Your Supernatural Blue Funk Episodes?
A while back I did an article during one of my dour days, back when the site was nothing but a vanilla blog page and had ten followers. It asked the question, What are your Supernatural blue funk episodes?” Well, it’s Tuesday and I have a laundry list of things that have me in the deep blue funk of futility today. So, I’m sitting on the couch, remote in hand, dogs curled up by my side, ready to go through five seasons of Supernatural to decide which episodes are going to pull me out of this. Considering the blue funk list I published back in November 2008 is terribly outdated, it’s time to go through this fun exercise again. After all, tastes and desires change, right? Maybe not. Let’s go through the list and find out.
As I did last time, I’ll just list the episodes by season and why I like them.
Season One: “Phantom Traveler,†“Home,†“Nightmare,†“Provenance.â€
After re-watching season one again as it aired in syndication on TNT, I earned a new appreciation for season one. It really wasn’t as inferior to the other seasons as I thought. Now granted I still list season one as the weakest of the four (season five can’t be judged yet), but it set the tone and foundation for the major build up to come. Two episodes on this list remain from last time, “Home†and “Nightmare.†I absolutely love those episodes and always will. However, going through the season again, I forgot how much I loved “Phantom Traveler†and “Provenance†too. “Phantom Traveler†is an emotional episode that sets many wonderful firsts in the series. “Provenance†is not only a long overdue look into Sam’s character, but the brotherly moments are especially strong and the creep factor of the ghost story is off the chart. It makes you remember this is a horror show.
Season Two: “In My Time of Dying,†“The Usual Suspects,†“Nightshifter,†“Born Under a Bad Sign,†“Tall Tales,†“Heart,†and the first two thirds of “All Hell Breaks Loose Part II.â€
You know, there isn’t a bad episode in season two (except for maybe “No Exitâ€). This season is easily the most consistent and each episode offers something to smile about. However, my list didn’t change all that much. I still love “In My Time of Dying†and nowadays, it reminds me that much more why I love Kim Manners. There are so many wonderful directing nuances to that episode that still blow me away today. “The Usual Suspects†remains high on my personal favorites list for reasons unknown. “Nightshifter†is just one of those exciting “get lost in the out of control plot†episodes that’s escapism at its finest. “Born Under a Bad Sign†easily makes my personal top five best ever, and “Tall Tales†has always been a big favorite and I even got the kids into it recently. You’re going to find all the Trickster episodes are on here.
Where my sentiments start to change is the tail end of the season. I no longer desire “What Is and What Should Never Be,†like I used to. I keep finding myself pulling out the other emotionally heavy episodes like “Heart†and “All Hell Breaks Loose Part II†(until the not so great graveyard scene). It’s because the brotherly interaction is so much stronger in those episodes. That after all seems to be what breaks my wittle heart to pieces and keeps me obsessive about this show.
Season Three: “Bad Day At Black Rock,†“Bedtime Stories,†“A Very Supernatural Christmas,†“Mystery Spot,†“No Rest For The Wicked.â€
My sentiments for season three haven’t changed one bit except I’m finding new appreciation for “Bad Day at Black Rock.†Probably because now that Bela is dead and gone, she doesn’t irritate as much. It really is quite a brilliant screwball comedy and when you think about it, Sam is the comic relief? That’s a rare anomaly and a precious one too. “Mystery Spot†is still my all time favorite comfort episode. I also still love “Bedtime Stories†for reasons unexplained. Probably because it was a Sam turning point. He got pretty cold hearted after that. With “No Rest For The Wicked,†I’m still screaming “Dean!†every time it comes on. What a gruesome and very emotional ending.
Season Four: “Lazarus Rising,†“Yellow Fever,†“Wishful Thinking,†“Sex and Violence,†“On The Head of A Pin,†“The Monster At The End of This Book,†“When The Levee Breaks.â€
Season four (and I know several of you disagree) is Supernatural’s best season. To me it’s no contest. Sure, it’s darker. Very dark. But talk about the baggage and layers for our boys. I could actually watch this season from beginning to end and be thrilled for weeks (minus “Family Remainsâ€). However, I did have to pick the real blue funk ones.
“Lazarus Rising†is pure awesomeness. Dean pulls himself out of his own grave, Sam uses his powers after four freaking seasons and does it behind Dean’s back (I’m glad they only dragged that out to episode four) and enter Castiel, the most bad ass angel entrance ever! This is not Roma Downey folks. Sheer perfection from beginning to end. “Yellow Fever†and “Wishful Thinking†are brilliant comedic episodes with a very underlying dark message. I’m all about the dark humor though. It’s my British heritage. They trump any comedy previously done because they reveal some really complex layers in the brothers and are biting in their messages. They both create huge angst for the brothers. It’s all good.
As for “Sex and Violence,†I just love this one personally. Brothers fighting, Sam getting laid with a spunky chick that I liked, and one very crafty villain that causes Sam and Dean to pound the living crap out of one another. Then Bobby saves the day! The scars run deep at the end and for some reason, I like that. I love watching this one over and over again. I know, I’m very alone. As for “On The Head of a Pin,†I’m ready to list that as one of the best episodes ever. Sure it was an angel heavy story, but it’s an awesome angel heavy story. I adore Misha’s chance to shine, and Jensen and Jared were no slouches either. This has Sam’s demon blood addiction reveal and it’s great. Ditto for poor Dean and his devastation over finding out he broke the first seal. The reaction still haunts me when thinking about it.
“The Monster At The End of This Book†is another top ten all time list entry. What can I say? It’s howlingly funny, introduces one of the coolest characters ever in the prophet Chuck, tests the brotherly relationship in a big way and Castiel is at his finest. It’s sharply written and amazingly executed given the meta concept. It’s one of those episodes the show will be remembered forever for. However, if I had to pick a personal favorite all season, it would be “When The Levee Breaks.†The show slowly built up to this inevitable fall out all season and when it happened, the results were every bit as explosive as they should have been. I was a mess for weeks. That’s how you build up a story line! Plus the Sammy angst was off the charts. That’s my thing.
Season Five – “Free To Be You and Me,†“Changing Channels,†“My Bloody Valentine.â€
Season five has been a mixed bag so far. Each individual episode has been good (except maybe “Swap Meatâ€) but as a whole the season isn’t flowing together like season four did. Or three. Or two. Or one. However, there’s still plenty of comfort. For me, I love the separate stories told in “Free To Be You and Me.†Especially Sam’s sad story for things just keep getting worse for the poor boy. Dead girlfriend with the guilt trip was the kicker for me but you can’t top a nighttime visit from Satan himself. Sam should have been rattled to the core. Dean and Castiel’s meeting with Raphael was really cool too and I just like the way that whole thing was shot. Sure, I fast forward through the entire brothel scene but I’ll manage that for the rest is so riveting to me.
“Changing Channels†no doubt is a series classic. I’m still debating its position on the top ten all time list, but it’s up there. You wonder how such a concept can work on paper and boy does it. Of course it helps to bring the Trickster back and give him something to really sink his teeth into. This is a Jeremy Carver patented roller coaster thrill ride that has you laughing one second, stunned the next, and just plain emotionally crushed by the end. When I’m an emotionally exhausted wreck, the episode works.
“My Bloody Valentine†is season five’s equivalent to “On the Head of A Pin.†On the edge of your seat suspense (once you get done gagging) that finally lets Sam loose in a very troubling way with his full strength powers in front of Dean. Dean’s crushed reaction is every bit as earth shattering as we could have imagined. Heck, it broke the poor boy. I’ve seen this episode a ridiculous amount of times already and will continue to do so I’m sure.
Okay, there’s my long-winded reasoning behind my choices. What’s yours? I’m off to start watching now.
In season 1, there isn’t an episode I wouldn’t re-watch. I loved them all. All of them would bring me out of a funk. I think the pilot was my favorite. I also liked season’s 2 and 3 mainly, although there a few episodes I wouldn’t rewatch. Loved “Bedtime Stories†and “A Very Supernatural Christmas in season 3, but there were others. Season 4 is lowest on my list, but it had some very good episodes. “Lazarus Rising†and “The Monster at the End of This Book” were two of my favorites. So far my favorite in season 5 is “The Real Ghostbustersâ€, but “Changing Channels†is up there too.
I think my all time favorites were Yellow Fever and Bad Day at Black Rock. Loved Dean being chased by a terrier and Sam, losing his shoe.
I’d say more often than not, I actually watch them in order from the Pilot on, though on occasion, I’ll put in a specific episode, usually either a comedy one or an emotion-heavy mytharc piece, completely depending on my mood. Or all the comedy episodes in a row, akin to watching all the Treehouses of Horror. Glad to see you’re coming around on Bad Day at Black Rock. That’s a comedic masterpiece. 😎
What can I say? I love every single episode up to and including Lazarus Rising. After that, even though I never ever skip an episode while viewing my dvds, I don’t get the same enjoyment as I do with season 1, 2, 3 and Lazarus Rising. Season 4 is to me the most depressing one to watch, even though episodes are amazingly awesome. I just do not enjoy them as much as when the brothers were 100% there for each other and the love was obvious. There was never a downer so down as the ends of Sex and Violence and When the Levee Breaks. So what has to enthrall me in season 4 is the amazing acting of the two Js. The best I’ve ever seen on a TV show.
So far season 5 has not depressed me as much as season 4. Hoping that Team Free Will will triumph and turn season 5 into a great epic reuniting our brothers and making them along with Cas achieve a win win win situation with the apocalypse long gone along with the nasty angels like Zachariah. I’ll really be ready for a no apocalypse season 6!
As for episodes that would CURE me of a blue funk there is in season 1: Phantom Traveller, Scarecrow (how I love this one), Hell House LOL!, Provenance.
Season 2: Everybody Loves a Clown, Simon Said, Tall Tales,Roadkill, Hollywood Babylon, Folsom Prison Blues, What is and What Should Never Be.
Season 3: Bad Day at Black Rock, A Very Supernatural Christmas, Mystery Spot, Ghostfacers.
Season 4: Lazarus Rising, Monster Movie, It’s a Terrible Life, The Monster at the End of This Book (love Chuck), Lucifer Rising (at the moment Dean sticks the knife in that skank Ruby and twists it I am elated).
Season 5: Fallen Idols, Changing Channels (Sam channelling Caruso, “I say Jackpot!”) , The Real Ghostbusters.
Those of course are not the only ones I love, but just the ones that leave me with an optimistic attitude. If I’m in a good mood, I love most everything. 😉
Glad to hear that you’re coming round on Season 1, Alice. I’m with Sablegreen, I love all of this season. Faith is definitely my top blue funk episode: I love Dean’s life being saved, the cinematography (gorgeous muted colours), the music (that gospel piano in the tent as well as Don’t Fear the Reaper) and the mud.
Scarecrow starts with Sam and Dean separating, follows it with Dean saving the innocent couple passing by, and ends with Sam saving Dean and the bad guys getting hoist with their own petard: what’s not to love, right, Bevie?
I’m also coming round to Something Wicked in the blue funk category: killing the shtriga is possibly the only time Dean will ever manage to put something right from his messed-up past, and it has gained even more importance after What Is and What Should Never Be and The Song Remains the Same.
Stopping there before this comment gets even longer than Alice’s article.
I’m a bit like Randal ( only a bit, mind you … ) I tend to watch in order. Sometimes I do little mini-series about characters I like … The Rise And Fall Of Gordon, Ghostfacers-A-Gogo and Hendricksen Eventually Gets His Men Then Decides It Was All A Mistake And Tragically Gets Vapourised Before Having A Chance To Have Any Fun With His New World View.
Not sure how S4 and 5 are going to fit into the grand scheme of things, though … I need to invent some new catagories. Why Chuck’s Life Sucks, Cas’ Action Figure Moments, Top 500 Heaven-Knows-I’m-Miserable-Now Moments Whilst Sitting On The Impala ( that one sounds really crap, actually ) or Sam’s Reasons To Be Cheerful ( that one’s for when I’m in a bit of a hurry … 😆 )
Hi Alice. Love your idea. I remember once reading that earlier Blue funk -list of yours but was a too much of a jellybelly for actually put out my own ones…
But that’s history now. So, let’s get listing 🙂
Season 1:
Pilot, Phantom Traveler, Bloody Mary, Skin, Home, Nightmare, The Benders, Something Wicked, Salvation, Devil’s trap.
As you can see, my blue funk eppies take me 2 days 😀 But it’s SO worth it. Sometimes there are Scarecrow and Shadow on the list too XD
Season 2
In my time of dying, Everybody loves a clown, Bloodlust, Simon said, Crossroad Blues, Croatoan, Hunted, Nightshifter, Houses of the holy, Born under a bad sign, Roadkill, Heart (sometimes the whole eppie, sometimes the last 5 minutes *glee*), What is and what should never be, All hell breaks loose, part 1 (the same as Heart), All hell breaks loose, part 2.
Yeah, so, watching these might take me a few days more, but I just can’t pass them by. So many great eppies!
Season 3
The magnificent Seven (I love the end, and the scene where the boys get ready in the candle lit room), Bad day at Black rock, Sin City, Fresh Blood, A very supernatural christmas, Malleus Maleficarum, Mystery Spot, Jus in Bello, No rest for the wicked.
Sometimes Ghostfacers & Time is on my side are on the list too.
Season 4
I don’t have this season on DVD yet but when I do, I think these eppies are going to be most watched:
Lazarus rising, In the beginning, Metamorphosis (the brotherly moments alone *love*), It’s the great pumpkin, Sam Winchester, Wishful thinking (T.Bear, hello??!!), I know what you did last summer (name sucks but a really good eppie), After school special (flashbacks are love), Death takes a holiday, The monster at the end of this book (love the name, lovelove the eppie), When the levee breaks (Oh Sam), Lucifer rising (Dean & Zach scenes are golden).
Season 5
Good god Y’all, Free to be you and me, The end, Changing channels, Abandon all hope
Swap meat (I really like this one, despite all the plot holes), The song remains the same, My Bloody Valentine.
Wow. This list would have been so much shorter, if I had just listed the ones that I don’t watch 😀
Haha! 😆
If I listed the ones I don’t watch, I wouldn’t have a list. 😎
Hi Alice
My Blue Funk or comfort shows vary depending on my mood or time.
I pretty much love all of the seasons and episodes.
But I do find I will play certain discs more than others.
For Season One:
Disc One and Disc Three.
But Nightmare has special meaning to me…being my first episode to watch.
Season Two:
Disc Three and Disc Four
But I will watch ‘In My Time of Dying’, ‘Simon Said’ and ‘Heart’ when feeling the need.
Season Three:
Disc One, Disc Three and Disc Four.
Season Four:
Disc One, Disc Two, Disc Four and Disc Six.
What a coincidence, Suze, Hendricksen Eventually Gets His Men Then Decides It Was All A Mistake And Tragically Gets Vapourised Before Having A Chance To Have Any Fun With His New World View was going to be the title of my first novel.
Vapour, Colour, Theatre. Those spellings are cool, but I think I prefer z to s in certain words. Pizzaz!
Sooo … Planning just the slender pocket sized volume, then? 😆
PS. Don’t get all snitty and pedantic with my spelling, Boyo … I’m channeling Chaucer ( or possibly Chauser, it’s been a really long day ;-))
Alice, the more I watch various episodes I did not like as much as I love others they grow on me. I detect nuances and facets I haven’t noticed before, pretty much always. That’s one reason why I love this show, apart from all the other reasons we’ve discussed countless times already.
Some of your favourites are mine, too. I love ‘On The Head of A Pin’, ‘When The Levee Breaks’, ‘A Very Supernatural Christmas’, ‘Heart’ (which rips mine out every time), ‘Yellow Fever’(Go Jensen – cat-scream and Eye of The Tiger), ‘Free To Be You And Me’ (which leaves me deeply saddened every time), Changing Channels (Tandem, anyone?!), ‘My Bloody Valentine’ (Sam’s powers’ mystery and Dean’s devastated soul… still can’t believe it). You’re not alone with liking ‘Sex and Violence’. The idea of the siren was so interesting, though it seemed a bit far fetched, I didn’t mind Sam getting laid, also (every doc’s dream, I reckon). I liked Kara.
I guess, by now there isn’t one episode I don’t like at all. Some I watch to laugh, some I watch to drown in emotion. I like Suze’s suggestion – Why Chuck’s Life Sucks… It does when you don’t find any zombie alligators to voice prophecies about….
Great idea, Alice. Cheers, Jas
Episodes that I might turn to for help with breaking out of a blue funk are pretty easy to guess–Hell House, Tall Tales, Bad Day at Black Rock (LOVE this one), Monster Movie, Changing Channels, maybe Ghostfacers.
For the most part, though, I used to not think of Supernatural as blue funk material, unless I decided I was just going to sit wrapped in a blanket on the couch with Ben and Jerry and wallow. Let’s face it, this is not the most cheerful series on television :D. For wallowing I might watch something like IMTOD, Supernatural Xmas, Croatoan, On the Head of a Pin, When the Levee Breaks, and No Rest for the Wicked.
What’s weird is I found watching these really depressing episodes curiously effective. Fictional though they be, I started to feel happy that I’m not Sam and Dean! No matter how bad things get,at least you’re not strung up on meathooks 😀
Randal: name your advance and send me the manuscript. I want to read that novel!!! Curse Lilith for killing my Victor, apocalypse or no apocalypse for that she had to die! 😈
Wait, Suze came up with that–well, i don’t care who writes up his continuing adventures beyond the grave, i want my Victor back! Any takers???
😆 Randal’s welcome to do the donkey work as long as I get half the royalties and he chucks the odd zombie croc into the mix! ( Given my current state of total submersion in Things Not Done it would take several centuries before anything longer than half a page saw the light of day anyway! )
Season 1: Hell House, Provenance, Phantom Traveler, Dead in the Water
Season 2: Tall Tales, Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things (its a good episode and at the end, if I am still sad, its a good reason to let out some tears), Born Under A Bad Sign, Houses of the Holy, Folsom Prison Blues, Hollywood Babylon, Nightshifter
Season 3: Mystery Spot, Bad Day at Black Rock, The Kids are All Right, Red Sky at Morning, Dream A Little Dream of Me, A Very Supernatural Christmas
Season 4: Yellow Fever, Monster Movie, Wishful Thinking, After School Special, Sex and Violence, Death Takes a Holiday, Its a Terrible Life
Season 5: Fallen Idols, Changing Channels, Swap Meat, Sam Interrupted, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
Season 6 (so far): Two and a Half Men, Live Free or Twihard, Clap Your Hands if You Believe, The French Mistake