The WFB Admins’ Top 15 “Supernatural” Episodes List: #6
sweetondean’s #6
“Skin”
Why: Oooo my number 6 pick was the 6th episode of “Supernatural”! Nice.
I’ve always, always loved “Skin”,and no, not just because evil Shifter!Dean was hot,though he was,and yes I do like that.
I just like this episode. I’m not even sure I can ramble off a whole lot of reasons why. I just like it! Right from the awesome opening scene to the closing scene of the boys driving down the highway with Free “All Right Now” playing.
There’s some really clunky exposition,mostly delivered by Jared, boy howdy has his acting come a long way “but I still like it. The brothers seem to be more defined. I feel like their characters are hitting their stride in “Skin”. Sam is all-caring and sharing, Dean is all sassy one-liners, but you can see there’s more to them that and their synergy as brothers is in full-force.
At this stage, Sam is still trying to keep in contact with his old college buddies, yet tragically realises, that yeah, maybe Dean’s right, the hunting life doesn’t allow it, at least not now, too many lies. This seems like a turning point for Sam and definitely a turning point in the brother’s relationship.
There are some cool little moments, like when Sam is watching the video of the Becky’s brother being in two places at once and asks Becky for a beer and you see Dean’s eyes flash over to Sam, because he knows that his brother is on to something. I also like Sam testing Dean at the car, when he suspects that Dean isn’t actually Dean. He knows his brother so well and he picks it and even though Shifter!Dean passes the test, he’s still doubtful, so he tosses him the keys to double test,and knows straight away that this isn’t his Dean.
In “Skin” we get the first big hint at the underlying issues between the brothers, when Shifter!Dean pulls the jealousy and hurt over Sam going off to University and leaving Dean behind, out of Dean’s head. Often when talking about Sam and Dean with a fan, who seems to remember their early relationship as all lollypops and candy canes, I’ll mention “Skin” and then “Asylum” as evidence, that the issues that still haunt them today, were established right at the beginning of the series. “Skin” shows that under the surface, everything isn’t peachy-keen in broland.
I really dig any opportunity the Js get to play their characters not being their characters. Jensen does a fab job playing Shifter!Dean. He does bad gooooooood. So good. He’s great at tormenting! He should play a villian some time. Man, I really love Shifter!Dean. Nasty, twisted, smokin’ hot piece of work that he is. Also, shapeshifters are probably my favourite monsters.
And the music in this episode is epically good. Iron Butterfly “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” in the brilliant opening scene and then Filter “Hey Man, Nice Shot” in the accompanying scene in real time. “Hey Man, Nice Shot” is one of my favourite “Supernatural” tracks EVER!
Also, Jensen strips off his shirt (shortly followed there after by his skin, nails, teeth “ewwwwww!).
Oh look,I rambled off a whole lot of reasons!
Favourite Quote: I love it when Dean says about the shifter: “Well he’s not stupid. He picked the handsome one.“ Hee, smartass!
But here are my real favourites. I have two, because they represent the two sides of the brother’s relationship…
First this because, sadly, this just doesn’t seem to go away.
Shifter!Dean: “See, deep down, I’m just jealous. You got friends. You could have a life. Me? I know I’m a freak. And sooner or later, everybody’s gonna leave me.”
Sam: “What are you talkin’ about?”
Shifter!Dean: “You left. Hell, I did everything Dad asked me to, and he ditched me, too. No explanation, nothin’, just poof. Left me with your sorry ass.”
But also this ““ because, this is the flipside…..
Dean: “Sorry, man.”
Sam: “About what?”
Dean: “I really wish things could be different, you know? I wish you could just be “Joe College.”
Sam: “No, that’s okay. You know, the truth is, even at Stanford, deep down, I never really fit in.”
Dean: “Well, that’s ’cause you’re a freak.”
Sam: “Yeah, thanks.”
Deam: “Well, I’m a freak, too. I’m right there with ya, all the way.”
SAM: “Yeah, I know you are.”
Favourite Scene: I love that scene in the Impala at the end, for obvious reasons…it’s such a nice bro moment, but and this is going to sound random, my favourite scene is where Shifter!Dean is at Little Becky’s trying to chat her up on the couch and then he turns all evil. There are a couple of moments in this scene I love. I love it when Jensen turns to the camera and his face changes from all soft and sexy, to plain nasty (but sexy nasty). I love it when he’s attempting to tie up Becky and she’s screaming and he screams back at her,that’s so weird and creepy. But my favourite part of the scene is when Shifter!Dean whispers in Becky’s ear and she jumps up and yells, “You’re disgusting.” Man, I want to know what he whispered in Becky’s ear SO BAD. SO BAD. It must have been really dirty. I wanna hear!
You all thought I was going to say the stripping scene didn’t you? HA!
(Ardeospina’s #6 is on page 3)
Hah! I am on a roll with you all! A Very Supernatural Christmas is on my list too! Loved all these episodes though. And, Alice, I had the same reaction as you. I liked both actors from the beginning but felt Jensen was a cut above. From the first episode he just blew me away. However, Born Under a Bad Sign really showcased how great Jared is too. He completely freaked me out – in a good way – in that episode, and I have been in awe of both actors ever since.
Wow, I forgot about “Born Under a Bad Sign”! Rewatching it now, and it’s making me nostalgic for Evil Meg; she became so non-threatening in later seasons. Solid choice. “Skin” is one of my favorites from season one; I love that it begins their extended trouble with the law.
My #6 episode is “Swan Song”. All the episodes of the first five seasons were basically leading up to this, and it did not disappoint. We even get Impala POV, as told by Chuck the Prophet. They finally save the world, but at the cost of Sam (and Adam) being locked in Hell with pissed off archangels. There’s just so much I could try to say about this, but I suspect that you will say it more eloquently in future articles. This time around, I chose a thoughtful quote that I think does a fine job of representing the bittersweet nature of this finale.
“You got what you asked for, Dean. No paradise. No hell. Just more of the same. I mean it, Dean. Which would you rather have – peace, or freedom?” – Castiel
Another great pick ladies. Skin has always been one of my favourite episodes, my other two from Season One being Faith and Devils Trap. I chuckle at the way Sam brings out the Puppy Dog Eyes to get Dean to backtrack to St Louis and Dean’s reaction to his police sketch. The angst shifter/Dean unleashes to tied up Sam wrings my heart out for the real Dean. But one of the best things about this episode is the music, that opening scene coupled with In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is just…wow. Hey Man, Nice Shot is one of my very favourite Supernatural song choices as well Sweetondean.
This episode to me truely sets up the isolation of the boys as they do the job they do.
Born Under A Bad Sign is also a favourite. This episode certainly showed Jared’s maturity as an actor, and I agree with you that he makes an extremely chilling bad guy – in fact down right creepy towards bound Jo. I enjoy Dean’s frantic journey down the hotel corridor and his frenzied search for any injuries on Sam, a Dean in big brother mode. Jo’s butcher job on Dean always tickles me as well.
As for A Very Supernatural Christmas, this is always a favourite for all the reasons listed. When others in my family play cheery Christmas videos, I play this!
Thanks guys.
Skin is a great episode and so is Born Under a Bad Sign. All 3 of today’s picks are in my top 15 as well.
As for Faith and Devil’s Trap, they both vye for my number one position along with Supernatural Christmas and Mystery Spot. Along with In My Time of Dying and What is and What Should Never Be. Each one of these is in my top spot at the time I am watching it. To pick one alone is impossible for me.
It’s so nice to see some season 2 and 3 episodes on here. I know I’m in the minority, but seasons 4 and 5 were my least favorites. I won’t go into the reasons because that’s a different thread, but I guess I just look at things a differently then ya’ll do.
BUABS, Skin and the one and only Supernatural Christmas episode are some of my favorites and I don’t need to state why because you all did such an eloquent job.
My only nitpick would be that I didn’t think Jared’s acting was quite as subpar as you did. I know that, in the beginning, Jared stated in interviews that he was trying to find out who Sam was, but it came across to me as Sam trying to find himself after what he’d been through. I think both he AND Jensen have had some clunky dialogue moments, but I never felt that his acting was worse than Jensen’s.
I do agree that he really showed what he could do in BUABS, though. When he let out that deep laugh, it was so UNSam like that it gave me chills and I loved it.
Great choices, ladies.
Your lists are great, guys!
But, they don’t line up much with mine as there are so few of seasons 1 – 3, and those are my favourites, and with a few exceptions my list would come mostly from the Pilot to Lazarus Rising.
“On the Head of a Pin”, “It’s a Terrible Life”, “Changing Channels” and “French Mistake” would be on my top 15, but the rest would come from seasons 1 – 3.
Thanks to Ardeo for the Christmas episode. It is at times my number one episode. 😛
You should do your 15 worst episodes, and then we could have lots of controversy and interesting opinions. I could do that one in perhaps 10 minutes! :-*
ah season 7 *sigh* only one episode from there has been included and it was at the number 15 spot so I strongly suspect that will be it (we are at the top 5 now after all.)
If I were to pick ANY episode from s7 for the top 15, it would be Repo Man.
Looking forward to your top five–thanks for doing this, it is very enjoyable.
I love each one of these episodes.
I agree Born under a bad sign was when Jared finally hit’s his acting stride. He plays evil so well. I even loved soulless Sam.
The entire bar scene w/Joe is just so darn sexy and creepy at the same time. Love, love Sam pulling the bar stool over so he can sit and use the knife to play w/Jo’s bangs while she tells him the story of her dad’s death. Then Sam gets up and struts around and leans against the post…”My Daddy shot your Daddy in the head”.
Jared has one of the sexiest smiles on the planet and the smirk Sam gives after he shoots Dean is priceless.
Skin-oooooohhhhhhhhhh, Being a huge Dean girl any episode that gets Jensen to take off his shirt is OK by me. The fact that he also removed his skin…not so much.
I also feel this episode continued the brotherly issues from Asylum and Scarecrow. Both brothers have deep seated issues that they are still working on in Season 8.’
A very supernatural Christmas, wow I can go on about this episode for pages.
Fav scene: Sam and Dean sitting in the motel and Sam is explaining why he does not want to have Christmas. Dean says yeah but it is my last one
Sam tears up and explains he cant sit around drinking eggnog and pretending everything is OK, knowing next year you will be dead.
Who does not choke up when Dean opens the motel room door and all we see is the Samulet…camera pans back and he breaks into a huge smile and he sees Sam has created a last Christmas for him.
And the kicker is after they exchange presents and toast each other. Sam looks at Dean and just says “Hey Dean”, tears welling up in his eyes says nothing but looks at his brother, Dean smiling back at him and Rosemary Clooney softly signing in the background.
Someone give me a tissue please.
If I wasnt peepingdru I would wanna BUABS…lol…Sam’s laugh…..whooohooooo::DDDD
Born Under a Bad Sign has always been in my top 3 and it continues to be. Evil Sam shows off Jared’s abilities and put him on the track to being the Sam we have seen since then. My favorite line and overall scene is as well the conversation between Jo and Sam. Love it and you nailed the reasons why Alice!!!
Great choices. “Born Under a Bad Sign” is definitely in my top five, that evil laugh of Jared’s at the end in the devil’s trap, so creepy good! 😉 “Skin” is also on repeat viewing on my DVD player. I love when Jensen & Jared get to play evil, they do it so well and sexy to boot! Any episode that let’s us get a little peak of Jensen’s beautiful bod is good enough for me…even though the moment turns ewwww. And what to say about “A Very Supernatural Christmas”, that is my number 1 and always will be. I agree with you Ardeo, Madge & Edward are the best villains. I love when he says “Sweet Peter on a popsicle stick”, ha! 😀 It’s like Christmas just threw up in that house.