Supernatural's Most Unique Episode Ever

Throughout its remarkable stint on The CW, Supernatural consistently devised innovative methods to narrate tales. Be it refining the meta episode, paying tribute to a specific movie, or poking fun at a popular cultural trend, this series never shied away from experimentation. Even after ten years, they kept surprising and delighting fans with their creative approaches.

In one of the top-rated episodes of ‘Supernatural’, the narrative unfolded from the viewpoint of Baby, the Winchesters’ 1967 Chevy Impala. This unique episode, titled “Baby“, marked several firsts for the series. It was the first to be filmed entirely within the car, to have a soundtrack that consisted only of sounds heard in the scene itself, and it was also the first time Castiel’s voice was heard but he wasn’t visible on screen.

“Baby” Was a Ground-Breaking Episode of Supernatural

Written by Robbie Thompson and Directed by Thomas J. Wright

In simpler terms, the episode titled “Baby” within the series Supernatural can be enjoyed independently, yet it remains crucial for fans of the show. Post the initial three episodes of the latest season, all characters are taking time to recuperate following Rowena’s spell and dealing with the aftermath of their encounter with the Darkness. In search of a new case to distract themselves, Sam and Dean travel to Quaker Valley, Oregon, to examine the brutalized corpse of the local sheriff. With limited leads, this investigation provides an alternative to idling around and polishing every vehicle in the garage multiple times.

Episode	Title	Air Date	IMDb Rating
11×04	“Baby”	October 28, 2015	9.4/10

Following their examination of the sheriff’s leftovers, Sam and Dean uncover the peculiar circumstances: The heart is absent, and the body is devoid of blood. This leads them to suspect a creature they dub as a “Were-Vampire.” As the brothers delve into the mystery, the camera keeps company with their car, Baby, throughout. We don’t accompany them inside the morgue or outside to scan the location where the body was found. When Dean gets ambushed by Deputy Donnelly, it occurs off-screen, visible through the windshield of the Impala. Sam’s brave rescue of Mrs. Markham from a pair of were-vampires is narrated later when Sam phones Dean.

Filming the entire show inside multiple versions of the classic Impala turned out to be a fresh, difficult endeavor for the crew, particularly Jeff Budnick, who oversees picture car coordination. According to him, the task entailed disassembling and reassembling numerous vehicles. “It was quite an ordeal,” Budnick explained, “We were working around the clock on that specific episode.” Besides the labor-intensive filming process, Budnick had to mend the cars to ensure they were ready for future episodes. He mentioned, “I needed five new headliners due to the cameras tearing through them. The interiors were filled with cameras and bloodstains, so we had to replace all the carpets. Moreover, the dashboard cracked from the strain. Thus, it was quite a task to restore them to their original state.

In contrast to other episodes, Jensen Ackles noted that shooting “Baby” required extensive setup of cameras on the car and driving around. He described the experience as unusual because when he had a full camera rig (with the windshield removed), a large camera was mounted directly on the hood, just inches from his face while he drove on real roads in a genuine vehicle with passengers. This meant that his primary view while driving was severely limited, so he had to rely on peripheral vision to navigate the car. As Jared Padalecki added, this shooting style was unique, marking the first time they’d done something like it in over 200 episodes.

“Baby” Was the First Episode With No Musical Score

It Featured a Completely Diegetic Soundtrack

In the show “Baby,” music is not presented as a conventional score but rather songs that the characters themselves listen to. Most of these tunes are played through the Impala’s stereo, with exceptions such as the radio song during Dean’s car wash scene in the bunker and the roadhouse performance. The scenes set to “Night Moves” by Bob Seger resonate strongly with fans due to their portrayal of Sam and Dean bonding as brothers while singing together.

In this particular episode, the absence of background music served to immerse viewers into Baby’s perspective, making them hear exactly what he does as they journey along together. This approach, which is similar to using instrumental music to accentuate scenes, is akin to adding an eerie tune during a suspenseful walk down a dark hallway. Diegetic soundtracks, where the music originates within the story itself, are not unusual on television. In fact, sitcoms like The Office often incorporated such sounds, playing only music that the characters were listening to or performing within the narrative.

“Baby” Was the First Episode Where Viewers Hear But Don’t See Castiel

Castiel Is Only Heard on the Phone

In the commentary for the TV show episode titled “Baby”, writer Robbie Thompson playfully mentioned that Misha Collins seemed to have delivered his lines casually, using the phrase “phoned it in”. During the script development, they opted to only have the sound of Castiel’s voice over the phone when he calls Sam or Dean. This decision was consistent with Castiel’s character at that point in the storyline, and it provided an opportunity for some meaningful brother moments on their journey. Thompson expressed his affection for the show, adding that he especially enjoys writing the characters of Sam and Dean. Director Thomas J. Wright made sure to incorporate shots of the phone whenever Castiel spoke, giving the impression that the phone itself was Castiel.

The inclusion of Castiel in phone conversations resulted in some subtly humorous instances within the series. When Castiel calls Dean to discuss their were-wolf case, he claims the creatures they’re tracking are called Whispers. Before Castiel could elaborate on their “fascinating history,” Dean stepped out of the car to meet Deputy Sheriff Donnelly at the crime scene. The viewers remain in Baby with Cas and the phone. Through the window, Dean is visible engaged in conversation with Donnelly as Castiel carries on talking, oblivious that Dean had left the vehicle. As Castiel drones on about Whispers, Donnelly attacks Dean. A scuffle between Dean and Donnelly unfolds, accompanied by Castiel’s monotonous retelling of Whisperer lore.

“Baby” Features Several Ad-libbed and Unscripted Moments

Not All the Improvised Lines Made it Into the Final Cut

In the unique way “Baby” was produced, it provided ample opportunities for spontaneity compared to typical filming. During discussions about the episode, Jensen Ackles playfully suggested there would be numerous extra footage and bloopers due to this improvisation. Ackles singled out one particular shot as an illustration, where the characters are driving on a road and laughing. The scene features a striking light reflection (lens flare). Ackles humorously explained that this was simply the cast passing time between takes, “just chit-chat.”

In that particular scene, Dean’s playing of Bob Seger’s “Night Moves” was deliberately planned to celebrate Sam’s romantic moment, as indicated by the script.

Seger begins to croon, and Dean mimics the lyrics. Undeniably, he’s captivated. Indeed, it’s none other than Seger, a legendary rock songwriter, often hailed as one of the top ten by Bob Singer, Esq.

In a rephrased manner: Jensen Ackles transformed it into a spoken line as “One of the most notable rock songwriters in history, Samuel.” To which Jared Padalecki cleverly replied, “That’s me, Sam.

In the DVD commentary, Robbie Thompson complimented Jensen Ackles during the scene where Dean battles the Deputy Sheriff, stating that he “subtly enhanced” it by including small details that made it more impactful. When shooting Donnelly with silver and decapitating him didn’t kill the monster, Dean opted to take the head with him. He rummages through the famous green cooler in the backseat, but upon opening it and finding all the beer untouched, he lets out a disappointed sigh before removing it. Dean then goes to pick up the head, but as he attempts to grab it, his arm jerks back as if the head had tried to bite him. The script didn’t account for any of that additional detail. It merely stated:

In simpler terms, Dean unfastens the rear passenger door and removes the green cooler. After emptying its contents, he steps out of the camera’s view.
The GNASHING of Donnelly is silenced. Dean returns to the back seat and drops the Cooler down.

Following the dispatch of a photo featuring the Deputy’s sharp teeth to Castiel, Dean receives a call from Sam, who shares that they and Mrs. Markham were also attacked. As Dean prepares to drive off, he remarks, “It seems everyone is being ambushed.” A line not included in the final version of the episode was when Dean struggled with Mrs. Markham and the resurrected Deputy, where Jensen Ackles improvised, “Get out of my car.“.

2025-04-30 17:53

Supernatural’s Most Unique Episode Ever