I should just nod and point at Plei's list. However. My attention is required elsewhere, so I'll have to finish this later.

S1--

These first two were directed by David Nutter, well-known as a director of pilots. He is a master at laying out plot direction and giving broad but recognizable character notes in a single episode, and they had him for the first two.

Pilot-sets up the whole show, as Kripke envisioned it: The Sam Show, with sidekick wisecracking Han Solo older brother. We get the family history, that they were raised like warriors, that Sam opted out, that there's something wrong, Dad's missing, and a creepy mystery to solve. We get family dynamics and the mechanics of ghost hunting, and an emotional hook at the end. This show isn't going to pull punches and solve things happily by the time credits roll.

Wendigo-okay, the monster is a huge cheese factor, but it's set off by the cool points of CKR, so I figure those two balance out. Everything else is a plus. I love competent Sammy, his training taking over despite his reluctance toward the life. We get You gotta get a handle on that anger, man, it's going to eat you up. We get "This book." We get, "Killing things, saving people, the family business." We get smart Sam, figuring out what they're up against. We get frantic Sam when Dean gets got. We get a pretty elegant smoking gun, "What do you mean, I didn't bring provisions?" and a clever breadcrumb trick. We get Sam rescuing Dean. There is nothing about this episode I don't like.

Dead in the Water-Lots of backstory--Sam learns something he never knew about Dean, and we learn that Dean isn't just a wisecracking shady drifter who hits on anything. There's genuine concern in him for the defenseless, and that motivates him as much as pleasing his dad. It's also Kim Manners' debut as SPN director, and it is a turning point in the direction the whole series took. Up till this ep it was two guys in a muscle car chasing occult bad guys. Manners saw depth and complexity in what the actors could do with the characters, and nobody everlooked back.

Faith-Fierce determined Sammy, absent father, resigned-to-his-fate Dean. More detailed looks into the boys' psyches, what drives them, what their fears are, and more family dynamic.

Home-Ultimate backstory, and more backbone on which to build mytharc.

Something Wicked-backstory. Sam learns more about Dean

Shadow-Dad, of course, and Meg.

Dead Man's Blood, Salvation, Devil's Trap-a three-hour episode. So much family and character goodness I can't eliminate any of them.

(I give nods to Phantom Traveler for Dean's glee over the EMF meter he built and Sam's disdain for it, for the depth of Dean's flying phobia and the ease with which Sam powers over Dean's fear and helps him (makes him) deal with it. And for the backstory that John and Dean had helped someone who'd remembered and called on them again in need. And to Bugs for the Dad did check up on you at Stanford, moron. Did you think we'd let you go off and forget you?)

S2-

IMTOD-Arguably one of the best eps of the series.

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things-Sam trying to pull Dean back from self-destruction. I'm not fond of the zombie storyline, but there are so many good moments in this ep.

Simon Said-I love Andy. It also escalates Sam's jeopardy with the YED, and showcases Dean's fear for Sam and determination to protect and save him.

Crossroad Blues-sets up the deals later on. Plus bonus points for use of the Robert Parker legend.

Croatoan-what Amy said, plus the ending scene.

Hunted-the bookending opening scene. Introducing Ava. Funkytown. Gordon's fervid belief in Sam's eviltude.

Nightshifter-everything

Houses of the Holy-more backstory. Sam's desperate belief. Dean's desolate denial.

Born Under a Bad Sign-Oh, Sammy. Oh, Jo. Oh, Dean.

Heart-With the Save a Monster, Save Myself. Oh, Sam.

what is and What Should Never Be-Oh, Dean (Also, I watch The Forgotten *just* for Michele Borth. I love Carmen and Dean together).

AHBL--a (continued...)

( continues...) two-hour episode. My heart, my heart. I don't think I've ever hurt so much over a teevee show.

S3--

A Very Supernatural Christmas-Backstory, weechesters, good monster

DALDOM-backstory on Bobby, Dean's faceoff with himself (when they couldn't get JDM to play that scene with him)

Mystery Spot-Sam goes a little crazy. It was a beautifully realized ep, bonus Speight.

Jus in Belo-Henriksen becomes an ally! I loved the whole process of that, the arming up, the fighting back-to-back. I'm still bitter they killed him off.

Ghostfacers-loved the filming style, loved unraveling the mystery, loved refs to Dean's time running out, his desperation at losing Sam, and that the cameraman--a perfect stranger--felt okay asking, "Is it cancer?"

S4--

Lazarus Rising-the whole thing, plus Castiel's introduction

Are You There God?-wonderful reprise of Ronald, Henriksen, Meg. Genuinely spooky beginning, with Olivia and the other hunters, narrowing in finally on people lost by Bobby and the Winchesters.

In the Beginning-fantastic backstory, wonderful retro take on young John and Mary.

I Know What You Did Last Summer-JP tour de force. We get to know how Sam came apart.

Sex and Violence-Destroying the brothers' relationship one domino after another

When the Levee Breaks-Outstanding JP episode. We get to see inside Sam's head--and it's not all bad choices that's put him in the panic room. Some of it he's had no choice in.

S5--

I'll need to see the whole season before I can decide.

Oh, the lip quiver was just as good as I remembered. "Drop the show and be my brother again. 'Cause ... just 'cause."

SAM.

Oh my god, how did I forget the final scene?! Auto shop with Dean! Christ, the look on Sam's face. And Dean's patience, explaining the manifold and the head valve.

Oh, the torture! I can't finish it before tonight. Just the memory of that final scene tears me up.

I was just reading somewhere that Gordon was supposed to be a one off character but the actor impressed enough that they wrote him back in. Glad they did.

Beverly, if the show was supposed to be the Sam Show, what happened? Because when it's not the Sam and Dean Show, it's the Dean Show.

That auto shop scene is another reason this episode is in my top five. Brothers!

I loved Gordon as a character and wish we'd gotten more of him. He was an interesting foil for the boys and while single-minded , righteous, and unforgiving, he wasn't evil exactly.

His behavior was understandable. I hate that he died but I do think the tragedy of his death was deliciously ironic and horrible.

I loved that they brought Gordon back. Hendricksen, too. I just wish they could have add a few more recurring characters to the mix.

His behavior was understandable

After all, John did tell Dean to kill Sam. If he had to. It just wasn't Gordon's job to bother with the whole "try and save him first" thing. And I wonder if John realised that there was no way Dean was ever going to follow that particular order.

I think I can tell which of the S3 episodes will make my top 5, but I don't want to make a list until I've seen them all. It will be all about the brotherly pain and Sam in pain over Dean.

I think I can tell which of the S3 episodes will make my top 5, but I don't want to make a list until I've seen them all. It will be all about the brotherly pain and Sam in pain over Dean.

I'm shocked to hear this!

Oops, did I say "pain" out loud?

Also, hardass Sam. I liked him "We totally have to kill Gordon" and Dean doing a wuss-Sam impersonation that was completely unsubstantiated. Sam might have been sensitive about Harmony needing to be offed, but he's practical at the core.

One thing I'm not quite sure about in retrospect... it's been shown that angels can bring people back to life, and in fact both sides have threatened to just resurrect people if they kill themselves before the overall plan comes to fruition. So why aren't Michael and Lucifer telling each of the brothers that they'll restore the other to life once the big showdown is concluded if they'll just say yes?