Supernatural - Favorite 8th Episode - Poll
10 Jun 2011
Polls SupernaturalNo winner to announce today because the episode 7 poll doesn't end until tomorrow. However, I can probably call the episode 8 poll for Changing Channels right now before voting even starts. It amuses me that this poll is divided between some of the best and some of the worst episodes Supernatural has ever done. Unlike the last couple of polls, for me there isn't one meh episode in the bunch. I either really enjoy them or think they suck out loud. Here's my take:
Bugs - Worse episode in all 6 years. I thought maybe The Third Man had taken that honor but I recently rewatched Bugs and I can say nothing touches it for me in sheer eye rolling unbelievability and general suckiness.
Crossroad Blues - It gave us the crossroad demons which jumped started a new era in Supernatural and eventually gave us Crowley. Love the episode and love him. It also had a great story with the Robert Johnson legend. I even love the invisible hell hounds.
A Very Supernatural Christmas - In my opinion, this episode is Supernatural. When people who have never seen Supernatural before ask me about the show, this is the episode I suggest they start with because it contains everything Supernatural stands for in 42 minutes. It has humor, gore, scares, brother moments galore, a tight story, flashbacks, and of course awesome acting. "You fudgin' touch me again, I'll fudgin' kill you." What's not to love?
Wishful Thinking - Teddy bear doctors. That's all you have to say. What other show could add in teddy bear doctors and make the fandom embrace it? I loved all the wishes but suicidal teddy is a classic.
Changing Channels - This episode has the best, most unexpected twist since the truck smashed the Impala in season 1. Did anyone on the planet suspect the Trickster was an angel? I was flabbergasted and still think it was a cool reveal. I miss Gabriel. Oh, and it had those fantastic spoofs of CSI and Grey's too. It's my favorite "comedic' episode, barely edging out Mystery Spot.
All Dogs Go to Heaven - And they can stay there. This was creepy in a bad way (seriously perverted dog man watching that woman) and generally boring. I liked it best the first time I saw it, mostly because RoboSam was funny and action-oriented. However, it does not do well at all in repeats. One of the few truly disappointing episodes in season 6 and a complete let down from the awesomeness of Family Matters.
So what do you think? Vote and comment.
SPN Asylum
My blog
SpoilerTV
A Very Supernatural Christmas ties for me with Changing Channels. MY vote goes to AVSC because I think Changing Channels will do well enough on its own.
ReplyDelete3rd - Wishful Thinking
4th - Crossorad Blues (although these 2 are often flipped depending on my mood at the time)
5th - All Dogs Go to Heaven
Dead LAST - Bugs
Can't I vote for a very supernatural christmas too???
ReplyDeleteBugs had the least scary MoTW in SPN history. Closely followed by Lucky the dog-boy in ADGtH - who was just icky. Crossroad Blues was great - loved the insights it gave us into the perils of dealing with demons.
ReplyDeleteAnd leaves me with a choice between Wishful Thinking, AVSPNC & Changing Channels - must think some more on this before I decide.
Such a tough one...I loved both A very supernatural Christmas and Changing Channels..but I went with Changing Channels because we get Gabriel, humor galore, Sam doing a herpes commercial, Dean speaking Japanese, Castiel trying to save the day, Dr Sexy, "I'm gonna need a bigger mouth", Sam as Kit, tandem bike riding, a funny theme song, "Jackpot...No Guts No Glory", "Son of a Bitch", mini motorcycles and a touchdown dance.......I could go on and on. Loved that episode.
ReplyDeleteA Very Supernatural Christmas without a shadow of a doubt.
ReplyDeleteMy third goes to Wishful Thinking, fourth All Dogs go to Heaven, fifth Crossroads blues (I really didn't get into this one) and of course Bugs is last, although it was pretty supernatural that they were able to go from midnight to bright daylight in 5 minutes.... ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy first choice is tied between Crossroad Blues and Changing Channels - still trying to figure out which to vote for!
ReplyDeleteThird is A Very Supernatural Christmas and close behind in 4th is Wishful Thinking.
All Dogs, my 2nd least favourite episode of Season 6, slots in 5th and of course Bugs is last.
Sure, as long as that's the only one you vote for. :-)
ReplyDeleteInstaDawn - the most supernatural event on any TV show ever. I'm sticking to the new theory that Supernatural is the dream of a comatose patient and someone flicked on a light in their eyes at that moment.
ReplyDeleteThis is the hardest poll so fure. In my opinion, all the episodes were magnifficiant!
ReplyDeleteSo-
1# episode .... "Crossroad Blues" . I think that at that time, when the brothers werent aware to angels and stuff, it was a thrilling episode. Besides, I really love the trap that Dean made for the Crossroad Demon ^ ^ At the first time I watched the episode, I thaught "Brilliant!"
2# episode ... "Changing Channels". You said everything I could say- The twist and the humar combain together.
3# episode ... "A very supernatural christmas". Loved "bad Santa" and the aqward scene between the borhters and the old man. *breaking to his house, see he is normal, start singing*
4# episode is "Wishful Thinking", then "All dogs go to hell" and last one, "Bugs"
There is no tie for this picking. The vote has to go to "A Very Supernatural Christmas". Like you said, this episode is Supernatural. It so easily describes the most profound bond of 'em all: the ones the brothers have shared for 20-something years now. And it's symbolized as the beloved Amulet.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note: Where the fuck is the Amulet (of course, I know what's happened to it)? Why has it not returned yet? Sigh.
A-fucking-men.
ReplyDeletelol this is a nice simitry hhaha. s1 and s6 both not that great and the middle is AWESOME imo
ReplyDeleteI Vote for Changing Channels.
ReplyDelete2nd - A Very Supernatural Christmas
3rd - Crossroad Blues
The others was just ok for me especially All Dogs Go The Heaven.
i agree completely with basically everything you've said in those descriptions Dahne
ReplyDeleteit takes a lot for me to not like an episode of supernatural, but i did not enjoy bugs. for one, i hate bugs. more then anything in the world. seeing that woman, like, eaten to death by spiders is not my idea of fun tv. i can take blood, i can talk gore, i cannot take bugs.
and that whole midnight becomes sunrise in 10 minutes thing always pissed me off.
i didn't hate all dogs go to heaven but i didn't love it either. and certainly not enoguh to warrant it my vote.
but the 4 in between are 4 great episodes that i love all round.
the suicidal teddy bear is one of my favourite things supernatural has given us. its just such a funny concept. a suicidal teddy bear that hates tea parties. the origianlity and obscureness just makes it so awesome
crossroad blues as you've said, gave us crossroad demons and soul deals, basically foreshadowing the next 5 years of supernatural for us. but for the early days of supernatural, the hell hounds were awesome and really scary and the legend was a cool story
it was hard for me to choose between a very supernatural christmas and changing channels.
AVSC was an awesome episode. in everway already described, i loved this episode. and i quote "you fudgin touch me again" all the time (sadly no-one ever gets my reference)
but for me it never really came close to changing channels. the trickster (as i will always call him, even though i loved gabriel) was by far my favourite non winchester/bobby/castiel character and his episodes are all very high up on my fave list (mystery spot being the all time number 1)
the tv parodies were amazing. incredibly done and acted and just hilarious. my dad and i have often made fun of csi miami for the stupid jokes and sunglasses so when we watched this we couldn't stop laughing. the episode was funny from start to finish and absolutely awesome the whole way through. and the gabriel reveal was shocking and just the sprinkles on a bowl of already awesome ice cream (i'm not a big fan of icing or cake)
so, without much of a doubt, my vote went to changing channels
one last thought, NUT CRACKER!!!!!!!!!!
Changing Chanels , I love that episode so much :)
ReplyDelete"Changing Channels"
ReplyDeleteIt's the easiest poll for me so far!Second would be "A Very Supernatural Christmas".
"Crossroad Blues" and "Wishful Thinking" were also great episodes.
"Bugs" was okay for me.I haven't seen it in years,but I don't remember being too disappointed by it(maybe I would have been if it had aired in a later season)..
Now,out of all 6 seasons there are 5-6 episodes that I can't stand."All Dogs Go To Heaven" is one of them.
This is really interesting,I'm really curious about some future results.I think it will get harder after episode 10(with a few exceptions)!
Oh God...toss up between 'A Very Supernatural Christmas' and 'Changing Channels'...had to go with the former though, it's quintessential Supernatural, the brothers at their best!
ReplyDeleteAnd it's "Changing Channels" with close "Crossroad Blues". Just realized that I have to watch some episodes from season 3 and beginning of season 6, cause have troubles with remembering them!
ReplyDeleteAVSC without hesitation. It is one of my favourite episodes ever. Like all the best SPN eps it combines funny moments eg buying the wreath, the carol singing, with moving scenes of real pathos eg the flashbacks to the miserable Xmas's of their childhood, Sam giving Dean the necklace, Sam trying to tell Dean why he can't do Xmas (because he can't face life without his brother), Sam's attempts at making a good last Xmas for them to share. Wonderful stuff.
ReplyDeleteCC is great fun, but just doesn't have the emotional resonance of AVSC. I loved Crossroad Blues, Liked Wishful Thinking a lot, and I don't even mind Bugs. It has some funny moments and some good character insights into John and Sam's relationship. Yes the SFX were terrible, and it was a very short night, but there are minor gripes.
My worst by some margin for me is All Dogs. It comes from the soulless Sam half of s6 which is my least favourite period of the show ever after the last half of s4. The story was lame, Dean and Sam's interactions were terrible. It is probably the best (worst) example of what was wrong with early s6. It just didn't feel like SPN and to throw in a MOTW ep while the brothers relationship was so bad was a terrible pacing mistake IMO. The soulless Sam c**p went on for far too long, and this ep is one of the culprits. It could and should (along with 5 or 6 other early s6 eps) have been moved to after Sam got his soul back. In an different period of the show, with the real brotherly relationship in operation, it might have worked fine. As it is I hated it.
Basically everything you said above!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a tough choice between A Very Supernatural Christmas and Changing Channels, but eventually I went with the latter. The Christmas episode has those amazing flashbacks and I'm a sucker for flashbacks (which is also why I love Something Wicked so much), but those aside, the overall storyline and monster hunt from this episode is rather weak for me. I mean, I love the amulet and what it meant (means... please bring it back!!!) to the boys and how it was the last Christmas before Dean went to hell, I mean the episode was really emotionally loaded, but Changing Channels was not only funny and original, but also significant to the plot with the reveal of Gabriel and his epic talk with the boys about how it always had to be them and how it was about brothers who loved each other and betrayed each other etc. For me, it was a perfectly balanced episode, with comedy first and drama later, kind of like Mystery Spot. Hence my vote for it.
ReplyDelete(btw, I cannot believe I've already voted for two season 5 episodes and none from season 4, considering season 4 is my favourite and season 5 probably the least favourite one... am I weird or what? :P)
This ones hard!!! A Very Supernatural Christmas and Changing Channels are both amazing episodes & I love them so much!!! But I ended up going with A Very Supernatural Christmas because its just totally great! & I love the flashbacks! They kinda break my heart but make me fall in love with them more too! =]
ReplyDeleteThis has, so far, been the hardest. AVSSPNC and Changing Channels are a tie. I chose Christmas because, like you, I believe embodies all there is about Supernatural. I would follow that with Wishful Thinking, Crossroad Blues, All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Bugs.
ReplyDeleteVoted for Changing Channels without a single hesitation. That episode was just so amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt was SO HARD to choose between "Changing Channels" and "A Very SPN Christmas", I ADORE them both! Both of them are in my top 10 list! I ended up choosing "Changing Channels" though, just beacuse.. well, it was FREAKING EPIC and GENIUS and HILARIOUS! XD But "A Very SPN Christmas" is a CLOSE second!
ReplyDeleteIn third place comes "Crossroad Blues". I really enjoyed that episode, exciting and I loved Dean in it! :')
4th: "Wishful Thinking" Such a funny episode xD And the ending breaks my heart, when Dean confesses he remembers hell :'(
5th: "Bugs" I don't like this episode at all, but at least there were a few funny moments in this episode, unlike All Dogs.
6th: "All Dogs Go to Heaven" Really boring and disappointing episode.. Didn't enjoy it at all.
There's not even any point in me posting on this, the majority of previous comments have taken the words right off of my keyboard.
ReplyDeleteExcept for "All good dogs..." and "Bugs" I really can't pick between the other four....
ReplyDeleteOf course I went with Changing Channels b/c the episode was brilliant and brought back the Trickster/Gabriel. A Very Supernatural Christmas would have been my second choice though. That episode was a different take on a tactic shows use all the time (by that I mean a holiday episode) and made Christmas creepy and fun at the same time and gave us some backstory on the brothers' relationship
ReplyDeleteAVSC for me I just think it is classic Supernatural and it introduced us to the wonderful Colin Ford as wee Sam.
ReplyDeleteWishful Thinking is no2 I know it isnt for everybody but it just appealed to me .
Crossroads Blue is third along with
Changing Channels
All Dogs go to Heaven comes next
And Bugs .
ALL OF THIS! Honestly, you wrote what I've been meaning to write since the end of Season 6.
ReplyDeleteHa! This comment made me laugh. Thanks! So who did you end up voting for?
ReplyDeleteHow do you choose between Supernatural Christmas and Changing Channels? Supernatural Christmas was probably the epsiode that really hooked me on this show, but to vote against Gabe?? I ended up going with Supernatural Christmas. There were a lot of great moments in it - from the creepy Santa, to the eggnog scene - but what hooked me was the portrayal by young Sam and Dean. I'm always posting here about the character epsiodes, and this one captured that perfectly. I loved how we see young Dean, even then needing to believe that John is a hero and covering up for him by stealing presents for Sam and telling Sam that they're from John. And then you see Sam - his innocence slowly falling away over the course of the episode - and realizing at what, age 9?, that John isn't going to be there for them, and that he should instead give his present to someone who deserves it. And you see this mirrored in the current day - Dean wanting to celebrate Christmas and pretend that everything is all right, and Sam unable to pretend that it is. In both cases it ends with Sam giving Dean a special present, the amulet in the past and the pretense of a merry Christmas in the present. How on earth did this little boy end up becoming Lucifer's vessel? That part of this show lost me, but that's another post.
ReplyDeleteI should add that I started watching this show late and saw these episodes out of order, so that affected my vote. I saw Changing Channels pretty early on, so the surprise of the trickster being an archangel didn't have the same effect on me as it otherwise would have.
So - after much dithering I finally went with AVSC. For all the reasons other people have given - I won't repeat them cuz nobody reads long posts anyway.
ReplyDeleteCan I just say that, because of this episode I now say 'fudge' or 'fudgin' which is a much less offensive term than the alternative. And yes, I had heard it before SPN but it wasn't nearly as much fun until it came out of Dean Winchester's mouth.
IMO, Crossroad Blues had the best adaptation of a legend out of any episode. I absolutely love what they did with Robert Johnson/crossroad deals. So it got my vote.
ReplyDeleteSomeone voted for Bugs. And here I thought it would be the only episode no one voted for. If you voted for it, is it really your favorite or did you just feel sorry for it? I'm truly curious.
ReplyDelete1. Changing Channels
ReplyDelete2. Crossroad Blues
3. A Very Supernatural Christmas
4. Wishful Thinking
5. All Dogs Go To Heaven
6. Bugs
IMO.
So, this was a very hard one for me. I loved so much about Supernatural Christmas. The talk in the hotel about why Sam just couldn't do Christmas that year. To their little Christmas party. Loved it. But Changing Channels has the reveal of Gabriel, which was the biggest shocks to me. Plus, I have always loved Trickster episodes, so that made this even good. When Gabriel says, "they call me Gabriel" and Sam says, "Gabriel...the archangel" I remember thinking..."holy poop(not those exact words), the boys are screwed now!" I never thought he would come around and eventually help! So, I had to vote for Changing Channels.
ReplyDelete2. Supernatural Christmas3. Crossroad blues. Loved the intro to the crossroad and to the hellhounds.
4.Wishful Thinking. I liked this one. Dean's "the wishes go bad..." Funny stuff. Plus, the teddy bear...need I say more.
5. Dogs... I actually liked this one. I loved Sam's line, "the family pet needs a neuter" I think it would have been higher on my list if it wouldn't have been in with this bunch.
6. Bugs. I don't mind this one too much. But I love the reference to it in Monster at the end of the book more :)
Your reasons are the reasons why I voted for this episode.
ReplyDeleteLet's not even talk about why he was the vessel or the fuckeries that were committed after season 3. -_-