The Winchester Family Business

It’s the afternoon, I’ve spent all morning cleaning the house and running errands, after spending all day yesterday cleaning the house and running errands, after spending Monday… 

 

Anyway, it’s mid week and I find myself in a deep blue funk of futility. Whenever this happens, there are two choices. Go dig through the kid’s bag of Halloween candy, or pull out the Supernatural DVDs. After wisely opting for the later (I do have a figure to maintain), it’s time for an afternoon of spiritual cleansing. 

 

My selection is vast. 60 episodes on the DVDs and 7 from season four on the TiVo. What do I choose? For me, it’s rather simple. I draw from the “blue funk” list.

 

The what list?  For me, by stringing certain episodes of a season together, an emotional impact is delivered in a way that’s much stronger than by pouring through sequential episode viewings. Below are the combinations by season I always turn to when I’m very down. These often aren’t the best episodes, nor are they the worst, but somehow together they soothe enough emotional baggage where I’m ready to face a new day by the end. 

 
Blue funk episodes by season:

 

Season 1: “Bloody Mary”, “Home”, “Nightmare”.

 

Why these? Anyone that reads my reviews knows I have a huge soft spot for poor Sammy. These episodes when viewed together chronicle the very beginning of his battle with that demon blood pumping through his veins. It’s so fascinating to watch his early reaction compared to how he’s dealing with it my season four. What’s even better, is Dean’s reaction as well. He doesn’t let on, but whatever is happening to Sam scares him. 

 

Season 2: “The Usual Suspects” (alone).  “In My Time of Dying”, “Croatoan”, “Hunted”, “Born Under a Bad Sign”, “What Is and What Should Never Be” (together).

 

I can’t explain “The Usual Suspects” other than I like it. It was different, unraveled a good mystery, had a great guest star in Linda Blair, and this was the only episode in which separated Sam and Dean worked. It’s a personal favorite of mine. 

 

The others obviously were the more intense emotional episodes and a great story unravels when put together. “Born Under a Bad Sign” and “What Is and What Should Never Be” especially feature the best acting in the series. Often times, depending on my mood after watching these, I’ll also watch the last five minutes of “All Hell Breaks Loose Part I”, and the first fifteen minutes of “All Hell Breaks Loose Part II.” Those scenes blend very nicely with the other episodes, but the episodes as a whole don’t. 

 

Season 3: “Bedtime Stories”, “Mystery Spot”. “A Very Supernatural Christmas”, “No Rest For The Wicked”.

 

“Bedtime Stories” is a very good look at poor Sam’s unraveling psyche. I’m also a sucker for twisted fairy tales. The other three are not only the three best of the season, but three of the best of the series.  No episode though turns my emotions more raw than “Mystery Spot”. Then again, from my past reviews, that’s no secret either. When it’s paired with “Bedtime Stories”, Sam’s issues become very troubling and gut wrenching.   

 

As for strong brotherly moments that make you break down into a useless pile of mush, “A Very Supernatural Christmas” and “No Rest For The Wicked” are the gold standard. One would think it’s strange to put them together but try it. It’s more powerful than you think. 

 

Season 4: (so far), “Lazarus Rising”, “Metamorphosis”. 

 

Same reason as the previous episodes mentioned. The brotherly moments and intense emotional impact are second to none.  Season four so far hasn't featured a huge balance between both brothers (not that I'm complaining because it's been great), but this pairing does. Other great episodes like “In The Beginning” don’t do that, so that’s why I’ll save it for other times. 

I'm sure some of you are thinking, why not combine episodes from across seasons?  This is only my personal hangup, but each season sets a very different tone.  I find by mixing seasons, the overall feel can get jarring.  This isn't always the case, like last season's pairing of "Nightshifter" and "Jus In Bello" proved but for my exercise , those combinations usually don't work for me.   

 

So what are your blue funk episodes? Which ones do you kill an entire afternoon or evening watching to pull you out of the gutter? Which ones give you enough escape to face the day afterward with a new outlook? Are there combinations of episodes that work well for you, or just certain ones that stand on their own? Please share, for it’s beneficial. Consider it group therapy.