OK folks, the SpoilerTV 2011 TV awards are over and congratulations to Supernatural, Jensen Ackles, and Jim Beaver on their wins. Now it's time to get back to our pre-summer hellatus episode ranking. So break out those season 2 DVD's and choose your top 3 picks in each round. Don't forget to leave a comment. For more info on how the polls will run see below. Happy voting!
The plan: We will run the contest to see where episodes will rank over winter hiatus and the early part of summer hiatus. The top 100 episodes will be ranked by how they do in this contest. The bottom 49 episodes will go head to head to see which ones make it into the contest. The reason for this is that the brackets only work with 128 episodes. This will still allow each episode to go head to head to determine the Best Supernatural Episode.
Unlike the actual contest in the summer, preliminaries will be open for at least one week each. Everyone still only gets 1 vote per IP address though. Voting will be in 6 episode batches by order in which they aired and everyone can vote for 3 episodes per batch. Feel free to sound off in the comments about why you chose what you did.
My blog
SPN Asylum
SpoilerTV
When the episode was a definite yes or a definite no, these polls are easy. It's the middle that kills me. In the end I voted,
ReplyDeleteRound 5 - Crossroad Blues and Simon Said are in the definite yes pile. Crossroad Blues is one of the most important mytharc episodes and Simon Said introduced Andy. Blood Lust and The Usual Suspects battled it out for my third vote. In the end, I feel Linda Blair's appearance didn't live up to its potential and I always loved Gordon's black and white villainry. Definite no - Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things and No Exit. They are both in my worst episodes category.
Round 6 - Definite yes = Nightshifter and Croatoan. Nighshifter introduced us to Ronald, one of my all-time favorite PiPs and used Styx to a masterful level. Croatoan again moved the mytharc forward in spectacular fashion. Toss-Ups: Hunted and Born Under a Bad Sign, both of which showed a different side of Sam, or a Meg-possessed Sam as the case were. Definite no = Playthings, which was a poor man's Dead in the Water, and Houses of the Holy, which is slightly better rewatching after season 4 but is mostly humdrum.
Round 7 - All my votes go to What Is and What Should Never Be, my all-time favorite episode. But since they can't really, that meant a 3 way tie for 2 spaces for Tall Tales, Hollywood Babylon, and Folsom Prison Blues. I still can't decide. Definite no = Heart because I am not a fan of the emo and Roadkill, which was good but in the same league as the others.
Round 8 - This is my most painful vote because once again I don't have enough votes to pick all the excellent episodes in this batch. More than three shows go on my definite yes list. However, my vote goes to All Hell Breaks Loose 2, Bad Day at Black Rock, and The Kids are Alright. If I could, AHBL1 and Sin City would join them. The only definite no is Magnificent Seven which was more regular episode and less season premiere for me.
Round 5 went to Crossroad Blues, Simon Said, and eventually The Usual Suspects
ReplyDeleteRound 6: Croatoan, Born Under a Bad Sign, and Hunted
Round 7: What Is and What Never Should Be (pretty easily for me), Folsom Prison Blues, and Tall Tales, which was eventually picked out of a pile of "eh"
Round 8: this was TOUGH. After painstaking deliberation, I decided on AHBL1 and 2 and Bad Day at Black Rock.. all I could see was Sam's dejected face after his shoe fell down the grate haha
That scene in Bad Day at Black Rock may be in my top 10 favorite Supernatural scenes of all time. The combination of Sam's puppy dog voice and Dean's exasperated older brother head shake get me every time. Comedic gold but heartfelt at the same time. An example of Supernatural at its finest.
ReplyDeleteI voted pretty much with the majority except for the last poll. Guess not many of us addicts liked, "The Magnificent Seven" very much.
ReplyDeleteRound 5: Simon Said, Crossroad Blues, The Usual Suspects
ReplyDeleteRound 6: Croatoan, Night Shifter, Born Under a Bad Sign
Round 7: What is and What Should Never Be, Tall Tales, Folsom Prison Blues
Round 8: AHBL2, Bad Day at Black Rock, Sin City
I'll admit I'm still a little wishy washy on the third episode in each round because I also wanted to vote for Bloodlust, Hunted, Hollywood Babylon, AHBL1, & The Kids are Alright.
Poll 5:
ReplyDeleteBloodlust, Simon Said, Crossroad Blues. This was easy as the remaining 3 were only average episodes.
Poll 6:
Croatoan, Hunted, Nightshifter. Like Dahne I loved Ronald & Renegade.
Poll 7:
Tall Tales, Hollywood Babylon, What Is And What Should Never Be.
Poll 8:
By far the toughest choice out of these rounds. In the end I went for AHBL1 &2 and Bad Day at Black Rock, but all six had great moments.
So hard to decide!!!
ReplyDeletePoll 1
ReplyDeleteBloodlust.
I think Walker was a great villan and the ep.shows how Dean could perhaps have become if Sam hadn't been around to point out the grey areas.
Simon Said.
Andy was sweet and the whole episode was so interesting.
Crossroad Blues.
Great episode. The introduction with the guitar music and the great interaction between Dean and the demon always remains in my memory.
----------------------------------
I like the Usual Suspects too with the sychronisation between the brothers and Dean's confession.
The other two are OK, but less memorable.
Poll 2
Beh, Croatoan is a fabulous ep and must be voted.
Hunted, with the great villan Walker and our introduction to Ava. Then Dean in "defend Sammy" mode is always so intense and vengeful!
Born Under a Bad Sign with Sam (and Jared's ) great performance, and for the heartfelt punch from Dean at the end.
____________________
I liked Houses of the Holy too.
Not a great fan of Nigtshifter , although I know it's a favourite with others and Playthings is OK, quite a creepy episode and you can't not love drunk Sammy :-)
Poll 3
Tall Tales because between Bobby , the boys and the Trickster, it's just irrisistible!!
WIAWSNB--Beautiful episode--you can't comment on perfection.
Heart -A touch of emo now and then is a good thing and then it helped get us into training for all the sad moments we would be sobbing over in the future. Also Sammy's lovey scenes are so cute:-)
---------------------------------------------
Forsom Prison Blues was ok as was Roadkill.
Not a fan of Hollywood Babylon, didn't like the ghost story part either.
Poll 4
AHBL patrs 1 and 2 , without a doubt, and Black Day at Black Rock, a great comedic episode ( with no need for meta. :-) )
-------------------------------------------------
Sin City was good for the great Dean/Casey exchange and I always feel she would have made a great Ruby!
The other two are ok, though I think the Magnificent Seven had so much potential that sort of got lost along the way.
Poll 5:
ReplyDeleteBloodlust, The Usual Suspects, Crossroad Blues
Poll 6:
Croatoan, Playthings, Nightshifter (I know, not a popular opinion, but I don't think BUaBS was as awesome as many seem to think and I just love the horror movie atmosphere in Playthings)
Poll 7:
Tall Tales, Foslom Prison Blues, What Is and What Should Never Be
Poll 8:
All Hell Breaks Loose 2, The Kids Are Alright, Bad Day at Black Rock - three perfect episodes, very easy choice
Poll 5: Crossroad Blues is where they learn about trading souls, major ep. Loved No Exit because I love Jo and for me that is good enough. lol Blood Lust has to be in here because of Gordon, a hunter I loved to hate.
ReplyDeletePoll 6: Croatoan, needed to learn how the demons can kill, & Born Under a Bad Sign, seeing Sam possessed and again Jo, were easy picks for me, but harder was picking from Hunted & Nightshifters. As much as I enjoyed Ronald, finally went with Gordan and Hunted.
Poll 7: First choice was easy What Is & What Should Never Be, this was so sad seeing what Dean wishes he had, Heart was a little harder, but dang, Sam crying and having to kill the first woman he cared about since Jess, heartbreaking. Last was very hard so went with Tall Tales just for the fun and Trickster.
Poll 8: This one was easy for me, All Hell Breaks Loose 1 & 2 and Bad Day at Black Rock, lots of crying in first two and laughing in last one.
Note to Dahne: How about a poll with funniest eps. Could have a couple days of noms and then voting. You know you can do it in your spare time. LOL
This one was easier than the last poll!
ReplyDeleteI have tough choices now but I suppose that in the next round it will be easier as we get passed S3...I don't really have favorites from S4 onwards
ReplyDeleteThat's funny as most of my favorite eps are from season 4 on. Loved the Angel stories and clueless Castiel is just so funny, remember Pizza Man.
ReplyDeleteRound 5 Difficult. Crossroad Blues, Simon Says, and No Exit
ReplyDeleteRound 6 Born Under a Bad Sign, Nightshifter, and Croatoan
Round 7 What is and What Should Never Be, Heart, and Hollywood Babylon because I enjoyed it so much
Round 8 AHBL PT2, Bad Day at Black Rock, and The Kids are All Right. I really had no third favorite in this one.
5)Simon Said and Crossroad Blues are the easy ones.Simon Said had Andy and gave us more information about the YED's plan(which was a very cool storyline).Crossroad Blues introduced the crossroad demons and the deals.I always found it interesting,because it shows the darker side of humanity and what some people are willing to do in order to have their way.This episode was also a warning of what was to come,cause let's face it,even then we knew that it was only a matter of time before one of the brothers made a deal.
ReplyDeleteThe third choice was much harder.I ruled Bloodlust out because I never liked Gordon.No Exit was a good episode,but I was expecting something more than good since they had the opportunity to use Ellen and Jo.The Usual Suspects was a very good episode,mostly because Sam and Dean had trouble with the police something that happens very rarely.But in the end I went with Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things,not because of the plot,which was average,but because I loved Dean in this episode.His frustration,anger and guilt were perfectly portrayed.The "What's dead should stay dead" is one of my favorite lines from the first seasons.
6)Croatoan,which is pure brilliance from start to finish and kept us intrigued about the storyline.Nightshifter because it had Ronald and one of the greatest scenes in my opinion,the boys escaping posing as SWAT officers.And Born Under a Bad Sign, a fast paced episode with Meg possessing Sam.I also liked Jo in it,even though the episode would have worked without her.I like that they dealt with a secondary issue(Jo's father) in the midst of a bigger storyline.Hunted and Plaything were solid episodes without being great.Didn't like Houses of the Holy,I barely remember it,which says something.
7)What Is And What Should Never Be.Amazing episode,definitely in my Top 10.It shows the burden the Winchesters have to carry.Loved the choice that Dean had to make:Normal life or a life with Sam by his side.Also,Dahne will have a small heart attack if it's not in the three.. : p
Second is Tall Tales for one and only reason:Richard Speight Jr.
Last one was hard,but I went with Roadkill because of the twist with the ghost.The remaining three were decent episode.Heat would have a bigger chance if it didn't show Sam falling in love with a woman that he knew for,what,a day?!
8)Leaving out The Magnificent Seven because it was a forgettable episode,something unacceptable when it comes to season premieres.The Kids Are Alright and Sin City are also out,just because we can only vote for three.But especially Sin City was a great episode.
That leaves All Hell Breaks Loose Pt. 1,which had all the psychic kids (RIP Andy)and ended with Sam dying(the event that started everything that came in seasons 3,4,5..).
All Hell Breaks Loose Pt.2.Dean's monologue,his deal,the Devil's Gate,Sam killing Jake,Sam and Dean seeing John and most of all the death of YED.The show scored major points right here because it proved that it's not a show that will drag its story lines for five seasons.It creates problems and questions,it solves them and moves on to new ones.
Finally,Bad Day at Black Rock,because it could have been over the top,but it wasn't.It was simply great!
What you're seeing right here is the first sign of Christmas.No work,no classes,only time to talk about Supernatural! ; )
We're totally the opposite LOL
ReplyDeleteOne of the many things I love about SPN is there is something for everyone, but honestly there are very few eps I don't like, any that have Ghostfacers in it..just can not come to like these guys. lol
ReplyDeleteHey, I have a question for you, why is Hollywood Babylon considered a meta episode (at least according to the Supernatural wiki page)? Is it because they used McG? I didn't get into Supernatural until mid-season 3 but I have watched every episode and own all of the dvd's that have come out to date but I still really don't get it
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's considered meta for Supernatural but more meta for Hollywood in general. It describes the process of big studios getting in the way of the writer's vision and screwing everything up in the process.
ReplyDeleteI think people would find Magnificent Seven more favorable if it was not the season premiere. We had gotten used to the season premiere being this big shocker but Magnificent 7 seemed more like a regular case episode.
ReplyDeleteOk, thanks, makes more sense now
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you voted the way you did. I was also wishy washy on these episodes but chose the opposite ones. This way all my favorites are covered. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think poll 8 had the best choices too. I'm hoping that wherever they fall on the ranking that they all go far in the real polls. I would choose most of these episodes in head to head competition.
ReplyDeleteI also liked Gordon Walker as a villain. In many ways he reminded me of John with his tunnel vision way of looking at things. I was sorry to see him killed off but it was a wicked cool way to go. Casey from Sin City was also killed off too soon. Agree that WiaWSNB is perfection.
ReplyDeleteJust curious, why didn't you like Nightshifter?
I thought parts of BUaBS were awesome but part of the episode dragged on too long too. It had pacing issues for me.
ReplyDeleteSure thing. Let me finish with these polls first and then we will go with funny episodes. I expect it will be interesting because many people find Mystery Spot to be the best, but others don't find that episode funny at all. Anyone else have ideas for polls after we finish these?
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm not sure it would be a small heart attack if WiaWSNB doesn't place well. :-) I agree that Richard Speight Jr made every episode better. Even Hammer of the Gods, although he couldn't quite rescue that one. Agree about Heart although it's the emo that counts it out for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm starting the first day of Christmas break too so much more time to discuss Supernatural. Currently avoiding relatives to do so. Love it!
I did like Mystery Spot for laughs, not so much what was happening, but just the expressions on Sam's face.
ReplyDeleteI actually find parts of it boring.
ReplyDeleteIt started off well with Ronald and his theories but the whole part inside the bank was very repetitive.
Into the vault, back out, going through the corridors, searching for the shape shifter, looking into all the rooms, all that part was too drawn out.
Of course I loved the Swat part at end and the getaway with the music but the episode just doesn't seem to pull me in as others do.
Yes ,Gordon got a real good send off.
I like it when real bad guy gets what he deserves in spades!
I was in synch with the majority except I really don't like Tall Tales (it just wasn't my kind of humor). I really liked Roadkill, so that was my switchout.
ReplyDeletePoll 8 was soooo hard. I love everyone of those episodes. Had to go with AHBL 1 & 2 and Bad Day, I loved Bella and her evil ways
ReplyDeletePoll 5 - Usual Suspects. One of their best ghost stories IMHO. But I really loved Crossroad Blues. Tossed an imaginary coin and Usual Suspects won. (And again it's not until the second poll that my brain registers the instructions. My mother taught me to read the instructions. Honest. I'm a ditz.)
ReplyDeletePoll 6 - Croatoan, Born Under a Bad Sign, Nightshifter.
Poll 7 - lots of my faves..but went with - Tal Tales, Folsom, and Born under a bad sign
Poll 8 - All Hell Breaks Loose 2, Kids are All right (loved Dean in that one) and I think I picked Bad Day at Black rock but suddenly don't remember.
Oh my God, the poll seven here nearly killed me. Anyway, here are my choices:
ReplyDeletePoll 5: Bloodlust, Simon Said, The Usual Suspects (Toss up between The Usual Suspects and Crossroad Blues, but TUS won out.
Poll 6: Hunted, Nightshifter (Ron!), Born Under a Bad Sign (Croatoan was very, very close to making the cut here too.
Poll 7: Tall Tales, Heart, What Is and What Should Never Be (This genuinely was so hard. I wanted to vote for every single episode up there.)
Poll 8: All Hell Breaks Loose Part 1, All Hell Breaks Loose Part 2, Bad Day at Black Rock (This was easier than I expected it to be, those three really stood out for me).
As always, thank you so much for organising these polls, Dahne, I enjoy them so much! They always make me want to go back and watch the episodes.
That makes sense. I feel that way about Born Under a Bad Sign. It took too long to get to the Sam possessed goodness.
ReplyDeleteHollywood Babylon is one of the episodes I go to when I want to enjoy an episode without melodrama or intense mytharc. It's just pure fun.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that Roadkill has more votes by the time the poll ends. It has some tough competition here but when we get to head-to-head, unless it goes against a heavy hitter early, it should do decently. I don't think I've ever heard someone hating it so it has a decent chance of going pretty far.
ReplyDeleteHa! Another Bela fan. Good to know. Not many people could stand her so we have to stick together. I still think that Bela in small doses was a whole lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteOh no. Well at least both Usual Suspects and Crossroad Blues should have pretty decent numbers. I'll be putting the next poll up later today so hopefully you will remember you get 3 choices in that one.
ReplyDeleteI fudged on poll 7 and didn't vote for 3. It was too impossible to choose out of Tall Tales, Hollywood Babylon, and Folsom Blues which ones to vote for along with WiaWSNB.
ReplyDeleteNice - we have the same episodes chosen.
ReplyDeleteGroup 5
ReplyDelete*Bloodlust*
The Intro to Gordon Walker. One of the most effective Villains Supernatural ever created.
*No Exit*
This was a very entertaining episode based on a real person. Unfortunately, the bullsh*t Harvelle drama at the end almost ruined it.
*The Usual Suspects*
Sam and Ballard teaming up made this a fun, unique episode.
Group 6
*Croatoan*
I loved all the suspense and suspicion in this episode.
*Hunted*
Katherine Isabelle as Ava was fantastic. A great triumph over Gordon Walker in this episode too.
*Born Under A Bad Sign*
I'll be damned if I ever vote for a friggin' shapeshifter episode, so this got my vote instead.
Group 7
*Tall Tales*
I can deal with Trickster and there was some funny stuff here so it's good enough for a round 1 vote.
*Heart*
Damn good Sam episode. Emmanuelle Vaugier was a great guest star too.
*Folsom Prison Blues*
There is something very entertaining about Dean in prison. This episode has great replay value. The most important part of all three picks is that they are not What Is And What Should Never Be.
Group 8
*The Kids Are Alright*
Regardless of future Lisa appearances, this was a great Dean episode and a good look at a part of him that has nothing to do with being a Hunter.
*Bad Day At Black Rock*
Fun all-around episode. I always wondered why they don't make more use of that storage locker.
*Sin City*
A good Dean episode, plus it has Bobby and Ruby. (and it's not All Hell Breaks Loose 1 or 2)
Your comments always make me laugh even if my opinion is the direct opposite. Actually maybe especially when my opinions differ. I agree about Gordon Walker and that the end of No Exit sucked out loud. I also would like a return to the storage locker. It had to contain more interesting things than just a rabbit's foot.
ReplyDeleteI think about all of the times when the brothers were stumped about a new creature or a particularly powerful adversary and it drives me up the wall that neither of them ever think "Hey, why don't we go look in dad's giant storage locker with all the crazy, dangerous, powerful crap in it?"
ReplyDeleteYes, it too was a bit drawn out but possessed, dangerous, evil Sammy makes up for it.:-))
ReplyDeletewell, i commented hereyesterday what i voted for and why but i dont think the post actually posted. i dont want to type out the whole thing again so ill give a small recap.
ReplyDeletefirst off, i love season two, i think its brilliant and i could watch it over and over again. it has three of my all time faves which are what is and what should never be and both of the all hell breaks loose.
i alose love bad day at black rock ("im batman"), playthings (which may have been the first episode i evr saw, and tall tales, maybe just for the trickter who is myfavourite non winchester character
Yep :)
ReplyDeleteThe poll I could get behind would be the top 10 funniest things Dean has said. My obvious favorite would be in The Devil You know when Sam tells him "I told you so!" and Dean responds with "Oh, good for you!" the delivery was perfect.
ReplyDeletefor me round 5 was simon said I just love that ep and how strong sams visions are. and in round 6 that was so hard but for me its born under a bad sign it was a awesome ep and jared did a great job playing bad it was so good and creepy the next one round 7 heart one of the best eps of the 2nd season makes me cry everytime I love sam so much after this eps it was so good. round 8 the one I picked was all hell breaks loose part 2 was awesome deans saying all that stuff to a dead sam was so sad and bring sam back was great and I love the look sam gives win he was shoting that guy to death wow that freaked me out alittle.
ReplyDelete5. Bloodlust, The Usual Suspects, Crossroad Blues
ReplyDelete6. Croatoan, Nightshifter, Born Under a Bad Sign
7. Tall Tales, Folsom Prison Blues, What Is and What Should Never Be (awesome ep)
8. All Hell Breaks Loose 1&2, Bad Day at Black Rock