Ranked: All the episodes of Supernatural season 1 worst to best

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Sergei Bachlakov Acquired from CW PR

After going through the recaps of every episode, it’s time to rank the season 1 episodes of Supernatural from worst to best.

SPN Hunters has taken you through all the episodes from Supernatural season 1. Between lore reminders and explanations, recaps and variety “Best Moment” pieces, your memories have hopefully been fully refreshed. To round out the year, it’s time to round out most of the season 1 content.

That means a look at every single episode. It’s time to rank the episodes from worst to best.

#22. Bugs

This was an obvious one, right? The majority of the fandom is in agreement when it comes to the worst ever episodes of Supernatural, let alone just of the first season. “Bugs” is also one of Eric Kripke’s least favorite episodes because creepy crawlies just aren’t that scary.

It’s a shame, because the episode had premise. The use of Native American curses could have offered a terrifying episode. As the Winchesters say, there’s no way to bring an end to the curses. You’ve got to rid them out and that usually means letting them kill whoever the curse is against. It should have been terrifying watching the episode and instead if was laughable with the terrible CGI throughout.

So, yes, “Bugs,” is the worst of the worst.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Sergei Bachlakov Acquired from CW PR

#21. Hookman

Closely following “Bugs” is “Hookman.” It’s an episode that tries to use a variety of urban legends but incorrectly states the urban legends are “classic Hookman lore.” As a major urban legends fan, it grated me the very first time I heard Dean say that and I’ve cringed every time I’ve watched.

But it wasn’t just the wrong lore used. The episode was boring. There were plotholes everywhere (like the fact that the silver had already been burned once to make the various items, so why was the spirit only just “killed?”) and the episode just really wasn’t that scary.

The benefit to the episode was Sam learned within that he didn’t have to feel guilty about moving on. However, he continued to choose not to move on.

#20. Route 666

Sometimes the episodes will switch places depending on the mood I’m in. “Route 666” is one of those episodes that can move up, as the next few on the list are changeable. However, coming into the end of the year it’s the third worst episode of Supernatural season 1.

This episode should have been great. Fans got to see Dean open up more. He was no longer this womanizer, but a guy who held his heart as close to his chest as possible. This was a guy who’d had his heart broken and he didn’t want it to happen again; nor did he want his little brother to find out about it.

The Winchester relationship grew in this episode. The thing that spoiled it was the big monster truck. It really wasn’t that scary.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Sergei Bachlakov Acquired from CW PR

#19. Wendigo

This episode certainly brought the fear aspect more than the previous episodes. “Wendigo” showed us that not all monsters attacked out of revenge. They could be animals that attacked to sustain their life. Humans were prey in the way that deer and rabbits are prey for humans. For the second episode, this was a major step to take to set up the Supernatural world.

The lore was good, too. It set up the use of Native American lore, while delivering some of the most memorable lines of the whole show.

So why is it so low down? Well, the monster wasn’t exactly terrifying. Getting rid of it was relatively easy and it was just full of cheese. While there was a lot of good, there were simply just better episodes!

#18. Bloody Mary

Ah, “Bloody Mary.” Where do I start?

This could have been such a better episode than it was. The use of Mary crawling out of the mirror as if she was Samara from “The Ring” was just a step too far. It lacked originality and really wasn’t the homage to the movie that the EPs wanted it to be.

Yet, it did have some potential. The Bloody Mary lore was spot on with a perfect twist for the series. It added fear to the thing we’d all done as kids. If you weren’t scared of playing Bloody Mary before, you would be after this episode.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW Acquired from CW PR

#17. Hell House

How fitting that Episode 17 of the series in the 17^th best episode of Supernatural season 1. “Hell House” was funny with the brotherly pranks and the tulpa lore was excellent, but it wasn’t the most amazing episode. It didn’t have anything overly memorably outside of the pranks.

Well, unless you count the doofuses that are Harry and Ed. This was an episode that helped to show a very different side to hunting. Fans got the typical paranormal investigators who know nothing about the real ghost stories and things that go bump in the night.

What the episode did show (and the reason it’s not lower on the list) is what can happen when enough people believe. If you’ve watched any Santa movie, you’ll know that believing helps to power the sleigh. Well, this took that belief and turned it upside down, put it through the shredder and pasted it all back together with devil horns.

#16. The Benders

While “The Benders” isn’t a favorite for many, there’s something to say for the fear and simplicity within the episode. It wasn’t until Sam was locked in a cage that fans figured out what the Winchesters were facing: humans.

For the past 14 episodes, we’d watched the Winchesters up against spirits, urban legends, human-like monsters and demons. This was the first time the show proved that creatures and monsters didn’t have to be supernatural. Some of the scariest things in the world were humans.

In fact, Dean makes a point in saying that he understands demons and monsters. He doesn’t have to be scared of them, because he gets their needs and their games. Humans are a whole different kettle of fish.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW Image Acquired from CW TV PR

#15. Dead Man’s Blood

Moving onto the creatures that everyone wanted to see and wondered whether they would show up. “Dead Man’s Blood” was all about the vampires. While initially it can seem like a strange and anticlimactic episode, it’s an important one for the world moving forward. It’s the introduction of the Colt and the first time the gun is used.

This is also the first time the Winchesters are together as a family. The brothers come across their father, who finally decides it time to open up to his boys about the thing he’s been after all this time. We finally get to see how the three can work together, while hearing the answers Sammy has needed from John for so long.

The vampires were also scary and powerful. This wasn’t just a case of being a knock-off Dracula, but about taking old, forgotten lore and making it something modern.

#14. Dead in the Water

Amy Acker will always hold a special place in my heart and if it was just for her this episode would be so much further up the list. However, overall the episode just isn’t as good as some of the others. “Dead in the Water” uses a vengeful spirit for the second time in the series and shows us just how a sweet and innocent boy can be twisted after death because of the actions against him.

“Dead in the Water” also gave fans more of an insight into Dean. He saw something of himself in young Lucas, still remembering some of the events the night of the fire and the death of his mom. Sam saw a new side to his brother, learning more about Dean the way that fans were.

This episode had laughs, horror, and heartache all in one. What wasn’t there to love?

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Sergei Bachlakov Acquired from CW PR

#13. Phantom Traveler

Hot off the trailers of “Dead in the Water” is “Phantom Traveler.” Fans got to see Dean’s fears: something completely unexpected considering everything he’s faced. We also got the first demon of the series. If you ever need a reminder of how scary demons once were, this is the episode to watch.

Sam performed his first exorcism, in the middle of a crowded plane, 30,000ft in the air. He made it clear just how smart, calm and controlled he could be. However, there was also the element of mind reading and other major powers demons could hold.

There was so much Biblical lore thrown into the episode. For many now, this should have been foreshadowing of things to come. However, even Kripke didn’t know the show was going to move into angels vs. demons in the future! It just happens to all fit together beautifully.

#12. Shadow

Reaching the middle of the list and it’s all about Episode 16 of the show. Supernatural’s “Shadow” brought fans a scary monster, an overarching storyline and John Winchester. For the first time in the whole season, father and sons finally came face to face.

It wasn’t all by chance either. Meg and Azazel had lured the Winchesters in. Fans got a look at just how dangerous Meg could be and what she was willing to do. We also got the memo that demons wouldn’t just disappear after falling off a multi-storey building.

This episode was dark and scary. The monster wasn’t going to be easy to defeat. In the end, the Winchesters separated again, but there was hope that they would find their way back together again.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Sergei Bachlakov Acquired from CW PR

#11. Skin

After giving fans plenty of ghosts and demons, the show decided to give a reminder that not all monsters were easy to spot. Sometimes they could look like you or me. And the show did that in style, by giving the monster the face of one of our main protagonists.

“Skin” introduced the shapeshifter, after weeks of mentioning creatures that could transform into others. There was plenty of foreshadowing for this supernatural monster and the show writers created it in style. We were left guessing for a while whether Sam had the right brother.

This was also an important episode for developing the brotherly relationship. Season 1 was mostly focused on finding John, but there were many episodes that helped develop Dean’s personality and resentment over Sam leaving. “Skin” brought a lot of it to the forefront, as the shifter had no qualms about telling Sam everything the real Dean felt.

One of the best things about the episode is that Dean was never exonerated of the crimes. It would be something that would cause a problem for them in the weeks and years to come.

#10. Nightmare

“Scarecrow” was the first episode in Supernatural season 1 to give an overarching storyline and then that storyline disappeared until “Nightmare.” For the first time, fans learned more about Sam’s psychic powers. He learned that he wasn’t alone in the world, but that not everyone would have the support system like he did. While Sam may think hunting was a bad life, he had to admit that he was lucky not to have a life like Max’s.

The episode brought Max out in an empathetic light. It was easy to see and understand why he was murdering people. There was plenty of hurt and pain deep down that he’d never get support for.

When the episode ended with Max committing suicide, many were shocked. Sam was devastated that someone like him was gone. However, from a writing viewpoint it was the only way to continue the empathy for Max and it certainly worked. When Sam would meet someone like himself in the future, he would think of Max.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW Acquired from CW PR

#9. Something Wicked

“Something Wicked” had absolutely everything you could possibly need. It was full of humor, realism, scares and family moments. The creature was one that many had never seen or heard of before, pulled directly out of real lore from multiple cultures.

It was a powerful episode to push Dean’s character development. This was a way to see that Dean didn’t an apple pie upbringing. While we’d heard stories of how hard Sam had it, Dean never really complained of everything that happened to him. This was the first and last time we saw him disobey an order and the whole reason he follows orders without questioning.

Dean was able to right a wrong in the episode. He could make up for the past in the way that his father expected when giving the coordinates.

#8. Provenance

When you want an absolutely creepy episode with heart, look no further than “Provenance.” The 19^th episode of Supernatural season 1 showed Sam move on for the first time since Jessica. He felt comfortable, thanks to finding a woman who had been through loss and learned not to block out the pain.

On top of that, we got to see another violent spirit. Sometimes the spirits aren’t adults with experience. They’re creepy children that are just born pure evil.

However, the episode wasn’t simple. The Winchesters believed (and had fans believing) that the father in the portrait was the murderer. It showed how public appearance, stories and stereotyping could harm a case. Things aren’t always as they seem.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Sergei Bachlakov Acquired from CW PR

#7. Salvation

After defeating the vampires and getting their hands on the Colt, the Winchesters stayed together to take care Azazel. There was hope that they would get their revenge and be able to move on; whatever that meant for each of them.

However, fans quickly realized that things were not going to be that simple. There was more than Azazel at play. He had his own followers, mainly Meg and Tom. They were willing to stop at nothing to make sure they got the Colt.

Meanwhile, the Winchester brothers learned that Azazel was after another family. The demon they’d wanted since Supernatural season 1’s first episode was in reach. There was the chance that another family would be left without the mother, as Azazel went after the six-month-old baby. Linking to the pilot was a strong way to draw attention from the fans and make it an episode to remember.

#6. Scarecrow

The scarecrow in the episode will go down as one of the creepiest characters of the whole series. It was even brought up in the 200^th episode of the show because it was that creepy. On top of that, the lore expanded the world of Supernatural, while setting up the overarching story of the season.

This was the first episode fans saw the Winchesters brothers separated. Sam needed to find his father, while Dean had to follow orders. We’d not understand in this episode why Dean had to follow orders, but it was a good thing that he did. He was able to find out the problem and take steps to get rid of it.

In the end, brotherly love won over. Sam realized he couldn’t leave his brother in trouble and saved the day. It was the moment that we knew brotherly love would always eventually win; but it could take time.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Sergei Bachlakov Acquired from CW PR

#5. Devil’s Trap

Starting the top five episodes is the Supernatural season 1 finale. The ending would be just one of the big reasons this makes it to the top five. Fans were left wondering about their favorite characters. Lives were left in the balance and we had no idea what to expect for season 2; and this was at a time that the second season wasn’t guaranteed.

However, it was also the conclusion of the search for John Winchester and Azazel, which just happened to be two in one body. After being separated again in “Salvation,” Azazel was able to possess John without the Winchesters knowing. Fans didn’t know until it was too late and then they just gripped their couches, hid behind pillows and hoped for the best.

There were a lot of questions about how the episode would play out. Was it possible that the Winchesters would kill their father after searching a whole season for him? Which side would Sam fall on?

#4. Asylum

Quite honestly if you want a creepy episode, this is the Supernatural season 1 episode to watch. It was the second introduction to a violent spirit, but the first time that one really looked creepy and powerful. On top of that it was an important episode for Sam’s character development.

After the Winchesters learn that an old abandoned asylum is haunted, they do their research and learn that the psychiatrist wasn’t the kindest of people. He would perform experiments on his patients and it wasn’t that surprising the patients overrun the asylum in a riot.

However, this violent spirit didn’t just kill. He continued his experiment in a murderous way. Individuals didn’t just die or kill themselves. They killed the reason they were angry. That put Dean at risk, as Sam admitted everything he really felt deep down about Dean being Daddy’s Little Solider.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Justin Lubin Acquired from CW PR

#3. Pilot

The Supernatural pilot is certainly one of the best episodes to air. Not only did it start the whole series, but it started it in style. The majority of people were hooked within those first few minutes. After all, what other show was daring enough to burn the protagonists’ mother on the ceiling in the opening act?

“Pilot” didn’t just open in a strong way. The whole episode was powerful, dark and exciting. It set up everything to expect from the series, including the overall search for John Winchester. The Woman in White made it clear that urban legends were going to be adapted in a unique way and monsters weren’t going to be pure black and white; you were going to have empathy for many of them.

In the final minutes, Supernatural did something very few shows did. It killed off one of the protagonist’s love interest. Two deaths in the one episode in the exact same way. This meant they had work to do.

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Sergei Bachlakov Acquired from CW PR

#2. Home

Ah, the episode fans get to see a very vulnerable Dean. After learning that it was time to return to their childhood home in Lawrence, Kansas, Dean started to question everything. He made a quick phone call to his father, only for it to go unanswered. It was a stark reminder that apart from Sam, Dean was actually alone in this world and would have to power through his emotions and fears.

The episode also opened up the ghostly world. After a quick mention of poltergeists, we finally got to see one. Well, not quite see one but see the power one held. Then there was the spirit of Mary, making a point that not all ghosts became vengeful spirits. Fans also developed an instant impression of the character that would become the cornerstone of the show.

And finally there was the awesome Missouri, who could make any grown man feel 2ins tall. Missouri wasn’t afraid to say what she felt, but would also support and help when necessary. The Winchesters and Missouri made a formidable team and it’s a shame that the next time we would see her would be for a few minutes just for her to die!

Photo Credit: Supernatural/The CW by Sergei Bachlakov Acquired from CW PR

#1. Faith

Is there any other episode that could have taken this top spot? It’s a powerful, heartfelt Supernatural season 1 episode. “Faith” opened the world of reapers, while also focusing on faith and desperation. When Dean was gravely hurt in an attack, Sam showed he would be willing to do absolutely anything to save his brother. That included going to a faith healer, who may or may not have been using good magic.

However, this was an episode to expand on Dean, too. He realized that having faith was more than just believing in a God. It was about believing in something bigger than yourself and believing that miracles could happen.

Julie Benz played the beautiful Layla, who was too good for the tumor she had. This was a character all fans wished could have been saved in the end.

Next: 7 best creatures from Supernatural season 1 in terms of mythology

Do you agree with this list? What order would you rank the Supernatural season 1 episodes? Share your top 5 in the comments below.

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Ranking the Supernatural season 1 episodes

By Alexandria Ingham | Dec 31, 2017

After going through the recaps of every episode, it’s time to rank the season 1 episodes of Supernatural from worst to best.

More from Supernatural

#22. Bugs

#21. Hookman

#20. Route 666

#19. Wendigo

#18. Bloody Mary

#17. Hell House

#16. The Benders

#15. Dead Man’s Blood

#14. Dead in the Water

#13. Phantom Traveler

#12. Shadow

#11. Skin

#10. Nightmare

#9. Something Wicked

#8. Provenance

#7. Salvation

#6. Scarecrow

#5. Devil’s Trap

#4. Asylum

#3. Pilot

#2. Home

#1. Faith