10 Best Episodes Of Supernatural, Ranked

Few TV shows have had as big an impact on popular culture as Supernatural. Some episodes are truly perfect, earning a perfect 10/10 rating. The show originally aired on The WB in 2005 and moved to The CW in 2006 after the networks merged, quickly becoming a fan favorite and a significant part of the cultural landscape.

The series followed brothers Sam and Dean Winchester as they traveled across the US, hunting monsters, demons, and other supernatural creatures. While each episode often featured a standalone case, a larger, more complex story unfolded over the show’s 15 seasons. What began as a scary road trip gradually became a rich and layered mythological epic.

Spanning over 300 episodes, Supernatural is considered a landmark show of its time, inspiring many fantasy series that followed. The show uniquely blended supernatural themes with a case-of-the-week format, allowing it to run for a remarkable number of seasons in the 2000s and 2010s. While the show had its ups and downs, not every episode reached the same level of quality.

When Supernatural was on TV, most network dramas had seasons of 22 episodes, and sometimes even more, to allow for extensive storylines. Shows following this typical schedule had to find a balance between ongoing, connected plots and self-contained episodes that were either particularly impactful or offered something unique. As a result, seasons often varied in quality, blending complex, mythology-focused arcs with lighter, more casual stories.

It’s natural for a long-running show to have some episodes that aren’t amazing. While Supernatural had many episodes that viewers really connected with, only a few truly stood out as exceptional, earning that perfect, 10/10 rating.

10. The End

Season 5, Episode 4

As a huge fan of Supernatural, I always felt the first five seasons were really special because they followed the creator, Eric Kripke’s, original vision. Season five, in particular, felt like everything was building towards this massive showdown. Episode 4, “The End,” was especially impactful – it showed a really dark future for Dean and Sam, and it was heartbreaking to see them at odds with each other, basically predicting how things could fall apart during the apocalypse.

This episode features Sam telling Dean he’s ready to start hunting again, but Dean insists they work better separately. Dean leaves, hoping to protect Sam and allow him to move forward, only to wake up in a bleak, post-apocalyptic future and realize he’s made the wrong decision. Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles deliver particularly moving performances, especially Ackles, making this a standout episode.

9. Changing Channels

Season 5, Episode 8

Fans consistently rank season 5, episode 8 of Supernatural, titled “Changing Channels,” as one of the show’s best. The episode features a clever premise: Sam and Dean are stuck in a reality where they’re living out clichés from various TV shows. It playfully jumps between genres, offering everything from a Scooby-Doostyle mystery to a parody of Grey’s Anatomy*, all thanks to a mischievous Trickster.

What makes the “Changing Channels” episode so good is its ability to successfully blend the style of Supernatural with a variety of different genres. This requires impressive skill and perfect timing. Even while jumping between genres, the episode still manages to keep the show’s core mysteries intact.

8. Fan Fiction

Season 10, Episode 5

While fan service can sometimes fall flat, Supernatural season 10, episode 5, “Fan Fiction,” is a great example of how to do it well. The episode features Sam and Dean investigating a case that unfolds alongside a performance of a Supernatural musical, cleverly based on the books written by Chuck Shurley.

The latest episode features a compelling mystery, but its strongest moments come from the many references to the passionate Supernatural fanbase. Filled with jokes about popular pairings and shared inside jokes between the show’s creators and viewers, the 200th episode celebrates the world of Supernatural and deepens its already rich history.

7. Scoobynatural

Season 13, Episode 16

As a huge fan of Supernatural, I always appreciated how the show loved to nod to classic stories, and their Scooby-Doo episode is definitely a standout. In Season 13, Episode 16, titled “Scoobynatural,” Sam and Dean actually enter the world of Scooby and the gang, teaming up with those iconic teen detectives to solve a mystery – but in animated form! It’s a really fun and clever crossover.

The Supernatural and Scooby-Doo crossover is a beloved episode among fans because it perfectly blends the best parts of both shows. It features a mystery that feels like a typical Supernatural case, but it’s presented with Scooby-Doo‘s signature animation and includes appearances from familiar Scooby-Doo characters, making it a must-watch for viewers of either series. Castiel, played by Misha Collins, joins the adventure too!

6. Baby

Season 11, Episode 4

Even though Supernatural wasn’t at its peak during season 11, the episode “Baby” stands out as a particularly strong and enjoyable installment. While the season’s main storyline about battling the Darkness had some flaws, “Baby” really highlights what made the show so special overall.

As a huge fan of Supernatural, I always thought Dean’s Impala was practically a character itself, and season 11’s episode “Baby” really leaned into that! It’s filmed entirely from the car’s perspective, which is a really cool idea. While there’s still some of the usual Supernatural action, most of the episode is just Sam and Dean talking – it feels like a one-act play inside the Impala, and they really dig deep, exploring what they truly want and the pain they’ve both carried for so long.

5. Mystery Spot

Season 3, Episode 11

In the Supernatural episode “Mystery Spot” (season 3, episode 11), Sam experiences a strange twist on the classic Groundhog Day premise. After Dean dies during a routine investigation, Sam starts to mourn, but then wakes up to find it’s the same day, and Dean is alive again. This cycle repeats, trapping Sam in a time loop.

Fans of Supernatural have always sensed a strong bond between Sam and Dean, and the episode “Mystery Spot” deepens that connection. Beyond presenting a compelling mystery for Sam to unravel – one that traps him in a time loop and puts Dean in danger – the episode really highlights how much Sam relies on and cares for his brother.

4. The Monster At The End Of This Book

Season 4, Episode 18

In the Supernatural season 4 episode “The Monster At The End Of This Book”, Sam and Dean encounter a strange situation: a series of books detailing their own lives. This episode marks the first appearance of the character Chuck Shurley (played by Rob Benedict), and it begins a storyline that becomes important throughout the rest of the series.

Okay, so this episode was wild. Everywhere Sam and Dean turned, people seemed to know way too much about them – and weren’t shy about sharing! It led to some seriously funny, and often cringe-worthy, moments. But the real game-changer was meeting Chuck. Finding out he thinks he’s just writing down what God tells him? That totally blew open a whole new side of the show’s mythology. It felt like everything we thought we knew was about to be rewritten, and honestly, I’m here for it!

3. The French Mistake

Season 6, Episode 15

Often considered a standout episode of Supernatural, “The French Mistake” is exceptionally well-regarded. Following the dramatic season 5 finale, season 6 needed to raise the stakes even higher. Episode 15, “The French Mistake,” delivered by being the show’s most self-aware and unconventional installment yet.

Okay, so this episode was seriously clever. It threw Sam and Dean into this alternate reality where they’re not hunters, but Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki – the actors who play them on the show! It was totally meta, packed with inside jokes that only a true Supernatural fan would get. And Misha Collins, playing himself, had this running gag throughout the whole hour that was just brilliant. Honestly, it was a perfect episode – a really fun, self-aware treat for anyone who loves the show.

2. Lazarus Rising

Season 4, Episode 1

The season three finale of Supernatural ended with Dean’s death, but the season four premiere, “Lazarus Rising,” brings him back to life. Dean returns to Sam and Bobby after spending time in Hell, and their happy reunion is short-lived.

As a huge Supernatural fan, I always considered “Lazarus Rising” a total game-changer. It really felt like the show hit a reset button – everything we thought we knew about hunting, death, and the afterlife went out the window. Plus, it’s the episode that introduces Castiel, and honestly, he’s a huge reason why the show took off in the direction it did. It’s easily one of the most pivotal episodes of the entire series, marking a clear dividing line between the earlier seasons and what came after.

1. Swan Song

Season 5, Episode 22

The fifth season finale of Supernatural is often considered the show’s best episode, expertly connecting the realms of heaven, hell, and the unknown. Sam and Dean are finally forced to confront the apocalypse and make difficult choices about their future and how they will handle it.

Although the fifth season finale of Supernatural, “Swan Song,” wasn’t originally intended as the show’s end, it certainly felt like a fitting conclusion. The episode featured both brothers making huge sacrifices for each other, and ended with a particularly poignant scene of Sam watching Dean and Lisa enjoying a normal, peaceful life – a moment that many fans consider to be the most emotionally impactful in the entire series, and a perfect capstone to a truly outstanding episode.

2026-03-09 02:02