After five years starring as Dean Winchester in Supernatural, Jensen Ackles decided to take a turn behind the camera, making his directorial debut in season 6. He apparently caught the bug, because he directed five more episodes throughout the show's run, pulling double duty as actor and director. Every Supernatural episode directed by Ackles is different; some feature secondary characters, some have the Winchester boys tackling run-of-the-mill monsters and some are major milestones in the overall plot.
Ackles has said that for him, the most challenging part of directing is "coming up with a game plan." Before filming on each of his episodes began, Ackles had to make a parade of decisions, deciding on locations, costumes, special effects, camera angles and a variety of other details. Ackles said he spent a huge amount of time preparing to direct an episode before the cameras start rolling.
On the other hand, as an actor, Ackles has a unique perspective. He's familiar with Supernatural, having starred in it since day one, and he's done pretty much everything he might have to ask other actors to do. "Coming from the other side of the camera, I understand logistically what needs to be done in order to get the shot," he said in a behind-the-scenes DVD feature. "Understanding all of that stuff really helps both production, performance, final product."
Season 6's "Weekend at Bobby's"
The first Supernatural episode directed by Ackles — season 6, episode 4, "Weekend at Bobby's" — is one of the more memorable episodes of the series. Instead of following the Winchesters on a hunt, the episode is told entirely from the perspective of the boys' surrogate father figure, Bobby Singer. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear Bobby does a lot more work than the audience typically sees and he's often taken for granted by the Winchesters. While Dean and Sam hunt down an unusual monster in Wisconsin, Bobby attempts to force Crowley to return his soul, fends off law enforcement tracking fellow hunter Rufus Turner, and kills an Okami who's broken into his cute neighbor's home.
"Weekend at Bobby's" is an extremely effective Supernatural episode, creating an almost surreal feeling by mixing the mundane with the monstrous. Creative camerawork from Ackles results in some quick visual jokes that are as surprising as they are funny. Under Ackles' direction, the episode doesn't adhere to traditional Supernatural techniques. For example, shots of the Winchester brothers always revolve around a phone call, making Bobby the center of the action even when an exciting fight is happening. The episode also uses repeated shots of Bobby picking up the phone, opening his front door or sitting down at his desk to create a sense of frustration and pointlessness.
"Weekend at Bobby's" creates a precedent for other unique "fourth episodes," such as season 8, episode 4, "Bitten," and season 11, episode 4, "Baby." Overall, the episode is a significant success by Ackles and it's hard to believe it was helmed by a first-timer. Ackles has said his interest in directing was peaked by the technical aspects of filming, which is shown in this episode. Plus, the use of Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" rates as one of the best music cues in the series.
Season 7's "The Girl Next Door"
Supernatural season 7, episode 3, "The Girl Next Door," is one of about a dozen flashback episodes that reveal parts of Dean and Sam's childhood. In the show, Sam ditches Dean to pursue a case with clues identical to one he solved as a preteen. Through flashbacks, it's revealed Sam befriended a young monster, Amy, whose mother was responsible for several killings. When he discovered Amy was a kitsune but hadn't killed anyone, he spared her. As an adult, Sam again tracks down Amy and discovers this time she has hurt people. He again spares her, but when Dean discovers what Sam's done, he takes her out without his brother's knowledge.
Like "Weekend at Bobby's," Dean plays a smaller role in this episode, perhaps making it easier for Ackles to direct. Ackles has said that although he initially thought making the transition to director would be easy, "What I didn’t realize was that I was in a totally different frame of mind as a director than as an actor." Much of the episode focuses on Sam and the relationship between the brothers. It's a solid addition to season 7, exploring a distrustful dynamic between the Winchesters, although it's not very memorable beyond that. Ackles and Jared Padalecki also deliver respectable performances, showing their dynamic as co-stars carries over easily into a director-actor relationship.
Season 8's "Heartache"
Supernatural season 8, episode 3, "Heartache," follows the Winchester brothers on their first case after Dean's stint in purgatory. Reunited, the two track down the culprit behind a string of unusual murders. It turns out the murders were committed by several people as part of a ritual sacrifice to gain superhuman strength and eternal youth. The instigator of the ritual is a 1000-year-old Mayan athlete whose death caused chaos.
Aside from the wonderful dynamic between Dean and Sam Winchester, this episode is, sadly, entirely forgettable. The plot is simply too convoluted, as are many episodes involving ancient deities. Ackles' direction brings a lovely lightheartedness to the episode, with some fun moments between Sam and Dean as they rediscover how to work together. Thankfully, the episode doesn't take itself too seriously, which means the dramatic moments between the brothers land well. Ackles continued to play with perspective in a few creative shots too.
Season 10's "Soul Survivor"
Ackles started to branch out into plot-heavy episodes in later seasons, starting with Supernatural season 10, episode 3, "Soul Survivor." This episode is an exceptional one, showing Sam's attempts to cure Demon Dean through a series of intense encounters in the Bunker's dungeon. As Demon Dean tries to manipulate Sam into letting him go, Sam doggedly continues the ritual, clinging to the hope he can cure Dean. The episode culminates in a suspenseful cat-and-mouse pursuit through the bunker. "Soul Survivor" is primarily a dramatic episode, but it's still marked by Ackles' trademark humor.
The B story features Crowley reminiscing about his time with Demon Dean and fending off idiotic minions, providing a great contrast to Sam and Dean's emotional dilemma. The stand-out part of the episode, however, is the 10-minute long sequence in which Dean tracks Sam through the bunker. Ackles creates an incredibly suspenseful scene both in front of and behind the camera, taking his time with the performance and filming. A close-up shows Demon Dean carefully selecting his weapon of choice, while shots of the bunker's halls make it into a maze with a mystery around every corner. The scene also includes an on-point homage to The Shining as Dean breaks through a wooden door to reach Sam.
Season 11's "The Bad Seed"
Supernatural season 11, episode 3, "The Bad Seed," is another plot-filled installment. As Sam and Dean try and track down the Darkness, Crowley is teaching Amara evil and trying to make her obedient to his wishes. Meanwhile, Rowena is attempting to form a coven, a plan that ends in disaster when she's rejected by her fellow witches. There's a relaxed dynamic between Sam, Dean and Castiel in the episode that seems to pervade the episodes Ackles' directs. In a behind-the-scenes DVD feature, Ackles' coworkers were complimentary of his leadership, saying he was a good collaborator and made a job that sometimes comes with long hours more fun.
Season 15's "Atomic Monsters"
Ackles' final turn as a director on Supernatural was season 15, episode 4, "Atomic Monsters." This opens with an explosive action sequence as an alternate version of Dean fights demons in the bunker, eventually confronting a Sam corrupted by demon blood. The quality of the scene reflects Ackles' confidence as a director and the fight is marked by filming techniques he had used before, including off-camera action and unconventional close-ups. There are also some moments of hand-to-hand combat that are shown in slow motion, mixing up the pace of the fight.
Following the dream sequence, the Winchester brothers tackle a classic monster-of-the-week case in Iowa, posing as FBI agents to investigate the deaths of several cheerleaders. In a well-written twist, the culprit turns out to be a teenage vampire struggling with his changed nature. After an agonizing family confrontation with the Winchesters, the vampire volunteers for death, leaving the audience with some complex questions about morality. Meanwhile, Chuck, AKA God, is revisiting his ex-girlfriend Becky for some unofficial counseling.
Overall, Ackles creates a good balance between the small-time hunt and the season-long plot arc in this episode, a rare accomplishment in season 15. "Atomic Monsters," like the other episodes Ackles directed, stands out because of the authentic brotherly dynamic between Sam and Dean. Ackles' sense of fun underlies some dramatic moments, making it easier to avoid melodrama. Finally, as always, Ackles takes some risks while directing Supernatural. He doesn't just use what's tried and true but thinks outside the box. Sometimes those risks don't pay off, but when they do, they leave an impact.