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Time for part two of the Top Ten Supernatural Standalone Episodes list! I didn't keep you all waiting too long. For those that missed part one, the definition of a standalone episode is as follows:
An episode that can stand alone on its own with a self-contained story that does not need prior viewing of any other episode to understand. It's usually an episode that breaks from the current arc to focus on a one-shot subplot or character.
Also keep in mind that in later seasons, the definition of "standalone" gets stretched a bit, since just about every episode has some sort of tie in by then. With that in mind, here's the remaining top six.
6. Monster Movie
Season: Four
Why it's on the list: Aside from being season four's only standalone episode? Because so much awesome detail went into making this authentic tribute to the monster movies of old. The lighting, the camera angles, the lenses, the black and white film, no detail was left untouched and the end result was something quite extraordinary. It's rare to see a total achievement like this from everyone in the cast and crew.
Once you look past the technical perfection, the fact this is another Ben Edlund comedy script isn't lost either. Dean got to play the dashing hero who connected with the blonde bombshell in distress, and Sam was the lovable and rather gigantic sidekick. The real star though ended up being Dracula (Todd Stashwick), who took trying to play straight up Dracula to howlingly new levels. Dracula may be a vicious old school vampire, but this modern day version manages to make his grand escapes on a vespa, gets his outfits at a costume retailer, and pays for pizza with a coupon. Villains have it so rough anymore.
Favorite scene: Dracula has captured Dean and aside from the humiliation of dressing him in lederhosen just to strap him to a board and taunt him, his diabolical scheme of frying Dean to the crisp after loads of monolouging has an interruption. He goes upstairs to his modern day house to find the pizza delivery guy has arrived with his pizza. Once he establishes that there's no garlic on the pizza, he has some unfinished business before he pays for the it. He pulls a piece of paper from his cape. "I have a coupon."
Comments
Oh, and although I love Dean pizza rolling Tinkerbell, my favorite part of Clap your Hands was when Sam had that tiny cup in his hands and looked up with that look and said, "Do you have bigger cups"? I howl every time I watch.
This was one of the only episodes of season 6 I actually liked the fact that it had me howling with laughter is a bonus.
Actually, "What Is and What Should Never Be" was on this list originally, but it didn't pass the "standalone" test. For a new viewer, they really wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the emotional impact if they didn't see the Pilot and know how much Mary's loss has impacted Dean in his life. So it was taken off.
Faith was a finalist too. Great choice! As I said in the part one disclaimer, as much as I like season one, those episodes lacked a lot of the production quality that went into the other seasons. It's so tough with a show with this many episodes!
I do have a few favourites from season one though. Hell House (Sam in a bath towel, hello!...I know, a little shallow); Provenance, I love me a good ghost story, and that little girl was pretty scary; Something Wicked, Dean and kids in danger, it just brings something out in him that I love; The Benders, oh yeah, that little girl was creepy, reminds a little of the X-Files episode with the in-bred family; Playthings, a drunk Sam! need I say more; Heart, breaks mine everytime; Folsom Prison Blues, Dean sure does make a pretty good inmate; Live Free or Twihard, vampire Dean!
More than Dean pizza rolling Tinkerbell, the part that always gets me in Clap Your Hands if You Believe, is when Sam is trying to be supportive and empthatic, and he claps his hand on Dean's knee. Even though Dean has always reached out to Sam, to hug, to comfort, to offer support of all kinds, this time, given the circumstances - soullessness and close encounters, etc. - Dean flinches, and his eyes get shifty, and he looks like he's ready to vomit. I'm rolling every time.
I agree with rmoats8621, Faith and The Benders would also be good ones to add. Every once in a while, I'll use Dean's line, "Demons I get, people are crazy", out in public. I get a lot of horrified looks. Thanks for the great list.
A Very Supernatural Christmas gets me every time I see it. I cannot hold back the tears when the camera pans out on the boys and we see the Impala outside the window while snow slowly starts to fall. Perfection.
Clap Your Hands if You Believe is one of my all time favorites. Maybe it was because I was a huge X-Files fan.... (Dean - "they were grabby, incandescent douche bags!"
Lastly, I'm sure we all have a lot of the classic music that is played on the show but everytime Styx "Renegade" comes up on my iPod I am instantly transformed to that scene from Nightshifter. Ideal music choice.
I have to go work for the mandroid now!
And I still want to see that amulet returned.
Loved all of your choices, but would add more like others have. Faith for sure, the Benders, Something Wicked and Provenance along with one of my very favourites, Hell House. Loved the pranks and the way they were with each other in that one. Also loved Edd and Harry, the inept "professionals" . Ha!
Not "Bugs", obviously.
The Trickster was my first villain on the show, though my first episode was "Mystery Spot". I know why it isn't on here, but I thought it was the best possible almost standalone. If "Wishful Thinking" didn't have so many references to Dean's Hell I would put it on here too.
Thanks for the list Alice!
I certainly can't argue with your pick of A Very Supernatural Christmas as #1. I love all the scenes you mentioned, but one of my very favourite parts is where Ozzie Carrigan-Pagan God is squishing Dean's mouth and about to pull the tooth, when suddenly the door bell rings?
Through smushed mouth Dean says "Aren't you gonna get that? You should really get that!" And "If you fudging touch me again, I'll fudging kill ya!"
Sigh. I almost wish the Carrigans weren't dead, because they were amazingly entertaining monsters. Can you imagine the comedy episode if they teamed up with Dracula.. All his scenes would be in black & white. All the scenes with them would be in garish too-bright colours!
I better go. I'm getting goofy creative.
These were great!
Pragmatic Dreamer
I love all your choices in both articles.
Bad Day at Black Rock, A Supernatural Christmas, Nightshifter, Monster Movie…
However my favourites will always be the Trickster ones (except for HOTG’s, will never forgive them for killing him).
Overall, you are correct. Quality picks.