Supernatural 30 Day Challenge

[ash48]

Day 22: Least Favourite Episode or Season



Swap Meat.

You will never convince me - not in a million gazillion years - that Dean would not recognise that Sam wasn't Sam almost IMMEDIATELY! Sam knew Dean wasn't Dean in Skin with one key toss - you cannot expect me to suspend my disbelief for nearly a whole episode and accept that Dean did not know something was very wrong with Sam. "Sam" crashed his car for God's sake! But even more than that...for Dean to be DISAPPOINTED that HIS SAM had returned at the end...I JUST....I will NEVER GET OVER THAT. *bawls like a baby* Lalala...that episode did not happen.

Runners up - Yellow Fever (grrrr... Sam sitting casually on the hood of a car while Dean was moments from dying...and everything else. This might be an equal with Swap Meat actually), Citizen Fang (hee...documented that one already), Reading is Fundamental (I know.. I'm sorry...I just...didn't like it that much. Mostly just bored). I know that the Wedding episode will be on the top of many lists, but not mine because I'm completely shallow. Sam was tied to a bed so, you know, there was that... *hides*

There's no overall season I would pick as my least favourite. I struggled with the first half of season six because I just couldn't connect with Soulless!Sam (but loved what they did - the idea was great and gave Sam's time in the cage real significance) and the first half of season 8 completely did my head (and heart) in. The brothers fighting for no real reason (read - totally contrived reasons) was frustrating and sapped the enjoyment out of the show for me.

There are so few episodes that I actually dislike - which is pretty amazing considering how many episodes there are. Also, I am pretty forgiving of this show. I want to love it so I let quite a lot pass by me.

Comments

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

Yuck, that was a horrific episode, even if Jared was hilarious as the douche-y kid. But the whole storyline was disgusting.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Wrong on soooo many levels -they even had the kid use Sam's body to have sex... /o\

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

Also, that scene in your icon, GUH, so wonderful.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Yes! That, on the other hand, is a fabulous scene - and episode. :)

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

Season 7, you started so well! What happpppppened to youuuuuuu?

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

Still never seen Swap Meat or Citizen Fang. Thank you, fandom, for helping me to step around the quicksand!

Yellow Fever is mine.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

They are two eps I could have easily missed. Well, three actually.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Season 7 was a huge disappointment as a whole even though some episodes were good. Actually, so was Season 6. I'm going to have to check which one Reading is Fundamental was because I can't remember it (must have made quite an impact eh?). Time for a Wedding was poor, but parts of it I liked (ahem) and it still made me laugh - my least fave single episodes are still ones that don't feature Sam or Dean very much because they don't work for me. Like Ghostfacers and Bitten. I never rewatch those. I also really don't like the rugaru one, not sure why.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Season 7 is a weird one for me. I remember enjoying it when it aired and then after the final episode I was considerably underwhelmed. I'm one of the few who enjoyed the leviathan story line, I just think the resolution sucked big time. It's also disappointing that they didn't have a good explanation for what happened to all of them after Dick disappeared back into Purgatory. But yeah - S7 is probably the weakest of all the seasons (though not nearly as frustrating as the first half of S8 for me).

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

I'm 100% in agreement with all of these. And yup, "Swap Meat" was also my least favorite episode, if for slightly different reasons than yours.

...for Dean to be DISAPPOINTED that HIS SAM had returned at the end...I JUST....I will NEVER GET OVER THAT.

I had mentally blanked the ending of that episode from memory, and now I know WHY. D:

And agreed that "Reading Is Fundamental" was VASTLY underwhelming.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Snap on Swap Meat! That ending made me cry. The brothers were so at odds with each other during that time anyway, but for Dean to be disappointed to have his actual brother back...:(((

[kazluvsbooks.livejournal.com]

i LOVE reading your opinions,Ash!
You are never mean or too picky and i love you.

Here, have a hug.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Oh THANK YOU sweetie. That's such a lovely thing to say. (and I needed a little pick me up like that right now )

Yay hug! *smish* <3

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

I rewatched Swap Meat in enormous detail recently because I revamped the transcript on the Wiki. Like you I find most of the Dean parts totally unconvincing. However, I have to admit that I laughed out loud at some of the scenes of Gary in Sam's body, even though they were horribly overplayed, so I decided I couldn't call the episode my very least favourite.

The one Dean scene I do kind of like is when he and Gary/Sam are drinking at the bar. I can put some of Dean's inability to recognise that he's not with Sam down to wishful thinking there.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I did like some of the stuff Jared was doing with Gary (the drink in particular). There are certainly moments I didn't mind but I think the ended really cemented it for me.

I think the episode had a lot of potential to really examine what Dean needs from Sam (which, maybe it did in some ways) - the bar scene is one of those examples. And I could buy that Dean really wanted this Sam to be his brother and therefore overlook all the inconsistencies. I would like for them to have been less - obvious (like the car moment). And I think it would have been really nice for him to acknowledge something about the relationship he actually does have with Sam - and that not all of it's bad.

[luminosity]

I remain utterly insulted that they had the temerity to do a body swap ep, and, knowing their fanbase (not just us rabid fans), did NOT do a Dean-Sam body swap. YOU HAD ONE JOB, ERIC. *ONE* JOB.

I feel the way you do about Yellow Fever, as well. That was NOT Sam, and his solution to the problem was heartless and horrible.

I would like to add Taxi Driver and Bitten. Bitten was just not my cup of meat, but Taxi Driver destroyed 7.5 *years* of canon. I used to wallow in the glorious canonical continuity of Show, but Taxi Driver is unforgivable.

/bitter bitter bitter

[ash48.livejournal.com]

did NOT do a Dean-Sam body swap. YOU HAD ONE JOB, ERIC. *ONE* JOB.

Yes yes yes! It was like they dangled a carrot, told us they were doing a body swap ep and then took the damn carrot away complete and gave us...ugh! That!

And my god yes, I had forgotten about how annoyed I was over Taxi Driver. Absolutely ridiculous and insulting - not only to the fans but to previous writers (and I can't believe they gave such an "important" episode to the two weakest writers on the show. But Carver had to approve it I suppose so the blame lands squarely on his shoulders...). Grrrrrr

[bittersweettwit.livejournal.com]

I don't really want to be overly negative so I'll keep this as short as possible!

Least Favourite Episodes
Season 1: Skins, Bugs, Route 666.
Season 2: None I can think of off the top of my head as truly bad.
Season 3: Bad Day at Black Rock (the comedy just didn't appeal to me), Bed time Stories and Red Sky at Morning.
Season 4: Monster Movie.
Season 5: The Real Ghostbusters, Swap Meat, My Bloody Valentine.
Season 6: Pretty much the whole middle stretch from 6x11 - 6x19
Season 7: Hello, Cruel World, Time For A Wedding
Season 8: Bitten, The Great Escapist.

Least Favourite Seasons
Season 6: It really lost me in the middle of the season and feels like it lost its way becoming more focused on trying to do break through episodes (titanic au, wild west, meta etc) than tell a proper story.
Season 8: The characters are hard to like for the most part especially Dean as I feel Carver just multiples their flaws by a 100 and the lack of consistency and regards for canon is awful.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hey!

Hee...I don't think we share a lot in this one. Though I agree that Route 666 was a pretty weak episode. Hello Cruel World though is probably one of my favourites. The scene in the warehouse is possibly one of my fav brother scenes ever (well, along with many many others). And as a hurt!Sam fan (yep - I'm kinda shallow like that..;D) I loved that ep for that (and The Great Escapist, Bad Day at Black Rock and Skin).

I'm also one of the very (very!) few fans who liked Bitten. It's not a rewatch episode for me, but I liked their attempt at found footage.

And yeah - S8 was dreadfully inconsistent in characterisation and canon. It actually makes me a little concerned for S9. I'm worried we are going to have more attempts to "reset" these characters. I hope not. I'm mostly really excited.

[bittersweettwit.livejournal.com]

Hello Cruel World though is probably one of my favourites. The scene in the warehouse is possibly one of my fav brother scenes ever (well, along with many many others).

Well Hello, Cruel World has a pretty traumatic scene for me at the beginning ;) And after that I'm pretty unsatisfied with the aftermath of Cas' death. On top of that while I understand the importance of setting up the Levithians I just find the general episode boring.

The Great Escapist
This is an episode that I am quite bitter towards as it really hurt me as a viewer. I ranted about it enough in my review for the episode I don't want to say much more than that.

And yeah - S8 was dreadfully inconsistent in characterisation and canon. It actually makes me a little concerned for S9. I'm worried we are going to have more attempts to "reset" these characters. I hope not. I'm mostly really excited.

I'm glad you are enjoying it :). I have hated pretty much everything we've been previewed so far for some reason or another so I'm in a pretty bleak place with the show right now. I'm giving it till mid season and if my mood doesn't improve I'm just going to drop it *sigh*.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

As I was writing about Hello Cruel World I was wondering what might be in that ep that wasn't likeable and I remember that's the ep that Cas dies. I remember at the time being completely non plussed by that and it wasn't until a good friend of mine on LJ reminded me how Cas fans would be feeling. It brought about a vid about Cas and made me think more on what it would mean for Cas fans. So yeah, I understand it. Especially as (by all accounts) he was actually meant to die in that episode. I have to say I didn't even consider he was really dead - I had no idea the plan was for him to actually die die. I just loved all the reveals about Sam hallucinating - and Dean being awesome.

Hmmmm...The Great Escapist... I'd have to check what happened in that one. Again (totally shallow I know!) I mostly remember Sam being completely sick and Dean looking after him...(yeah, my view is narrowed down to that sometimes - not always objective /o\). I'll seek out your review on that one.

Oh you hate the previews? I'm so sorry to hear that. That was me at the beginning of last season, so I know how you feel. I am cautiously optimistic about this one - it looks like we have brothers on the same side again (which is my main reason for being excited) - but I'm sure they will throw a spanner in the works and have them fighting again *sigh* I am mostly hoping we having the boys on even footings so they can get on and show some great MoTW stories. But we'll see. Apparently it's character focused this season -which could be good ...or bad...