Welcome to the inaugural Wynonna Wednesdays column, fellow Earpers! If you’re like me you eat, sleep and breathe all things Wynonna Earp. Each week we’ll delve deeper into our favorite s**tshow. I suggest you stockpile on whiskey and doughnuts. Perhaps some tasty tacos?
Now, I’ve compiled a list below of my personal top 10 favorite Wynonna Earp episodes. In no particular order, mind you. This wasn’t an easy self-assignment, since every Wynonna Earp episode is my favorite Wynonna Earp episode. I’d like to think I did the unthinkable. The impossible. We Earpers are capable of the extraordinary once we set our minds to a task. So sit back, put up your feet and give yourselves a break from sending Revenants downstairs. For now…we Earp!
DISCLAIMER: The following does contain spoilers, naturally. Earp with caution.
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1. “Purgatory” (S01E01)
Of course, it only feels natural to kick off the festivities with the episode that started it all – “Purgatory.” You know, the one that ignited an Earp-olution. Right off the bat, I felt Wynonna Earp was channeling its inner Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Melanie Scrofano served up witty one-liners on a silver platter a la Buffy, but with an edge. You have the Earp curse, which came into play upon Wynonna’s 27th birthday. Now she’s fated to send demons back to hell courtesy of a shiny pistol. Buffy was the Chosen One of a long slayer lineage tasked with fighting off the forces of darkness skulking around the Hellmouth. Purgatory=Hellmouth. I grew up watching Buffy, so the similarities had me hook, line and sinker. Scrofano’s performance of the sardonic and reckless Wynonna, especially in contrast to Dominique Provost-Chalkley‘s perky Waverly, was enough to solidify me as a lifetime Earper.
2. “Two-Faced Jack” (S01E08)
Now, Season 1 mainly consists of Wynonna condemning the seven Revenants responsible for slaughtering her sister to Hell. In “Two-Faced Jack,” Wynonna finally comes face to face with the final member of the Seven, a sadistic serial killer a la Jack the Ripper. She’s kidnapped by said sadistic Revenant, and almost met her demise. Scrofano didn’t hold anything back in this episode. I found myself bodily squirming whenever Jack squeezed Wynonna’s big toe with a pair of pliers until it bled. The action sequences are terrific in this episode, including a nearly fatal bout of fisticuffs between Doc (Tim Rozon) and Dolls (Shamier Anderson).”Two-Faced Jack” was the first time we really saw Doc and Dolls be civil toward one another. Their burgeoning friendship finally began to blossom. Nothing like fighting to save the woman you love, am I right?
3. “Landslide” (S01E11)
To me, this episode is a prime example of stellar ensemble acting. With the revelatory return of big sister Willa (Natalie Krill), old wounds were wrenched open. Provost-Chalkley displayed her stellar dramatic chops as we saw Waverly come to terms with the return of her bully of an elder sister. Meanwhile, Wynonna and Willa’s childhood bond only strengthened. Despite the supernatural elements surrounding the Earps, this episode was one we all could relate to, one rife with family drama. A bittersweet reunion. Of course, when it comes to family, nothing is truly ever black and white. Scrofano, Provost-Chalkley and Krill are an excellent sisterly trio. Wynonna’s mixed feelings over sister Willa’s natural predilection toward slaughtering Revenants and handling Peacemaker is, once again, very much relatable. Wynonna Earp reminded us that bare bones family drama can be just as enticing as the supernatural.
4. “Everybody Knows” (S02E07)
Now, “Everybody Knows” definitely contained some of that Earp-tastic frivolity we all know and love. It was the first time our Black Badge team (in its entirety) drifted off into groups – Wynonna and Nicole (Katherine Barrell) setting out to discover the identity of the former’s baby daddy. Meanwhile, Doc, Dolls and Jeremy (Varun Saranga) enjoyed some unexpected bonding time – literally. Saranga solidified himself as part of the Earper family with his performance as the awkward and lovable Jeremy. His ceaseless word-vomiting of pop culture references never failed to make me smile. Wynonna Earp is about embracing your oddities and quirks. How family is more than shared DNA and blood flowing through your veins. This episode encapsulated that sentiment perfectly.
5. “Gone As a Girl Can Get” (S02E11)
Wynonna Earp really shines when it treads territory beyond the Revenant mythology. “Gone As a Girl Can Get” explored a reality where Wynonna didn’t exist, and only Doc knew that our Purgatory gang was trapped in an alternate timeline. Waverly was marrying a man, Nedley was dead (gasp!) and Doc was the biggest bad in town. In fact, Doc and Dolls ended up murdering each other in this dimension.
Thankfully Waverly, Nicole and Jeremy saved the day by recovering their memories and literally blowing themselves to smithereens while in possession of the object that cursed them. Everybody lives…in the right timeline! I really dug seeing Waverly rediscover that she loves women, and her rushed “coming out” speech to her fiancee consisted of one sentence prior to perishing in a barn riddled with explosives. Not to mention, you could tell the actors and writers had a lot of fun with this episode. That’s what really counts, right?
6. “I Hope You Dance” (S02E12)
Now, “I Hope You Dance” felt like a punch in the gut. Scrofano ascended new heights with her heart wrenching performance, especially after Wynonna gave birth to daughter Alice. Unfortunately, our Earp heir had her newborn surreptitiously whisked away in an effort to protect her from the Revenants. Rozon also blessed us with a beautifully subtle turn as a man meeting his child for the first time. Both Rozon and Scrofano have sizzling, damn near unrivaled chemistry. This episode also served as the perfect setup for Season 3. Bulshar being unleashed from his prison, the Widows meeting their demise, Mama Earp making her grand entrance in the last minutes of the season finale. No one can ever accuse Wynonna Earp of doling out a bland finale.
7. “When You Call My Name” (S03E02)
Alright, I think we can all agree that “When You Call My Name” is, undoubtedly, the most heartbreaking episode of Wynonna Earp thus far. Dolls dying was very much unexpected. I have to commend the writers for keeping his death permanent, as a lot of genre shows tend to abuse that power. You know, you can only revive someone so many times before death loses its sting. Megan Follows was superb as Mama Earp, and her scenes with Scrofano are some of my favorites in the series. Wynonna’s fractured relationship with her mother mirrors my own with my mom, so this episode hit home for me in that regard. Besides losing Dolls, of course. I also thought it was risky of the show to kill off a series regular so early in the season. However, said risk paid off handsomely. RIP Xavier Dolls. We still miss you, Lizard Man.
8. “Colder Weather” (S03E03)
Now, episode 302 left me in emotional tatters, but “Colder Weather” continued to pour salt in the wound. This was the official “Farewell to Dolls” installment. Our Black Badge gang had a funeral for him at Shorty’s, and he was buried on the hilltop behind the Homestead. I decided to keep a box of tissues within arm’s reach while I watched this episode, and it proved to be a sound decision. I so loved the burial scene, as each of Dolls’ loved ones tossed an item inside the grave that held immense meaning for them.
For example, Jeremy chucked in Dolls’ prized coffee mug. Wynonna draped her necklace over his headstone – the one she would always misplace and Dolls would retrieve. Yeah, that moment brought on the tears. “Colder Weather” was chock full of fond callbacks to previous episodes regarding our beloved Dolls. Not to mention, our acting team brought their A game, as they always do.
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9. “Undo It” (S03E09)
“Undo It” was another foray into dream-like dimensions for team Wynonna Earp. Bulshar (Jean Marchand) cursed Wynonna and Doc to entrapment in a dream world akin to a video game, wherein our duo must pass each level in order to escape. Doc was being buried alive underneath Wynonna’s house while the latter frantically searched for him. This episode also brought about the return of Michael Eklund‘s Bobo Del Rey, the multifaceted villain we love to hate. His scene with Scrofano as they teamed up to plan an escape was superb. Eklund knocked it out of the park. The cinematography was also off the charts in this episode. Beautiful, ethereal shots conveyed the dreamy world Wynonna and Doc were trapped in. “Undo It” is just a top notch example of genre TV.
10. “War Paint” (S03E12)
Everyone loves an action-packed season finale! “War Paint” delivered on every front where that is concerned, Earpers. It was Wynonna and the Revenants vs. Bulshar and His Beekeepers. Waverly was blessed with her daddy Julian’s (Sebastian Pigott) angel sword, for one. She also killed Bobo. Really, really killed him this time. How fitting that Bobo’s “angel” turned out to be part angel, and laid out his death blow. I was saddened to see Julian go, especially with Michelle still being at large, but Bobo’s death gutted me. I was hoping Eklund could be a permanent recurring character on the show. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that beautiful WayHaught proposal. So sweet and simple, just like I like my WayHaught. Please don’t kill either of them off, Wynonna Earp Powers That Be!
Oh, and that ending? What the what? Waverly being sucked into Paradise and vampire Doc hot on her heels. Everyone else in Purgatory disappearing save Wynonna and Nedley. However, I’m so stoked to potentially see the Garden of Paradise next season. Not to mention the inevitable buddy comedy team-up with Wynonna and Nedley. So much comedy gold, friends.
Honorable Mention: “Whiskey Lullaby” (S02E06)
Now, “Whiskey Lullaby” was another stellar ensemble episode. The ending alone launched this episode high into the ranks for me. Doc’s “I am all in” served as the catalyst for the Earper motto, our “rebel yell,” if you will. It signified the tight bond uniting us all as we endure this life together. Oh, and the huge revelation that Wynonna was pregnant? That plot twist was very much twisty, folks. However, Wynonna proved to be a bad*** pregnant lady, still managing to kick all the Revenant butt even with a baby bump. Name a pregnant demon slayer currently on TV. I’ll wait.
Well, that’s all I wrote, Earpers. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled, your whiskey bottles full and doughnuts at the ready for next week’s Wynonna Wednesday! There may or may not be some Buffy the Vampire Slayer vs. Wynonna Earp character comparisons (okay, there will be). All I can promise is that every Wednesday will be no chill, Earpers. So much no chill.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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