The WFB Admins’ Top 15 “Supernatural” Episodes List: #8
Alice #8
Changing Channels
Why?: You seriously want to know why? Because, no episode is more wildly inventive, completely out of the wheelhouse bat s*** nuts. On top of all that, it’s hilarious! And epic.
It’s not just hilarious though. It’s a crucial episode in the apocalypse mythology, and it’s amazing they found a way to make this completely over the top concept work in a series episode that’s essentially about a wayward archangel and his predicaments with prophecy. The Wows in the episode are too numerous to mention in one short blurb. Our beloved Trickster is really Gabriel the archangel? That makes so much sense. That’s brilliant!
It’s also a major acting showcase. This episode gave Jared and Jensen a ton of room to act outside the parameters of their normal characters. “Supernatural” the sitcom? It’s absurd! It worked! They even got their own cheesy 80’s style theme song and show intro. Talk about hitting all the details. Who knew that Jared does the absolutely best David Caruso impersonation out there? Wasn’t it completely mad to see dour Sam Winchester act like that? Both are doctors in a Grey’s Anatomy type show? And the phrase “Nutcracker!” is legendary. But honestly, if one homage really hit home with me, I was a huge Knight Rider fan as a kid. The Kitpala??? Dean as Michael Knight? Sam is the computer?? Oh, that’s got to be one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever seen. I smile and laugh every time I think of it.
To think, this crazy episode wasn’t even written by a guy named Edlund. No, this was the twisted mind of one absoutely brilliant Jeremy Carver.
Favorite quote: Really, I have to flipping pick one? Okay, you know what it must be. The absolutely best rant ever.
Dean: Calm down? I’m wearing sunglasses at night. You know who does that? No talent douchebags. I hate this game. I hate that we’re in a procedural cop show and you want to know why? Because I hate procedural cop shows. There’s like 300 on television, they’re all the freaking same, it’s like ‘oh… a plane crashed here.’ Oh shut up!
Favorite scene: Crap, one?
Believe it or not (since I’m a fan of the absurd), Sam and Dean trying to hold themselves together while they’re told by the victim’s wife that she thought she saw the Hulk. Lou Ferrigno style Hulk, since the movies were terrible. Dean asking if she knew why Lou Ferrigno had a grudge against her husband had me howling for hours.
Yeah, but that wasn’t the one that made me laugh the hardest. No, one scene evoked a “kill me dead” type laughter (see, I cheated again in picking one). We were all fooled into thinking a commerical was on. After all, it was a lady by the lake doing yoga. However, I watched this first (and second, and third) on a critics preview, so there were no commercials. As soon as “I’ve got genital herpes” came on, and two frames later there’s Sam struggling for words, with Dean patting him on the back with a grin for support, I have never, ever, laughed harder at a scene on this show. I can’t believe I actually survived this episode. That was some major side pain.
Coming up later today (yes, this was delayed because of the People’s Choice Award stuff), #7!
Love your picks for # 8. “The Monster at the End of this Book” was also the episode for me where I learned what a slashfan was, yuk! 😡
“Monster Movie”, I have always been a fan of the old b&w monster movies, 2 for 35 cents on Saturdays (yes, I am not young). It was just so beautifully shot, the black and white was pristine and the guys looked so freaking good! 🙂
And “Changing Channels”, I was floored when we found out the the Trickster was Gabriel. We need him back, stat! 😀
Three more that are not on my favorites list, but I like them all and want to watch them again now. I laugh out loud every time I watch that laundromat scene. Dean’s line about reading about himself kills me – and then Sam saying the guy is good is just classic! Thanks so much again for doing these lists!
Sylvia – I am with you – I had never heard of that before this episode and I had the same reaction. I am sure (or I hope) I am missing something, because I cannot imagine that people are actually advocating incest.
I have been inspired and have now ranked my favorite 30 episodes, so I actually have a top 15 now too. Of course, every time I read one of the favorites here, I want to add more.
Going with Monster at the End of This Book. There are 4 episodes I always keep on my DVR and this is one of them.
( Mystery Spot, The End, French Mistake)
I just started watching SPN durning season 4 and this epi gave me an inside into the madness that is SPN fandom.
My fav scene is in the publishers office. Every minute of that scene cracks me up every time I watch it. The total disgust on Deans face when he has to show her the tattoo is just priceless. Deans face when Sam starts what looks like is going to be a strip tease 😆 and then shows her his tattoo to prove he is a fan, again is just perfect. Then she drops her pants to show them her tattoo.
I do agree the discussion in the laundry mat is one of the best! Carver Edlund (real life) are two of the most talented writers on TV.
@sweetondean
As soon as I saw MATEOTB I was wondering if your favorite line would be the same as mine and it absolutely was!
Sometimes I just picture Rob giving that line reading and it makes me laugh out loud.
OMG, I love ALL of these episodes! Actually, that will probably be my reaction from here on out. But oh, I had actually forgotten about the VD commercial! Brilliant. Bit of a spoiler perhaps, but I picked “Tell me… is there garlic on this pizza?” as my favorite quote too.
My #8 episode is “A Very Supernatural Christmas”. It strikes the balance between horrifying and hilarious; it is both heartwarming to heartbreaking. That poor kid watching Santa get ripped apart is authentically creepy, as is the Basement of Gore. The guys getting called out for coming to “Santa’s Village” with no kids is my favorite laugh of the episode, though the Winchester rendition of “Silent Night” to drunk Santa was close! Some of the best brother moments here in both flashback and present day. I could go on, but I’m already repeating what you’ve said in your lists, so I’ll stop now.
“You fudgin’ touch me again, I’ll fudgin’ kill ya!” – Dean