Supernatural’s funniest episode is Jared Padalecki’s favorite — and it’s a masterclass in meta comedy

Very few shows blend the elements of horror and comedy seamlessly, like Supernatural did. For more than 15 seasons, the CW show entertained its audience with stories of monsters, demons, and apocalyptic threats while maintaining a self-reflexive tone. Neither did it do better nor funnier than in Season 6’s 'The French Mistake,' which coincidentally happens to be Jared Padalecki’s favorite episode.

In an age when fan service tends to feel disingenuous, Supernatural went above and beyond by executing a brilliantly crafted self-referential twist on their own mythos. 'The French Mistake' has Sam and Dean plunging headfirst into an alternate reality where Supernatural is simply a television series, with them playing characters titled Jared and Jensen. It is outlandish, audacious, and for some reason pokes fun at literally every aspect of the show — the actors, the creators, and even the network.

However, what makes the episode iconic is not merely its unique construction in the clever setup, but rather the commitment to the bit. From the fake alpacas and actual tweets to an utterly baffled set of Winchesters, and even a cameo of Eric Kripke getting shot multiple times while playing himself, 'The French Mistake' is the show’s most daring and self-reflective moment.

A reality-bending plot that breaks all the rules

The premise is simple: In a flash, prankster angel Balthazar sends the brothers to a different dimension where Supernatural is a reality TV show with scripted narratives. Out of nowhere, Sam and Dean find themselves in a studio with people referring to them as Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles. They miswalk through scenes, forget their lines, and gawk at strange facts like Jared having an alpaca and Jensen being a soap actor.

It is an unbelievable fish-out-of-water tale that adds humor to Supernatural’s fierce tone. Supplementary B-roll footage from the show is incorporated, where Robert Singer acts as himself. Eric Kripke makes an appearance — and absurdly dies soon after. The faux tension between “Jared” and “Jensen” is repackaged as a running joke. The show doesn't shy away from any boundaries, proving that it can mock itself while still emotionally anchoring itself in the reason why fans cherish it so much.

Misha Collins’ tweets take the Meta to another level

What distinguishes Misha Collins the most in this situation is his active contribution to the humor outside of the show. Beyond the 4th wall in 'The French Mistake,' Misha’s character is a parody version of himself — extra cheery and tactless. When Sam and Dean approach Collins confidently assuming he is Castiel, Misha is convinced that he is being pranked and proceeds to tweet about it.

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That tweet? He actually tweeted it the night the episode aired. Fans watching in real time got an additional meta moment that was not part of the episode. Later, he continued to tweet from the episode's script, stretching the joke for hours. That was one of the rare instances where a TV joke spills into reality, and the fandom loved every bit of it.

“Fake Misha’s” final tweet about sensing someone in the backseat never went out, because his character got murdered mid-type. But Collins had already made this moment into one of the best Supernatural’s behind-the-scenes jokes, and it was capped off by his infamous line. It is not surprising that Padalecki, Collins, and even Kripke have claimed this as a highlight of the series.

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