The WFB Admins’ Top 15 “Supernatural” Episodes List: #7
We’re already up to seven? We must be getting much closer to the midseason premiere! Have our lists started matching up with yours yet? Yeah, I didn’t think so!
Alice’s #7
The Monster at The End of This Book
Why?: Eric Kripke recently did an interview for the new Essential Supernatural book. In that interview, he commented how floored he was by the things that he could get away with on “Supernatural.” He doesn’t think he’ll ever have that again, and that’s probably true especially now that he’s on one of the big four networks with “Revolution.” In other words, if “Supernatural” was on any other network, this episode would have never been made.
It took some very big cajones to do “Monster at the End of This Book.” Fan meta episodes have been attempted before on other shows, but anything too extreme has proven to be disasterous. It must be tackled lightly. “Supernatural,” in this first attempt, slammed the fringier parts of the fandom with a two by four, made a complete mockery of past material and over the top fan reaction, showed Dean’s exasperated reaction over anyone finding their lives entertaining, and they got away with it! This episode is freaking brilliant. It’s one of the best written episodes in the entire show.
Not only did it make fans look at how absoutely ridiculous they behave when it comes to this show (larping, Sam girls vs. Dean girls, the anti-demon possession tattoo on the hiney, over critical fan comments on boards), it also introduced a writing prophet, one who knows all about Sam and Dean. The Gospel of Winchester. How amazing is that? Interesting how he mirrored Eric Kripke, no? Also interesting is his “process.” It involves a lot of drinking and passing out.
I’m not going to gush too much since sweetondean already did a great job coverage all of my loves in her choice of this episode for #8, but there were some other small bits in this episode that were wonderful for me, even if they were overshadowed by the shocking meta and bizarre events of an unfolding prophecy that read like a Harlequin romance. Sam’s talk with Chuck really struck a chord, revealing how scared he was over what the demon blood was doing to him. His head told him it was the right thing to do, but the emotional burden was weighing down on him hard. More than we realized. The fact that he opened up to Chuck showed how much he desperately needed someone to talk to, which says tons since Sam rarely opens up. Too bad it couldn’t have been Dean, but this was season four, when both were worlds apart in their world view.
I also loved that Dean was so worried about Sam’s desire to take on Lilith, that he resorted to praying. That is also a big first! Castiel arrives with a slight smile, very impressed. So was I.
Favorite quote: Funny how I said the EXACT same thing when I heard about Wincest.
Favorite scene: Since sweetondean backed away from it, I’m picking it for my own! Sam and Dean in a laundromat??? That alone got me all giddy. But Dean reading about Sam’s brooding facial expressions while his back was turned to Dean, but fully visible to us? And he was brooding? That is some top notch story framing. Plus, I believe it was here that the jokes about Sam’s size, which have been common the last few seasons. Gigantic darks? Hee.
Prophet humor. Gotta love it.
(On Page 2, Ardeospina’s #7)
sweetondean-Hee, looks like I became a fan just a few short months after you did, on Thursday, August 10 2006 (Yes, I know the exact date, too which I came across randomly one day while looking at something unrelated).
I watched most of season 2 before I got to go back and watch season1, but I love that scene where they shove each other in the library. They just really look like brothers. In just that scene, you could believe they grew up together, so when I found out Jared and Jensen hadn’t even met before the show, I was even more impressed.
Oh, man I so want the series to end that way too, except I want to it go a little further, they slam the trunk, get in the car, turn on the music and drive off into the sunset.
P.S. Still enjoying all the picks!
I think you girls are doing a great job of selecting your top 15 episodes… I made my short-list today and I’m currently sitting on 43 episodes, so I’ve got a bit of work to do before I can whittle it down to my top 15. In the meantime I’ll keep enjoying reading your selections.
I’m really glad that you picked ‘The Pilot’ sweetondean because I would also include that in my top 10… it never ceases to amaze me when I re-watch it just how many things from that episode have become so iconic over the years including those two quotes you mentioned: ‘Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole’ and ‘No chick flick moments’. I really love it!
Totally agree with those picks… almost…
Weekend at Bobby´s is ne of my alltime favorites and one of those, I can watch over and over again. And again for good measure. Because it´s just that good and Bobby is just THAT awesome.
The Pilot is not. I´m doing a rewatch right now and had to laugh out loud at the boy´s acting in the scene at Sam´s dorm room… talk about awkward.
The episode itself is not bad, but not the big moment it´s for others.
Pilot with me is replaced by Wendigo and Dead in the Water.
I love those episodes to pieces! Wendigo has absolutely awesome moments between the brothers and Dead in the Water… Dean and the kid and Sam´s expression in the background.. man it breaks my heart everytime!
Ardeo, I’m so glad you picked “Weekend at Bobby’s”, what a great episode. I love Jim Beaver, he elevates every scene that he’s in, and this was a full Bobby episode, I was so stoked. 😆 My favourite scene was the montage of him doing research with Kris Kristofferson playing in the background. No wonder the boys always got great information, look at the time spent on it! Bring Bobby back!!!
And Sweetondean, thanks for putting the “Pilot” on your top 10, it certainly is on mine. I got myself a t-shirt with the quote “Diver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole”, cause that’s exactly how I feel when I got Zeppelin cracked up and my passenger asks me to turn it down. No friggin way! 😉 My favourite scene from the episode is the beginning when Dean creeps in and he & Sam get into a fight. Everything was perfect, and the fact that they repeated that exact same scene in “What Is and What Should Never Be” just brings it full circle.
The pilot was definitely a good one, and I can see why it would earn a spot for introducing an amazing show. For me, not even on my top 30, but it is a more a testament to the quality of the episodes that beat it. 🙂
In fact, no episodes from the first season made it on my list, but I must say that I do miss having scary episodes once in a while. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that as the show goes on, there is less of the atmospheric spookiness that the first few seasons offered. Even into the fourth and fifth, Lucifer and Lilith and the demons were still a bit frightening. Don’t get me wrong, I think the show is improved in countless other ways, but I would love to see one or two episodes a season that had a more unknown, suspenseful atmosphere. You wouldn’t know that looking at my top 15 list, which heavily favors the humorous episodes, but I do miss the chills too!
Coming in at #7, I got “Monster Movie”. This is one of those episodes that I didn’t love the first time I watched it, because it occurs so early in season four. At that point, I was hooked on the mythology and on the edge of my seat to get more, so I was a little impatient for an episode that didn’t reveal much in that sense. Now, each I watch it, I love it a little more! It’s so unique and so well done – Todd Stashwick was an excellent Dracula. And like someone said, it’s zany! I love zany!
“Tell me… Is there garlic on this pizza?” – Dracula
“The Pilot” is also in my top five, sweetondean. So thanks for that one.
In fact, every episode in season one is in my top five with the exception of only 3, and they are in my top ten. As you can guess, I’m loving season one. Love the spooky plots that we don’t see much of any more, and the young brothers? Love the shoving and the snark and the cocky Dean and moralistic Sammy and his disapprovals. Can’t get enough of “those” boys!
And, sweetondean, I agree with your wish for the finale of the last episode. I want them alive, together, and jonesing for the hunt. Back to the “Saving people, hunting things, the family business”, which has gotten lost among the “saving the whole world” for the last 3 or 4 years. When they would exorcise demons without killing the hosts, and really regret it when that was not possible.
Don’t get me wrong. Still love those awesome brothers and always will, but a little of that “Saving people” could go a long ways about now. :-*
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Don’t get me wrong. Still love those awesome brothers and always will, but a little of that “Saving people” could go a long ways about now. :-*
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I agree with you there! They kill so easily now… I’m hoping that gets brought up and resolved. Saving people is part of the family business, too, and they should try a little harder to do so!
Thanks again, ladies. Loved all these episodes too – and hey the Pilot is even in my top 15 – so yes, finally starting to match up with you all. I have the Pilot as number 1 because it totally hooked me. The chemistry was there between the brothers right off the bat, and it was beautifully directed. The silhouette scene where they are fighting in Sam’s kitchen is gorgeous.
Oh, I do love the pilot episode! This is the introduction to the greatest story every told.
I would have put the pilot in the top 5 but #7 is close enough. The entire episode encompasses 22 years in a mere 43 minutes. You learn and understand the dynamics of these brothers and their dysFUNctional family.
I love the total look of defiance on Sam’s face while standing next to Jess, when he says, “No what every you want to say you can say in front of her”, but once Deans says” Dad is on a hunting trip and has not been home in a few days” everything changes.
The look on Sam’s face and then “Jess excuse us we have to go outside”. As badly as Sam does not want to help find Dad, Dean is able to talk him into. “In almost 2 years I have never bothered you or asked you for a thing” OMG for some reason this line kills me
The fight on the bridge,explains why Sam wanted out, he does not even remember what mom looks like, and no matter what they do it will never bring her back. Dean on the other hand does remember Mom and will do what ever it takes to find out who/what killed her.
The motel room “No Chick Flick Moments” (Dude 5-0 take off), the fake 911 call…if you screwed up my car I am going to kill you. This episode has some of the most memorable lines in the history of the show, Driver picks the music… and lets not forget Sammy is a chubby 12 year old, it’s Sam. (I am 51 and my family still calls me by a nickname by Dad gave me when I was 2, I feel your pain Sammy 😀 )
At the end when Dean drops Sam back at Stanford and tells him they made a good team. Sam agrees and says maybe we can hook up later. This goes against everything Sam said in the beginning “he wants out”, but because Dean asked he is willing to help when necessary.
The expressions on their faces when Dean pulls away is very touching. This is also the beginning of “Dean to the rescue”.
We get to see the emotional side of Dean when he looks at Sam (after Jess is dead) while they are at the trunk of the car and Sam is loading a shot gun and is crying. You don’t know who to feel sorrier for Sam or Dean at that moment.
Love this episode!
Monster at the end of the book is like my all time top 5 fav!! It was truly a genius idea to have Chuck the Prophet on the show!