The funniest episode of Supernatural arrived in season 3, and it was so great that the CW series did it again, just one year later. Much of Supernatural's charm came from the show's humor, which felt perfectly balanced against its darker and more emotional storylines. Although the bond between Sam and Dean Winchester was the heart of the show, it also became known for its more comical antics. Even with strong emotional beats and high-stakes plots, Supernatural made sure to never take itself too seriously.

In fact, Supernatural's best episodes overall — and certainly the most hilarious — "Mystery Spot" perfectly broke the show's formula. It did such a great job of it, the series followed it with a similar episode the next year.

"Mystery Spot" Is Supernatural's Funniest Episode Because It Breaks The Show's Formula

Trapping Sam & Dean Winchester In A Time Loop Has Hilarious Results

Supernatural season 3, episode 11, "Mystery Spot," sees Sam and Dean waking up in a time loop, putting them in a scenario similar to that of the movie Groundhog Day. Only Sam seems to realize that they're repeating the same Tuesday over and over, and it always concludes with Dean's death. Despite that dark reality, "Mystery Spot" proves a hilarious addition to the CW series. From Dean's repeated renditions of "Heat of the Moment" and iconic lines like "Pig 'n a Poke" to the increasingly ridiculous ways Dean perishes, it's an installment that delivers many laughs.

The end of "Mystery Spot" reveals that Sam and Dean are trapped in this time loop by a Trickster, one who turns out to be the angel Gabriel. Gabriel trapping Dean and Sam in an absurd time loop breaks Supernatural's typical formula, and that's what makes this episode so great. It ensures that Gabriel becomes one of the most exciting appearances throughout the series, too. And Supernatural capitalizes on Gabriel's character and its formula-breaking success again in season 5, using the same combination to deliver another hilarious hour of television.

Supernatural Repeated The Concept Of "Mystery Spot" With "Changing Channels" 1 Year Later

The Trickster Traps Sam & Dean Yet Again

"Mystery Spot" first aired on February 14, 2008, and Supernatural returned with a similar concept in November 2009. Season 5's "Changing Channels" finds Sam and Dean facing off with the Trickster once again, this time trapped in an alternate reality that pushes them into various television shows. There's a lot to love about this installment. It reimagines Supernatural as a sitcom (complete with a laugh track and cheesy theme song), thrusts Sam and Dean into a medical drama, forces them to compete on a game show, and even sees Sam doing a commercial for herpes medication.

"Changing Channels" proves a nice break from the otherwise high-stakes and dark storyline of Supernatural season 5.

The series uses Jensen Ackles' and Jared Padalecki's chemistry to its advantage, and it plays up the humor using the characters' confusion. "Changing Channels" also proves a nice break from the otherwise high-stakes and dark storyline of Supernatural season 5. Its willingness to break from the series' conventional setup is what makes it stand out, and it's clear that it leans into the same strengths that made "Mystery Spot" a success. This type of storytelling continues throughout Supernatural, too, even during episodes that don't evolve Gabriel.

"Changing Channels" Isn't The Only Way The CW Series Revisited This Formula Over The Years

Supernatural Continued To Toy With Meta Humor & Alternate Realities

"Changing Channels" may be Supernatural's first attempt to recreate the hilarious absurdity of "Mystery Spot," but it isn't the last episode to toy with alternate realities and unconventional formulas. The series goes on to throw Sam and Dean into more wild scenarios later. In season 6's "The French Mistake," the Winchester brothers are transported to a dimension where Supernatural is an in-universe show, allowing for some hilariously meta jokes. Season 10's "Fan Fiction" uses the same meta approach to elicit laughs.

There's also Supernatural's "Scoobynatural," which sees Sam and Dean teaming up with Scooby-Doo's Scooby gang for an animated adventure. All these installments break from what's typical for the CW show, and they all benefit from the approach. These are some of the episodes Supernatural fans most fondly, but "Mystery Spot" remains the blueprint — with season 2's "Tall Tales" also laying the groundwork.