Supernatural Obsession: Quotes, Memorable Moments, etc

[mstaken]

This is the place to gush and snark about your Supernatural superlatives! Favorite and least favorite seasons, episodes, characters, relationships; best and worst MotWs, myths and arcs; and the funniest, most touching and endlessly infuriating scenes and moments, etc. 

 

Some of us have done this elsewhere, but it might be fun to kick off by ranking the seasons from favorite to least favorite with explanations as to why---no ties allowed, of course :) 

[herdrakness]

Gosh, there are just SO MANY amazing moments that stand out over the course of nine years! I've always loved the wink Dean gave to Sam just before attacking Zachariah in Point of No Return. Total Bad Ass! The boys talking in unison in Mystery Spot... Dean's intensity after his return from Purgatory... the entirety of Man Who Would Be King (Go Castiel!)... Sam telling Gordon that Dean's the only one allowed to call him Sammy (and a season later beheading Vamp!Gordon with is bare hands! EPIC!).  Guh, so many wonderful moments - funny ones (Pudding!) and poignant ones (I had one job, and I screwed it up) to bad ass (Dean beheading a room full of vamps), this show has always known how to deliver heart-stopping moments. What are your favourites?

[catrox14]

herdrakness, get out of my head!

I loved that wink in PoNR.  But I loved the shift in Dean's face and that change in his eye that immediately preceded the wink. Like how the hell does Ackles do that? In one moment, he went from "I've given up, there is no hope...to 'holy shit, fuck this" wink and then kills Zachariah. You could actually see the shift in Dean's perspective just played out in that one look. That was just something else.  So Great!

Edited March 30, 2014 by catrox14

[herdrakness]

Ah, the 'Ackting' has always been sublime! His eyes and mouth - his whole demeanour, really, manage to just go through all these emotions in a split second. It's captivating to watch! Remember how dead and defeated he looked in All Hell Breaks Loose 2, over Sam's body? I love the other moments too that Jensen contributes, like when he's sniffing his laundry in the background, checking for freshness, or sharpening a knife, he always catches your eye, and seems so in character to Dean. Didn't you just love the moment in Mother's Little Helper when he racked those balls with his arms?! It just spoke of years playing pool in dingy bars all across America. Such a Dean thing to do. I wonder if that was a writing choice, directing choice or actor choice? I'd bet my money on actor...

[ElleryAnne]

Ooh, supernatural superlatives!

Best character that was killed off too soon - Agent Henriksen.  Man, I love that guy.  I think an opportunity was lost when they didn't explore more of the idea that the FBI would be out there tracking down Sam and Dean.  I know we get the occasional stuff along those lines, but I'd have loved to see it as a more regular part of the story.

So not surprisingly, my favorite episodes include Nightshifter (which also gets the honor of Favorite Phone Call, if there's such a thing.  The call between Henriksen and Dean is absolutely priceless for the look on Dean's face) and Jus in Bello.  

I love S2 in general - Usual Suspects, Hunted, Playthings, Folsom Prison Blues (and of course Nightshifter)... just a bunch of fantastic episodes, IMO. 

Favorite guest appearance - Nick Lea as Elliot Ness.  Because it's Nick Lea as Elliot Ness.

Favorite villain - Julian Richings as Death.  Also best introduction of a character - that slo-mo street scene with "O Death" playing gives me chills.

I'm trying to think of the scariest monster, but I think I'd have to go all the way back to Bloody Mary for that one.  

Edited April 5, 2014 by ElleryAnne

[catrox14]

 

Nick Lea as Elliot Ness.  Because it's Nick Lea as Elliot Ness.

I loved him. I especially loved how Dean was totally fanboying over him. I really would love for him to make a reappearance. I don't know how they would do it but man I thought Elliot and Dean were just fantastic together.

[herdrakness]

Aw, man - it's so hard to pick a favourite season! Season two was probably the best over-all, but saeason three had one of absolute favourite run of episodes from Fresh Blood up to Ghostfacers. Season four introduced my favourite supporting character (Castiel) and had one awesome mythology episode after another and is when the show really seemed to hit it's creative stride, continuing right into season five. And (small voice) I actually kinda love so much of season six. I hated it when I was watching it through week-to-week for the first time, but I've grown to love many of the episodes in rewatch and wouldn't want to give it up.

Edited April 6, 2014 by herdrakness

[Aunty Sharon]

ElleryAnne: Best character that was killed off too soon - Agent Henriksen.

 

I will never, ever, EVER stop moaning about this.  If anyone deserved a spin off it was the snaky but sexy FBI agent who would have found a new lease of life in chasing real monsters.  NEVER FORGET!!!!  

And the fact that they said they killed him off due to "actor availabilty" really annoyed me when he turned up anyway in S04E02 aaargh!  

Edited April 10, 2014 by Aunty Sharon

[catrox14]

Re Henriksen.  Agree that he is a great loss.  I read that Jus In Bello was written as a possible series finale because of the imminent writer's strike coupled with not being sure they would even get a s4. They managed to get 2 more episodes for that strike shortened seasons.

[mstaken]

We had fun with this a while ago over at TWoP, so in case anyone is up for a time-wasting weekend challenge: How would you rank the seasons from favorite to least favorite so far? No ties allowed, of course ;)  Feel free to exclude S9 since we haven't yet seen it in its entirety. 

[Reishe]

While I appreciate the serious episodes, the "fun" ones are the ones I can watch over and over and over:

The Monster at the End of this Book

Changing Channels

Mystery Spot

Hollywood Babylon

 

And I'm not the first to point this out, but it bears repeating: one of the things that makes the lighter episodes so awesome is that there is an undercurrent of a real threat underneath all the fun; even when the fans get to laugh, the danger is still there. The story arc is maintained.

[Prospero]

We had fun with this a while ago over at TWoP, so in case anyone is up for a time-wasting weekend challenge: How would you rank the seasons from favorite to least favorite so far? No ties allowed, of course ;)  Feel free to exclude S9 since we haven't yet seen it in its entirety. 

S4 > S2 > S1 > S5 > S3 > S9* > S7 > S6 > S8

 

It's pretty self-explanatory, I guess. I got to mention that the first 5 seasons are all really close. By no means did I think that season 3 was bad - it just didn't deliver as much as other seasons did, partly due to that writers strike. "Jus In Bello" was a terrific episode and there was plenty of good stuff along the way, but overall that season will probably be always remembered for its shortness and unnecessary experiments with the main cast (yeah, Ruby and Bela). While I did enjoy Katie Cassidy as Ruby, I found Bela's character to be a massive waste of screen time and Lauren Cohan's talent.

 

Season 8 was a disaster. I thought it's started on a pretty high note with lots of action, gore, fighting monsters with Thor's hammer and whatnot, but it quickly lost its direction and just wandered drunkenly from one mediocre filler to another. Season 6 is basically the same but it does have a few truly outstanding episodes (Weekend at Bobby's, The French Mistake, The Man Who Knew Too Much) that I would recommend as must-see. Season 8 is perfectly skippable IMO - the previouslies before Season 9 more than make up for it and will save you a lot of time.

 

* So far season 9 is my favorite post-S5 season of Supernatural. It's a pretty good sign, but we have to see how the season arc is resolved.

[7kstar]

 

We had fun with this a while ago over at TWoP, so in case anyone is up for a time-wasting weekend challenge: How would you rank the seasons from favorite to least favorite so far? No ties allowed, of course ;)  Feel free to exclude S9 since we haven't yet seen it in its entirety.

 

S1 S4 S2 S5 S6 S3 S8 S7 S9?

 

Every season has some eps I love and some I hate.  I didn't watch 7 live so it will have to go last.  I missed several from 6-8 live so not sure that one is really that much higher, lol.  I liked Souless for a few anyway and Lisa and Ben, I liked Dean in Purgatory and Benny but the second half not so much, watching more 9 live but still not sure where it goes.

 

I liked first Ruby and Bella.  The last ep of S5 stunk.  Season 4 got me into Supernatural so it has to go higher than some of the others.  Actually fanfiction got me into this show because I hate Horror and I don't watch Horror movies or anything else with it.  So once Supernatural goes, my watching of Horror will end for good.  :)

[sinnerforhire]

S2, S1, S3, S6, S5, S4, S8, S7, S9

I basically ranked the seasons by how many episodes in each I like enough to rewatch. Seasons 2, 1, and 3 have 15+, seasons 6 and 5 have 10+, seasons 4 and 8 have single digits, all the way down to season 7 with 2 and season 9 with 0.

I personally think that Mystery Spot is the best single episode of all time. It showcased everything the show does well--the comedy, the drama, the brothers' relationship, and the supporting cast.

[catrox14]

It's too hard for me to rank seasons because every season has had some brilliant episodes and some less than stellar.  I think in general I like s3 because I loved Bela and they had the balls to send Dean to Hell. I thought s5 had some of the best standalone episodes but they blew the landing. s4 I love particular episodes.  I also have a love for s7 because Dick Roman and dick jokes galore and Leviathans.  I would have put s8 right up there if they had kept Dean's Purgatory storyline more prominent and actually had Dean finish the trials instead of Sam.  I'm also really loving s9 too. 

 

Gun to my head, I'll go with 3,5,4,7,2,1,8,6.  9 is right up there in the top 5 mix pending the season finale. My favorite episodes are "The End", "Lazarus Rising","Dark Side of the Moon", "Mystery Spot", "What is and what should never be", "French Mistake" and "First Born".

 

I reserve the right to change that order as often as necessary. :)

[mstaken]

My own order varies a lot, though the first three seasons are always my first three favorites. Suffice it to say I'm not a fan of the quasi-'epic', relentlessly grim, oh-my-god-enough-with-the-angel-wars-and-apocalypses tone and storylines of the post-S3 seasons, though obviously they contain some individual episodes that I really like.

 

Recently I've become weirdly attached to S3. Yeah, I don't quite get it either ;) While it has more clunkers than the more consistently awesome S2 and isn't as energetic and hopeful (hopeful by THIS show's standards!) as parts of S1, I just love some of the episodes beyond the telling of it. Bad Day at Bad Rock and Mystery Spot have become two of my 4-5 favorite and most rewatched episodes, and I've fallen in love with Time is on My Side and the widely disliked Long Distance Call. I don't love the flashbacks of A Very Supernatural Christmas, but the present day scenes are pure gold for me. Sin City, Bedtime Stories and Fresh Blood all have some fantastic, rewind-worthy scenes for me. I'd have loved to have seen what this season could have been if not truncated by the writers strike. For me, it contains a surprising number of the series' all-time highs. This is also probably the last season during which I really liked and related to Sam. Oh, and I suppose it doesn't hurt that I have a shameful fondness for Bela! (I could never stand Ruby as played by either actress, though.) 

 

 My current order: S3, S2 (it's almost always at the top of this list, but I think I've overdosed on many S2 episodes to the point where I'm a tad sick of it!), S1 (gap) S4 (bigger gap) S7, S5, S6, S8. That's subject to ridiculously frequent change :) 

Edited May 3, 2014 by mstaken

[DittyDotDot]

My list varies depending on my mood, but today...S2, S3, S1, S4, S7, S6, S5, S8, S9.

 

When thinking of watching Supernatural my default generally runs to S2. I really feel like this is when the show hit it's stride and really excelled in storytelling. It was creative, but still fun and a joy to watch.  Favorites are always hard to pick from this season because there's so many good ones and even the not-so-good ones have moments of pure gold that I treasure.

 

Lately, S1 and S3 have been very close seconds on re-watch.  S3 has more episodes that I really get drawn into, but S1 has the best sense of atmosphere and adventure, so it just depends on my mood.

 

S4 has recently downgraded a bit for me since I feel that so much of what the show relies on now--brother angst, angels/demons and the over oppressing depression--started here. However a few of my all-time favorite episodes lie here and if nothing else I think this may have been one of the more creative seasons they have managed to put together. 

 

S6 and S7 are pretty close for me and I rather enjoy both of those seasons **ducks all the rotten tomatoes being thrown**.  I find them to be far less offensive than the current season and actually enjoyed many of the arcs and themes, but mostly a lot of the stand alones are favorite ones for me.

 

Oh, poor S5. At one time I didn't find this season to be so offensive, but as time has marched on I have become tired of the oppressing angst and grimness. Originally, I though they would break the boys up and then bring them back together and be done with it, I was wrong and now I'm sick of it. Plus, they really failed to stick the landing at the end of the season. Still though, there are a couple of really golden episodes here.

 

S8 and S9 have just been a lot of nonsensical irritation for me. It's become so much of a soapy, melodramatic and boring shell of what it used to be. I think I'm coming to terms with it though and am starting to just take it for what it is and no longer have any higher expectations, but it's not been an easy road for me. For some reason though, I can't seem to stop watching.

[ElleryAnne]

2,3,1......7,4,5.....6,8  (Not factoring 9 in until end of season).  I really love the early days of this show before the apocalypse became a thing in the Winchesters world, and then became a thing in their rear-view mirror.  

 

Among the later seasons, there's an average of three or four episodes per season that I adore, and a handful of episodes that I like, but the first three seasons are good enough that if I was going to marathon them I wouldn't have to skip more than one or two per season.  There's only so much OMG!tragic! that I can take before I just need a good scary urban legend or light-hearted episode to break the mood.  

 

I liked first Ruby and Bella.

 

I have a shameful fondness for Bela! (I could never stand Ruby as played by either actress, though.)

 

 

I liked Bela as well, mainly as a potential antagonist for the boys, but I think she was a wasted character.   I was okay with KC as Ruby, but GC always bored me. Ruby's entire character never felt necessary to me, though.  

 

One thing I notice in reruns is that I really like Jo.  I hated her at first, and it's probably one of those things where my own preferred headcanon got in the way (I wanted her to be John Winchester's daughter with Ellen), so on first run I wasn't a fan of hers.  But I like her in reruns, go figure.

[mstaken]

There's only so much OMG!tragic! that I can take before I just need a good scary urban legend or light-hearted episode to break the mood.

 

I feel the exact same way. I'll eagerly take a tightly plotted, amusing and sneakily thought-provoking urban legend of the week in lieu of the meandering, quasi-lofty 'arcs' that the show IMO rarely pulls off with any success.  

 

The show always had a tendency to overdo the mawkish angst, but post-S3 the show has seemed almost contractually obligated to be as wrist-slittingly depressing as possible, aside from a couple of goofy 'meta' episodes per season. It's as if they decided that 'quality' shows are utterly devoid of fun, adventure, joy and hope. I'm so immune to the angst by now. We get it, show---everyone and everything sucks, including the brothers' relationship with one another. *yawn* 

 

Originally, I though they would break the boys up and then bring them back together and be done with it, I was wrong and now I'm sick of it

 

Exactly! While S1 and S3 have become better and better for me upon repeated rewatch, S4 and S5 have gotten worse now that we know it was just the beginning of the seemingly endless, repetitive dysfunction and depression.  

 

 

But I like her in reruns, go figure.

 

ITA that Jo improved a lot with rewatch...and in comparison to how little I like the way the show writes its female characters :) 

[mstaken]

So a fun best/worst question for the weekend: which scenes leap out at you as some of the series' funniest?! 

[supposebly]

"I lost my shoe."

"And apparently, clowns kill!"

The off-camera fight over the axe between Sam and Dean in Mystery Spot.

Sam pulling the string on that cackling contraption again! after Dean noticed the superglue on his beer bottle.

Their whole conversation about the Tulpa, Sam switching between excited about what he found out and being terribly uncomfortable.

"Should I honk?"

Andy incredulously: "I have an evil twin."

Imitating Horacio Cain.

Becky not taking her hand off Sam's chest.

Chuck freaking out over the angel tooth in his hair.

Cas and Dean on the phone in the morgue.

"It's the greatest hits of the mullet rock."

Dean lying in the mud under the bridge in the pilot: "I'm super."

 

Too many to count, especially when I think about it.

Edited May 9, 2014 by supposebly

[mstaken]

Perfect list, supposebly! 

 

Dean lying in the mud under the bridge in the pilot: "I'm super."

 

Hee! I was in an S1-ish mood anyway and wondering whether I should watch some S1 episodes this weekend....and now I know for a certainty that I'll be tuning into the Pilot tonight. Yes, AGAIN! 

[ElleryAnne]

So a fun best/worst question for the weekend: which scenes leap out at you as some of the series' funniest?!

 

 

For me, it's got to be Ava in the psychiatrist's office in Hunted, with the pop-rocks question.  And the follow-up to that scene with her and Sam talking about it and her response, "I'm awesome!".  And Ava talking to Sam on the roof with, "Who are you?"  All of her scenes during the first fifty minutes of the episode are golden.

 

Runner-up to Sam smashing the phone and quitting in It's A Terrible Life.  Funny and cathartic.  Really cathartic. I laugh far too much at that scene.

[supposebly]

Ava is still one of my favorite female characters during the show. One of the few where the writing and the acting managed to avoid the cliches that a lot of the female characters have been saddled with.

[mstaken]

I'm a fellow Ava fan :) 

 

That's actually another fun question: your favorite female SPN characters! 

I love Ava, Bela (stop laughing at me!), and...um...*trails off* Well, I grew to like Jo, though that's more about my fondness for the actress. I liked Kathleen of The Benders---she was one of the sadly few SPN females who felt real and relatable to me rather than the 'tough 'n sassy and the writers' idea of the coolest chick EVA!' mass of cliches that supposebly alluded to above. 

[DittyDotDot]

Funniest moments (other than what supposebly most awesomely mentioned above)...

• Dean: I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Sam: It's hellfire Dean.
• Adding to I lost my shoe: the whole bit of Sam in the hotel room and catching things on fire and the curtains and the whole shebang.
• Dean: Planes crash!  Sam: And apparently clowns kill!
• Dean's confession in The Usual Suspects.
• Wishful Thinking...Teddy:  It is a terrible world. Why am I here?!  Audrey: For tea parties!
• Changing Channels...Sam: Should I honk?
• Sam and Dean at a Supernatural convention.
• Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid...Dean: It's all right, they're idiots. They can't pick a lock. Bobby: Don't you ever get tired of being wrong? Dean: I'm making this stuff up as I go. Sue me.
• Loveable, huggable Cupid. 
• LeviathanSam: Dead plants with creamy goo. It's like eating self-righteousness.
• Every single time they've played Rock Paper Scissors to settle and argument.

Oh, there are just too many, this post is getting waaaaay too long!

 

Adding to the favorite female characters list...I always liked Ellen. And Ava is still one of my all-time favs...and I liked Bela too.

[mstaken]

Wait, have we been discussing funny moments without mentioning anything from Tall Tales?! I refuse to believe it ;) 

 

Thanks to you guys, I rewatched the Pilot again last night. I used to think my love for it was primarily for sentimental reasons, but I really think it's a stellar episode in its own right, and the perfect mix of everything I love(d) about the show. Dean was right---they did make "quite a team" back then. *wistful smile* 

 

Speaking of which, I know this is hard to narrow down, but what are your picks for some of the sweetest brotherly bonding moments of the first few seasons? 

[DittyDotDot]

Wait, have we been discussing funny moments without mentioning anything from Tall Tales?! I refuse to believe it ;) 

 

Thanks to you guys, I rewatched the Pilot again last night. I used to think my love for it was primarily for sentimental reasons, but I really think it's a stellar episode in its own right, and the perfect mix of everything I love(d) about the show. Dean was right---they did make "quite a team" back then. *wistful smile* 

 

Speaking of which, I know this is hard to narrow down, but what are your picks for some of the sweetest brotherly bonding moments of the first few seasons? 

 

Wait, didn't I have the wrestling scene and Bobby's "you're breakin' my heart, can we leave now" moment on my list...::scrolls up to check::...man, I was sure I had it on there. Tall Tales is just chalked full of fun times, how could I neglect it?

 

And Hollywood Babylon too...the Johnny Ramone shout out alone is hilarious! Sigh, so much good stuff, it's almost over-whelming to try and make a list.

 

Oh, the Pilot...after seeing Bloodlines I was really thinking about the Pilot and what made it work; not only as a pilot, but as an episode in it's own right. It really is one of the best pilots I can think of right now. It sets up the show and it's characters very well, but isn't so overly expositional that I lost interest in the first couple minutes like so many pilots are these days. They didn't try to tell us everything out of the gate nor did they try to be so very cute in withholding important information--It was just enough to be able to follow along with the case, but also left a mystery or two out there so we would want more.  I think what it did best though, was establish who these guys were and their relationship. I immediately felt like I knew these guys and had known them for some time. Anyway, I too love watching The Pilot.

 

Brotherly bonding moments...I have to think on that a bit, there are quite a few. I will throw out the first one that comes to mind though...Bloody Mary, when Sam wakes up from his nightmare in the hotel and asks Dean why he let him fall asleep and Dean's response is because he's an awesome brother. I always smile at that.

Edited May 10, 2014 by DittyDotDot

[ElleryAnne]

Wait, have we been discussing funny moments without mentioning anything from Tall Tales?

 

 

I can no longer listen to "Lady in Red" without laughing thanks to that episode.

 

 

For female characters I like, I'd have to add Sarah from Provenance.  She's the one potential "girlfriend" for Sam that I liked so well I would have been happy to see as a recurring character.  

 

Brotherly moments:  Almost the entirety of Something Wicked, but especially the moment in the doorway when Michael asks Dean about how he'd do anything to protect his little brother, and Sam's standing back there listening to the exchange.  Great little moment.  Maybe not "bonding", but sweet.

 

ETA:  Also from Something Wicked, the flashback scene with the cereal.

Edited May 10, 2014 by ElleryAnne

[mstaken]

A fun (?!) Sunday challenge: If you could just keep 4-5 episodes from each season, what would they be?! And feel free to pick the 4-5 from each season that you'd happily 'gank' as well :) 

Edited May 11, 2014 by mstaken

[mstaken]

...attempting to answer my own question, at least for seasons 1-4! 

 

S1, 4-5 to keep: Pilot, Scarecrow, Hell House, Benders and...hmmm....there's a lot I love (and, in some cases, don't love!) about many remaining episodes. I'm torn between Wendigo and Salvation, but I'll go with...Salvation. maybe. For now. That may change by the time you read this. :) 

 

S2, 4-5 to keep: Crossroad Blues (such a rich, underrated episode IMO!), Born Under a Bad Sign, Tall Tales, Hunted and AHBL, pt 1 (almost solely for the scene when Dean holds StabbedSam!) I think In My Time of Dying and What is and Never Should be are both among the best episodes of the series, but for some reason can't rewatch them as often.

 

S3, 4-5 to keep (I love this season more than most do, so this is surprisingly tough to narrow down!): Bad Day at Bad Rock, Sin City, Mystery Spot, Long Distance Call and Time is on My Side 

 

S4, 4-5 to keep: Yellow Fever (I get why many fans hate it, but I can't help myself!), Wishful Thinking, It's a Terrible Life, The Monster at the End of this Book. (There are objectively great episodes from this season---I just find them horribly depressing to watch.)  

[ElleryAnne]

This is tough because there are some entire seasons I have a ridiculous amount of love for and a couple of seasons that I can skip altogether, but I'll play!  So for the favorite episodes I'd keep from each season (in order of appearance in the season): 

 

S1 -  Pilot, Bloody Mary, Faith, Hell House, Something Wicked

S2 - In My Time of Dying, The Usual Suspects, Hunted, Nightshifter, Folsom Prison Blues

S3 - Bad Day at Black Rock, Fresh Blood, Mystery Spot, Jus in Bello, Ghostfacers

(For the record, picking only five from each of those seasons was really hard.  Those are fantastic seasons.  If I had to pick only five episodes from the entire series, they'd probably all be in S1, S2 and S3.)

 

S4 - Lazarus Rising, Yellow Fever, Family Remains, Cris Angel is a Douche Bag, It's a Terrible Life

S5 - Changing Channels, The Real Ghostbusters, Abandon All Hope, Sam Interrupted, Two Minutes To Midnight

S6 - Weekend at Bobby's, Clap Your Hands if You Believe, And Then There Were None, My Heart Will Go On, Frontierland

S7 - Slash Fiction, The Mentalists, How To Win Friends and Influence Monsters, Time After Time, Out with the Old

 

I'm not including S8 because I'm still making up my mind about some episodes.

Edited May 11, 2014 by ElleryAnne

[mstaken]

If I had to pick only five episodes from the entire series, they'd probably all be in S1, S2 and S3.)

 

Same here! In fact, if I had to pick 10, I'm pretty sure all 10 would be from S1-S3. And probably at least 19 of my top 20 would as well :) 

 

Glad to see you share my love for the Pilot and Hell House! 

 

 

 

Faith

 

I'm always so torn on this one. Parts are mawkish and heavy-handed for me...but it's also got some sublime moments, and the line about the fabric softener teddy bear alone makes it worth rewatching ;)

 

 

 

Yellow Fever,

 

Heh---I can't believe there are two of us who actually like this episode! 

 

 

 

Mystery Spot

 

For your own peace of mind, it's probably wisest not to ask me just how often I've seen this episode :) 

 

I'm a huge S3 fan and a huge Henrisksen fan, but for some odd reason I never love Jus in Bello as much as most do.  Parts feel like a generic made-for-TV action movie for me. I also really dislike this show's fixation with OMG-she's-a-VIRGIN!!!!!!! Or maybe this one just has too much freaking Ruby to please me :) It's got stellar moments, of course---it's just not one of my favorites overall. 

Edited May 11, 2014 by mstaken

[ElleryAnne]

Glad to see you share my love for the Pilot and Hell House!

 

 

And also of Wendigo, but there wasn't room for it in my list.  It probably would've been sixth. (The unpopular Bugs might've been seventh for me, because I love that scene in the attic.  It's very The Birds.)   But I had to fit Faith in there for the awesome use of "Don't Fear the Reaper" - which is my favorite use of a song in the show, and a much better choice than Hell House's "Fire of Unknown Origin" (which seems cruel for Dean to sing while Sam's in the car even though I love the song). 

 

 

For your own peace of mind, it's probably wisest not to ask me just how often I've seen this episode :)

 

 

If you've relived more of Sam's Tuesdays than he has, you're probably ahead of me. :)   But I can say the same thing for the number of times I've watched Nightshifter.  And Folsom Prison Blues.  And Jus in Bello.  Damn, I miss Henriksen.  His phone call to Dean in Nightshifter and his and Dean's conversation in Jus in Bello (the "I think the world's going to end bloody, but I'll go down swinging" one) are brilliant.

 

 

I also really dislike this show's fixation with OMG-she's-a-VIRGIN!!!!!!!

 

 

Yeah, they did go on a bit about that.  I guess because they were using the old "we've got to sacrifice a virgin to save the world" cliche. At least there were no volcanoes to throw her in.   But I liked Nancy as a character.  Usually, on the occasions a show mentions that someone's a virgin, it's either to make fun of her or to have her lose her virginity.  In this case it was a plot device, but for the most part I think they show the others as respectful of her as having made a choice. 

 

 

Heh---I can't believe there are two of us who actually like this episode!

 

 

I  find YF unsettling in spots, because the death of the MotW is really horrible.  But scared Dean cracks me up, and most of my favorite eps are a combination of horror and humor.   And the little dog with a bow in its hair makes the episode for me.   

Edited May 11, 2014 by ElleryAnne

[DittyDotDot]

Favorites huh? Ok, here I go, but just so you know this was very hard with S1-S3...

 

S1:  Pilot; Skin, Scarecrow; The Benders; Hell House; Something Wicked (crap, that's six...okay I will begrudgingly loose Something Wicked.)

S2:  In My Time Of Dying; Crossroad Blues; Nightshifter; Born Under A Bad Sign; Tall Tales; Hollywood Babylon; What Is And What Should Never Be (crap, too many again...it's already been painful to lose so many...I can't, I just can't...help!)

S3:  Bad Day at Black Rock; Fresh Blood; A Very Supernatural Christmas; Dream a Little Dream of Me; Mystery Spot; Long-Distance Call (sigh...I'll drop Long Distance Call...but I'm not at all happy about it.)

S4:  Lazarus Rising; Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester; Wishful Thinking; It's a Terrible Life, The Monster at the End of This Book

S5:  The End; Changing Channels; The Real Ghostbusters; Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid; Dark Side of the Moon

S6:  Two and a Half Men; Weekend at Bobby's; Clap Your Hands If You Believe...; My Heart Will Go On; Mommy Dearest; The Man Who Would Be King

S7:  Hello, Cruel World; The Mentalists; Time After Time; Plucky Pennywhistle's Magical Menagerie; Out with the Old (actually I quite liked a few others from this season, but It wasn't as painful to let them go as it was with S2)

S8:  We Need to Talk About Kevin; Bitten; Everybody Hates Hitler (Sorry, there's a couple more that aren't too bad, but honestly I would never re-watch them.)

S9:  Bad Boys; Meta Fiction (I know the season's not over yet, but so far there's little I would re-watch--these two are stretching it as it is. Plus, I haven't found the last couple episodes of the season very good since S3--they're usually overcrowded and make me want to drown my sorrows in a gallon of whiskey after watching--so I doubt it will change my list.)

 

 

Generally I have the same feeling about Jus In Bello as you, MsTaken, but I have to say that I recently saw it and I found more that I liked than I remembered. I have to say the stuff with Sam and Dean locked up really amuses me and the fact that Hendrickson's in it makes Ruby almost bearable--I said almost. ;)

 

I also have similar feelings about Faith, I like bits, but there is so much heavy-handedness that I find I only really pay attention to the first parts. The thing about S1 is that I get this feeling when watching many of the episodes...I just think they hadn't found that balance yet, so I have to skip a few scenes in some episodes. I'm usually more forgiving of a first season of most shows anyway.

 

Yellow Fever has some issues, but I still really like it. It didn't make my list only because I had to narrow it down and even though I like it I find myself more in love with Are You There God, It's Me Dean Winchester lately. I actually think it's the balance between the humor and the heavy to show Dean's fear is what makes this episode work. It's basically an episode making fun of Dean's time in Hell, which could have been really heavy and/or mawkish, but I think it strikes a good balance in the end. I do loath the way they victimized the ghost of a guy that was victimized his whole life and tried to sell it as honorable, though.

[catrox14]

I do loath the way they victimized the ghost of a guy that was victimized his whole life and tried to sell it as honorable, though.

 

I didn't think they tried to sell it as honorable. Bobby and Sam both acknowledged it was an awful thing to do and they didn't like it but they couldn't find any other way in time to save Dean.

 

I love Yellow Fever for the humor but mostly because Jensen's performance was outstanding(as usual). He never veered into outright parody.  He was absolutely sincere with the portrayal of Dean's spiraling and all consuming fear and anxiety. And holy crap. Jared playing yellow eyes Sam...I think that was where he drew Samifer from in The End.  That was some scary shit right there.  And then the little yellow eye flash after Dean's hallucinations were supposed to have passed. EEP

 

Also, EYE OF THE TIGER

Edited May 11, 2014 by catrox14

[DittyDotDot]

I know that Bobby and Sam felt bad about having to do it, I just thought they were selling it as honorable because they did it to save Dean and in the end it's okay because it was just a ghost--so go team!

 

But I whole-heartedly agree that the way Jensen balanced the humor and heavy is what really makes this episode work. I think my favorite part might be when Dean is itching his arm and Sam uses his ridiculously long legs to kick Dean and tell him to knock it off. It's just such a nice brotherly moment, but the snake guy makes me laugh a lot too.

 

In reality though, they Eye of the Tiger bit might actually be why I remain attached to this episode. Hee! ;)
 

[catrox14]

 

I know that Bobby and Sam felt bad about having to do it, I just thought they were selling it as honorable because they did it to save Dean and in the end it's okay because it was just a ghost--so go team!

 

I never got a "go team" vibe at the end.  Just more of a regretful, 'I really wish we could find another way, but this is it.  We had to do it'. Bobby was a bit sardonic, but Sam seemed a bit sad that they were having to do it again. They were relieved that it worked and happy to have saved Dean and potentially all the others that could have become infected. I suppose the act is honorable but I don't think they felt particularly honorable themselves.  At the end, Dean was being taunted by Bobby about being afraid and Dean was all "I'll hunt anything" to prove he wasn't scared anymore and they laughed about that. But mostly they were subdued I thought afterward.

[DittyDotDot]

Dean says "So, you guys road hauled a ghost? That sounds...awful. But hey, I'm alive. So, go team" (that's not the exact quote, but I think it's pretty close minus a few lines from Sam and Bobby) at the end of the episode just before they start teasing him. That's why I said it here...that was the tone of the denouement to me--Well, it may have sucked, but he was just a ghost after all so it was ok. Sam was actually smiling and seemed proud that he had thought of this plan. Which didn't really bother me so much, in light of how Sam must have felt so useless after he couldn't save Dean from Hell, but at least he could come up with a plan to save him then. It's really more the idea of it all and the moment that they did it. I think TPTB thought it was a really cool concept and didn't slow down enough to realize what it really said--but, I think it's not what they intended to say.  And, they kind of addressed it after the episode aired and realized they may have put their collective feet in their collective mouths here, so I can be a bit forgiving.

[catrox14]

I remember Dean saying that but I took it as Dean being a bit sardonic about it as well.

 

I'm new in the past few months to SPN so I didn't know anything about that reaction after the episode aired realtime. interesting information! I'm starting to think binge-watching changes perceptions and viewpoints of episodes, neither for the better nor worse. Just different.  I remember going back and reading some forums with the backlash against Bela and  Ruby which really surprised me because I liked those characters as questionable villains/allies. 

[DittyDotDot]

From what I understand, after the episode aired, the message boards lit up with "They're calling Dean a dick, how could they call Dean a dick" and such. So, Kripke issued a press release saying that they weren't calling Dean a dick, but it relates to a secret about Hell that he hasn't told Sam yet.  I can't remember the entire thing, but I think the gist of it was that the episode was being misunderstood. Anyway, like I said, I like the episode despite it's minor failures.

 

I binge watched the first six seasons and it may impact perceptions...I don't know. I liked Bela but found Ruby rather obvious and silly in both incarnations. Supernatural draws the most random audience and I don't think there is a "typical" viewer, so for everyone who hates a character or an episode there seems to be just as many that love them. Some just happen to be more vocal than others. That's kinda why I like this thread, it's fun to see what works for some and doesn't for others.

[catrox14]

I'm assuming Kripke was referring Dean breaking the first seal because he finally broke after the duress of 30 years of unimaginable torture and that is why Dean is being called a dick here? Oof. Kripke kind of sounds like a dick here. LOL

[DittyDotDot]

I have a new challenge that could be fun and sure to put a smile on my face...I was watching Frontierland last night and even though it's not one of my favorites, I love how Dean geeks out about being in a western. But I think my favorite part is when he's trying to explain his Star Trek IV reference--"it's like I don't even know you guys anymore"--anyway it got me to thinking about all Dean's pop-cultural knowledge and how hilarious it is to me that he can always find one to illustrate almost any situation. So, this is a very long way around getting to the challenge...what are some of your favorite geek out/pop cultural references a la Dean (or Sam for that matter).

 

I need to think about this some, but here's another for ya...I think some of my favorite Dean moments is when nobody understands his references and Sam has to explain them to the room. Like Dean's "glampers" reference in How To Win Friends And Influence Monsters. ;)

[mstaken]

I have way too lousy a memory to give good answers to this one, but I adore the question! A few that leap to mind:

 

Dean's gleeful "I'm Batman!" in Bad Day at Bad Rock. 

 

Dean bonding with the kid over which Godzilla movies are better in the Benders. 

 

The boys' reference to Schoolhouse Rock in Croatoan. 

 

Dean snarking about wanting to hunt down the fabric softener teddy bear in Faith. 

[catrox14]

There are just so many. I think there must be one Dean pop culture reference in EVERY episode but some of my favorites are:

 

Frontierland: Dean: "I'm Deputy Eastwood, Clint Eastwood. He's "Walker...Texas Ranger". I just die every time. His whole thing when Sam steps in the horseshit, "That's authenticity". 

 

"I full on Swayzied that mother"

 

"What's in the booox" - I laugh EVERY time

"Put the lotion in the basket"

"He full on Obi-wan'd me"

[ElleryAnne]

One of my favs would be in Night Shifter, when Sam and Dean are posing as FBI and interviewing Ronald.  Ronald makes a comparison to The Terminator but different, and Dean says, "Like T2!"  And Ronald is all, "Yeah!"  It's like Dean found someone who speaks his language.

Edited May 13, 2014 by ElleryAnne

[catrox14]

Oh lord. How did i forget.

 

"Well we can't just strand those idjits in Deadwood"

[mstaken]

Here's a potentially fun one: Who (and what!) have been your favorite and/or least favorite villains/adversaries? These can range from human (e.g. Gordon...er, well, he was human for awhile, at least!) to supernatural, from single episode monsters (e.g. the hilariously evil couple from A Very Supernatural Christmas) to adversaries who pop up at various points in the series. 

[catrox14]

Metatron is easily the villain I have hated more than any other. I loathe him and not in the fun way I loathed Zachariah, Lucifer, Alastair, Uriel, Raphael, Abaddon or the creepy vampire guy that was all up in Dean's business. I don't like the actor that plays Metatron and I can't stand the character. 

[mstaken]

Okay, time for the most blissfully shallow Bests and Worsts ever In which seasons do you think JA and JP looked their best and/or worst overall? Feel free to pick just one favorite and least favorite or to rank all nine :)