Sam's journey to find a way to rid him of it. The return of everybody's favorite - Death. And the set up of what they'll be facing the next season - The Darkness. Personally the final scene went a little too melodramatic, and that's why this episode is probably not higher on the list. 

 

36. #thinman (9x15)

Supernatural 9x15 - #thinman

Harry: Ah, the Winchesters. Yay.
Ed: Says nobody...
Harry: Ever!
Some of you may disagree with this one, but I always love the Ghostfacers. This episode was particularly poignant as what Ed and Harry were going through was a sort of mirror for what Sam and Dean were going through as well. And they just add some levity to the proceedings that is sorely needed sometimes. Plus, the episode was just well-crafted and full of pop culture references.

 

35. Changing Channels (5x08)

Supernatural 5x08 - Changing Channels

Dean: Hey there, Sam. What's happening?
Sam: Oh, nothing. Um. Just the end of the world.

I'm pretty sure some people have this episode rated much higher in their own personal rankings. And while I did enjoy it (how could you not?), with all of the references to other series and it just being generally funny, I didn't personally like the revelation that the Trickster was actually another dang angel. Enough with the angels, already!

 

34. Repo Man (7x15)

Supernatural 7x15 - Repo Man

Hallucifer: Oh well, that's every cell phone Dean's got. One of them should have picked up, right. Big brother's probably dead.
Sam: Shut up.
Hallucifer: He said "shut up" to me.
I thought this episode was constructed very well. The reveal that the kinda dopey guy was actually this terrible person was unexpected. And Hallucifer was always entertaining, even if he was royally screwing with Sam's head. 

 

33. No Rest for the Wicked (3x16)

Supernatural 3x16 - No Rest for the Wicked

Bobby: Family don't end with blood, boy.

The culmination to Dean's deal at the end of season two comes to a head in the season three finale. I'm sure most of you know by now, but apparently if the show had done the full 22 episodes for that season rather than the 16 due to the writer's strike, they would've found a way to save Dean. And how many great episodes would we have lost because of that? Honestly, I wish all of their seasons were only 16 episodes.

 

32. Tall Tales (2x15)

Supernatural 2x15 - Tall Tales

Bobby: No, come on. You're bickering like an old married couple.
Dean: No, see married couples can get divorced. Me and him, we're like, uh, Siamese twins.
Sam: It's conjoined twins!
Dean: See what I mean?
This episode was one of the first times the show went for a full comedy hour. Seeing the different perspectives of both Sam and Dean in certain situations was pretty hilarious. And, of course, it was the first introduction of Richard Speight Jr.'s Trickster/Gabriel. A classic episode all around.

 

31. Fan Fiction (10x05)

Supernatural 10x05 - Fan Fiction

Sam: Wait where's Chuck?
Marie: Oh, I love him I do, but honestly the author inserting themselves into the narrative thing, it's just not my favorite. I kind of hate the meta stories.
Sam & Dean: Me too. 

That line is just funny because this is totally a meta-ish episode. For longtime fans of the show, this episode was a nice homage to where's it has come from over the years, and some of the songs were even a bit catchy. If you'd never seen the show before, of course, you'd have no idea what was going on, but that's kind of the point of episodes like these.

 

30. Do You Believe in Miracles? (9x23)

Supernatural 9x23 - Do You Believe in Miracles?

Dean: What happened to you being okay with this?
Sam: I lied.
Dean: Ain't that a bitch.
In some ways, this finale was a companion to the season two finale when Sam was stabbed and died. Of course, Sam did not have the Mark of Cain on him, eating away at his soul, so that turned out a bit differently. The demon eyes reveal at the end of the episode definitely left fans on the edge of their seats for the following season. Dean as a real demon? Uh oh.

 

29. Pilot (1x01)

Supernatural 1x01 - Pilot

Dean: House rules, Sammy. Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole.

The one that started it all. The case of the week is largely forgettable, but this episode was really all about two brothers reconnecting after years apart, and of course introduced everyone to the freaky deaths of both Mary and Jess, which was the driving force behind much of the plot for a while.

 

28. Monster Movie (4x05)

Supernatural 4x05 - Monster Movie

Dean: The hero gets the girl, monster gets the gank. All in all, happy ending -- with a happy ending, no less.
Sam: Real classy, Dean.

Just in time for the Halloween season, the show gave us a nice homage to the monster movies of the past, including mummy, werewolves and Dracula. By far one of my favorite scenes of the series is when the Dracula guy is getting a pizza and has a coupon. It turned the regular monster-of-the-week theme on its head a bit, which was nice as well.

 

27. Born Under a Bad Sign (2x14)

Supernatural 2x14 - Born Under a Bad Sign

Sam: Dean, the yellow-eyed demon, you know he has plans for me. And we both know that he's turned other children into killers before, too.
Dean: No one can control you but you.

The boys can be possessed too! At least until they get special tattoos to ward off demon possession. But this showed a darker side of Sam that we'd never really seen before. It showed just how far he could possibly go down the demon-y path if things didn't go right, and was one of the first times Sam was just scary.

 

26. Yellow Fever (4x06)

Supernatural 4x06 - Yellow Fever

Dean: Sam, I'm not gonna make a left-hand turn into oncoming traffic. I'm not suicidal... Did I just say that? That was kind of weird.

Dean gets infected with some kind of ghost sickness thing, and we get another fun episode. Seeing Dean become increasingly afraid of pretty much everything was hilarious, especially since Jensen clearly was having a good time doing it. The show was starting to hint more and how terrible Dean's time in Hell was here, particularly with his various hallucinations.

 

25. Goodbye Stranger (8x17)

Supernatural 8x17 - Goodbye Stranger

Meg: Why are you sweet on me Clarence?
Castiel: I still don’t know who Clarence is. 

The Meg-Castiel almost romance was certainly one of the odder pairings in the Supernatural universe, but somehow it kind of worked. So, it was a bit sad to see Meg finally meet her end. She was certainly one of the most enduring recurring characters on the show, having been around since season one. This episode also featured that famous Cas almost killing Dean scene that I know a lot of people probably love as well.

 

24. The End (5x04)

Supernatural 5x04 - The End

Future Chuck: Some free advice? You ever get back there, you hoard toilet paper. You understand me? Hoard it. Hoard it like it's made of gold. 'Cause it is.
Dean: Thank you, Chuck.
Future Chuck: Oh, you'll thank me, all right. Mark my words.

I wasn't as big of a fan of this episode as some others were. Which is odd, because I am always a fan of time travel, parallel universe type stories. But this one was just so bleak, it was hard to really like the episode. I mean, that was sort of the point. There were a few tiny moments of levity, with Future Cas being kind of a hippie, but it was really all about that scene between Samifer and Dean there at the end.

 

23. My Bloody Valentine (5x14)

Supernatural 5x14 - My Bloody Valentine

Dean: Is this a fight? Are we in a fight?
Castiel: This is... their handshake.
Dean: I don't like it.
Castiel: No one likes it.
Another strong one from season five, which has a lot of great episodes in general. Everyone gets affected by the horseman Famine. Everyone except for Dean, that is. Because he's not been dealing with the idea of the whole Lucifer/Michael business very well. The whole end of the world bit. It was a great way to show that he was on the verge of giving up.

 

22. Dark Side of the Moon (5x16)

Supernatural 5x16 - Dark Side of the Moon

Ash: This ain’t the first time here. I mean, you boys die more than anyone I’ve ever met.
Dean: Really.
Ash: Ah, yeah... you don’t remember. God! Angels. Must’ve Windexed your brain. 

From that opening scene where the two guys shoot the Winchester brothers in their hotel room, to the heaven memories, this episode has a lot to love. Not to mention the return of both Ash and Pamela. It delved into some deep issues while also revisiting a very tear-inducing moment between young Sam and Dean setting off fireworks. Also showed the way the brothers viewed their childhoods so differently.

 

21. Nightshifter (2x12)

Supernatural 2x12 "Nightshifter"

Ronald: I knew it, as soon as you two left. You aren't FBI. Who are you? Who are you working for, huh? The Men in Black? You working for the Mandroid?
Sam: We're not working for the mandroid!

This episode was excellently paced. The episode starts out like you're watching the news, and then they're showing Dean and you're like oh crap this is actually the show. Shifters are one of the more interesting monsters the boys have faced, because it's hard to tell who it is you're going after. And by the end, they're really screwed because the FBI knows who they are and is really after them.

 

20. Swan Song (5x22)

Supernatural 5x22 - Swan Song

Chuck: So, what's it all add up to? It's hard to say. But me, I'd say this was a test... for Sam and Dean. And I think they did all right. Up against good, evil, angels, devils, destiny, and God himself, they made their own choice. They chose family. And, well... isn't that kinda the whole point?

The first five seasons all came down to this finale episode. In some ways, I wish it had been the series finale (though I think they would have obviously ended it a bit differently), because the show hasn't really been the same since. All of the special children, the vessels, it all came to a head here when Sam finally had to say yes to Lucifer to try to trap him back in the cage in Hell. Definitely not an episode to watch if you're looking for something lighter!

 

19. Wishful Thinking (4x08)

Supernatural 4x08 - Wishful Thinking

Dean: So, what -- Bigfoot breaks into a liquor store, jonesing for some hooch? Amaretto and Irish cream. He's a girl-drink drunk.

But this episode is definitely one to watch if you're looking for something lighter! The scenes with the teddy bear come to life alone make me laugh just thinking about them. Though the story of the episode is ostensibly about making wishes that go bad, it's really got an undercurrent about what's going on with Dean after coming back from Hell and remembering what happened, trying to drink the pain away.

 

18. Bad Day at Black Rock (3x03)

Supernatural 3x03 - Bad Day at Black Rock

Sam: I lost my shoe.

Another episode about something seemingly good going horribly wrong with the cursed rabbit's foot. Of course, this episode also introduced the girl everyone loved to hate, Bela, but you can't deny it was a pretty good introduction for her. And who can forget the moment when Sam loses his shoe? Come on.

 

17. In the Beginning (4x03)

Supernatural 4x03 - In the Beginning

Dean: Sammy, wherever you are, Mom is a babe. I'm going to Hell... again.

The first time we got to meet young Mary and John was certainly informational and intriguing. It turns out, Mary grew up in the hunting world, and made a deal with the Yellow-Eyed Demon to save John from death. And that's how Sam was chosen to be one of the special children. The scene where Dean basically asks Mary to save herself was another heartbreaker as well.

 

16. Hello, Cruel World (7x02)

Supernatural 7x02 - Hello, Cruel World

Dean: Whoa! Sam! This discussion does not require a weapons discharge!

I was not a big fan of the Leviathan storyline of season seven, but this episode at least made it seem like the season would be a good one. But that's because it was more focused on Sam kinda losing his mind after the whole getting his soul back, remembering what happened in Hell, business. Just an engaging episode all around.

 

15. The Song Remains the Same (5x13)

Supernatural 5x13 - The Song Remains the Same

Dean: What exactly are we gonna march up there and tell 'em?
Sam: Uh, the truth?
Dean: What, that their sons are back from the future to save them from an angel? Gone Terminator? Come on. Those movies haven't even come out yet.

Yep, here we go again with another time travel back to the years of young Mary and John, only this time Sam gets to join in on the journey too. The lesson here was kind of similar to the other episode, in that no matter what you do, things are still going to happen the way they're going to happen. Of course, this time it's more because of some angels messing around with memories, but you get the idea. Too bad we didn't get more of the young couple. Their episodes were always good.

 

14. Jus in Bello (3x12)

Supernatural 3x12 - Jus in Bello

Henriksen: I... I shot the sheriff.
Dean: But you didn't shoot the deputy.

Oh yes, a classic if there ever was one. The Winchesters get sent to jail, only to have a bunch of demons come after them. The return of Henricksen, who finally gets on the boys' side. The fact that the whole episode is pretty much spent in one location, the police station, also gives it a sense of urgency. And, of course, it's the first introduction of Lilith.

 

13. The Monster at the End of this Book (4x18)

Supernatural 4x18 - The Monster at the End of this Book

Chuck: I am so sorry. I mean, horror is one thing, but to be forced to live bad writing... if I would have known it was real, I would have done another pass.

I think this was the first time the show really went meta. And I mean, super meta. I guess if you're going to do it, go big or go home. They find out there is a series of books that are eerily similar to their own lives, straight down to their names. The one who's writing them? A prophet by the name of Chuck. All the nods to fandom are hilarious and the digs at some of their less than stellar episodes was also a nice little wink to the audience too.

 

12. Faith (1x12)

Supernatural 1x12 - Faith

Dean: That fabric softener teddy bear. Oh, I wanna hunt that little bitch down.

Faith is when season one really started to hit the mark. Questions about what they're really doing and if it's really helping people are raised for pretty much the first time on the show, though not the last. And not the last time one of the Winchesters will go to great lengths to save the other, this time in the form of a "faith healer" who has a little more than faith behind him.

 

11. Ghostfacers (3x13)

Supernatural 3x13 - Ghostfacers

Dean: There's some salt in my duffle. Make a circle and get inside.
Ed: Inside?
Harry: That's stupid.
Ed: Inside your duffle bag?
Dean: In the salt, you idiots!

I know a lot of people don't like this episode, but I am not one of them. I always like when the show thinks outside of the box, and when there are ghost hunting shows on TV, how can they not poke fun at one? The Ghostfacers are hilarious, and the docustyle format works for the episode really well. It's particularly fun to see the Winchesters from another point of view. Ah, Ghostfacers, you will always be the tops for me.

 

10. The French Mistake (6x15)

Supernatural 6x15 - The French Mistake

Sam: If there's a key, then there has to be a lock. And when we find the lock we can get the weapons. And then we can have the weapons. And the lock, we'll also have the lock, I imagine, because we opened it and of course the initial key that opened-
Dean: (in a very deep voice) We need to get all three of that crap.
Sam: What?
Dean: That's how he does it.
Sam: Oh.

Yep, another meta episode. Because they're just that good. Let's be honest, the plot of this episode is not so important. Sam and Dean get sent into another dimension where they're actors on a TV show, that's all you really need to know. Because from there, hilarity ensues. Particularly in the scenes where they have to "act." Making fun of themselves, Hollywood, and the show, always a win.

 

9. Devil's Trap (1x22)

Supernatural 1x22 - Devil's Trap

John: I’m surprised at you, Sammy. Why didn’t you kill it? I thought we saw eye-to-eye on this? Killing this demon comes first – before me, before everything.
Sam: No, sir. Not before everything. Look, we’ve still got the Colt. We still have the one bullet left. We just have to start over, alright? I mean, we already found the demon...

Look, Supernatural was good in season one, but this is when it started to get great. Where the focus became much more about the brothers than the monster of the week. And every episode in season one where John was featured was always strong, but this one was particularly so. How can you forget that moment where the YED has control of John and is hurting Dean? When Sam doesn't shoot his dad even though it would kill the demon? That ending car crash cliffhanger? Not to mention the introduction of one Bobby Singer. Yeah.

 

8. Point of No Return (5x18)

Supernatural 5x18 - Point of No Return

Zachariah: So you know you can’t trust them, right? You know Sam and Dean Winchester are psychotically, irrationally, erotically codependent on each other, right?

Dean struggled a lot with what was supposed to be his destiny in season five (well, both of the brothers did, but it was particularly bad for Dean), and in this episode, it seemed like Dean had finally given up for good. And he probably had, if it weren't for his brother. And I would like to stop for a moment here and mourn Adam, who is still stuck down in that cage somewhere thanks to getting stuck here and giving in to Michael. Poor Adam. Anyway. The final scene in this episode, was, of course, the showstopper, with Dean finally getting to kill the devious Zachariah.

 

7. A Very Supernatural Christmas (3x08)

Supernatural 3x08 - A Very Supernatural Christmas

Dean: What could you possibly say that sounds crazy to me?
Sam: Um… evil Santa.
Dean: ...Yeah, that’s crazy.

Ah, the Weechesters. The flashbacks to the Christmas where Dean told Sam the truth about their dad was both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. And it's when Dean got the amulet that he wore for years. D'ah. And in the present day, Dean wants to celebrate Christmas, but Sam is all against it, at least until he figures out why Dean wants to celebrate - it's probably his last one. Sheesh. Right in the feels.

 

6. On the Head of a Pin (4x16)

Supernatural 4x16 - On the Head of a Pin

Alastair: And it is written that the first seal shall be broken when a righteous man sheds blood in hell. As he breaks, so shall it break.

Although it's a season before Point of No Return, this episode really laid the groundwork for Dean's descent into apathy and self-hate. He finds out he was the one who broke the first seal, for goodness' sake. A crazy and powerful moment in the show. He really would've let Alastair beat him to death without much of a fight if Sam hadn't shown up and gone full mind-killing demon crazy. Too much Ovaltine, Sammy.

 

5. What Is and What Should Never Be (2x20)

Supernatural 2x20 - What is and What Should Never Be

Dean: Bitch.
Sam: W–hat are you calling me a bitch for?
Dean: You're supposed to say jerk.
Sam: What?
Dean: Never mind.

I admit, I'm a sucker for episodes featuring an alternate reality, and this one was very interesting. What would've happened if the boys had never been in the hunting life? If Mary had never died? The answer is both good and bad - although things are normal and they're both with women they love, the brothers aren't close, and their dad is still dead. Dean's struggle with staying in the nicer place or going back to reality was one everyone would probably have in that situation.

 

4. All Hell Breaks Loose, Part 2 (2x22)

Supernatural 2x22 - All Hell Breaks Loose, Part 2

Sam: I kind of can't believe it, Dean. I mean... our whole lives, everything... has been prepping for this, and now I...I kind of don't know what to say.
Dean:I do. That was for our mom... you son of a bitch.

The demon finally gets his due at the end of season two. Everything with the special children comes to a head here, when Sam is killed by another one of them. But Dean doesn't stand for that, starting down the path that would lead to pretty much the next three seasons - making a deal to sell his soul to save Sam. He does get to kill Azazel, but not without a cost. A big one.

 

3. Lazarus Rising (4x01)

Supernatural 4x01 - Lazarus Rising

Castiel: I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition.

Definitely one of the best opening episodes of the show, ever. Dean comes back from the dead, having to claw his way out of his grave. Having to find both Bobby and Sam and prove to them that he's real. And we find out Sam has been up to some naughty things, strengthening his powers while Dean was away. But the biggest reveal came at the end, when we find out just what, or who, saved Dean - an angel. Wait, an angel?! Yes, the angels would forever change the world of Supernatural. Particularly that Castiel.

 

2. In My Time of Dying (2x01)

Supernatural 2x01 - In My Time of Dying

Dean: How's Dad? Is he okay? Come on, you're the psychic. Give me some ghost whispering or something!

Another stellar opening episode. After the cliffhanger ending of season one, the show had a lot to live up to when season two started, and boy did they. Dean is stuck in a kind of in between zone, on the verge of death. Sam and John are working to try to save him. And John exemplifies the main Achilles Heel these Winchesters have for each other - always sacrificing themselves to save the other. Guess they had to learn it from someone!

 

1. Mystery Spot (3x11)

Supernatural 3x11 - Mystery Spot

Dean: Sam, I'm sorry, but I don't know what the hell you're talking about.
Sam: Okay, look. Yesterday was Tuesday, right? But today is Tuesday too.
Dean: Yeah. No. Good. You're totally balanced.

Why this episode still ranks as number one for me after all of these years is because it exemplifies what the show does best - melding the emotional heavy drama with the humor. This episode had both in spades. At first you think it's going to just be a funny episode with the many ways that Dean dies, but when we see what happens to Sam when faced with the actual prospect of his death, it gets much darker. I don't think any episode will ever take this one off the top spot, honestly.

Well, phew! There you have it! Now, you may not agree with my list, and that's totally your prerogative. After all, everything here is purely opinion. I would definitely love to hear what your top episodes are in the comments. Any on your list that I missed? I'm sure a lot of these episodes will be in different order, but hopefully I got most of the ones people tend to enjoy the most.

Until season 11...

4 comments:

  1. I appreciate this list so much! It helps me organize the show in my mind, since it's so long and unweildy and sometimes I just can't get my head around what I love most about it. I'll go back to this list a lot, so thank you for putting it together!

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  2. We could quibble about the order, but I think you've pretty much hit the nail on the head here. The only things I would absolutely change is "Lazarus Rising" is 100%, for sure, no question about it, my number 1 episode, and I would definitely rank "Faith" in a top 5 spot. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, and, as always, keep up the posting! Seriously, I adore it!

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  3. There may not be a lot of comments here but we love what you've done here. this is #1 on my shows list and I wouldn't know where to start compiling my favorite episodes. I do know that Death's Door would be in my top five along with Swan Song but there's so many fantastic episodes. I just finished rewatching the entire thing up to season 11 and now I have nothing to do with my self. Thanks for the list

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