Every weekday through September 12 BuddyTV is counting down the 10 best Supernatural episodes of all time. Come back every day as we unveil the list, and see if your favorite episode made the cut!
Original Air Date: February 8, 2007
Written By: Cathryn Humphris
Summary: After Sam wakes up covered in someone else's blood with no recollection of what happened, it's up to Dean to get to the bottom of the mystery. The situation gets even more complicated when the boys find a demon hunter who's been brutally murdered, along with a videotape that shows Sam as the killer.
Why It's On The List: The brilliant thing about "Born Under a Bad Sign" is how it ends up in such a different place than where it begins. The opening of the episode, which finds a bloody Sam waking up with some sort of amnesia, is one of my favorite teasers in
Supernatural history. It's a
Memento-style setup that could have gone in any number of predictable directions, but writer Cathryn Humphris adds a bevy of unexpected twists and turns. The first half of the episode finds Sammy feeling distressed and horrified over his actions, which is what we'd expect from him, but things really get exciting when we discover that Sam isn't exactly his usual self.
Evil Sam is first revealed in the middle of the episode in a scene that I think is one of
Supernatural's best. After Sam believes he's beginning to turn toward his demonic destiny, he hands Dean a gun and begs for his brother to kill him. It's an extremely emotional moment, not only because
Jared Padalecki and
Jensen Ackles totally sell it, but because we know that John warned Dean that such a day might come. It's hard not to get emotional when Dean, who's always been the one to follow all of his father's orders, can't bring himself to hurt his little brother. The scene then takes a completely unexpected turn when Sam pistol-whips Dean and knocks him out cold. It's a jarring transition from a touching brotherly moment to a what-the-hell shocker, but it's handled beautifully.
The episode really kicks into high gear once Evil Sam is revealed. Jared Padalecki is astonishingly good at being very, very bad. Watching Sam torment Jo, mock Dean, and attempt to murder Bobby is genuinely frightening. These scenes are effective not only because Jared delivers each of his lines with a devilish glee, but because we care so damn much about the character of Sam. Watching him do horrible things to the people he loves most is nearly unbearable.
As always, it's the little moments that make the episode a classic. I can think of few things in the world more awesome than Bobby spiking Sam's beer with holy water, and then telling him, "Don't try to con a con man." It's also great to see Dean admitting that Justin Timberlake is quite the triple threat, though that's not nearly as funny as the punch he delivers to Sam's face after the Meg Demon is vanquished. I also like the final moment the boys share with Bobby. He obviously knows that Sam is responsible for the demon hunter's murder, and though he seems unsettled by it he's still willing to keep the secret. It's a heartfelt moment that shows just how close Bobby is to the Winchester boys.
"Born Under a Bad Sign" is special for so many reasons. It's dark, it's frightening, it has some great brotherly moments, and it allows Jared Padalecki to let loose and take his character in a completely new direction. It's also essential for giving us an idea of what Sam could become if he ever turns completely evil. Not only would he be violent, cruel and misogynistic, but he'd also listen to a lot of Bon Jovi. How scary is that?
Come back next week as we countdown the top 5
Supernatural episodes of all time!
<< EPISODE #7 | EPISODE #5 >>
What do you think of "Born Under a Bad Sign"?
- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of the CW)