Top 30 Unscripted Supernatural Moments That Were Kept in the Show

“Clap Your Hands If You Believe…”
Fairies, leprechauns, and aliens, oh, my: this one episode not only packs a ton of comedy, but also moments of truly inspired ad-libs. One in particular happens when Sam and Dean visit fairy expert Marion while investigating a possible alien abduction. What they don’t know is these alien abductions are actually the work of fairies. While speaking with Marion, they sip tea from Marion’s very tiny cups, prompting Sam to wonder if she has bigger ones. Jared Padalecki’s quip was not only improvised, but also fits in perfectly with Sam’s soulless state, its ensuing humor and the earlier, hilariously appropriate “Midsummer Night’s Dream” reference.

“Everybody Hates Hitler”
While investigating a case of spontaneous combustion, Dean notices a mysterious man who seems to be following him. This turns out to be the grandson of the victim, Aaron Bass. However, before this revelation even happens, Dean confronts Bass in a restaurant, where Bass claims to have thought they were sharing a connection. Dean’s response is to slowly slide his FBI badge back towards himself. It turns out this was a comic improvisation on Jensen Ackles’ part. As we learn later on, Bass’s tailing Dean was not out of romantic interest, but trying to find out what he knows. Most, if not all, of the awkward physicality in this earlier scene was Ackles’ own choice to play into Dean’s discomfort.

“Fan Fiction”
All the world’s a stage, but not for the Winchesters. This fan favorite episode follows Dean and Sam’s investigation of a missing teacher at an all-girls school. What they find, to their shock, is no less than “Supernatural: The Musical,” which is about the Winchester brothers themselves and written and performed by the students. An indignant Dean protests the very idea of a musical about their lives, and slips in the comedy gold of a line. Sure enough, his reaction was not scripted at all, but Ackles’ own invention, and the flubbed “Floyd” is perfectly in character for Dean. This scene is all the more hilarious given that there is, in fact, singing in “Supernatural,” and one song in particular is its unofficial theme song.

“Beyond the Mat”
With all the death and trauma these boys undergo on a regular basis, it’s so nice to see them let loose every once in a while. In this episode, Sam and Dean attend the funeral of a departed wrestler and even meet a favorite of theirs, Gunner Lawless. Of course, a case comes up. During their investigation, Dean gets the opportunity to get into the ring and do some moves. Turns out, Ackles came up with the bulk of this goofing around himself while also incorporating the suggestions of crew members. He even references real-life wrestler “Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Surprisingly, it was all done in about 1 take, too, but the footage was later edited into the longer montage we see in the episode. Ackles shared this tidbit during a Supernatural convention. Even though they ended up having to work, it was still great to see Dean as just another enthusiastic fanboy for just a little while here.

“All in the Family”
Dean finally gives one of the show’s most morally compromised characters what he deserves. In this Season 11 episode, Chuck Shurley, author of the book series “Supernatural” about the Winchester brothers, finally proves himself to be God to the Winchesters. While Sam is on board, Dean confronts Chuck on his many, many failings as a deity. In the script, though, Dean was supposed to be filled with “righteous anger” when he does this. Jensen Ackles chose a more earnest approach instead, driving home Dean’s feelings of betrayal and disillusionment. It’s an inspired choice in delivery by Ackles and one that makes this emotional scene even better.

“Nightmare”
One of the series’ most beloved running gags is Dean’s love of eating. However, this character quirk was not actually written up initially, but a creative impulse by Ackles himself. It all began in this Season 1 episode, where Sam and Dean pretend to be priests to enter the house of a dead man. Dean spies some cocktail sausages and begins to stuff them down, much to Sam’s bemusement. Ackles decided to run with it as an improvisational bit, and from then on, Dean’s big appetite became a part of his character. What a delicious twist.

“Two and a Half Men”
“Supernatural” may be a fantasy drama, but its comedy is as golden as ever. While investigating a case of kidnapped children by a shape-shifter, Sam takes one of the orphaned babies to Dean. Hilarity ensues as these two men find themselves having to take care of a baby. As they are getting supplies for the baby at the supermarket, it begins to fuss. Dean’s hysterical and mocking reaction to the child’s cries was actually improvised by Ackles. Though it turns out the baby is a shifter, for one moment, Dean as a father was an intriguing possibility.

“The End”
As the show progresses, Castiel develops an arc from an obedient soldier of the Lord to a questioning, doubting angel who develops a true love for humanity. In this episode, Dean ends up in a future where the world has been devastated by a zombie infestation. There he meets Future Castiel, now living in a log cabin as “a hippie.” In this later speech to regular Dean, who’s riding shotgun, Future Castiel explains he is no longer an angel, deciding to “bury himself in women and decadence” as an answer to the zombie state of the world. Except that bit of speech was not part of the original script. The original script had Castiel affirming his and Dean’s bond. Misha Collins improvised this part, and the rest is history.

“Red Sky At Morning”
Sometimes the most improvised lines are the most golden. Sam and Dean come across Bela Talbot and her thieving ways once more. Bela has been scamming elderly Gertrude, who takes a shine to Sam. After Gertrude flirts with Sam during a party at the Maritime Museum, Dean being Dean delivers this whopper of a tease with a straight face. It’s funny, unexpected, and certainly not part of the script. This was Ackles’ own ad-lib, one of the many examples of brotherly ribbing throughout the show. We’re glad this was kept in.

“Who We Are”


Who says proper eyewear can’t be fun? Certainly not our Winchester brothers! In this episode, Sam and Dean try to escape the bunker with the help of some trusty sledgehammers after Ketch traps both them and Toni in the Men of Letters base. Dean takes a swing, has debris fly in his face, and quickly realizes they need some goggles to continue. The break in tension in this scene was actually improvised, as behind the scenes, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki were asked to give the real concrete wall a chop prior to shooting. When the crew realized how potentially dangerous this action was, they had to make some safety adjustments – which led to the inclusion of the time period-appropriate goggles bit!

“Into the Mystic” & “Ladies Drink Free”

If either brother is going to have sticky fingers, it’s definitely Dean. When the boys are put up in a three-star hotel – in separate rooms too! – we’re quickly reminded how foreign luxury is to them. The quick and hilarious shot of Dean pocketing a couple of handfuls of mints was all Jensen Ackles. It just proves how in line he always was with the character, especially because it wasn’t the first time we saw him make a similar impromptu acting choice. Though, this one revealed more than we ever needed to know.

“Clap Your Hands If You Believe…”

This season-six episode is a minefield of unscripted moments, so that’s why this isn’t the first - or the last - time you’ll see it on this list. While Jared Padalecki plays the more serious of the two Winchester brothers, we often see some of his real personality slip into Sam. Then again, in this episode, Sam doesn’t have a soul, so his previously mentioned ad-libbed question isn’t too out of character. Still, our favorite of Padalecki’s off-the-cuff dialogue comes toward the end. It’s only after a big fight scene that he remembers how to defeat the leprechaun. For being a throwaway line, it manages to call out convenient writing and show self-awareness, all while serving humor.

“Regarding Dean”

This episode is up there with the best, because everyone loves an amnesia story. We open on Dean running through the woods, chasing a wounded man who stops to activate a sigil. The whole thing is shrouded in mystery, especially when Dean wakes up in what is presumably the same place he was knocked out, clearly disoriented. There’s a small bunny next to him, nibbling the ground, and Ackles makes the brilliant decision to interact with it. It not only serves to show Dean’s state of mind at that moment, but also manages to lighten things up from the previous scene.

“Hell’s Angel”

Getting to see Misha Collins portray Mark Pellegrino’s take on Lucifer is a treat and a half. He does it so well, we can hear Pellegrino’s cadence through Castiel’s voice. In this episode, Castiel, possessed by Lucifer, is trying to corral some of Heaven’s best. He, of course, isn’t successful without a little… persuasion. That last part of the line was apparently courtesy of Collins and we can hardly believe how clever it is. Not only does it call back to his earlier scene with Jophiel, it even rhymes! Who needs Thanos when we have Casifer?

“Last Call”

We know Jensen Ackles is quite the performer, but Dean? Not so much. So when he garners enough courage to get up onstage for a duet with his old hunting friend, Lee Webb, it’s a big deal. We get a nod to a fan-favorite moment – more on that later – and some other improvisation. During their performance, it wasn’t planned for Christian Kane, who plays Lee Webb, to slap Dean’s behind, so that’s either Ackles’ genuine reaction or he really just never misses a beat in character. It makes an already-great segment all the more unforgettable.

“Fan Fiction”

We just love when this show gets meta; they do it so flawlessly every time. That’s why we can’t help but discuss this episode again, in which the boys follow a case that leads them to a high school play about… themselves. When Dean sees the two actors playing himself and Cas getting a little too close for comfort, he finds out they’re a couple in real life and asks whether or not that’ll be making it into the show. The student director gives him an answer that is so fandom-coded it has him breaking the fourth wall. Ackles later sent out a tweet directed at fanfic writers, letting them know his look at the camera wasn’t scripted.

“The One You’ve Been Waiting For”

Despite all the trauma and hardship Dean has endured, there are days we still get to see him act like the playful kid he truly is on the inside. When he wants to take a grenade launcher into battle, Sam has to gentle-parent him. It’s both an adorable and hilarious exchange, and the best part is that it was completely unscripted. Props to the both of them here for knowing their characters so well, but especially to Padalecki who reacted so perfectly to every new reaction Ackles threw at him. We live for these kinds of organic brother moments.

“Byzantium”


Sometimes a sort of magic happens on set that you just can’t plan, no matter how tight the script is. In season 14, after Jack dies (the first time), the remainder of Team Free Will is left anguished and mourning. The initial plan was to have a morose scene where the boys sit around and drink together but, instead, it turned into more of a commemorative occasion. Grief never looks like just one thing, and this montage demonstrates that perfectly as the boys tell stories, laugh, and keep a steady flow of liquor and snacks. According to Jared Padalecki, many of the shots are of himself, Jensen Ackles, and Misha Collins, more than they are Sam, Dean, and Cas.

“Carry On”

When you have actors who understand their characters as well as Ackles and Padalecki do, it’s always a good idea to let them have a little free reign, even – or perhaps especially – when it comes to the big scenes. Dean’s death broke us and it’s in part thanks to the performers speaking from the heart. Padalecki and Ackles also took it upon themselves to make a couple of call-backs to the first episode, including this exchange. Padalecki also apparently ad-libbed saying Dean’s name in the final scene, which is also the first thing he says to him in the pilot. Credit due to the words on the page, but these two additions really up the poignancy.

“A Most Holy Man”

When the brothers are roped into helping bad guys, they run into a legitimate priest who gives them quite the motivational speech about doing good in the world. Sam, in the hopes of convincing Dean to do what’s right, has him put himself in the priest’s shoes. What if someone stole the thing he loves most in the world? According to Ackles, Sam’s question was supposed to be the end of it, but he knew that wasn’t how Dean would react. Nope, he’d see red. To Padalecki’s credit, he also does an incredible job playing the straight man here.

“Born Under a Bad Sign”
Before getting those oh-so-fashionable tattoos, the Winchester boys have to worry about being possessed by demons. One of their most frequently encountered demonic foes is Meg, and she possesses Sam in this episode. Although Bobby and Dean are able to capture Meg, she breaks out and beats Dean up. Fortunately, Bobby manages to expel the demon. As Sam reels from the experience - which he can’t remember - Dean punches his brother in the face. Originally, the scene was meant to end on Sam’s bewildered amnesia. Dean’s actor Jensen Ackles improvised the punch, which only made Sam’s confusion even funnier.

“Into the Mystic”
While investigating a banshee terrorizing a retirement home, Sam and Dean encounter Eileen Leahy, a deaf hunter out for revenge on the banshee after it killed her parents. She and Sam have a fun connection throughout the episode and thereafter. When they first met though, Sam attempts to sign to Eileen seemingly saying “thanks.”. However, the sign is actually the one for the F-word! Actors Shoshannah Stern and Jared Padalecki came up with the joke together. It’s no wonder folks started shipping them considering this was part of their first interaction!

“Exodus”


On an apocalyptic version of Earth where the Winchesters were never born, angels and demons battle it out on a world with humans caught in the middle. This world’s version of Charlie Bradbury is being unsuccessfully tortured by angels, when her tormentors call in a specialist: Castiel. However, this version of Castiel is notably different, seemingly blind in one eye, having a facial tic, and wearing a different coat. Oh, and he also has a German accent. The last of these was not in the script, and actor Misha Collins came up with it after seeing his wardrobe. Collins apparently regrets the choice now, though it’s certainly memorable.

“Mommy Dearest”
While we’re on the subject of Castiel, everyone’s favorite angel joins Sam, Dean, and Bobby when they investigate a town in Oregon where Eve, the mother of monsters, has set up shop. However, upon arrival, Cas has trouble using his usual angel teleportation. When Dean uses a colorful metaphor for Castiel’s impotence and insults his usefulness without his powers, the angel simply turns and looks away. Reportedly, Misha Collins actually forgot what his original line was, leading Jared Padalecki to improvise Sam’s observation that Dean may have hurt Cas’s feelings. Well, guess some mistakes work out for the better!

“American Nightmare”
While investigating a mysterious death involving stigmata wounds, Sam and Dean are pointed towards a religious family who lives off the beaten path. While walking up the drive, the brothers discuss their recently returned, and then departed, mother. However, their entrance to said drive sees Dean attempt to hop the fence by awkwardly shimmying over it, while Sam goes around with little effort. It’s a small, funny bit of character interaction that was not in the script, but invented on-set. It certainly feels like a typical sibling moment for the Winchesters.

“Wayward Sisters”
While this episode primarily focuses on side characters attempting to save the Winchesters, the boys do feature in it as well. Trapped in an alternate universe inhabited by giant monsters, Sam and Dean are forced to make do with what they can find to survive – which means eating lizards. Dean seems more willing to indulge in eating the local fauna, and when one of the larger monsters starts to sound closer and closer, the duo hurries off. However, Dean goes back for the cooked lizard after initially leaving it behind. Jensen Ackles improvised the moment, as he reasoned that Dean would never leave food behind – even lizard on a stick!

“Clap Your Hands If You Believe…”
Yup, we’re back with this hilarious “X-Files” style episode that sees the Winchesters looking into crop circles. But, instead of aliens, the true culprits appear to be fairies. Unfortunately for Dean - but not for us - he accidentally attacks a little person after mistaking the man for a fairy. Although his hilarious excuse that he was “just kidding,” was also an improvisation by Ackles, our pick goes to a moment a little bit later. Naturally, Dean is arrested for assaulting the man and as he’s being put in the police car, he yells to Sam: [“You fight those fairies"]. Although this off-the-cuff line by Dean is funny in-context, just imagining what all the bystanders think makes it even more so!

Various
As any “Supernatural” fan knows, Dean’s favorite exclamation involves mentioning the male child of a female dog. The amount of times Dean uses the expression leads to it essentially becoming his catchphrase. Although many of the times Dean says it are in fact scripted, Jensen Ackles occasionally included the expletive when it wasn’t written in previously, as a result of how in-character he gets. One memorable instance is at the conclusion of the season 3 episode “Bad Day at Black Rock.” After discovering that Bela Talbot has stolen his winning lottery tickets, Dean is left stunned. Dean’s outburst wasn’t scripted, and you can see Jared Padalecki trying not to laugh. We’re right there with him!

“Scoobynatural”
We still can’t believe this episode is real! Sam, Dean, and Castiel get sucked into TV land, specifically the animated world of “Scooby-Doo.” While there, they encounter an all too real ghost, which clashes hilariously and traumatically with the Scooby gang’s usual antics foiling old people in masks. The gang… doesn’t take it well. However, thanks to a pep talk from Dean, they regain their confidence. Dean also claims that they can help out by doing what they do best – making a trap. Although most of the speech was scripted, Dean’s use of the F-word for emphasis was an invention of Jensen Ackles in the recording booth. Jinkies!

“Yellow Fever”
You probably saw this coming. During the episode“Yellow Fever”, Dean is cursed with fear at nearly everything. To give himself courage in one scene, he lies down in the Impala and listens to “Eye of the Tiger” while air drumming. Although the scene in the episode proper stops shortly thereafter, Jensen Ackles continues his performance of the song in a now famous outtake aired after the episode, lip syncing to the lyrics and using his leg to “play guitar.” It’s such a funny and surprising moment and it’s all thanks to Ackles just screwing around on-set and the director leaving the camera rolling.


Which other great moment or scene from the show do you know was improvised? Let us know in the comments down below!