Supernatural: 10 Best Kripke-Era Episodes, According To IMDb

Supernatural finished its 15-season long run in 2020, but the rewatchability of the show is high. This is why most of the fans of the show love to rewatch and some also make podcasts to discuss the episodes. Recently, the Monster Of The Week podcast, run by Jeremy Greer and Chris Mosher became the only Supernatural rewatch podcast to finish all of the 327 episodes.

May fans believe Kripke-era had a much more cohesive plot than the rest of the show. For fans who are wondering about the best Kripke-era episodes to rewatch, IMDb can be a good place to start. Most of the best episodes of this period belong to seasons 4 and 5.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

The Monster At The End Of This Book (9.3)

Season 4, Episode 18, “The Monster at the End of This Book,” is one of the earliest attempts of Supernatural going full-on meta. Sam and Dean discover a series of books detailing their lives in this episode and then they meet the author, Chuck Shurley.

Chuck was the main villain of the final season of the series and this episode is his first appearance. This is why it holds great significance in the overarching story of the show. Also, now that fans know that Chuck is God, it is fun to speculate whether the Chuck in this episode is God or he is just a human who will be later possessed by God.

Lucifer Rising (9.3)

Season 4 was when Kripke brought on biblical and cosmic themes into what was a monster-hunting show. The season is beloved among many fans because of the introduction of the fan-favorite character, Castiel.

The finale, “Lucifer Rising” increased the fervor of the season tenfold with the exploration of Sam and Dean’s rift and reconciliation, Cas rebelling against heaven, and the anticipation of the resurrection of the Devil in its final moments. The episode touches on the theme of ‘angel fall’ since Lucifer was once an angel who fell because of his hatred for humanity and Cas used to be a faithful angel who fell due to his attachment to humanity.

Abandon All Hope (9.3)

The mid-season finale of season 5, “Abandon All Hope” is an action-packed episode with the deaths of some fan-favorite characters. Season 5, Episode 10 sees many characters teaming up to kill the Devil and in the process, Jo and Ellen sacrifice themselves to get rid of the Hell Hounds.

However, before the main showdown, the episode has some heartfelt moments when the brothers, Castiel, Bobby, Ellen, and Jo spend quality time with each other thinking it could be their last night on earth. Castiel drinks many shots in quick succession, which is one of the most amusing and adorable scenes of the angel on the show. Moments like these were the highlights of the episode.

Two Minutes To Midnight (9.3)

Seasons 4 and 5 introduced some of the greatest episodes of the entire show and these episodes are generally rated high on IMDb. Episode 21 of season 5 introduces Death, played by Julian Richings, who is also a beloved character in the fandom. His entry in the episode is one of the best character introductions on Supernatural.

Sam and Dean also go after Pestilence in the episode and can kill him with the help of Castiel and obtain his ring. Death’s character was shown to be much less evil than other horsemen of the Apocalpyse, which is a departure from how Death is usually portrayed in cinema and television.

Jus In Bello (9.4)

The 12th episode of season 3, “Jus In Bello,” sees Agent Henriksen finally catching Dean and Sam and putting them in jail. However, Henriksen and everybody in the station needs the help of the Winchester brothers when Lilith and demons attack them to kill Sam. The episode ended with all people in the station dying including Henriksen.

At first, the episode paints Sam and Dean as heroes who are needed in the world to help people from monsters. By the end though, it depicts that they can also be the reason for the deaths of innocent people around them.

Mystery Spot (9.5)

Season 3, Episode 11, “Mystery Spot,” is deservedly one of the most popular episodes of Supernatural. With so many ridiculous ways Dean dies, hilarious Sam’s expressions, and Trickster’s charming antics, the episode is exceedingly entertaining.

Since the episode is entirely from Sam’s perspective and showcases how he deals with the Groundhog-Day nightmarish world, it is one of the best Sam-centric episodes in Supernatural. At the end of the episode, when Sam wakes up and it’s finally Wednesday and then he goes to hug Dean, it makes every fan get sentimental because it conveys how badly Sam wants his brother to live.

All Hell Breaks Loose: Part 2 (9.5)

The season finale of Season 2, “All Hell Breaks Loose: Part 2,” is one of the best season finales of the show to date. The episode starts with Sam dying, which proved to be one of the worst things to happen to Dean. It caused a ripple effect that resulted in Dean ending up in Hell.

The raw emotions on Dean’s face as he launches into a monologue about how he was supposed to keep Sam alive after his death is excruciatingly painful. It is enough to make anyone who loves the relationship of the brothers break down into tears. Jensen Ackles’ acting skills are commendable here as he can make fans cry along with him.

Lazarus Rising (9.4)

Another episode with a breathtaking character introduction is the season 4 premiere, “Lazarus Rising.” Castiel was one of the most powerful introductions of the show because he became such an impactful character. Introduced for only a handful of episodes, Cas now forms one-half of the most popular fan-ship on AO3. 

Apart from Castiel’s entry, the episode is riddled with brilliant scenes, with Dean’s hand coming out of the ground as he comes back to life to Castiel’s true form burning Pamela’s eyes.

Changing Channels (9.7)

It is not surprising that one of the highest-rated episodes of the show on IMDb, “Changing Channels,” is also the best meta episode. Gabriel sends Sam and Dean into an alternate universe where they have to star in numerous shows that mimic actual television shows of the time. From sitcoms to Japanese game shows to medical dramas, the boys jump from show to show, making it an extremely entertaining 40 minutes for the fans.

Not to mention, the way Dean flusters on seeing the star of his “guilty pleasure” medical drama, Dr. Sexy, is super hilarious. The sexuality of Dean Winchester has been a topic of debate for a long time in the fandom, but at that moment, his heterosexuality was put into question.

Swan Song (9.7)

One of the best season finales in TV history, “Swan Song,” was also supposed to be the series finale until the CW-hit drama continued for 10 more seasons. The season 5 finale ticked all the boxes of giving an excellent end to the whole biblical apocalypse plot.

The final moments of the episode give chills to the fans as a Lucifer-possessed Sam beats Dean to a pulp until Sam finally takes over his body due to the brothers’ heartfelt love for each other. The scene is powerful, emotional, and simply epic. The episode was the last time Kripke worked so closely with the show and he certainly gave it his all because it is the highest-rated episode of his era on IMDb.

Moon Knight’s New Power Creates A Massive Avengers Plot Hole

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *