Throughout the fifteen seasons of Supernatural, there are many serious story arcs that make the show a drama as much as a fantasy TV show. Despite this, one aspect of the show that’s beloved by fans is the comedy throughout. Some of the most popular episodes, such as “Mystery Spot” in Season 3 and “Scoobynatural” in Season 13, are so talked about because of the focus on humor. Arguably, no funny episode of Supernatural is as popular as Season 4’s “Yellow Fever.”
This episode of Supernatural has one of the most hilarious sequences in the entire series. Viewers love the ghost sickness concept that results in one of Dean’s strangest and funniest scenarios. However, the humor in “Yellow Fever” isn’t the only aspect of this episode that makes it so memorable. Aside from the continuous comedy, the overarching storyline offers a surprisingly wholesome and heartbreaking narrative.
“Yellow Fever” Is a Wildly Popular Fan Favorite Episode
Supernatural, Season 4, Episode 6, “Yellow Fever,” is about a ghost sickness Sam and Dean investigate that has personal consequences for the main characters. In the beginning, the brothers arrive at an autopsy on a perfectly healthy man who supposedly died of a heart attack despite having no detectable issues with his heart. The Winchesters begin investigating the strange death. Before long, Dean figures out he is infected with this mysterious ghost disease that causes men to become increasingly scared until their hearts give out. When Sam discusses this sickness with Bobby Singer, they arrive at a theory that the men contracting the ghost illness are bullies and jerks, which offends Dean despite him obviously being inflicted.
“Yellow Fever” has a 9.1/10 on IMDb.
Dean and Sam work together to find the source of the ghost disease, tracking it to a lumber mill after Dean coughs up a wood chip. They learn that a man, Luther Garland, was infatuated with the wife of the first victim and was murdered when she went missing, despite not being involved in her disappearance or demise. As Dean’s illness gets worse, leading to terrifying hallucinations, Sam teams up with Bobby. They discover how to defeat the ghost and save Dean just in time before his heart fails.
Based on the summary, this episode seems quite serious and heartbreaking. On the contrary, it’s one of the most popular among fans because of the humor and ridiculous performance of Jensen Ackles as Dean. While this might not be the best Supernatural episode ever, it’s certainly in the “top ten” of many die-hard fans. In addition to the humor throughout, the storyline has an underrated moral point and is a great representation of the best period of the show.
The Humor Is One Of Supernatural’s Best
From the beginning of “Yellow Fever,” the episode established it was going to be funny. When Sam and Dean are watching the autopsy, Sam laughs at the mortician handing Dean the heart of the victim, only for Dean to laugh when Sam gets sprayed in the face with “spleen juice.” The camaraderie between the brothers has always been a beloved aspect of Supernatural, and it’s especially focused on in this episode. After the autopsy, the scene when Sam calls Dean a “dick” is pointedly referencing the dynamic between the brothers and how Dean is the brutal, direct counterpart to his seemingly more kind and compassionate younger sibling.
Season 4 of Supernatural has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.
From this point, the episode becomes more hilarious as the ghost illness contradicts Dean Winchester’s personality. He does silly things like refusing to eat donuts, despite previously having a diet of primarily processed foods, and refusing to go up to their hotel room because it’s “high.” When the brothers visit the lumber mill, the usually take-action Winchester then refuses to use a firearm, deciding he’ll hold the flashlight, and is then terrified when a stray cat jumps out of a locker. When the ghost of Luther appears, Dean runs out of the doors, leaving Sam to take on the spirit by himself while he cowers behind the Impala, drinking. After over three seasons of seeing the older Winchester fearless and brave, it was amusing to see his character take on such a cowardly role.
When Dean’s illness gets worse, he has another hilarious moment when he expresses how crazy it is that they hunt monsters. Leaving him to fight the hallucinations in the hotel room, Sam teams up with Bobby to finish the job and save Dean. Though “Yellow Fever” is one of the funniest Supernatural episodes ever, the show takes on a more serious tone in the conclusion. Sam and Bobby have to force the tortured spirit to relive his own murder to save Dean. Meanwhile, Dean hallucinates that the demon Lilith is with him, taunting him about going back to Hell. In the end, the show takes on a lighter tone, having Sam and Bobby mock Dean about his previous behavior, but fans are still left with a bittersweet moment in which Dean refuses to open up to Sam about his experiences in Hell.
The Storyline Is Surprisingly Heartbreaking
Though this episode of Supernatural has a heavy focus on Dean Winchester, the overarching story relevant to the case is an extremely underrated aspect of this installment. The first victim, Frank O’Brien, not only causes Dean’s illness but is responsible for the entire ordeal. As the brothers investigate, they learn that the man was a bully in high school but changed his behavior after his wife, Jessie, took her own life. This makes the audience sympathetic toward the deceased man, but this perspective of Frank is short-lived. When they learn the ghost is a man named Luther, who worked at the same lumber mill as Frank and Jessie, they talk with Luther’s brother, John, who gives some important insight into the horrible past that created this vengeful spirit.
Through John, the Winchesters learn that Luther was infatuated with Jessie, who was kind to the man, while others were cruel and considered him a “freak”. During Jessie’s disappearance, Frank found artwork Luther had created with Jessie’s likeness, making the grieving husband believe Luther hurt his wife. In a shocking reveal, Frank had wrapped a chain around Luther’s neck and dragged him down the road with his truck. This was not only a horrific backstory but a tragic tale about a quiet, lonely man who becomes the victim of another’s intolerance, hatred, and prejudiced perspective. While one might have sympathy for Frank’s grief, it’s heartbreaking that his harmful personality became deadly when he couldn’t cope with his personal tragedy.
Among the comedy throughout this episode, there is a lot of tragedy that adds to the allure of “Yellow Fever.” It might not be considered the most devastating Supernatural episode, but the concept is memorable enough to prove its point. In the end, Sam and Bobby have to do the same thing to Luther’s ghost that Frank did to him in his lifetime to scare the spirit to “death,” ending the “fear illness” he spread to others. Highlighting the discomfort they felt about this, they emphasized that Sam was correct in previously suggesting their roles as hunters are all about making people fearful of monsters, causing Dean to contract the sickness. This plot is as funny as it is impactful, subtly nodding at the harm of maltreatment and bullying and how the Winchesters have to embrace a certain level of fear tactics to do their work.
It Comes From One Of The Best Seasons
Fans have different opinions about the best season of Supernatural, but many consider Season 2 to Season 5 the greatest period of the show. Season 4 has some of the most popular episodes, including “Lazarus Rising,” when Castiel saved Dean from Hell. After Dean and Sam are reunited, this season is mostly composed of “monster of the week” episodes, while angels and Sam’s consumption of demon blood leads up to the epic finale when Ruby tricks Sam into killing Lilith to break the final seal that releases Lucifer from his cage. Not every viewer loved this arc, but it certainly added nuance and intrigue to the world and complicated the dynamic between the Winchester brothers.
At 67%, Supernatural’s Season 8 has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score.
In the overall storyline of Supernatural, the battle between angels and demons became an overdone concept that failed to impress many fans. However, the beginning of this arc was fun, leading the plot into a more dangerous and tense conflict. In the earlier seasons of the demons and angels arc, the dynamic was less complicated than in later seasons and allowed for some of the best filler episodes, including “Yellow Fever.” A key reason Supernatural lasted so long was the nostalgia of these popular seasons, which kept viewers interested even through the least popular installments.
Supernatural has an overall arc that puts the Winchesters and their allies in critical roles, often leaving them responsible for saving the entire world. However, the “monster of the week” episodes deserve all the praise fans offer. Though they aren’t usually important to the overall storyline, there are a couple of reasons viewers appreciate filler episodes so much. Many of them are entertaining, focusing on Sam and Dean’s role as monster hunters and emphasizing the humor of the series. In addition, some of these episodes, like “Yellow Fever,” have an impactful message that makes the show more complex.
Source: cbr.com