A Supernatural Sunday Seven

I have nothing planned for today’s list, so I’m going to cull from elsewhere.  Two recent posts at SciFi Chicks discuss the best episodes from season 4 of Supernatural (as determined by IMDB, TV.com and me).  Now I’m going to focus on just me.  Here are:

from “The Monster at the End of This Book”

from “In the Beginning”

from “On the Head of a Pin”

from “Monster Movie”

from “When the Levee Breaks”

My Seven Favorite Supernatural Episodes
from Season 4

I gave all seven of these episodes 5 stars, so they’re listed in chronological order because it’d take too long to actually rank them.

1. Lazarus Rising (401):  Not just season 4’s best episode by consensus, it’s one of Supernatural‘s all-time best.  Some say it’s the best episode ever.  It’s certainly one of my all-time top 5 episodes, maybe even top 3.  Season 3 ended with such a huge cliff-hanger (Dean went to hell), anticipation for the season 4 premiere ran high.  Heck, I was so excited for it, I went out and bought a wide-screen television!
2. In the Beginning (403): The angel Castiel (revealed in “Lazarus Rising” to be the one who pulled Dean out of hell) sends Dean back in time to 1973 to learn “the truth.”  The truth is, it was Dean’s mother whose family hunted supernatural things; and it answered a couple questions we’d had all the way back in season 1.
3. Monster Movie (405): Filmed in black and white, it was an homage to (or parody of) the old matinee monster movies of the 1930’s and ’40’s.  And it provided some much needed relief after a very dark start to the season.
4. Wishful Thinking (408):  What would happen if all your desires came true?  In a way, “Wishful Thinking” is a morality tale, but with a giant suicidal teddy bear.
5. On the Head of a Pin (416): Dean tortures a torturer, angels kill angels, and Sam drinks demon blood.  How in the hell did this end up onto my top seven?  Oh yeah, because it reveals two important secrets, marks significant character development, and is superbly acted.
6. It’s a Terrible Life (417):  Alternate reality and bright colors; preppy, urban Dean; the Ghostfacers.  What’s not to love?  Ok, some people don’t like the Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spangler, but I am not one of them.
7. The Monster at the End of This Book (418):  Everything Chuck Shurley, aka Carver Edund, writes about the Winchesters comes true. That’s because Chuck is a prophet.  Or God, if that’s how you interpret season 5’s finale, “Swan Song.”  Personally, I think he’s just Eric Kripke’s alter ego.  I just saw an interview where Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles said they’d like to see Chuck (and Rob Benedict, the actor who brought him to life) return.  I’d be up for that.

Honorable mention:  When the Levee Breaks (421):  I didn’t give it five stars initially, but I should have.  Like “On the Head of a Pin,” it’s not a “feel good” episode, but it gives us a peek into Sam’s psyche, with all his guilt, fear, rationalization.  He’s so on edge, just one word throws him into a rage against his brother, with dire consequences.  Jared Padalecki is superb.