WhenSupernaturaldebuted in 2005, the plan was never for it to run 15 seasons.The originalSupernaturalendingwas meant to come in season 5, with creator Eric Kripke stepping away after wrapping up the apocalyptic showdown between heaven, hell, and two brothers in the middle. It was a tightly plotted arc that gave viewers a satisfying resolution, but also one that almost cut the show off just as it was finding new, unexpected ways to evolve.
Had the originalSupernaturalending gone ahead and the show concludedwith season 5’s “Swan Song”, we wouldn’t have gotten 10 more years of monster hunts, meta mayhem, and character arcs that pushed Sam and Dean to their limits. More importantly, we would’ve missed out on the best episode ofSupernaturalever made - season 6’s “The French Mistake.”
“The French Mistake” Would’ve Never Happened If Supernatural Ended In Season 5
“The French Mistake” arrived in season 6, episode 15, a full 15 episodes beyond theoriginalSupernaturalending point. If Eric Kripke’s five-season plan had gone ahead, it never would’ve seen the light of day. That would’ve been a huge loss, because this episode became an instant fan-favorite, showcasing a wildly creative side ofSupernaturalthat rarely got a spotlight during the earlier, darker seasons.
In “The French Mistake,” Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) arethrown into an alternate reality where they’re not monster-hunting brothers- they’re actors named Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles filming a show calledSupernatural.
The meta setup flips the script completely, letting the characters interact with a hilariously exaggerated version of the real world.
The meta setup flips the script completely, letting the characters interact with a hilariously exaggerated version of the real world. From Misha Collins playing a cringingly earnest version of himself to fourth-wall-breaking jokes about the CW and showrunner Robert Singer,“The French Mistake” ispackedwiththe bold, bizarre brillianceSupernaturalis now known for.
However, beyond the laughs, “The French Mistake” marks an important turning point. Itproved thatSupernaturalcould take major creative swings and still land them.The show didn’t just continue past season 5 - it reinvented itself.
“The French Mistake” wouldn’t have fit withinthe originalSupernaturalendingbecause its tone and structure were too playful for Kripke’s biblical finale. Yet its success helped justify the show’s extended run, giving fans a clear reason to keep tuning in.
Why “The French Mistake” Is A Lot Of Supernatural Fans' Favorite Episode
The Episode’s Creativity, Humor, And Self-Awareness Made It Unforgettable
There are countless great episodesacrossSupernatural’s15 seasons, but “The French Mistake” stands out as the most beloved for good reason. For many fans, it represents everything that made the show special: its ability to be self-aware, hilarious, genre-bending, and emotionally grounded all at once. Even after so many monster-of-the-week stories and apocalyptic arcs, nothing hit quite like this.
A key reason it works is that the cast fully leans into the absurdity.Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles deliver some of their funniest performances, playing off their fictionalized lives with awkward charm. Misha Collins, in particular, steals the show - especially when he tweets “Ola, Mishamigos!” while chaos erupts around him. It’s a surreal, wink-to-the-audience experience that rewards longtime fans without alienating newcomers.
“The French Mistake” also functionsas a love letter to the production crew, poking fun at real-life showrunners, VFX teams, and network quirks. However, underneath all the in-jokes isa story that still centers Sam and Dean’s brotherhood and purpose, grounding the madness in emotional stakes. That balance is hard to pull off, butSupernaturalnailed it here.
If the originalSupernaturalending had been the last word, we’d never have seen the show at its most inventive. “The French Mistake” proved thatSupernaturalcould take huge risks and still deliver something deeply memorable - a reminder that sometimes the best moments happen after a planned goodbye.
Supernatural
Cast
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
