Ranking the Supernatural Season 5 episodes from worst to best
Supernatural Season 5 wrapped up Eric Kripke’s plan for the Winchester brothers. Here’s a look back at the season, ranking each of the episodes from worst to best.
In Supernatural Season 5, we got Eric Kripke’s swan song. While he remained as a consultant for later seasons, this was the last season he acted as showrunner to the series.
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This is one of my all-time favorite seasons. It had a good mixture of monster-of-the-week episodes and the season-long story arc. We got development for both Winchester brothers, along with some major development for Bobby and Castiel. This season also finally showed us who Lucifer after years of hearing about him.
While this was an excellent season in terms of story, we did have some heartbreaking moments. One of those was when Jo and Ellen were killed. It wasn’t easy getting over their deaths, especially when the death was in vain and the Winchesters couldn’t kill Lucifer.
We all have our favorite episodes of any season. There are personal reasons for some episodes to stand out more than others.
It’s time to rank the Supernatural Season 5 episodes from worst to best.
Episode 5: Fallen Idols
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a fan of Paris Hilton, so that didn’t help things with this episode. While I found the monster of the week intriguing, when stacked up against all the other episodes of the series, it wasn’t enough to keep me entertained. In fact, there are many times I’ll rewatch this season and skip the episode completely.
While there are some good brotherly moments as the two find their way back to working each other, the cast was mostly predictable. What I did like was that Supernatural kept working with non-Christian gods. The show needs to do that more even now.
Episode 12: Swap Meat
When it comes to terrible storylines, Supernatural Season 5, Episode 12 wins hands down. I’m not the biggest fan of body-swap storylines. They happen without permission. When it’s a spell or potion gone wrong, it’s not so bad. This episode was one person forcing Sam to switch bodies without consent.
Plus, the whole setting of the episode was questionable. The only good thing about the episode is seeing Jared Padalecki show off his acting abilities, as he had to be someone else pretending to be Sam at various points.
Episode 17: 99 Problems
Since this is an episode integral to the overall apocalypse storyline, I don’t tend to skip it. However, it’s not one of my favorites to watch. There were many biblical elements used over the course of Supernatural Season 5, but they all felt rushed.
The use of the Whore of Babylon could have been interesting. Instead, the episode was forgettable.
Episode 20: The Devil You Know
This is another case of where Biblical elements of storylines felt rushed. After a whole season of searching for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, we got some hope that we’d meet another. And then we got an episode that mostly focused on past events. This was something that should have occurred earlier in the season to make Pestilence a bigger deal.
Like “99 Problems,” this isn’t an episode that can be skipped. It’s important to the overall apocalypse storyline and for Sam, but that doesn’t stop me from being disappointed.
Episode 3: Free to Be You and Me
Jumping to the very beginning of the season now, “Free to Be You and Me” is a hard watch at times. We have Sam and Dean no longer hunting together, unable to trust each other. Well, Dean is unable to trust Sam. This moves it to the bottom of my list.
However, I will admit that I enjoy seeing Dean and Castiel get a little more time together. Plus, Raphael is introduced. The stage is set for the formidable foe.
Episode 11: Sam, Interrupted
We went to a psychiatric hospital in Supernatural Season 5, Episode 11. The Winchesters headed there to help a former hunter deal with a monster, one that we’d never seen before. This was an interesting look at the wraiths and also brought up some important points about what the Winchesters do.
Overall, it’s an episode that can be skipped. It doesn’t offer too much for the overall storyline. However, it is an important one in terms of the brother’s relationship.
Episode 15: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
I really wanted to move this episode further up the list. Getting to see more about Bobby is important. In this episode, we get to learn more what got Bobby into hunting. We also got to meet Jody Mills for the first time.
The only reason this episode is pushed down so much is mainly because it’s not quite integral to the story. It’s one of those that could be skipped over and watched at a later date if you just want to stick to the apocalyptic storyline.
Episode 9: The Real Ghostbusters
Chuck and Becky return in “The Real Ghostbusters,” as we get the first Supernatural convention. There are a lot of great moments in this episode, but at the same time, there are a lot of cringy moments.
I do like that we have the Winchesters working with two guys cosplaying as them to deal with a case. However, I’m not the biggest fan of Becky and now knowing that Chuck is God, some of the earlier episodes don’t really fit all that well.
Episode 6: I Believe the Children Are Our Future
It’s all about the Anti-Christ in this Supernatural Season 5 episode. The Winchesters find out that the Anti-Christ isn’t quite what we’ve always come to believe, but that doesn’t make him dangerous.
Fans of Good Omens will recognize a story point in this episode. Just because you’re born half-demon doesn’t mean you have to be fully evil. This episode would be pushed higher if we actually got some closure on Jesse.
Episode 7: The Curious Case of Dean Winchester
Following on from Jesse, the Winchesters go to help Bobby with a problem. This time, Bobby has lost in a poker game but it’s not money. He’s lost years on his life. And he’s not the only one.
Dean ends up losing years and we get a grumpy, old Dean. It’s a funny episode, but if I’m honest, it’s the conversation between Dean and Bobby at the end that really saves this episode for me. The honesty between them is heartbreaking but important all at the same time.
Episode 2: Good God, Y’all
Back to the very start of the season, we get the beginning of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse storyline. Episode 2 brings us War, and I love this introduction. He doesn’t outright state who he is at first, but leaves plenty of clues.
What I don’t like is that it takes the Winchesters coming in for anyone to start realizing the truth of what’s going on. As much as I do love our boys, sometimes the show can make other hunters seem dumb; unless they’re Bobby!
Episode 1: Sympathy for the Devil
The Supernatural Season 5 premiere was intense. We were thrown right back into where the Season 4 finale left us, with Lucifer’s cage open. It felt certain that the Winchesters would die and then suddenly they found themselves on a plane.
However, that’s not what made this episode so great. Bobby’s actions in this episode are what make this episode stand out. He’s the only hunter expect the Winchesters who have fought possession. He shows what is possible, setting the stage for Sam fighting against Lucifer later in the season.
Episode 14: My Bloody Valentine
Supernatural Season 5, Episode 14 brings us another Horseman of the Apocalypse. This time it’s Famine, and we found our guys stuck with their cravings. Only, there was something off about Dean all the way through.
The subtleties from Dean are really what make this episode stand out. It’s only when you watch it again that you catch all the clues that Dean isn’t being affected by the Horseman, and that’s not a good thing.
Episode 19: Hammer of the Gods
I know this is a favorite for many because of Gabriel’s “big bag of dicks” line to Lucifer. It sits in the top half of the season for me because I enjoy the focus on the other gods, but not much higher because, well, I’m just not a fan of the character, Gabriel.
It is a turning point for Gabriel though, as he decides to stop standing back and letting the apocalypse happen. I do have to wonder how some archangels are more powerful than others, especially an archangel who’s vessel is dying because it’s not the right one.
Episode 18: Point of No Return
Just before “Hammer of the Gods,” we had the 100th episode of the season. Usually, these milestone episodes stand out and push their way up to the top of lists, but this episode just felt like any normal episode. And that was a plan of Supernatural, I believe.
This is one of those episodes that I do like and I will watch with every rewatch. However, it was clear the minute Adam was brought back that the angels had found a way around Dean saying no. What I did love was that Dean tried to save both of his brothers, even though he failed with Adam.
Episode 16: Dark Side of the Moon
The trip through the various Heavens is one of my favorite parts of Supernatural Season 5. I love seeing the memories and how they differ. Dean thinks happiness involves family but Sam thinks happiness involves being away from his family. It’s a telling element to them as they start to split.
Bringing Ash back was also perfect. I do wish there could have been some positive news on the Mary and John part, though, saying that they were both in a Heaven together.
Episode 13: The Song Remains the Same
It was a trip back to the past in “The Song Remains the Same,” and I adore that Sam got to go on this trip this time. He got to meet his parents and try to prevent them from dying. Unfortunately, everything that Mary once knew was wiped from her memory afterward.
The only thing I wasn’t a big fan of was having Anna brainwashed. After falling from grace and everything she fought against, I would have preferred to see another angel being used.
Episode 4: The End
Moving onto the future. Dean went to 2014 to see what the world would become if he continued to say no to Michael. There are a lot of questions now about this world, but there’s something that’s clear is that this isn’t the real future. While there are some elements that do happen, this is a future Zachariah made up.
Something that I do enjoy about this episode is that it’s a continuation of “It’s a Terrible Life,” in the way that it’s Zachariah that is manipulating things. I also enjoy seeing Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles playing different characters (Ackles a different version of Dean and Padalecki plays Samifer for the first time)
Episode 8: Changing Channels
As much as I’m not a fan of Gabriel, I do enjoy this episode. It brings in parodies of some of my favorite shows, poking fun at some of the most ridiculous parts. And while Gabriel is messing with them, he’s not destroying them with repeated heartache.
Apart from the very end when the Winchesters figure out what’s going on, this makes a great standalone episode. It’s one of those that you can just put on whenever you want a good laugh.
Episode 21: Two Minutes to Midnight
The penultimate episode of the season is strong. It has one of the best introductions the show has ever offered and doesn’t make Death’s role feel too rushed. In fact, Death is calm and brings a grounding to the episode, which is surprising.
My only wish is that Pestilence wasn’t taken care of so easily. He was only brought into the show the episode before.
Episode 10: Abandon All Hope
I know this is one of those episodes that shouldn’t be a favorite, but there are some excellent moments. One of those is getting to meet Crowley, finally. The Winchesters get the Colt back and things with Crowley don’t quite go as expected, making it clear this demon would make a great frenemy.
The downside to the episode is the loss of the Harvelles. However, the acting is too brilliant for me to be angry that they were both killed off and it was pretty much a pointless mission.
Episode 22: Swan Song
Finally, it’s the Supernatural Season 5 finale. You just knew this was going to be the best episode, right? Everything falls into place with this episode.
This was the episode we’d waited five years for. It’s easy to see how it should have happened had the show come to a complete end after this, but I’m glad that the writers could twist it to allow the story to live on. At the same time, it’s an excellent ending point for those who did want to end where Kripke planned it.
What are your favorite Supernatural Season 5 episodes? Which ones stand out the most for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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