While Supernatural will always be known as a horror-fantasy series first and foremost, there’s no denying that some of the most memorable of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester’s (Jensen Ackles) adventures are those that also include a little humor. With the series officially leaving Netflix mid-December, ending its longtime run on the streaming platform, there probably isn’t time for a full Supernatural rewatch considering the show runs 15 seasons long with 327 episodes. So, instead of trying to make your way through the full show, some of the best episodes you could hunker down with are those more comedic hours that show us that Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki can do more than battle demons, monsters, and angels, but they can also make us laugh too.
These Three Comedic ‘Supernatural’ Episodes Make For an Unofficial Trilogy
Which episodes do we recommend you revisit? While “Changing Channels” is a fan-favorite and “Scoobynatural” is already a given, we recommend going back to Season 3’s “Mystery Spot,” Season 4’s “Yellow Fever,” and Season 10’s “Fan Fiction” — and probably in that order. In a sense, these three episodes form an unofficial trilogy of comedic Winchester adventures that, although not connected directly by their respective seasons or circumstances, speak to many of the same issues that Sam and Dean face over and again. Not only are each of them stand-outs in their own respective seasons, but they each deal with similar themes of personal fears and failures while forcing the Winchesters through a routine case that turns out to be a bit more humorous (and out of the box) than they bargained for. On their own, each of these episodes rules, but together, we can see the progression.
Beginning with “Mystery Spot,” this Sam-centric episode is your typical Groundhog Day-inspired fare, with Sam reliving the same horrible day over and over. For all the times that the Winchesters die on screen, this episode marks the most times Dean is killed on a single day. But what’s fairly lighthearted and comedic at first turns into a waking nightmare for Sam, who continues to relive his worst fear again and again: not being able to save Dean. Because his elder brother had made a demon deal to bring him back to life a year prior, Sam decided that he would stop at nothing to get Dean out of it. “Mystery Spot” uses comedy and outrageous death scenes to speak to the heart of Sam’s emotional turmoil throughout the third season — and it’s no wonder he goes off the deep end a bit in the show’s best season, Season 4.
Speaking of, for a Dean-focused episode, “Yellow Fever” is a great companion piece to “Mystery Spot.” No, Dean doesn’t get stuck in his own endless Tuesday time-warp, but he is forced to face his own fears when he contracts a spiritual ghost sickness that attaches itself to those of a certain personality type (“dicks,” as Sam would say). Dean becomes cartoonishly afraid of everything this side of his own shadow, and the whole thing culminates for him when he is confronted by his greatest fear of all: his time in Hell between seasons. It’s a harrowing revelation that Dean, contrary to what he told his younger brother, still remembers what happened down under, and he’s terrified of getting back there again — and of losing Sam to his dark side along the way. In both episodes, each brother is forced to face his greatest fears, dealt with through humor and a levity that makes them easily digestible for the audience.
These ‘Supernatural’ Episodes Prey Upon Sam and Dean’s Fears and Regrets Using Humor as a Guide
Of course, last but certainly not least is Season 10’s “Fan Fiction.” The show’s 200th episode was always bound to be a memorable one, and it’s the crown jewel of the three that plays to both previous episode’s strengths by poking fun at the show’s post-Kripke era, forcing Sam and Dean to uncomfortably confront some of the folks left behind after those early seasons. After so many years fighting, winning, losing, and stopping apocalypse after apocalypse, the two are confronted with the fact that — at least to some young schoolgirls — they’re heroes. More than that, it’s a fun way to revisit the horror of the early seasons as well as the show’s complicated mythology, as the young ladies in charge of the Supernatural-themed musical remind the Winchesters (and us as well) why they love this story. Although Sam and Dean often fear that they don’t do enough good, “Fan Fiction” puts those fears to rest.
Considering that Supernatural was always meant to be a horror show, we should note that these aren’t the only episodes where the Winchesters encounter their deepest fears, challenges, or regrets. There are plenty of great episodes out there to binge, but if you’re looking for some Supernatural highlights that really speak to the heart of the show while still making you laugh, these three are among the best. “Mystery Spot” includes some of the most iconic moments on the show and was notorious for being Jared Padalecki’s least favorite episode to film. “Yellow Fever” is not only downright hilarious but features Jensen Ackles singing “Eye of the Tiger” before the end credits roll. And as for “Fan Fiction,” it’s arguably the most meta episode (aside from perhaps “The French Mistake”) that points to flaws and inconsistencies within the show’s continuity (like Jake Abel‘s Adam who the brothers left in Hell after Season 5 and wouldn’t return until Season 15).
For fans who love Supernatural, there is no shortage of episodes out there to revisit, but this unofficial trilogy of comedic Winchester hours collects some of the show’s most memorable moments, from the early (and best) years of the horror-turned-fantasy program to middling years when Winchesters were forced to reinvent themselves. Plus, if you’re anything like us, you’ve already binged through the entire show more than once so why not just stop at some notable rest stops before it leaves Netflix behind?
‘Supernatural’ Will Be Missed on Netflix
After being available for streaming exclusively on Netflix for quite some time now, it’s strange to see Supernatural go. After all, it consistently ranks as one of Netflix’s most-watched programs and in an age where comfort shows often make more impact than million-dollar eight-episode productions,Supernatural will definitely be missed. There’s a high chance that Sam and Dean will reappear on HBO Max since that’s where their sequel/spin-off series The Winchesters is currently streaming but no official announcement has been made. Those with home video copies won’t be without them for long but here’s hoping they make their way back into streaming soon — at least before Ackles and Padalecki get together for a revival season.
Supernatural is available to stream on Netflix until mid-December.
