What Are Your Supernatural Blue Funk Episodes?
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.
Hey, girlie!! Ok…here are mine.
Season 1
-Pilot
-Home
-Nightmare
-Devil’s Trap
Season 2
-In My Time of Dying
-Simon Said
-Croatoan
-Born Under a Bad Sign
-What is and What Should Never Be
-All Hell Breaks Loose 1&2
Season 3
-Bad Day at Black Rock
-Mystery Spot
-No Rest for the Wicked
Season 4
-Lazarus Rising
-Metamorphosis
-Yellow Fever
All-time top go-to episodes when I really need a Winchester fix…
All Hell Breaks Loose 1&2
Mystery Spot
Hope you have a better day tomorrow!!!
Jane
Wow Jane, it seems yours are really close to mine! I guess we’ve just got some great taste. The only reason Bad Day at Black Rock never makes any of my lists is because I hate Bela.
I’d have to do some serious thinking on it but there is one in particular that I go it immediately if I only have time to watch one.
Heart
I know a lot of folks didn’t care for this episode but it really resonated with me and I will ALWAYS cry at the end.
I know part of the whole deal with that episode is poor Sam and his overwhelming desire to be savable but for someone who watched her mother waste away and die of cancer, and was powerless to stop it, I see similarities between Sam and myself.
It also resonates back to when I had to make the ultimate hard decision of not only having my 17 year old dog put down, but not two months later my 32 year old horse – both of whom I loved more that a lot of the people I know. Well, lets just say if I need to purge some melancholy energy Heart is my go to episode.
The gunshot makes me flinch every time.
I
Pilot
Skin
Route 666 (it actually has medicore storyline, but I like the concept of Cassie).
The Benders
Salvation
Devil’s Trap
II
In My Time Of Dying
Everybody Loves a Clown (I skip circus and clown parts mostly but I love Roadhouse, and Sam’s hair looks so sweet and Dean is so pale and pretty)
Bloodlust
Simon said
Playthings
Hunted
What Is and What Should Never Be
Parts of AHBL 1 & 2 (yap, same as yours, but I like the very ending of AHBL 2 too. Just because.)
___________
Born Under A BAd Sign (alone).
Folsom Prison Blues (alone).
Heart (alone)
III
Bad Day at Black Rock
Sin City
Fresh Blood
A Very Supernatural Christmas
Mystery Spot
Long-Distance Call
No Rest for the Wicked
IV
Metamorphosis
Its the Great Pumpkin Sam Winchester
I’m probably the one and only fangirl (fanwoman does not sound right, so I go for a “girl”) on Earth thinking that “Lazarus Rising” was unsatisfying. Maybe it’s because I don’t like this (christian) Armaggedon-stuff, Lucifer-menace and Castiel The Arrogant and Ignorant Angel. Maybe because I just wish more Sam’s poit of view. (love Sam!)
But I love some parts of it. I skip Bobby’s house, dinery and Castiel, but I kind of like Pam, I really like the start and (of cause) the hotel room all the way.
All-times-favorites: Pilot (Jess is so sweet!), Hunted, Mistery spot and A Very Supernatural Christmas
Obviously english is not my first language, but I hope you can undesrtand most phrases. At least if you try hard.
Tigershire – I agree completely about Heart. Great episode and I love the ending. However, it’s actually too tragic for me and very hard for me to watch. Its another reminder that poor poor Sammy can’t catch a break. The latest episode, It’s The Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester, left me feeling the same way after Uriel berates him for doing the right thing. Poor boy can’t win.
vana naine – Your English is great! Better than most Americans I’d say. I call myself a fangirl too, even though my girl years are long since gone. Thanks for the list! You have some very interesting ones on there.
Season One: Pilot, The Benders,
Season Two: In My Time of Dying, Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, Born Under a Bad Sign, Usual Suspects, Nightshifter, What Is and What Should Never Be
Season Three: The Kids Are Alright, Dream a Little Dream of Me, A Very Supernatural Christmas, Mystery Spot
Season Four:Lazarus Rising, In The Beginning, Yellow Fever
I’m a sucker for some good Dean-angst or the funny episodes. Some of these, like you pointed out with The Usual Suspects, Alice, I enjoy for no specific reason. Tonights episode, based on the trailer could be one of the “funnies” that hit this list as well.
Season One; Faith, which remains one of my all-time favs, and I’m not sure why, but probably because it’s the ep where I fell irrevocably in love with Supernatural. It’s closely followed by Something Wicked, The Benders and Hell House.
Season Two; In My Time of Dying, Crossroad Blues, Playthings, Tall Tales and What Is and What Should Never Be.
Season Three; The Kids Are Alright, A Very Supernatural Christmas, Mystery Spot and Dream a Little Dream of Me.
Season Four thus far; Lazurus Rising, Yellow Fever, and the latest one….episode 8……stupidly the title has escaped me. But I’ve hugely enjoyed all of Season 4 thus far. I’ll have to wait until I’ve seen it all to really weigh in on favorite episodes.
OK, I’ve thought about it and there is a very short list of episodes that I would watch if I was in that blue funk.
Season 1 – Home
Season 2 – In My Time of Dying, Everybody Loves a Clown (because of Dean beating the trunk of the Impala), Heart (as previously mentioned), All Hell Breaks Loose Part 2
Season 3 – Dream a Little Dream of Me, Mystery Spot, No Rest for the Wicked
Season 4 – Lazarus Rising, In the Beginning and Metamorphosis
I have enjoyed every single episode. The only one I have a hard time watching over again is Bugs but that could be because I’m allergic to bee stings.
I think I have figured out the problem with the episodes with Bela. The Boys NEVER get the better of her. She ALWAYS screws them over. Having a character that does that is not the way to endear them to the fans. If the Boys could have ended an episode once, coming out on top (and I don’t count her death there because they still lost the colt) then I think she might have been more well received.
Cause in Bad Day at Black Rock, I actually liked Bela, right up to the point when she swiped the lotto tickets (last bit of good luck before the rabbit’s foot burned up – I know, but still!). Then, it was the same old same old. I thought the actress was great but hating seeing Bela cause it meant the boys were getting the short end of the stick.
When I need my Winchester fix, it always has been (and probably will be) DEVIL’S TRAP. And there are so many others that the list would be very long. When talking full episode re-watch (rather than bits & pieces) let’s just say that 80% of S1 is on that list, 70% of S2, and 30% of S3. Honestly, any brother-moment scene does it for me!
Before my sister swiped all my discs and carried them off into the West I used to put together little mini-series about second string bods I had a soft spot for. So you had the Rise and Fall of Gordon, Henriksen Sees the Light and so on. If I was feeling gloomy I’d watch a load of Ben Elund funnies, I know it’s rather slit-your-wrists sort of humour but it’s the only sort that makes me laugh. That one about the Horrible Human Hunting Hillbillies From Hell is great fun too. There’s something irresistibly amusing about people getting brained with shovels ( I used to work on an archaeology dig, we had to make our own entertainment )
I think my favourite cheer-up episode is probably Bad Day at Black Rock, Beastly Bella and all. It was the first time she showed up, so no one knew how irritating she was going to get later, and it was the first episode I ever saw so it’s got lots of good associations as well as being really funny with stabbings and beatings and stuff … actually that sounds a bit sick, um …