Season Two Episodes Titles: Where Did They Come From?
2.12 “Nightshifter”
This one really frustrated me. I assumed there was a pop culture reference to go along with this title. It sounded like a possible movie or book title but the only thing I found was “Night Shift” a collection of short stories by Stephen King published in 1978. Am I missing something? Maybe this episode was simply named for the MOTW.
In this episode Dean and Sam hunt a shapeshifter who is working his way through a bank being robbed by do-gooder Ronald who thinks he is hunting a “mandroid”.
2.13 “Houses of the Holy”
This episode title comes from the song “Houses of the Holy”, meant to be the title track of Led Zeppelin’s fifth album but was removed when the band thought it didn’t fit. It was later added to their album “Physical Graffiti”.
Let me take you to the movies. Can I take you to the show <
Let me be yours ever truly. Can I make your garden grow <
From the houses of the holy, we can watch the white doves go <
From the door comes Satan’s daughter, and it only goes to show. You know. <
There’s an angel on my shoulder, In my hand a sword of gold <
Let me wander in your garden. And the seeds of love I’ll sow. You know.
In this episode Sam and Dean investigate a string of murders. The murderers all claim to have had visions of an angel that led them to kill in return for redemption.
2.14 “Born Under a Bad Sign”
This episode title is taken from the title track of Albert King’s 1967 album “Born Under a Bad Sign”.
Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn’t for bad luck,
I wouldn’t have no luck at all
Hard luck and trouble is my only friend
I been on my own ever since I was ten
Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn’t for bad luck,
I wouldn’t have no luck at all
This title is especially appropriate for this episode. Sam has been missing for over a week and when he finally calls Dean he is covered in blood with no memory of what happened. Retracing his steps, they realize that Sam killed another hunter. Sam begs Dean to kill him before his dark side takes over. Dean refuses. As it turns out, Sam is possessed by a demon determined to push Dean to his limit in hopes that he will follow his father’s orders to kill Sam if he can’t save him.
2.15 “Tall Tales”
This title seems to come from the characterization of a tall tale itself. A tall tale is a story that is overly exaggerated and full of unbelievable events. These stories are usually told in a humorous fashion and in some cases may even be based on actual events.
In the case of this episode, this title works well. “Tall Tales” is where we meet the Trickster for the first time. And the episode is not only humorous; it’s also chock-full of unbelievable events. I mean, slow dancing with aliens? And the way the boys relay the events of the past days to Bobby is nothing if not exaggerated.
“You brave little soldier; I acknowledge your pain. You’re too precious for this world!”
2.16 “Roadkill”
There seems to be no popular culture reference associated with this episode title but it’s still very appropriate considering that the Winchesters are hunting a ghost who doesn’t realize she’s a ghost. She died in a car crash that also killed a pedestrian 15 years ago and the two of them have been haunting the highway ever since.
2.17 “Heart”
This episode title is based off of the MOTW. Madison is a secretary who doesn’t realize she is a werewolf. She has killed many people and left them without a heart in the process. The less obvious reason for this title could be that Madison is the first woman that Sam has developed real feelings for since Jessica’s death. In the end, he is forced to kill her because he can’t find a cure and he’s left heartbroken.
2.18 “Hollywood Babylon”
“Hollywood Babylon” is the title of a 1959 book by avant-garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger. The book details the scandalous lives of many Hollywood celebrities from the 1900’s through the 1950’s.
This episode finds the boys investigating a supposedly haunted film set. What starts out as a publicity stunt turns into an actual haunting when the movies’ disgruntled script writer begins summoning spirits to get revenge on the “suits” who ruined his script.
2.19 “Folsom Prison Blues”
This title is taken from the Johnny Cash song of the same name. The song chronicles the story of a prison inmate dreaming of freedom.
I hear the train a comin’
It’s rollin’ ’round the bend,
And I ain’t seen the sunshine,
Since, I don’t know when,
I’m stuck in Folsom Prison,
And time keeps draggin’ on,
But that train keeps a-rollin’,
On down to San Antone.
In this episode, Sam and Dean allow themselves to be arrested so that they can investigate a string of mysterious murders inside the Green River Detention Center as a favor to John’s friend. When Special Agent Victor Henrickson shows up, things get complicated.
2.20 “What is and What Should Never Be”
This is another title taken from a Led Zeppelin song with the same name. The song appeared on the 1969 album Led Zeppelin II.
And if you say to me tomorrow,
Oh what fun it all would be,
Then what’s to stop us pretty baby,
But what is and what should never be.
Catch the wind see us spin,
Sail away leave the day,
Way up high in the sky.
But the wind won’t blow,
You really shouldn’t go,
It only goes to show.
That you will be mine,
By taking our time.
So if you wake up with the sunrise,
And all your dreams are still as new,
And happiness is what you need so bad,
Girl the answer lies with you.
This title fits well with the episode in which Dean is attacked by a djinn and sent into an alternate reality where his mother never died and he and Sam never became hunters. It’s a world where Dean is happy. He has the normal life he’s dreamed of and never been able to attain. But when a mysterious spirit begins popping up he starts to question if this reality is”¦reality.
2.21 “All Hell Breaks Loose (Part 1)
2.22 “All Hell Breaks Loose (Part 2)
The title of these two episodes has a couple possible sources. There are two songs called “All Hell Breaks Loose” one by the band Destruction and another by the Misfits. I tend to think the Misfits version makes the most sense with the episode but I’ll let you decide.
Here is the on by the Misfits:
Walls start closing in around you
My twins of evil
They shake you by the collarbone
Then snap your ribcage
And broken bodies in a death rock dance hall
Please be my partner
Eyeballs pop, accelerated blood beat
Veins `a’ shaking
And all hell breaks loose
Yea, evil is as evil does and who
Yea, who but me could write this book of cruel
I send my murdergram
To all these monster kids
It comes right back to me and it’s
Signed in there parents’ blood
Here is the one by Destruction:
The fire in our eyes still burns
Longer than this tasteless planet turns
We’ve been fightin’ on the darker side
The keeper of darkness is our guide
The end is near no you can pray
Dead men tell no fuckin’ tales
Death and destruction but we’ll stay
The poor believing mankind fails
Our evil preed prepared their meal really well
The fast food society right now can’t tell
The suicide solution to escape our might
Won’t help your soul to get out of sight
The end is near so you can pray ….
We all know what happens in this gut-wrenching two part finale. Sam and the other “special children” are abducted by Azazel and taken to a ghost town. It is a fight to the death that only one of them is allowed to walk away from. Sam is eventually stabbed by Jake and dies. In part 2, Dean, unable to accept Sam’s death decides to make a deal with a crossroads demon. Seeing how desperate he is, she offers him one year and he accepts.
So that’s season two. It’s a fun trip down memory lane, isn’t it? So did I miss anything? Are there any references in the titles that you think I overlooked?
This is a fun article to read! I agree with the conclusion that you came to on AHBL. The song you picked as your top choice is mine as well. As for Roadkill, I think the writers were referring to what happened to both of the people who were killed. I know in the south when we refer to something being killed on the road, it’s roadkill. I even heard it referred to a road pizza. A really gross way of describing something.
I have never heard of road pizza. That is pretty disturbing!
“Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn’t for bad luck,
I wouldn’t have no luck at all”
Wow! This looks exactly lke Sam. It could have been written for him, poor Sammy. 😥
This song is on my Sam and Dean ipod playlist!
I have an idea on “Nightshifter”. My guess is the reference to the shape shifter but also might refer to Ronald who was the night shift security guard at the bank.
Great article and something fun to think about… 🙂
Oh man, i hadn’t even thought of that. It’s a definite possibility. I’m glad you enjoyed the article!
Hi Sofia and congratulations, you’ve really grown with this second installment of your series. I liked this much better, and thank you for inserting the lyrics. Some of those were completely new to me.
A little foot-note: in NoExit the guys go through some pictures of Holmes’ victims. One of those is a historic photograph of one of Jack the Ripper’s victims, the ‘lucky’ one that ‘only’ got her throat cut…
I used to train to be a profiler for a while, and you study classic serial killers in the course of that… ahem 😡
I would have loved to ask the writers/producers at some point whether they put this picture there on purpose (or did they use it without even knowing who it is?) and whether they ever told this to their actors… geeky me…
Thank you, Jas
Thanks Jasminka! That is a really interesting fact, I’ll have to pay attention next time I watch that episode. It makes me wonder how many other little things they slip in that I never know about.
Here’s a link to the picture of Elizabeth Stride, the Ripper victim:
http://media.tiscali.co.uk/images/galleries/lifestyle/jacktheripper/large/2605200_8.jpg
to make it easier for you to look for the picture.
I’m pretty sure there are some more little things like that we never know about. Would be fun, if the producers declared them occasionally…
Cheers, Jas
Hi Sofia, this was a wonderful article. Got me thinking that’s for sure.
I think your connection for “No Exit” is perfect because Holmes was trapped by Sam, Dean, and Jo in the sewer to suffer the same fate as his victims, his own hell.
As for “Roadkill,” we use that phrase a lot up here in New York to refer to animals that have been hit by passing vehicles and have died on the side of the road.
And [i]Roadkill [/i] is also used sometimes by ER doctors to describe a patient coming in from having been in a fight with a truck, bus or whatever and on the losing side. I guess it’s typical medical humour…
😉 , Jas
I enjoyed this article Sofia, and look forward to the rest.
Thanks. 🙂
Usual Suspects is also a phrase from the classic movie, Casablanca. When Bogie shoots the Nazi officer, Claude Rains (the chief of police who has witnessed the shooting) utters the line “Major Strasser has been shot! Round up the usual suspects.” He lets Bogart go, just like the cop played by Linda Blair does for Dean and Sam….
That is another great reference. Love that movie. Thanks!
I like your take on Bloodlust a lot. The title is definitely an accurate depiction of Gordon Walker’s obsession with vengeance that seems to have transformed him into a monster worth hunting.
NIGHTSHIFTER:
It was probably a play on “NightStalker”
@johnnybGoode I’m not familiar with “NightStalker”, what is it? Movie? Book?
Kolchak????
it was a TV series:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolchak:_The_Night_Stalker
It doesn’t have a whole lot to do with the episode, though. Just a guess?
Consider me educated! Thanks for the link. Interesting that it was the inspiration for The X-Files.
I was thinking that maybe “Hunted” is referred to the 2003 movie “The hunted” starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio Del Toro, the latter being a soldier especially trained for survival and killing missions, and TLJones being his instructor. Benicio, due to extreme PTSD after the Kosovo War, went nuts and diserted to join with his family, leaving a trail of blood and corpses on his path, and TLJones is recalled by he auhtorities to find and possibly kill him.
This story is also very similar to a Star Trek TNG episode with the same title.