We've almost cracked the top 10! But before we get there, we still have to discuss our choices for number 11. And you're in luck because here they are!
Ardeospina's #11:
"Lazarus Rising"
Why: To me, this is the best season opener the show has had. The pilot is pretty amazing, too, but not better than this episode. Because I watched the first four seasons on DVD, I was still reeling from the fact that the show had the balls to send Dean to Hell. The way they brought him back was inspired. (And as an aside, I'm really, REALLY glad I didn't have to wait an entire summer between seasons 3 and 4.) Bringing the angels into the equation really hammered home the shift in the show from being about hunting monsters and saving people to being about something bigger, something cosmic, apocalyptic. It raised the stakes and changed the game, and none of us has looked back since.
This episode also gave us an amazing brotherly hug, a hug from Bobby, angel true voices, hell flashbacks, Sam doughing up the Impala, Ruby 2.0, Dean crawling out of his own grave, and semi-shirtless Dean! Who doesn't like semi-shirtless Dean? We were also introduced to two fantastic characters, Pamela Barnes and Castiel. It also marked the beginning of Dean and Castiel trying to outgrowl each other. The winner in that contest? The fans. Yum.
Favorite quote: I'm gonna have to go with one of the most iconic lines of the entire show:
Castiel: I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition.
Favorite scene: To probably no one's surprise, I'm going with Castiel's introduction. What a badass. The first time I watched the episode and he walked through that door, sparks flying, I was like, "who IS this guy?" Castiel's introduction ties Death's as the most badass. And then the dialogue between him and Dean! Castiel is just so confused about why Dean doesn't think he deserved to be saved. We wouldn't know for some episodes yet why in particular Dean didn't think he deserved it, but knowing Dean and his self-esteem issues, we all knew it would be angsty. Deliciously angsty.
(On page 2, sweetondean's #11)
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Comments
You all have inspired me - I am trying to get my favorites down to the top 15. Trying, at least.
At #11, I have "Death's Door". Great storytelling and a brilliant idea to have the reaper in Bobby's dreams and use his desire to escape as a device to delve into his past on various levels. We got to learn a lot about Bobby along the way, not to mention seeing how much the boys meant to him. Sam and Dean trying to cope in the hospital definitely tugged on the heart strings a bit! So maybe this should be higher; I'm kind of kicking myself now. But it's done, and this isn't a list of which episodes are the most well-written, it's a list of my favorites, which means sometimes a better episode slips simply for being full of sadness.
"Idjits." - Bobby
The Christmas episode. I tear up when they give each other those AWFUL presents, that mean so very much to them both! The look on jensen's face when he tastes the "really" spicked eggnog. So great.
Point of No Return. Just, WOW! The scene you mentioned is so good to me, because Jensen is silent. He says more with his facial expressions than most actors say with pages of dialog.
I loved that for their 100th episode they didn't blow their budget to do something extra special. They kept it low-key, and as they often do in this show, when it matters most, they take it back to basics, to the heart and soul of SPN-family. And the scene in the Jupiter room is just another example of how Jared and Jensen can say so much, without a single line of dialogue. I don't think I've seen another pair of actors that do that on TV.
AVSC is without a doubt the best (anti) Christmas special I've ever watched.
Lazarus was totally badass, although Death definitely takes my vote for best character introduction.
A Supernatural Christmas is my number one. (Along with 5 or 6 others)
Alice, I couldn't agree more about Bobby! An awful awful awful awful AWFUL decision to kill him off! How Sera could have done that I don't know. As wonderful a writer as she is, this will always be a blot in my mind.
So sad to see Dean packing his meager belongings up in the box. Is that the second to last time we lay eyes upon THE JACKET of DOOM? So glad to see Sammy who brought along Cas to sort Dean out. Wasn't sorry for Cas to beat up my hero. He needed that! And he showed all his badassery in the way he scammed old Zach and got the chance to gank him just like he promised in "It's a Terrible Life". So sad poor Adam was so slow going out the door. He could have gone while Dean was dragging up Sammy from the floor. Ah well! Drah-mah!
Loving reading your choices so far!
http://celebritybabies.people.com/2013/01/07/supernatural-jensen-ackles-expecting-first-child/