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Look, we get it, scrolling through an infinite number of shows seems overwhelming; even when someone tells us, “Oh, you should check out such and such” there’s a feeling of dread because who knows if it’s worth the time or hassle. Some TV shows have countless episodes or have been running for decades and not all of those episodes are going to be good; there are going to be some clunkers.
This series is here to help you decide if a show is the right show for you by featuring a few highlights for you to check out and see if you want to watch more. These aren’t the best episodes, they’re accessible and ones you can just jump into.
So Supernatural, where to start?
Credit: Credit: Warner Bros. Television
Supernatural is about Sam and Dean Winchester, brothers and monster hunters. The brothers travel from state-to-state fighting ghosts, werewolves, vampires, shapeshifters, and more. They travel in style in a 1967 black Chevy Impala, classic rock music is playing during each trip. Supernatural ran for 15 seasons, and as it went along the stories got more complicated and there were less stand-alone episodes. Because of this I chose to stick to earlier seasons where it is easier to jump into episodes having never seen the show before.
Credit: Warner Bros. Television
To understand Sam and Dean as characters, you need to know what happened to their mother. “Home” shows the trauma both characters have from losing their mother at a young age when she was killed by a demon. In this episode, Sam and Dean travel back to their childhood home where their mother died, to protect the new family living there from a poltergeist. Sam and Dean truly are heroic characters, and that is shown when they put aside their own pain to make sure a family does not suffer loss like they have. This is a great episode, but I warn you it might make you afraid of garbage disposals.
Credit: Warner Bros. Television
This is the first episode of Supernatural that I saw, and it made me a fan instantly. In this werewolf episode, Sam and Dean try to help a woman, Madison, whose creepy ex-boyfriend may be a werewolf. It is impressive how well the episode makes the audience care about Madison in a short amount of time. You want Sam and Dean to protect her, and you understand why Sam starts to fall in love with her. Making Madison lovable is what makes the episode so tragic. Sam and Dean both cry at the end of this episode, and you might too.
Credit: Warner Bros. Television
It might seem odd to put the only Christmas episode Supernatural made on this list, but it is a beautiful episode that shows the bond between Sam and Dean. This Christmas episode shows the darker side of the holiday. Instead of Santa Claus, it has pagan gods. Instead of perfect Christmas memories, it has flashbacks to Dean stealing presents so that Sam can have Christmas. The Winchester brothers' Christmas might not be perfect, but they have each other and a warm motel to celebrate in.
Credit: Warner Bros. Television
A lot of people talk about how scary and gory Supernatural is, but not enough people talk about how funny it is. This episode does have some gore and is intense, but it is also very funny. When Dean gets “ghost sickness,” he suddenly is afraid of everything, including a cat and a small dog. Jensen Ackles gives an amazing performance while Dean slowly gets more and more afraid of things as the episode goes on. This episode does a fantastic job of blending humor with powerful questions about fear. It is worth watching this episode for the performance of “Eye of the Tiger” at the end alone.
Credit: Warner Bros. Television
Sam and Dean discover there is a series of novels being written about them without their knowledge. The brothers go on a mission to figure out how these books could exist. This episode is filled with references to past episodes and shows off many of Sam and Dean’s character traits. I had to include an episode that features fan-favorite, Castiel, and there is an amazing scene with Dean and him that shows the bond he has with the Winchesters and why he is so popular with fans. This episode is a fun, dark, unique introduction to the Winchester boys.
· Faith (Season 1, Episode 12): Sam and Dean face off against a faith healer and a reaper.
· Mystery Spot (Season 3, Episode 11): Sam keeps reliving the same day where Dean dies. Features fan-favorite character, The Trickster.
· After School Special (Season 4, Episode 13): Sam and Dean return to one of their old high schools.
· The Real Ghostbusters (Season 5, Episode 9): Sam and Dean attend a convention for the Supernatural novels.
· The Song Remains the Same (Season 5, Episode 13): Go back in time to 1978 and meet Mary and John Winchester, the parents of Sam and Dean.
For more starter guides, check out John's "Starter Guide: Doctor Who".