What better way to celebrate the longest running American sci-fi/fantasy show of all time as it hits it’s 300th episode than by ranking ALL THREE HUNDRED of those episodes. It was a daunting task, but nothing a Supernatural super fan like me couldn’t handle. There’s enough episodes about the Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) and their Angel bestie, Castiel (Misha Collins) to go into syndication three times over, and that means there are enough great episodes to create full seasons…and enough bad ones to do the same.

Before we get into it, let’s talk about the methods to this madness. In creating this list I didn’t just use my own favorites and critical thoughts, I also took into account IMDb ratings, popular fan sentiment and how groundbreaking or innovative episodes were. But this is also my own personal rankings, so you’ll see favor for various things that matter to me: good brother moments, kick ass guest stars, exciting monsters or that trademark Supernatural blend of humor and homoeroticism. I’m sure no one will agree with this entire list, but I hope your favorites ranked high. And if they didn’t…maybe they’ll have adjusted by the time we get to episode 400.

So, from the worst to the best of the best…here we go.

Bloodlines (Season 9, Episode 20)

It’s so funny that Season 9 just skips from Episode 19 to 21. Seriously though: this failed backdoor pilot reeks of studio meddling and wasted potential. It’s another show entirely and not a very good one, sadly.

Dark Dynasty (Season 10, Episode 21)

This episode has some good funny and scary moments and the guys face descendant of Frankenstein, but the climax in the most pointless, badly written and deeply hurtful death of the whole show. Killing Charlie Bradbury (Felicia Day) lands this one at the bottom of the pile.

Red Sky at Morning (Season 3, Episode 6)

Bela (Lauren Cohan), an unentertaining character, is at her mean-spirited worst here, and the ghost ship -water monster monster is also very silly. Add that to a tired subplot about a cougar hitting on Sam and you’ve got a stinker that even series creator Eric Kripke hated.

The Curious Case of Dean Winchester (Season 5, Episode 7)

Dean turning into an old man thanks to a warlock should be fun, but this episode fails spectacularly due to the abysmal casting of Old Dean. Magic poker and emotional beats for Bobby (Jim Beaver) only go so far where Dean’s not really there.

Rock and A Hard Place (Season 9, Episode 8)

Reborn virgins? Okay? It’s always great to see Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes) but neither Jody nor a bitchy goddess obsessed can balance out Dean’s weirdly racist and sex with a porn star and a rather boring monster.

Season Seven, Time for a Wedding! (Season 7, Episode 8)

Though there are some great bright points here – the intro of Garth (DJ Quaills) and an appearance by future Tony-Winner Leslie Odom Junior the rape-y, embarrassing main plot of Becky (Emily Perkins) magically forcing Sam to marry her is just creepy and a totally offensive to the fangirls Becky is based on.

Unforgiven (Season 6, Episode 13)

I cannot stress enough how gross and horrible the spider monster is, and not in a fun way. Add in a very unsympathetic Sam in flashbacks and a bleak ending and it’s loser.

Criss Angel is a Douche Bag (Season 4, Episode 12)

This snore fest about stage magicians is just a bit too sad, too unfocused on the boys and generally underwhelming. But hey – Barry Bostwick is in it, and the title is very accurate!

Long Distance Call (Season 3, Episode 14)

John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is back! Well, his voice is…but that’s all that’s memorable here aside from the gross bug monster and wasted time at the end of a season.

The Things They Carried (Season 10, Episode 15)

Though it has some great scary images, the main plot is a waste of film on a character (Cole) that no one needed to see again. The fact that Cole doesn’t even have the decency to die at the end is extra irritating.

Bugs (Season 1, Episode 8)

The cursed Indian burial ground plot is silly, clichéd and fully of holes to match the bad bugs VFX. Another one that even God (Rob Benedict) had to apologize for – but at least Dean’s cute in that shower.

Love Hurts (Season 11, Episode 13)

Witch and loves spell and unnecessary cleavage shot – oh my.

Mannequin 3: The Reckoning (Season 6, Episode 14)

The ghost possessing mannequins and dolls story is sad and creepy in the wrong ways and the resolution is extra depressing in an already depressed season. And the car gets possessed – we can’t stand for Baby getting violated like that!

The Memory Remains (Season 12, Episode 18)

Well. There was a goat monster that was sorta spooky but that’s the only memory that remains on this one.

LOTUS (Season 12, Episode 8)

This episode about, yes, Lucifer possessing the president might have been fun, but it was an unfocused mess with so many logical gaps it made fans heads spin…and made us weirdly want the actual devil as the president over what he have in reality.

Man’s Best Friend With Benefits (Season 8, Episode 15)

Someone really should have told someone how racist it was to show a black woman being owned by a white guy witch and turning into a dog.

Halt and Catch Fire (Season 10, Episode 13)

A mainly mediocre episode, wasting what could have been a very cool monster – a ghost in the internet. But hey, Dean makes some good speeches.

Plush (Season 11, Episode 7)

Though I love Donna (Briana Buckmaster), and this episode had some creepy moments, this weird story about haunted costumes (?) wasn’t weird enough to be cool and had some icky implications.

Oh Brother, Where art Thou? (Season 11, Episode 09)

Amara (Emily Swallow) blows things up and the guys make a plan to talk to Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) in his cage, but it’s all confusing. Also, you’d think that the Winchesters would call their friend the angel when heading of to talk to, you know, Satan, but oh well…

Dog Dean Afternoon (Season 9, Episode 5)

Dean turns into a dog…but not really. He just acts like one and talks to them. It’s silly and has some really bad voice acting. Jensen’s goofiness saves it to some extent but this episode is seriously a dog.

The Girl Next Door (Season 7, Episode 3)

Immediately in the aftermath of Cas dying and a world threatening monster getting out, we turn focus to a monster Sam let go when he was a teenager. Then Dean kills her and it takes up his focus and angst for like, five episodes? It’s a very weird choice is a weird season.

All Dogs Go to Heaven (Season 6, Episode 8)

What’s with crappy episodes and dogs? This forgettable episode has a weirdly icky premise (the family dog is a…person?) and is a big waste of the boys working for Crowley storyline from season six.

Hello, Cruel World (Season 7, Episode 2)

This episode is frankly jarring. After a whole season of build up to Godstiel, then a sudden shift to Leviathans in the season opener, we get this weird mishmash where Cas DIES in the first few minutes then we have a rather boring story about the Leviathans.

There’s Something About Mary (Season 12, Episode 21)

I think I can sum up a lot of fan reactions to this episode: Stop! Killing! Awesome! Women! FOR NO REASON! What’s an otherwise fine episode about Mary (Samantha Smith) being controlled by the British Men of Letter is totally ruined by the gross murder of deaf hunter Eileen Leahy (Shoshanna Stern). We’re all STILL mad about it.

Caged Heat (Season 6, Episode 10)

So much of this sorta heist episode seems to be added for shock and titillation. Cas Watching porn? Meg getting tortured naked? Meg kissing Cas? It’s all very thrown together and it resolved that interesting season six plot of the boys working for Crowley far too quickly.

The Magnificent Seven (Season 3, Episode 1)

The Seven Deadly Sins are in town and they’re…kinda scary I guess? A hunter we just met gets killed and Roby (Katie Cassidy) saves the day and we…maybe care? The weakest season premiere by far.

Family Matters (Season 6, Episode 7)

Dean and Sam argue about Sam’s missing soul, and the Campbells do things. Cas at least looks very pretty? I think?

Time is on My Side (Season 3, Episode 15)

Best part of this episode: Billy Drago as a very creepy monster that survives replacing his own body parts with other people’s. But that’s not the way Dean wants to stay alive and out of hell.

And Then There Were None (Season 6, Episode 16)

Much like “Dark Dynasty,” this episode relies on pointless character death for drama, only this time it’s times three. With a body jumping monster, the episode brings what could have been a great arc for Grandpa Campbell (Mitch Pillegi) to an abrupt, pointless end and we lose Rufus (Steven Williams) to boot!

Heartache (Season 8, Episode 3)

Though the episode is beautifully shot (thanks to Jensen’s direction) the story of a Mayan god (who looks like a white football player?) whose organs end up in other people takes a few too many turns for the weird.

Rock Never Dies (Season 12, Episode 7)

The thing I really liked about this episode was the humor as it skewered the LA scene, as well as the team work and determination we see from the boys at the end. But Rick Springfield was just bad stunt casting as Lucifer and the episode suffers because of this.

#thinman (Season 9, Episode 15)

The show had to take on internet memes as monsters eventually, but this bummer return of the Ghostfacers was just a bit too heavy-handed as a Winchester brother parallel. Still, funny moments, and we’re all glad the Ghostfacers lived.

Party On, Garth (Season 7, Episode 18)

A ghost that can only be seen by drunk folks? Kind of a cool idea. I also really do like Garth and DJ Quails, but this was an odd time in the season to shift the focus to him after Cas had just returned from the dead.

Live Free or Twihard (Season 6, Episode 5)

There were weird overtones to this episode, but the worst was seeing Sam let Dean get turned. Sure, it was great drama, and a good clue for the soulless Sam story, but no one likes it when the boys are at odds.

The Slice Girls (Season 7, Episode 13)

Dean takes his shirt of in this episode while getting frisky with an amazon and that’s…maybe the best thing that can be said of Supernatural‘s first (but not last) shot at the magical baby trope.

Bedtime Stories (Season 3, Episode 5)

A girl in a coma brings fairy tales to gruesome life, but it’s not very whimsical at all. Sam is an awesome sketch artist though.

A Most Holy Man (Season 13, Episode 15)

This mini film noir is a cool concept but just played tonally wrong with Supernatural. But hey, that gun fight was pretty darn cool, right? Also Dominic Burgess is always great.

Good God, Y’all (Season 5, Episode 2)

While Cas goes looking for God, the guys take on a horseman of the Apocalypse – War. There’s lots of conflict and mistakes and it all ends with Sam and Dean actually breaking up. Don’t worry, they’re not apart for long.

There’s No Place Like Home (Season 10, Episode 11)

Charlie come back from OZ as a good Charlie and a very bad Charlie. Felicia Day does her best in dual roles but bad Charlie isn’t terribly believable and certainly not likeable, nor is Dean, when he beat evil Charlie to a pulp. And the Oz stuff was always weird and couldn’t quite land.

There Will Be Blood (Season 7, Episode 22)

The guys need the Alpha Vampire’s blood to defeat the Leviathans. It’s an okay side quest and Rick Worthy is always great and the first blood sucker.

Family Feud (Season 12, Episode 13)

I’ll give this shipwrecked ghost episode some credit for undoing some of the timeline messiness that resulted from Crowley keeping Gavin (Theo Devaney) alive, but the best moments were between Crowley and Rowena (Ruth Connell) in the last time we’d see them together on screen.

I Believe the Children are Our Future (Season 5, Episode 6)

This is another one of those episodes that made so little impact I forget it exists, and it only left us with a large plothole (what happened to Jesse? You know THE ANTICHRIST?) and some fun jokes.

King of the Damned (Season 9, Episode 21)

Angels are blowing themselves up, Dean’s getting meaner and Crowley’s son time travels to the future. Too much! And Abaddon’s (Alaina Huffman) final stand is anti-climactic but at least it was better than Bloodlines.

Blood Brother (Season 8, Episode 5)

I loved Benny when he was first introduced in Season eight, but the episode that gave us his back story was disappointing. His “father” was a snooze of a villain and the love story was a bit cliché. And seriously making Benny all about…a girl? Sigh.

Mommy Dearest (Season 6, Episode 19)

The guys track down Eve, mother of all monsters to Oregon where he’s making new ones (Jefferson Starships!). It should be a big show down, but Eve – played very well by Samantha Smith for a scene – just dies after being built up all season.

Hook Man (Season 1, Episode 7)

At this point some of the urban myths and monsters of the first season started getting repetitive and this episode just fades into the mix.

Book of the Damned (Season 10, Episode 18)

This episode also introduced Charlie to the season ten myth arc, which ended badly for her and for us, and brought us the Stynes, the worst villains the show has ever had. However, I loved Castiel and Metatron (Curtis Armstrong) on the run together and Cas getting his grace back..

Devil’s Bargain (Season 13, Episode 13)

The highlight of this episode is the beautiful Danneel Ackles finally gracing our screens with her beauty and awesomeness as an angel that’s in it for herself, even if that means helping out Lucifer.

Sharp Teeth (Season 9, Episode 12)

Such a waste of Garth, though it’s a fine enough werewolf story. You’d think Dean showing up with the Mark of Cain would have been more worrying but…oh well.

The British Invasion (Season 12, Episode 17)

The British men of letters get trained at…evil Hogwarts? Okay.

Like a Virgin (Season 6, Episode 12)

An episode with Dragons where we see no dragon (oh, TV budgets…). But there’s great physical comedy of Dean versus the sword and Sam and Cas trying to hug.

Taxi Driver (Season 8, Episode 19)

The boys need to save Bobby’s soul from hell, with a detour through purgatory. Benny dies heroically, sadly and maybe pointlessly. There is great drama with Benny and Bobby, but the retcon of “rogue reapers” and hell having a backdoor to purgatory after all of season six was spent trying to find it feels like a double cheat.

Devil May Care (Season 9, Episode 2)

There are only two things that fans remember about this episode: Dean is at peak freckled perfection and the shot of Gadreel’s wings is badass.

Wishful Thinking (Season 4, Episode 8)

There’s a suicidal giant teddy bear.

Something Wicked (Season 1, Episode 18)

Though it’s creepy, this episode about the bous facing a monster that got away when they were kids hammers home the “John was a terrible father” point a bit TOO forcefully.

Defending Your Life (Season 7, Episode 4)

This starts season seven’s weird fixation on Dean’s guilt over killing Amy Pond, which was just weird considering all the other things he’d just gone through at that point. Seeing Jo back is nice, and Lawyer Sam, but it’s not a greatest hit.

Time After Time (Season 7, Episode 12)

Dean wears a Fedora. Sam is brilliant and Jody is awesome. Eliot Ness was boring, but hey, Dean checked out a dude in 1942 and fought Logan Echolls so that was neat.

99 Problems (Season 5, Episode 17)

“I found a liquor store…and I drank it.” Cas this episode is a whole ass MOOD.

Meet the new Boss (Season 7, Episode 1)

Cas is God! Cas is bad! Cas is cool! Cas is sad! Cas is…full of Leviathans? Cas is melting????

The Scar (Season 14, Episode 3)

The first episode of the current season where we have Dean all the way back…but it doesn’t really feel like it. But at least we have Kaia and Jack being pretty darn awesome.

Paper Moon (Season 10, Episode 4)

A sidling store where one is a monster and the other is harmed as collateral…no super obvious metaphors here after Dean just came back from being a demon.

Stranger in a Strange Land (Season 14, Episode 1)

It turns out that an episode without Dean (since he’s possessed by Michael for all of it) just doesn’t feel like a real episode of Supernatural, and when Cas just sits there through a boring bar fight, it’s also super confusing.

You Can’t Handle the Truth (Season 6, Episode 6)

Everyone has to tell the truth, and it leads to some relations about soulless Sam. It’s all surprisingly painful, but kudos for great stuff with Bobby.

The Rising Son (Season 13, Episode 2)

Wherein we meet Evil Colonel Sanders…I mean, Asmodeus (Jeffrey Vincent Parise) and really get to know Jack (Alexander Calvert). One of those folks turned out to be a really great character, can you guess who?

The Benders (Season 1, Episode 15)

This early “humans are the worst monster” episode about killer hillbillies is more X-Files than Supernatural, which is understandable considering how much of the X-Files crew worked on this show.

All In the Family (Season 11, Episode 21)

Nothing could follow “Don’t Call Me Shurley” and not suffer by comparison, but this one stumbles pretty badly with plot holes, a pointless new character (who dies pointlessly in the next episode) and focus on all the wrong things.

All Along the Watchtower (Season 12, Episode 23)

There was some great drama in this season finale, but the back-to-back-to-back-to-back deaths of, well, everyone was a harrowing experience. It would have been a great send off for Crowley, but having Cas shockingly killed minutes later undercut such a major exit.

Black (Season 10, Episode 1)

After a whole hiatus wondering what Demon Dean would get up to, he was just…singing karaoke, drinking and having fivesomes with Crowley. Though it signaled season ten’s intimate tone, it wasn’t what we were hoping for. Also: Cole. Ugh.

Exodus (Season 13, Episode 22)

I’m always down for some good Gabriel (Richard Speight Jr.) stuff, and Lucifer can be interesting when he’s good…But killing Gabriel again when we just got him back, and for no great reason was such a bummer. Also, let us never speak of evil Castiel’s accent again.

Let It Bleed (Season 6, Episode 21)

I, well, love the Lovecraft mythology here but it hurt real bad to see Cas as a bad guy, and all the other suffering this episode brought with it.

Two and A Half Men (Season 6, Episode 2)

Sam and Dean versus an infant. It’s very funny but the schtick ends too quickly and we’re sent back to the rather boring plot with the Campbells and an alpha shapeshifter.

War of the Worlds (Season 13, Episode 7)

There was a fake evil twin plot in this episode and for a little bit, we believed they were actually doing that.

Paint it Black (Season 10, Episode 16)

Dean’s moment in the confessional is great but it’s the high point of an otherwise fun, but not great episode about a haunted painting and nuns.

Reichenbach (Season 10, Episode 2)

Another episode where we got hints of what Demon Dean could have been, with some nice big fights and some angst from Sam…but not much else.

Citizen Fang (Season 8, Episode 9)

Benny has a great grand daughter and a hunter is after him – that’s cool. Sam has relationship drama with Amelia (Leann Balaban) and we do not care.

Captives (Season 9, Episode 14)

Seeing Kevin (Osric Chau) and Mrs. Tran (Lauren Tom) back is great, but he’s a ghost and she’s been imprisoned for a year so…kind of a bummer. Plus Sam and Dean are at odds and Cas has a sorta cool meeting with another angel that doesn’t lead much of anywhere.

Mamma Mia (Season 12, Episode 2)

This episode proved that Mary Winchester is an absolute badass, and that Sam can be sex even when an evil British lady is psychically seducing and torturing him.

Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things (Season 2, Episode 4)

There’s not being able to get a date, and then there’s resorting to necromancy to keep a girl around. This episode touched on a big theme of season two – that the dead should stay dead, but it’s a lesson the Winchesters never actually learn.

The One You’ve Been Waiting For (Season 12, Episode 5)

Bringing back Hitler was kind of strange but seeing Dean kill his was also super cathartic.

Girls, Girls, Girls (Season 10, Episode 7)

The episode that first really gave us the wonderful Rowena and great stuff with Cas and Hannah. If Only Cole hadn’t been there to bog it down and there had been slightly fewer hookers…

Out with the Old (Season 7, Episode 16)

People are killed by an evil tea pot and evil ballet slippers, so that’s at something.

Adventures in Babysitting (Season 7, Episode 11)

I like Kevin McNally as paranoid crackpot Frank, and I like Krissy (Madison Mclaughlin), a young henter’s daughter who Sam, then Dean, help to save her father, but this does feel like two episodes shoved into one.

The Song Remains the Same (Season 5, Episode 13)

The guys travel back in time (again) and Sam finally really meets his mom. But I just get mad about this how Anna is used here, turning evil for no reason then dying out of no where. Kudos for Matt Cohen and Amy Gumenick as young John and Mary must be given though.

Exile on Main Street (Season 6, Episode 1)

It’s weird and a little heartbreaking to see Dean trying to live a normal life with Lisa (Cindy Sampson) and Ben, while he thinks Sam is dead and Cas is AWOL. We don’t get the big brother reunion we hoped for (for a good reason we find out later), but there’s some good action too.

The Devil You Know (Season 5, Episode 20)

The re-introduction of Crowley is very fast-paced but Mark Sheppard steals the show, hopping back and forth as he helps the boys find Pestilence. Plus, there’s a great moment as Dean and Sam take out demon Brady where we’re reminded that the Winchesters are the things that scare the scary things.

Dead in the Water (Season 1, Episode 3)

A lake monster and the show’s very first creepy kid. It’s the start of a long proud tradition of the guys saving the day and not getting the girl (which is honestly lucky for Amy Acker here).

The Man Who Knew Too Much (Season 6, Episode 22)

Jared does some awesome acting as several different Sam’s as we take a tour through his broken mind, but all the work is for naught as Cas goes full villain and full God – to disappointing results.

Blade Runners (Season 9, Episode 16)

The guys and Crowley (Mark Sheppard) go looking for the first blade and take several weird detours along the way until Dean ends up chained to a column and growling when he gets that old jawbone in his hands. It’s less sexy than it sounds.

Remember the Titans (Season 8, Episode 16)

An episode about Prometheus is super cool, but I always get annoyed at shows killing off gods. But at least we have a gif of Dean saying “Dragon Penis.”

Asylum (Season 1, Episode 10)

A good, creepy little episode that does well setting up the place where season 1, and the series, really took off.

Freaks and Geeks (Season 8, Episode 18)

Krissy is back in this Hunters: The Next Generation episode. I like all the kids and I wish we’d seem more of them after they got away from their evil mentor.

Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (Season 12, Episode 15)

Dean loves koalas and hellhounds continue to be the worst.

Salvation (Season 1, Episode 21)

Sam and Dean finally join forced with this father to take out the yellow-eyed demon. It goes terribly, of course, but it’s great to see the boys and John all together for once and also Jeffrey Dean Morgan at peak badass dad level.

Ask Jeeves (Season 10, Episode 6)

A mysterious murder at a mansion, a shapeshifter and more older ladies hitting on Sam. This fun take of “Clue” is entertaining and has a wonderful guest cast. I also love the dark twist.

Route 666 (Season 1, Episode 13)

I stand by this episode being not as bad as everyone says. I think the truck is cool, the love scene is sexy, the chase is exciting and Cassie is a great character.

Dead Man’s Blood (Season 1, Episode 20)

The show’s first intro to vampires is mainly devoted to Winchester family bickering once the guys find out John is on the case too. But that first shot from the Colt – the gun that can kill anything – is a classic.

Everybody Loves a Clown (Season 2, Episode 2)

Let’s see, this episode has a whole crew of new hunters operating out of the Roadhouse, killer clowns and then Dean taking out his anger on the trunk of the Impala. It’s good but disjointed.

Our Little World (Season 11, Episode 6)

Crowley trying to control Amara was a smart idea, but it was also a bit of a wasted story, and her crush on Dean while she was in a very young body was…weird. But Cas getting out and dealing with his trauma – and also dealing with Metatron (Curtis Armstrong) was great.

Family Remains (Season 4, Episode 11)

This episode occurs solely in one location, which is rare, over one night of horror, and the monster turns out to be an abused human. It’s all very creepy and unique, and not a bad metaphor for humans becoming monsters after we learned what Dean did in hell.

Devil’s Trap (Season 1, Episode 22)

The episode that first brought us Bobby and first touched on the moral implications of what the boys do when the human possessed by the demon Meg dies in Dean’s arm. Though it suffers in comparison to some later, more epic finales it’s great fun. Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Azazel is a particular highlight.

Gods and Monsters (Season 14, Episode 2)

Jensen Ackles in a Tuxedo.

Brother’s Keeper (Season 10, Episode 23)

An intimate and emotional finale that had twists people wither loved or hated, including killing Death himself. Rowena was excellent as usual, but Cas was underused. However, unleashing the Darkness turned out great. It was a wrenching end to a rough season.

Swap Meat (Season 5, Episode 12)

A teen steals Sam’s body. This episode is fun, but I’ll forever be disappointed with how it was shot – I’d have much preferred to see Jared play a Gary-Possessed Sam rather than being shown Gary in Sam’s scenes. I also hope season fifteen will finally bring us the Sam-Dean body swap we deserve.

Metamorphosis (Season 4, Episode 4)

A regular man becomes a monster and Sam thinks he can be saved, right when Dean learns Sam is working with Ruby. The metaphor is very on the nose and the rugaru transformation and meat eating is super gross.

Playthings (Season 2, Episode 11)

There’s a twist here you can see coming from a mile away, but I do like surly drunk Sam and the show’s take on the haunted hotel full of dolls and creepy children trope.

Mother’s Little Helper (Season 9, Episode 17)

Great direction by Misha Collins obscures that not a lot happens here. While the flashbacks to Henry Winchester (Gil McKiney) and Josie is well done and interesting, it doesn’t add a lot overall to the season and the Abaddon soul-mining story was dropped and never seen again.

The Hunter Games (Season 10, Episode 10)

I love seeing Metatron mess with the boys, but Claire’s (Kathryn Newton) story of falling in with yet another bad crowd and then trying to kill Dean is all over the place. It’s a fine episode but not great.

Bloodlust (Season 2, Episode 3)

This vampire-focused hour Introduces a really interesting foil for the boys in Gordon (Sterling K. Brown) and introduces the idea that not all monsters are fully evil. Plus it’s gorgeously shot.

Ladies Drink Free (Season 12, Episode 16)

You either love Claire or you don’t, but seeing her almost become a werewolf is pretty interesting and good for her growth. Also nice of Mick Davies (Adam Fergus) to become likable just before dying.

Slumber Party (Season 9, Episode 4)

Coming off of giant drama of Cas getting kicked out of the bunker, we get this hour where Charlie shows up to fight….the wicked witch of the west. Good bottle episode with a really weird basis.

Fallen Idols (Season 5, Episode 5)

No one is going to argue this episode isn’t silly, but Paris Hilton does a pretty good job playing the evil version of herself (A god pain people’s obsession) and the underlying tension between the boys is enough to ground it.

Nightmare (Season 1, Episode 14)

A good first hint about the special children, but child abuse is never really fun TV. I still have nightmares about the knife in the eye thing.

Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire (Season 11, Episode 1)

The introduction of the Darkness isn’t quite as apocalyptic as we would have hoped, but then again, the CW doesn’t have the budget for a worldwide epidemic.

Nightmare Logic (Season 14, Episode 5)

This one is a really fun twist on the Djinn story, and a great episode for Mary and Alternate Bobby.

Hell’s Angel (Season 11, Episode 18)

It’s all about the Casifer – that is, Lucifer in Castiel’s body. The was never better than when wearing that meat suit, let’s be real here. Whether he’s trying to be the new god or mocking Dean from inside a circle of holly fire, it’s devilish fun.

No Rest for the Wicked (Season 3, Episode 16)

After stumbling at the end of season three, we get a pretty good finale and a shocking ending as Dean’s deal comes due. There are some wonderful moments – Bobby’s “Family Don’t End in Blood” speech, the brother’s Bon Jovi sing-along, and Lilith as that super creepy evil child. Again with the evil children!

Of Grave Importance (Season 7, Episode 19)

I like the focus back on Bobby and a look into the world of ghosts, but others really hate this one. I thought it was an entertaining transition to bring Bobby back and that Annie was a great one-off character.

Holy Terror (Season 9, Episode 9)

The best episode we got for the war between angels that ended up fizzling. There’s some great shocks and drama but it was sad to lose human Cas so fast and, of course, to lose Kevin. As with many season nine episodes, Jared’s fantastic dual work as Sam and Gadreel was amazing.

Into the Mystic (Season 11, Episode 11)

The guys face a banshee, work with a charming older woman played by Dee Wallace (of course she likes Sam) and meet Eileen, the deaf hunter that fan immediately loved.

The Third Man (Season 6, Episode 3)

This feels like the real start of season six. Miniature biblical plagues (how gross were the Locust in that guy’s head?!), Castiel’s return and the introduction of Balthazar (Sebastian Roche), one of our favorite angels of all time. May he rest in fabulousness.

Optimism (Season 14, Episode 6)

Just a lonely monster fly, looking to fit in.

Fresh Blood (Season 3, Episode 7)

Godon goes full evil then goes full vampire, hunting down Sam and Dean. Sam’s brutal decapitation of the Gordon hints at a darker Sam story that we won’t full get into for a long time.

Provenance (Season 1, Episode 19)

Sam’s first crush after losing Jessica comes along in this spooky haunted painting episode.

Sam Interrupted (Season 5, Episode 11)

The guys check into a mental hospital for a case, and honestly they really do need the therapy. A creepy monster, the boys dealing with some of their massive trauma, “Pudding!” and “Boop,” make for a very fun episode.

I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here (Season 9, Episode 1)

Cas is human, Sam is dying and Dean just can’t get a break. It’s kind of understandable then that he allows “Ezekiel” (Tamoh Penikett) to possess Sam, but it’s still a massive betrayal that led to all kinds of bad.

Jump the Shark (Season 4, Episode 19)

A fun take on the “discovered” relative trope that lends a lot of insight into the boys and John Winchester. Jake Abel is great as Adam, the lost half-brother, but the fact he was dead all along is a brutal twist. The ghouls are super creepy as well.

Torn and Frayed (Season 8, Episode 10)

Sam and Amelia are in this episode, I think. I just ignore them and focus on Cas and Dean working a case together to save Samandriel (Tyler Johnson) from Crowley torture shack. Amanda Tapping is chilling as Naomi as we learn how extensive her control of Cas is at this point.

Wendigo (Season 1, Episode 2)

The second episode of the series is the first of many miniature horror films, this time taking on a legendary monster in the woods. The VFX have aged badly but it’s still a pretty fun hour where we get to know Sam and Dean better.

I’m No Angel (Season 9, Episode)

Poor Cas has a rough go of it as a human, what with the homelessness, getting tricked into sex with a reaper that kills him and then getting kicked out of the bunker, but I do like the examination of his character and faith.

Home (Season 1, Episode 9)

A great take on poltergeist and a legendary one off character in Missouri Moseley (Loretta Divine) elevate this episode a lot. The stuff with Mary’s ghost finally got resolved eleven years later, so that’s nice.

The Bad Seed (Season 11, Episode 03)

Rowena starting a mega-coven? Where can I join. Cas in a blanket. So much face touching. Makes up for the Amara and Crowley weirdness. Did I mention the face touching?

Pac Man Fever (Season 8, Episode 20)

Dean ends up in Charlie’s brain to dave her from a Djinn, and it’s a video game. Jensen and Felicia have a lot of fun with the costumes and actions and I honestly wish there was more of that action.

Dream A Little Dream of Me (Season 3, Episode 10)

After three seasons, we finally learn more about Bobby, as the boys go into his dreams to save him from a nightmare-walking bad guy. On top of that we get some surprising insights into Dean’s hopes and fears – he just wants a normal life! He’s terrified of becoming a demon! Too bad Bela is there to meddle.

The Scorpion and the Frog (Season 13, Episode 8)

I love this mini quest, the new characters and the fun surprises from everyone. Sam really should have put out that fire with his jacket though.

Appointment in Samarra (Season 6, Episode 11)

To save Sam, Dean gets to be death of a day. I love Death (Julian Richings) as a character, and Dean has a very interesting time doing his job. Sam trying to kill Bobby is a bit off-putting but balanced out by seeing Balthazar back again.

Bloody Mary (Season 1, Episode 5)

A scary little episode that showcases the fun of the first season.

First Blood (Season 12, Episode 9)

Let’s just pretend the whole president Satan thing didn’t happen and this is just a cool episode where we see how smart and deadly the Winchesters are. And also how much Cas and Mary care about them – given they’re willing to die and kill a reaper for the boys.

Malleus Mallificarum (Season 3, Episode 9)

We learn more about witches (yay!) And Ruby (boo!) and there’s lots of gross fluids!

The Mentalists (Season 7, Episode 7)

I really enjoy this episode about a town full of psychics real and fake, though it resolves the Sam and Dean season seven rift a bit too fast.

The Purge (Season 9, Episode 13)

I’ll admit, I wouldn’t mind weight-loss via Peruvian fat-sucker monster. It looks pretty relaxing. This episode also introduces us to sheriff Donna Hanscum, and we get Dean in a hair net, but the actual highlight is the devastating conversation at the end where Sam tells Dean he wouldn’t save him.

160. How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters (Season 7, Episode 9)

“I think you pissed off my Sandwich.” Iconic.

Shut Up, Dr. Phil (Season 7, Episode 5)

A silly witch episode but it’s up here because of the guest cast, buffy alum James Marsters and Charisma Carpenter. Plus Dean versus bees – the rematch!

The Things We Left Behind (Season 10, Episode 9)

A surprisingly intimate and small mid-season finale, I love in reintroduction of Claire, the daughter of Castiel’s vessel, Jimmy, and the character work we see with Cas and Dean.

Bring ‘Em back alive (Season 13, Episode 18)

Dean’s over in apocalypse world while Sam and Cas deal with a broken archangel. We finally get some good stuff for Ketch (David Haydn-Jones), and great stuff with Gabriel. Of course it’s compassionate Sammy that gets through to him Also: Charlie is back! Yay!

Heaven and Hell (Season 4, Episode 10)

This one is a pretty great battle for the angels and demons and has a pretty sexy love scene…too bad about the icky torture. Jensen’s speech at the end of course is legendary.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (Season 8, Episode 1)

A really solid season opener that reset the pac. There’s good (purgatory) and some bad (Sam hit a dog? He didn’t look for Dean?) and great (Crowley and Kevin).

Hunted (Season 2, Episode 10)

A exciting episode that brings back Gordon in a great way and introduces us to Ava (Katherine Isabelle), another special child like Sam. It’s like a mini action movie that ends on a great cliffhanger.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester (Season 4, Episode 7)

One of very few actual Halloween episodes, this one has some super scary deaths (boiled in apple bobbing water!). It ends with an awesome moment for Castiel’s character development as he confesses to Dean that he does have doubt about god.

Sin City (Season 3, Episode 4)

There’s a weird premise about demons turning a quiet town into a den of gambling and prostitution, but the real highlight is the excellent long scenes between Dean and the demon Casey (Sasha Barrese) as they learn to respect and understand each other.

No Exit (Season 2, Episode 6)

A cool combo of serial killers and ghosts, this take on the real story of H. H. Holmes was American Horror Story before that show existed. The focus on Jo (Alona Tal) is great as well.

The Thing (Season 13, Episode 17)

I think they know about all the tentacle porn, guys…

The Kids Are Alright (Season 3, Episode 2)

We meet Lisa and Ben, Dean’s ex and his possible son, and they’re surprisingly likable, compared to other women of season three. Dean saves them both from changelings – some of the creepiest monsters the show has ever produced.

Phantom Traveler (Season 1, Episode 4)

Our first intro to demons seems a little tame now, but it’s a fun episode. Dean hates flying and Sam has some serious dead girlfriend angst as they take on Speckles the Plane Crash Demon.

Sympathy for the Devil (Season 5, Episode 1)

After the huge cliffhanger of season four releasing Lucifer, the season five plotline is actually a bit…small scale and the focus on vessels has always struck me as a little odd as the lynchpin. Still this episode has some great moments including Chuck (Rob Bendict) hitting Sam on the head with a plunger.

After School Special (Season 4, Episode 13)

This high school-set episode almost ranked higher thanks just to Dean in gym shorts, but the flashbacks to the guys as teens manage to make them less likable, which brings the episode down.

What’s Up Tiger Mommy? (Season 8, Episode 2)

Kevin insists on checking in on his mom, Linda and some how she ends up at an auction of magical artefacts with the boys and Crowley. Linda Trans is a legend and shines here. Plus, there’s ulta-angsty, shipper catnip flashbacks to Dean, Cas and benny in purgatory.

Simon Said (Season 2, Episode 5)

We learn more about the special children and there are some funny and very shocking moments – including Dean giving up Baby! Andy (Gabriel Tigerman) is a great character and the resolution is suitably dark and dismaying.

Patience (Season 13, Episode 3)

It’s sort of sad looking back on this episode, which introduced psychic Wayward Sister Patience Turner (Clark Backo), now that the Wayward Sisters spin off isn’t a thing…but it’s still a good hour of the show with some great surprises and emotional stuff as Dean mourns Castiel’s latest death.

Plucky Pennywhistle’s Magical Menagerie (Season 7, Episode 14)

There’s a Unicorn Pooping rainbows in this episode. Also evil clowns, and I love it more than I should.

Let The Good Times Roll (Season 13, Episode 23)

It was all going so well until we hit the worst wire fight ever…

Sex and Violence (Season 4, Episode 14)

The big twist that siren the guys are hunting is male makes up for all the strippers we have to endure. I mean, I like strippers but…it’s a bit much. Sam also gets to be hella sexy as well, which is a treat.

About A Boy (Season 10, Episode 12)

Dylan Everett gives a fantastic turn as a de-aged Dean which completely makes up for the very silly monster of the week (Hansel and Gretel’s witch? Really?).

Twigs and Twine and Tasha Banes (Season 12, Episode 20)

Where is the spin off for Max Banes (Kendrick Sampson) and his living doll magic sister?

Hell House (Season 1, Episode 17)

We meet amateur ghost hunters, and internet famous dweebs Harry (Travis Wester) and Ed (A.J. Buckley), then men who would be Ghostfacers. Silly, smart and self-aware, one of the early slightly meta episodes that hinted at what the show would become.

Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Season 5, Episode 15)

The dead are rising in Sioux falls, including the wife Bobby had to kill. This is a heartbreaking episode in a lot of ways that give us great moments with the boys and characters like Jody Mills, who we meet here as she has to kill her zombie son.

Form and Void (Season 11, Episode 2)

Sam Winchester continues to be the most badass, determined, brave little toaster out there as he cures himself of The Darkness’s poison. We also meet Billie (Lisa Berry) the awesome reaper, and Crowley dresses up like a priest.

Prophet and Loss (Season 14, Episode 12)

The rest of this episode about prophets and Nick and such is fine, but Sam’s final speech to Dean, pleading with him not to throw himself into the ocean because he believes in them? Epic. Also: Cas in a doctor’s outfit.

The Prisoner (Season 10, Episode 22)

This episode deals with the fallout of Charlie’s death in an brutal fashion but in this case the drama is satisfying, not upsetting. Jensen’s performance is terrifying and heartbreaking and the final fight with Cas had me screaming at the TV in the best way.

Stairway to Heaven (Season 9, Episode 22)

The angel bombers are a pretty interesting plot point and the drama of Cas giving up his army for Dean sets my heart aflutter. Again, anything with Metatron is catnip for me and Gadreel is also a fascinating character).

Are you There God, It’s me, Dean Winchester (Season 4, Episode 2)

Their past mistakes come back to haunt the Winchesters and Bobby – literally. After the reveal that angels exist the show goes in a different direction than would be expected, but the episode is still exciting and scary. And the final scene with Cas is a wonderful second intro to his character.

The Raid (Season 12, Episode 14)

Vampires attack inside a locked Men of Letters base, reminiscent of The Thing or other horror classic. This taught little action thriller packed into a single hour is a real treat, and it was so cool to see the Colt and the Alpha Vamp back after years.

Thin Lizzie (Season 11, Episode 5)

A fun take on a classic murder tale, this episode goes a different way than you’d expect and brings in the season’s big bad in a great way as we learn people are going nuts because Amara is eating their souls.

Roadkill (Season 2, Episode 16)

I love this story of a ghost that doesn’t know she’s dead, played so well by the great Tricia Helfer.

Trial and Error (Season 8, Episode 14)

The boys in glasses. Plus some cool hellhound killing. Good fun.

The Usual Suspects (Season 2, Episode 7)

A detective played by the wonderful Linda Blair gives the boys their first brush with the law in a real way. It’s more of a murder mystery than a ghost story, but it’s still very spooky and tightly written.

Bitten (Season 8, Episode 4)

Some people hate this werewolves in college story, mainly because Sam and Dean aren’t in it, but I love the found footage trope and I think it was a creative risk that paid off.

The Spear (Season 14, Episode 9)

Supernatural does Die Hard; it’s frankly amazing it took them fourteen years.

Skin (Season 1, Episode 6)

The first time we see one of the boys shirtless…and it turns disgusting real fast as it turns out this Dean is a shapeshifter and the transformation involves bones breaking and teeth falling out.

Keep Calm and Carry On (Season 12, Episode 1)

Mary Winchester is back from the grave, and she and her boys don’t get a moment to rest. Sounds about right.

Folsom Prison Blues (Season 2, Episode 19)

The boys go to prison to solve a case. New environment and new outfits means a lot of fun.

Slash Fiction (Season 7, Episode 6)

Some Leviathans are on a murder spree wearing Sam and Dean’s faces. It’s a good excuse for some throw backs to early seasons and dissecting the Winchesters as people. Of course it’s really Jody that saves the day.

Southern Comfort (Season 8, Episode 6)

A penny haunted by a vengeful confederate soldier is scarier than it sounds. It’s Garth’s strongest episode by far and includes one hell of a musical sequence and confrontation between the brothers.

As Time Goes By (Season 8, Episode 12)

Turns out the Winchesters’ grandfather didn’t ditch their dad, he just time traveled to 2014 and met his grandsons. I love Henry and Abaddon, and the intro of the Men of Letter reinvigorates the whole season, and possibly the whole series.

Breakdown (Season 13, Episode 11)

The darker side of Donna is awesome to see.

Do You Believe in Miracles? (Season 9, Episode 23)

Dean fully succumbs to the mark of Cain in a final showdown with Metatron. It’s a strong finish to a shaky season that includes one of Dean’s best deaths, great hero moments for Cas and the bone-chillingly good final monologue by Crowley and reveal on Demon Dean.

Good intentions (Season 13, Episode 14)

On our earth we have the guys dealing with a soulless prophet and on the other there’s Mary, Jack and Bobby fighting the good fight. The AU is well done, and Cas’s hard choice is indeed hard to watch. Poor Donatello…

Shadow (Season 1, Episode 16)

Literal shadows are killing folks but it’s just a trap for the Winchesters. One of the most action-packed episodes of the first season and a spot where the mythology really takes off, plus great stuff with Papa Winchester and Meg.

Born Under a Bad Sign (Season 2, Episode 14)

Though the first two acts drag, once Sam-possessed-by-Meg lets loose the episode is dynamite.

The Chitters (Season 11, Episode 19)

A creepy, creative monster and a pair of Hunter Husbands make this one a winner.

A Little Slice of Kevin (Season 8, Episode 7)

Though Kevin is in the title, this episode is all about Castiel. Our favorite angel returns in the angstiest of ways, much to Dean’s confusion and relief and the audience’s elation.

Various and Sundry Villains (Season 13, Episode 12)

Rowena is back from the dead again, just in time to save Dean from a love spell and be generally so fabulous. Seeing her bond with Sam over their trauma is icing on the cake.

Inside Man (Season 10, Episode 17)

Bobby returns again, this time helping the boys from inside heaven to save Dean from the Mark of Cain. Add in Dean and Crowley having a heart to heart about family and we have a winner.

Houses of the Holy (Season 2, Episode 13)

The first mention of angels on the show turns out to be a great examination of purpose and faith…and also turns super ironic given later seasons. The twist is easy but satisfying and the first hints at a higher power are great too.

The Bad Place (Season 13, Episode 9)

That “wait, is that a dinosaur???” end is worth the price of admission alone.

Clip Show (Season 8, Episode 22)

As he kills his way through people the Winchesters saved ages ago, Crowley is at his most evil. Abaddon is at her most scary and poor Cas is at peak good intentions and bad results.

Beyond the Mat (Season 11, Episode 15)

Wrestlers making demon deals, and the boys are big fans. Dean the fanboy learning the humanity in his idol is so great. We also see Lucifer-in-Cas being truly devilish, getting Crowley to lick the floor.

Soul Survivor (Season 10, Episode 3)

Sam tries to cure demon Dean and there are some bumps in the road. One of Jensen’s best directed episodes and certainly the highlight of the too-short Demon Dean story line. The chase through the bunker is extra tense and scary.

In The Beginning (Season 4, Episode 3)

The first time travel episode: Castiel sends Dean back to the past to meet his parents. This episode redefined and expanded the history of the show almost as much as the season four premiere, with a fantastic guest cast and twists.

Just My Imagination (Season 11, Episode)

One for the Sam girls. I loved this look at Sam’s past and feelings. A wonderful guest cast, a cool new creature in the Zannas/Imaginary Friends and it was wonderfully directed by Gabriel himself, Richard Speight Jr.

I Know What You Did Last Summer (Season 4, Episode 9)

We meet Anna Milton, a gal who hears voices. Turns out she’s an angel! Also turns out that Ruby and Sam banged a lot while Dean was dead which Dean super did not need to know the details of.

Lebanon (Season 14, Episode 13)

We’ve hit the top one hundred, and I think it’s a good spot to save room for episode THREE hundred, which I’m pretty certain will rank much higher, just knowing that we’ll see John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) back with his wife and boys for a brief time. We’re ready for the tears and ready for more.

Don’t You Forget About Me (Season 11, Episode 12)

The first hint that we had something special with the Wayward girls, and a welcome relief from all the testosterone as we focused on Jody, Alex (Katherine Ramdeen) and Claire for once – and got to see them save the day.

Damaged Goods (Season 14, Episode 11)

Dean deals with Michael being trapped in his head, and Billie giving him only one way to stop him, in the usual Winchester way: by making a rash decision about his own welfare and not telling anyone, all the while saving the say and sharing emotional moments with everyone. Along with powerful acting from Samantha Smith and Mark Pellegrino, we get awesome beats from Ackles for an emotional ep.

We Happy Few (Season 11, Episode 22)

A great sort of Ocean’s 11 vibe permeates this lead-up to the season eleven finale, plus we get Lucifer the petulant teen, Rowena being fabulous and an action- packed final act.

Angel Heart (Season 10, Episode 20)

I really enjoyed that we came back to Claire and what we got to see of her relationships with Sam, Dean and Cas and how she grew as a character. It was heart breaking to see another hunter lose a mom, but having Jimmy Novak’s fate finally resolved was worth it.

Frontierland (Season 6, Episode 18)

Letting the Winchesters cosplay as cowboys, was a great idea, from the humor of Dean’s fanboying and failing, to the badass conclusion where Dean actually gets to be the sheriff. Pure fun.

America Nightmare (Season 12, Episode 4)

This episode harked back to the small monsters and monstrous humans of past seasons in a great way. We actually saw the brothers disagree on how to solve a case, which is pretty rare. Also: Winchesters in sweaters!

Survival of the Fittest (Season 7, Episode 23)

A seriously strong season finale after an unsteady season as the guys work with Castiel and Meg to take down the Leviathans.

The Devil in the Details (Season 11, Episode 10)

Not only does Lucifer dress up as Santa, he has a long-need confrontation with Sam. The multiple shocks – Rowena’s first death and Castiel saying yes to the devil are great too.

Funeralia (Season 13, Episode 19)

How great is Rowena here, as she calls out Death herself over the loss of Crowley? Ruth Connell is at her best, we get my favorite reaper, Jessica (Kayla Stanton), and Billie in all hear deathly glory.

The Foundry (Season 12, Episode 3)

It’s fantastic to see Mary Winchester back as a hunter and coping with life in the 21st century. I wish there had been more serious stuff for Crowley and Cas, but the comedy for them is great too as they looks for Lucifer.

Advanced Thanatology (Season 13, Episode 5)

We have humor with Dean powering down bacon, and then suddenly he’s willingly killing himself to save a ghost kid. Dean is in such a dark, tortured place and we get to meet Billie as death, it’s a winner.

Death Takes a Holiday (Season 4, Episode 15)

A great balance of a new look at ghosts, as the boys astral project themselves into spirit form, plus we added on new myth and mega drama with Pamela’s death. Alastair and Tessa are aces and there’s even some fun humor.

Alex Annie Alexis Ann (Season 9, Episode 19)

A huge highlight of season nine for me, I loved seeing so much of Jody and such a powerful, female driven story done so creatively. Alex is such an interesting character. Having been raised by monsters, and the vulnerability she brings out in Jody, who adopts her, is fantastic.

The Vessel (Season 11, Episode 14)

Time travel done right and tragically, as Dean goes back to a doomed submarine in the 40s to save a holy relic. We get more great acting from Misha as Lucifer, and it’s always great when the guys end an episode just super sad

Nightshifter (Season 2, Episode 12)

An episode where the show takes a tried formula – the bank heist and hostage situation – and really turns it on his head. We get a great guest star and a scary monster…plus an awesome music cue at the end with “Renegade.”

The Great Escapist (Season 8, Episode 21)

Cas is on the run from heaven and Sam and Dean are looking for the scribe of God. We get a very badass Cas, sick Sam and caretaker Dean, as well as great stuff from Kevin and Crowley! A win all around and that doesn’t even take into account meeting one of our favorite angels – Metatron.

Reading is Fundamental (Season 7, Episode 21)

Crazy Cas is fun and heartbreaking, we meet our favorite AP prophet of the Lord, Kevin Tran, and get angels, demons and lots of excitement.

Mint Condition (Season 14, Episode 4)

It’s great seeing glimpses at the nerdiness and nostalgia that Dean keeps hidden, and the show thrives on both nostalgia and innovatin: so I loved this horror movie homage where Dean fights a monster straight from VHS.

Celebrating the Life of Asa Fox (Season 12, Episode 6)

A great take on a locked door murder mystery and a showcase for Mary, Billie, Jody and the boys, as well as a great cast of hunters.

The Real Ghostbusters (Season 5, Episode 9)

I love when the show goes meta, and while their first take on fans isn’t quite accurate, it sure is fun. Dean and Sam meeting people LARPing as them is hysterical, and we get some of Chuck’s best stuff when he’d forced to improv for an audience of fans. Does everything he says count as the word of God?

My Heart Will Go On (Season 6, Episode 17)

The world is changed drastically when Balthazar unsinks the Titanic. I love Bobby and Ellen as a couple and the moments of humor and sadness we get here. There’s some truly creative deaths, a hysterical sequence when Sam and Dean “tempt fate” and heartbreak when Bobby has to lose Ellen.

Roadtrip (Season 9, Episode 10)

Dealing with the aftermath of Kevin’s death was never going to be easy, but we get through it in an entertaining episode with great moments for everyone, especially Sam as he finally kicks Gadreel out.

The Werther Project (Season 10, Episode 19)

A locked box that makes people kill themselves. No, it’s not Bird Box, it’s a great episode that gets deep in people’s heads. Extremely creepy and disturbing in the best way because it makes us think about who Sam and Dean are as people. Even though we don’t get a lot of the real Rowena, she’s wonderful too.

Wayward Sisters (Season 13, Episode 10)

It’s bitter-sweet looking back at this episode, back door pilot focusing on a family of fierce women hunting monsters. The show wasn’t picked up, but the episode we got – where we see Jody, Donna, Claire, Alex and Patience join Kaia to save the boys and show that anyone can be a hero – is still excellent.

Heart (Season 2, Episode 17)

Our first werewolf on the show, and Sam’s first huge heartbreak when he loses yet another girlfriend. I loved seeing Sam and Madison connect and it broke me to see the end of her story. And that love scene! Rawr!

Clap Your Hands if you Believe (Season 6, Episode 9)

It turns out UFO abductions are the fault of fairies! Dean has a close encounter and gets beat up by tinker bell, and we get the very best use of Soulless Sam. One of the most fun takes on two different myths in one very funny and entertaining episode.

Safe House (Season 11, Episode 16)

This Bobby and Rufus Flashback is so great in so many ways, especially how it intersects with the present.

Point of No Return (Season 5, Episode 18)

The shows one hundred episode is pretty standard, considering the meta celebrations of later years. But it’s still great to see Cas, Sam and Bobby struggle to keep Dean from sacrificing himself. The lowest emotional point for Dean in season five is also some of the best drama, as we see him try to give himself up until his family saves him again.

Croatoan (Season 2, Episode 9)

A demonic virus taking over a small town leads to some huge revelations about Sam, and hugely emotional scenes between the brothers. One the most tense and dramatic episodes of the early series it’s still a fan favorite and why not? Sam telling Dean to kill him, Dean refusing? Also, murder virus? Great stuff.

Alpha and Omega (Season 11, Episode 23)

Most Supernatural finales have a pretty high body count, or at least an intense fight or two. But in this one, with God himself dying and Dean ready to blow himself to stop the Darkness…the day is saved but just talking. It’s a shocker in the best way to see God and his sister actually work stuff out, thanks to Dean’s emotional intelligence. And the final twist with Mary’s return continues to be rewarding.

Hollywood Babylon (Season 2, Episode 18)

Sam and Dean fight a ghost on a movie set and McG and Gilmore Girls get name dropped. The first episode where the show really broke the fourth wall, the way Supernatural could make fun of itself, even in season two was a harbinger for the greatness that we would see in the future.

Two Minutes to Midnight (Season 5, Episode 21)

This lead up to the guy’s first apocalypse is excellent, but the absolute highlight is Julian Riching’s entrance as Death, set to Jen Titus’s “Oh, Death.” One of the best scenes in the entire series.

Beat the Devil (Season 13, Episode 21)

That shocker of Sam getting KILLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EPISODE plus so much drama over and over made this a harrowing experience to watch, but there was also so much great humor with Gabriel and Rowena.

My Bloody Valentine (Season 5, Episode 14)

I always forget how gory and disgusting this episode is when I watch it because I get distracted by the funny (Cupid!) the shippy (they stand so close!) and the dramatic (Dean is so empty!).

Hunteri Heroici (Season 8, Episode 8)

I almost ranked this one higher, because the Cas stuff and cartoon fun is great…but there’s also the Sam and Amelia nonsense that I always forget until I watch the episode, that’s a total snooze.

Repo Man (Season 7, Episode 15)

A cool take on demon possession that gets into both Sam and Dean’s heads and hearts, as we see Jeffrey become a murdered to get back the demon who possessed him who he loved. And we get great twists and great Hallucifer story too.

Everybody Hates Hitler (Season 8, Episode 13)

Everybody loves bacon….and Dean getting flustered when a dude flirts with him.

Weekend at Bobby’s (Season 6, Episode 4)

Such a great shift in perspective as we see what Bobby’s day-to-day is while the boys are off being idjits. There’s wonderful work by Jim Beaver and other guests as well as a stellar job by Jensen in his first try as a director

Hibbing 911 (Season 10, Episode 8)

Jody and Donna are a match made in heaven, and a story built around these two great ladies was bound to be amazing – and it turns out it is.

The Big Empty (Season 13, Episode 4)

We’ve been saying for years these guys need therapy, and as Dean and Sam take on a shapeshifter, they finally get some, as does poor Jack when he gets to see his mother’s face at last. It’s not just the living that work on their issues, Castiel finds the will to live and fight and annoys a cosmic entity so much he gets himself resurrected.

Bad Boys (Season 9, Episode 7)

Turns out Dean spent some time in a boys home when he was a kid. Another great turn by Dylan Everett as young Dean in an episode that gave us some great insight into the characters, as well as some great scares and a heart -tugging end.

Crossroad Blues (Season 2, Episode 8)

The cold open of this episode and the use of music is one of my favorites. It sets up the episode with a diabolical tension that persists throughout and sets up stories for years to come.

Lilly Sunder has some Regrets (Season 12, Episode 10)

In the past, Castiel had a female vessel and helped other angels kill a woman’s child they thought was a Nephilim. Turns out they were wrong and that lady is back, down one eye, and out for revenge. This is a great episode about regret, love, mistakes and family.

Unhuman Nature (Season 14, Episode 7)

I think the whole fandom was surprised by how much we loved Lucifer’s son, Jack when he was introduced in season thirteen, and thus the episode where he contemplates his own imminent death was particularly heartbreaking. The stuff with Nick is fine, and it’s great to see Sam and Cas rally, but it’s those driving lessons with Dean and the father-son fishing scene that elevates this episode to greatness.

Bad Day At Black Rock (Season 3, Episode 3)

Dean and Sam come across a rabbit’s foot with hilarious consequences, including Sam’s lost shoe and the time he just random caught on fire. It’s the amazing physical comedy and weirdness that high ranking, even though it has Bela. I can watch it on a loop and never stop laughing.

The Executioner’s Song (Season 10, Episode 14)

As the boys, Cas and Crowley work together to take out Cain, we get so many treats: Cain’s awesome entrance, the thrill of seeing everyone actually on screen together and an epic final fight with the Father of Murder. The angst. Oh the angst.

Ghostfacers (Season 3, Episode 13)

The first episode after the show returned from the 2008 writer’s strike poked hilarious fun at reality TV and still managed to be creepy as hell. And we finally go to see how Sam and Dean really talk (so much swearing).

Free to be You and Me (Season 5, Episode 3)

Personal space. Snark. Raphael. Not only do we get our first real glimpse of the fallen, funny Cas we all now love, but we also get to see Sam trying valiantly and failing to live a normal life, and the first real insight into Lucifer.

Lucifer Rising (Season 4, Episode 22)

The start of season four changed the entire series, but the finale of that stellar season also raised the stakes for the Winchesters to apocalyptic levels. There are huge, series and character defining actions in this episode, and the reveal on Ruby (Genevieve Padalecki) is gives us one of the best villain moments of the series.

The Girl With the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo (Season 7, Episode 20)

In Season 5 we met Becky, a funny but sort of icky avatar for the fangirls of the show. In this excellent heist episode, we meet Charlie Bradbury, the nerdy, queer, funny and brave woman played by Felicia Day that in whom so many fans of this show finally saw themselves on screen. We’re glad Charlie is back in, a way, but we’ll always treasure the first outing.

The Rapture (Season 4, Episode 20)

Even though we fell in love with Castiel from the moment he showed his wings, it wasn’t really until this episode that the audience learned what an outstanding actor Misha Collins was. Seeing Collins bring a second character to life, as Castiel’s doomed vessel, Jimmy, is a revelation.

What Is and What Should Never Be (Season 2, Episode 20)

One of the many times in season two that Supernatural rips out our hearts and stomps them on the floor. It’s painful to see how much Dean really wants a normal life, and Jensen’s acting at his father’s grave is stellar. The episode is also one of the first roles for another hunter of demons and uglies – future Wynonna Earp Melanie Scrofano!

The Future (Season 12, Episode 19)

There’s so much good in the episode. Courtney Ford is great as the mother-to-be of Lucifer’s child, and we get our first hints at who that child could be…but for a lot of folks in the fandom the episode is a highlight for one simple reason: The Mixtape.

First Born (Season 9, Episode 11)

The beginning of the Mark of Cain storyline is perhaps the strongest outing for a story that maybe over-stayed it’s welcome. Timothy Omundson is amazing as Cain and Dean’s showdown in the kitchen with several demons as Cain watches is one of the best fights in the show’s history.

Nihilism (Season 14, Episode 10)

A roaringly great midseason premiere where we saw Jensen’s best work as Michael, awesome beats for Cas, Sam and Jack as they fought for their family, and even poor little Maggie got to save the day! Also the guests – including Billie and Pamela were a treat all around.

LARP and the Real Girl (Season 8, Episode 11)

Dean is at his nerdy best here when the boys join Charlie to stop some magical murders at the local LARP event (think a ren faire with meets live D&D). The costumes alone are fantastic, but it’s definitely Charlie’s strongest episode.

Tall Tales (Season 2, Episode 15)

Even without knowing that it’s Gabriel screwing with them our first meeting with the Trickster is a hysterical blast. Aliens, gators in the sewer, some Rashomon alternative stories from Sam and Dean and we get an episode that’s indeed to precious for this world.

Goodbye, Stranger (Season 8, Episode 17)

The culmination of Cas being mind-controlled for most of season, it’s also an emotional climax for Cas’s relationship with Dean after being broken for so much of season six and seven. It’s a stellar episode for the two. It’s also a beautiful, redemptive finale for Rachel Miner as Meg, who dies to save her unicorn in Cas.

It’s A Terrible Life (Season 4, Episode 17)

No longer Winchesters, but Smith and Wesson, the boys are shoved into a new life with no memories of who they are and still manage to find each other and save the day from an economics obsessed ghost. I love episodes that go outside of the box (not that Supernatural even has much of a box left) and this one takes big risks with big rewards. The boys will always be The Boys, not matter how nice their suits or polo shirts.

Meta Fiction (Season 9, Episode 18)

Metatron is one of my all-time favorite villains, and this outing, where Curtis Armstrong really gets to take the reins and have so much fun manipulating the boys, Cas, and the chess board of the world is his highlight. It is indeed a super meta episode, where the wannabe god examines the very structure and subtext of the show itself.

Red Meat (Season 11, Episode 17)

Sam and Dean are a great team, but their relationship is also…pretty messed up. Co-dependent doesn’t even describe it. In this episode, where a werewolf seems to take out Sam and Dean is immediately ready to kill himself is pretty darn dark, and indicative of the whole thing they’ve got going. Even if it’s not functional, it’s awesome drama and it’s also a turning point for the guys to grow.

Unfinished Business (Season 13, Episode 20)

Gabriel is back and he has a vendetta against Loki, the god whose face and identity her stole. The copious amounts of our favorite archangel are so good, but the real wonder of it is that it was also directed by Richard Speight Jr., which means he was directing himself fighting himself and hit it out of the park.

Heaven Can’t Wait (Season 9, Episode 6)

We all wish we’d had more time with Castiel as a human, especially if they were more like this episode. We have Cas working at a Gas-n-Sip, trying to be as normal as he can, until Dean and some disgruntled angels pull him right back into the fray. It’s a melancholy, bittersweet hunt with awesome acting from Misha and introspection from Cas.

Scarecrow (Season 1, Episode 11)

Sam and Dean break up for the first time, and we get what turns out to be a big turning point for the series. We not only see who the boys are on their own, as Dean investigates a town sacrificing travelers to pagan gods and Sam meets a girl that isn’t all she seems, but we learn why they’re better together. The final scene, where Meg kills her ride and communicates with her demonic boss was utterly shocking and took the series from fun to compulsively watchable.

Who We Are (Season 12, Episode 22)

This wrenching wrap-up to both the British Men of Letters plot and the fallout of Mary Winchester’s resurrection was gutting and beautiful. We see Sam finally stepping up as a leader and coming out from Dean’s shadow, and Dean finally, finally gets some emotional closure with his mother in a devestating scene.

Tombstone (Season 13, Episode 6)

The top of season thirteen was dark and heavy, which makes this fun vacation to the titular western landmark so refreshing and fun. Dean getting to geek out fully, he and Cas in those hats and Jack going on his first case with all three of his dads: great stuff.

Hammer of the Gods (Season 5, Episode 19)

Perhaps the scariest and harshest Lucifer ever has been. Seeing him slaughter people is one thing, but seeing him crash the American Gods-esque conclave of deities and take them all out it extra horrifying. This is also the episode that redeems and explored Gabriel the best, so it hurt extra bad to see him (seemingly) die to save humanity.

Sacrifice (Season 8, Episode 23)

While Dean helps Cas to save heaven Sam tries to cure Crowley and shut the gates of hell – both these plans involve some serious, well, sacrifice to work, and shocker, they both fail. It’s the twists and emotional moments that elevate this finale to greatness: Abaddon’s grand reentrance, Dean and Cas’s quiet good bye, Metatron’s double cross and the gorgeous and terrifying fall of the angels. However, it’s Padalecki and Sheppard, giving some of their best performances in that church that take this one over the top.

Abandon All Hope (Season 5, Episode 10)

This one hurts just to think about, doesn’t it? It’s not like we thought the boys would actually kill Lucifer in the middle of a season, but the showdown ends even worse than we could have dreamed. Cas gets kidnapped, the Colt proves useless (though the demon that provides it certainly had a shelf life), then we lose Ellen and Jo in one of the most tragic and heartbreaking deaths on a show full of tragedy and heartbreak.

Lost and Found (Season 13, Episode 1)

Speaking of heartbreak: I don’t think any death (aside from Sam’s) on the show has been shown to break Dean the way losing Cas this time did. It was a quiet and emotional way to open a season, and seeing that goodbye and Dean’s subsequent mourning hurt a lot. In contrast we saw the resilience and compassion we love in Sam, and immediately fell in love with Jack.

Monster Movie (Season 4, Episode 5)

Sam and Dean take on a shapeshifter with a taste in classic film in this black and white episode. We get homages to all the classics: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Wolfman and even The Phantom Of The Opera – after all, the whole thing is about a monster that hides from the world behind theatricality and thinks he can force a woman to love and save him. It’s funny and sad and so creative. And Dean wears lederhosen!

When the Levee Breaks (Season 4, Episode 21)

I hate it when the boys fight…but also sorta love it. The brothers’ knock-down, drag out confrontation at the end of this episode is their best fight and they carried that awesome emotional baggage and scarring all the way into the end of season five. This episode is also so strong for Sam. We see deep into his fears and insecurities, and Jared gives a fantastic performance while the younger Winchesters hallucinates his way through demon detox )there’s no manual for that, by the way).

Byzantium (Season 14, Episode 8)

So…Jack dies in the first scene and it’s not even in the top five emotional moments for this fantastic recent episode. Dean and Sam have it out with a face from their past, Jack gets some beautiful moments with his real mom at last, and Cas risks it all going back to heaven for his boy. And in the end, Cas sacrifices himself to save Jack (proving he really is a Winchester). The pain of it all is perfectly offset by the reveal that Lilly Sunder’s selflessness means she’ll reunite with her child.

The Man Who Would Be King (Season 6, Episode 20)

Supernatural is still here because of Castiel. Without the angel, the show would have run out of stories so many years ago. He’s a fascinating character who’s almost defined by making terrible decisions for the right reasons, just like the men that taught him to love earth and freewill. This look into Castiel’s point of view on the whole story is so great, and so sad at the same time. It hurts so good to see Dean trying to keep faith in the guy that lifted him from tradition and at every turn you just want to shake Cas but also give him a hug. Though I’m not a huge fan of where this arc eventually went, I love this episode.

In My Time of Dying (Season 2, Episode 1)

Season one of Supernatural was good, and fun, but aside from a few spots, it wasn’t quite exceptional. Season two is. It’s note perfect, every episode, and it comes out swinging with some of the biggest twists and emotional beats of the show to that point. This episode is perfectly balanced, as a comatose Dean wanders the a hospital, avoiding reapers, trying to get in touch with Sam, and setting up the show’s central theme of family versus fate.

24/23. All Hell Break Loose (Season 2, Episode 21 and 22)

Just as season two starts remarkably, it ends with bang after bang. I can’t separate these two episodes, because they have so many iconic moments and shocks across the board. We learn who the special children are and then Sam…dies???? Though it’s old hat now, this was the first time a Winchester brother really bit the big one, and it’s still painful to watch because of Dean’s reaction and Jensen’s incredible acting. Then there’s that whole thing where Dean sells his soul which pretty much sets up the mythology for the next several years. Even so, the guys end of a rare win as they take down Azazel at last. These two episodes are peak Winchester goodness.

Jus in Belo (Season 3, Episode 12)

I love a good bottle episode, and I love a good standoff. This episode is so tense and twisty, a miniature action movie packed into a single hour of network TV. The standoff with the demons surrounding the police precinct, the confrontations and work with Victor and even the surprising humor are all great. And then that shocking twist at the end where Lilith slaughters everyone we just came to love – classic Supernatural.

Dark Side of the Moon (Season 5, Episode 16)

These guys die. A lot. But it’s rare we see what happens to them after…turns out Heaven isn’t so great when you’re on the bad side of some archangels. There’s beautiful moments all over this episode (the fireworks!) but the thing that’s stuck with me personally is that idea of heaven as a place where one relives the best part of life. It’s a beautiful idea, but also a sad one, when it means people are alone. Seeing that Sam and Dean are in very different heavens and would be apart for eternity is almost as sad as learning that God is listening…but he doesn’t care.

Death’s Door (Season 7, Episode 10)

For so much of it’s run, Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver) was as much a part of the fabric of Supernatural as the Impala, weird motels and rock salt. Bobby was a parent to these lost boys, a constant, the kind of person you just always expect to be there until he isn’t. This remarkable journey through Bobby’s past and heart was a fantastic send off for the character, and Beaver. And no, we don’t think it was under cut by his return as a ghost or in other forms year after year. “I adopted two boys, and they turned out heroes,” still gives me chills and gets a little something in my eye.

A Very Supernatural Christmas (Season 3, Episode 8)

Two words: Evil Santa. Though the baddie turns out to be a pair of perky pagan gods, this episode encapsulates everything great about Supernatural. It’s subversive, creepy, funny while telling two deeply emotional stories about the Winchester brothers bonding at Christmas time. It’s a beautiful episode I come back to again and again – it’s holiday tradition.

The End (Season 5, Episode 4)

What’s better than one Dean? Two! Especially when the second is living in a post-apocalyptic hellscape wearing a thigh holster and hanging out with a stoned ex-angel who likes orgies and sarcasm. This trip to the distant time of 2014 (cue hysterical laughter) is great. We don’t only get Dean v. Dean, we have Jared as Lucifer, more thoughtful and menacing than we ever see him. Then again, that could just be a version of Lucifer that Zachariah dreamed up to screw with Dean. On this show, anything is possible.

Faith (Season 1, Episode 12)

If “Scarecrow” is where the series found its groove, this episode is where it really finds its heart and soul. At the beginning, Supernatural was Sam’s show, with Dean there as bad-boy comic relief, a collection of tropes and swagger to contrast Sam’s more earnest heroism. But as season one goes on, the writers and the audience learn that Dean is just as complex and broken as Sam, if not more so. After giving us some glimpses before, this the episode where we first truly see Dean’s vulnerability and the power Jensen Ackles could bring to this role. As Dean is dying, then facing the idea that someone else died in his place, the scope of the show grows, and we see the weight that’s been on this guy’s shoulders, and we learn why Sam is happy to defy fate for him. Because we are too.

Swan Song (Season 5, Episode 22)

It’s strange looking back at this hour, 197 episodes late and thinking that it was all supposed to end here. It certainly is the most final of many finales, with Sam saying yes to Lucifer and then overcoming him to throw them into the cage. Jared and Sam do such great work throughout, truly bring the emotion and conflict. Though a lot of the drama is undercut by later developments on the show, it’s an extremely good episode that embodies what the show is about, two boys, a fallen angel and an old drunk trusting in family to save the world.

Yellow Fever (Season 4, Episode 6)

There’s so much to point out as exceptional in this episode where Dean is infected with ghost sickness, making him afraid of everything: Dean and the giant snake, Dean screaming at a cat, and his deep fears that Sam is a monster…but nothing is better than when he breaks down and monologues at Sam about how anyone would be crazy to willingly do what they do. He’s not wrong.

The Born Again Identity (Season 7, Episode 17)

Season seven is rough, guys. The boys lose every single touch stone and support: Cas, Bobby, THE CAR even. And at the top of this episode, it looks like they’ll lose each other. It’s hard to watch, but this is the episode where the start finding hope. Dean finds Cas in the most unlikely of places, looking for a healer for Sam’s broken soul and psyche. The reunion is an intense slow burn, made all the better by having Meg along, but the pay off and that start of Castiel’s redemption is worth it. And then there’s sweet, beautiful Sam. He’s committed to being a hero even in his darkest moments, and if that’s not the essence of this character throughout the whole show, I don’t know what is.

Stuck in the Middle (With You) (Season 12, Episode 12)

If you’ve gotta steal, steal from the best: that goes for the Winchesters (Mary and Cas included) and co as they steal from a prince of hell, and the creators of the show, who gave us this crazy take on Quinten Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. Each act focuses on a different character and it’s so great. Mary is complicated, Crowley shockingly saves the day, and Cas’s near death makes for some huge emotional moments. More than that, it’s just pure fun.

The Monster at the End of this Book (Season 4, Episode 18)

People don’t believe me when I try to explain that Supernatural is the most meta, self-aware show on television and has been for years. This is the episode where it takes meta to a whole new level: The boys meet Chuck Shurley, an alcoholic, anxious mess of an author whose only output it a book series called “Supernatural.” It’s their lives. With the introduction of books about Sam and Dean into the world of Sam and Dean, the show opened a who new landscape of introspection and parody. How often do you get to see two brothers on screen say that the fanfic about incest between them is gross, and in the same episode have “the Author” apologize for his bad writing in the past? The twist that Chuck is a prophet (and the mega twist later that he’s actually GOD) makes it all mind-bendingly fun.

On The Head of A Pin (Season 4, Episode 16)

We can’t have heroism without hopelessness; and the forces of light need to go through darkness to grow. That’s the case for all three leads in this excellent hour: Dean is forced to use skill learned in hell to torture Alastair (Christopher Hyerdahl), Castiel faces his first crisis of faith, and Sam succumbs further to Ruby’s manipulations and his addiction to demon blood and the power that comes with it. It’s a powerful, beautifully shot, fantastically acted episode with huge twists (Dean was the first seal!) and major expansions to the mythos of the show.

Regarding Dean (Season 12, Episode 11)

Fans of Supernatural know this show isn’t winning Emmys…ever. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t performances worthy of them. When Dean slowly starts to lose his memory, and thus himself, Jensen Ackles knocks it out of the park, moving from funny to frightened to heartbreaking so seamlessly it’s mind-boggling. As Dean stares into a bathroom mirror, reciting what he knows of himself and slowly losing those touchstones, in one uncut shot, Ackles confirms that he’s one of the most talented guys working on television. He’s also pretty awesome at bull riding.

The French Mistake (Season 6, Episode 15)

There are shows that break the fourth wall between fiction and reality with a winking reference or a self-aware plot. Supernatural does that too, but with this episode it takes the fourth wall and literally shatters it to smithereens. Sam and Dean are transported to a world where they look like actors named Jared and Jensen, stars of a Canada-filmed cult hit called…Supernatural. Oh, and Sam’s totally married to Ruby. It’s riotously funny to see Sam and Dean react to Jensen’s soap opera past and the hilariously douchey version of Misha Collins. I don’t know what’s better, “Eric Kripke” being gunned down by an angry angel or Jared and Jesen playing Sam and Dean pretending to be Jared and Jensen playing Sam and Dean in an imitation of Misha Collins playing Misha Collins playing Castiel.

Don’t Call Me Shurley (Season 11, Episode 20)

Supernatural isn’t just Sam and Dean. The show has built an entire cosmos of complex characters played by some truly brilliant actors. It’s also addressed some seriously weighty issues – like the nature of free will, the power of story and the role of the divine. “Don’t Call Me Shurley” is a showcase of these elements. Sam and Deana are barely around and we get what amounts to a one act play as Metatron and Chuck – who is finally revealed as God – discuss writing, abandonment and the nature of creation. It’s fantastic, but the final scene, where actual rock star Rob Benedict picks up his guitar and sings “Fare Thee Well” is transcendent.

Changing Channels (Season 5, Episode 8)

Supernatural always does a great job of making fun of itself, but this episode is a brilliant trun skewering every other genre of television. The Trickster – who we learn is secretly Gabriel – sends the boys on an adventure through TV land, with stops in a sitcom, a Japanese game show, a procedural cop show and brilliant parody of Grey’s Anatomy. It’s a sharp, crazy episode that most other shows couldn’t pull off, but it fits right in on Supernatural. And the whole thing succeeds because we see Gabriel’s pain and anger behind all the goofs. In the end, it’s still about family.

Pilot (Season 1, Episode 1)

A good pilot is a hard thing to find. There are many great shows that started shaky then found their legs, and others that started awesome and fizzled after a few season. The pilot of Supernatural is still perfect a decade and change later. The characters are immediately engaging, the tone of the show – big cars, bad monsters and hidden emotional depth – is evident from the get-go. We’re all instantly drawn into the story from the first moments, and the final shock of Jessica’s death, while tropey, has the audience desperate for the next chapter in the story. “Dad’s on a hunting trip, and he hasn’t been home in a few days.” This pilot isn’t just good. It’s Iconic.

Mystery Spot (Season 3, Episode 11)

Supernatural is a show that’s impossible to describe to categorize. One minute it’s hysterically funny, the next it’s absurd and meta, and then a second later, your heart is ripped out. No episode embodies these contrasts so well as “Mystery Spot.” In order to teach Sam a lesson, the Trickster traps him in a time loop: a never-ending cycle of Tuesdays that all end with Dean’s death. Watching Dean die over and over in increasingly absurd ways (tacos, golden retriever, even at Sam’s hands) is so funny…until he stays dead and we see the person Sam becomes without him. It’s so classic and so good, and there’s not a Supernatural fan in existence who would mind being stuck in a loop with this episode.

Lazarus Rising (Season 4, Episode 1)

The first three seasons of Supernatural were great entertainment, but even the creators worried about the show’s longevity at that time. Then the 2008 writers strike happened, and Dean ended season three in hell. It was a big cliffhanger that wasn’t always intended, and the solution to it changed Supernatural forever. The introduction of angels to the mythology added a necessary counterweight to the demons and monsters and added a new mythology that has sustained the show for more than a decade at this point. The angel plotline might not have worked without the brilliant performance of Misha Collins as Castiel and the way this episode perfectly introduced him. Dean waking up in that coffin, and the slow mysterious reveal of how he was resurrected is such great television. The culminating reveal of Castiel, in one of the most iconic character entrance of all time is the perfect ending, but also the beginning of Supernatural as a phenomenon beyond just a TV show.

Fan Fiction (Season 10, Episode 5)

We wouldn’t be listing Supernatural‘s three hundred episode without the devoted, sometimes crazy and always passionate fans that have supported the show for well over a decade. Those fans are generally female and they interact with the show in so many ways that weren’t intended when it started. From gay fanfic, to dismissing entire plotlines, Supernatural fan are opinionated and creative and this beautiful episode is truly a love letter to them. When Sam and Dean come across a girl’s school performing a musical version of the “Supernatural” books, it gives them a chance to see how they can be seen as heroes, and it gives the show an opportunity to speak directly to it’s audience and tell them their version of the story, no matter how out there, matters. The music is fantastic, the in-jokes are on point and the final cameo from God is perfect. All in all…Not Bad.

Scoobynatural (Season 13, Episode 16)

Crossovers are one thing, but crossing over with an iconic cartoon in an almost entirely animated episode is another and it’s something only Supernatural could do. Sam, Dean and Cas are transported into an episode of Scooby Doo and the results are some of the funniest, most creative stuff you’ve ever seen on TV. It’s not just a great Supernatural episode, it’s a great Scooby Doo episode. The Scooby gang having an existential crisis of the actual existence of ghosts is the best, and the way team free will interacts with Mystery Inc is so perfect. It’s beautifully animated as well. “Scoobynatural” isn’t just brilliant, it’s completely unique and a testament to a show that’s still breaking new ground hundreds of episodes in.

Baby (Season 11, Episode 4)

An entire episode from the perspective of a car sounds like a gimmick, but like so many of the outside of the box episodes of Supernatural, it works because the gimmick is just a new way to get to the core of what the show is about: the characters. “Baby” is everything that makes Supernatural great: innovative storytelling and film making, humor, heart, action, the coolest car on TV, and some creepy monsters for good measure. There’s so many parts of this episode that merit special mention: the beautiful scene between Sam and Dean when they’re settling down to sleep in the car that’s been their home; Cas on the phone while Dean fights a werepire, amd that perfect montage to “Night Moves.” “Baby” is what Supernatural is about, what’s kept it on the air for 300 episodes: Two boys with an angel on their shoulder, in a badass car, saving people and hunting things. And there’s still gas in the tank.

Jessica Mason is a pop culture writer based in Portland, Oregon whose work focuses on genre, fandom and other scary things that go bump in the night. On Twitter she’s @fangirlinghess.

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