Two of Supernatural is at its best when breaking its formula.

And two of its most hilarious installments do exactly that, trapping Sam and Dean in similar scenarios: "Mystery Spot" and "Changing Channels." While "Mystery Spot" sees the Winchester brothers falling into a time loop — one that's as devastating as it is ridiculous — "Changing Channels" finds them jumping from television show to television show. Given the similar setups, one can even argue that Supernatural's funniest episode was so great, the series did it twice. But there's another incredible installment that predates both of these, and it focuses on the same character. It deserves the same level of attention.

Gabriel Is At The Heart Of Supernatural's 2 Funniest Episodes

"Mystery Spot" & "Changing Channels" Are Both Fondly ed

The Trickster, who is later revealed to be the archangel Gabriel, is present for many of Supernatural's greatest outings. The inclusion of Richard Speight Jr.'s character in an episode almost guarantees a fun time, as he's responsible for throwing Sam and Dean into the most absurd situations. He lives up to his nickname, deceiving the Winchesters and forcing them to navigate tricky circumstances. He's the one who puts them in a time loop during "Mystery Spot," and he's also behind their television debacle in "Changing Channels."

While later installments like "The French Mistake" and "Fan Fiction" are also comical, Gabriel's outings remain the funniest additions to the series.

Even if Gabriel isn't really a trickster, he knows how to turn his victims into the butt of a joke. This may be difficult for Sam and Dean, but it ensures that every Supernatural episode with him is a wild ride for fans. While later installments like "The French Mistake" and "Fan Fiction" are also comical, Gabriel's outings remain the funniest additions to the series. Indeed, it's difficult to say whether "Mystery Spot" or "Changing Channels" brings more laughs. But neither would be possible without an earlier installment: Gabriel's first appearance, which also lands among the show's most comical chapters.

"Mystery Spot" & "Changing Channels" Deserve Love, But "Tall Tales" Is So Underrated

Gabriel's First Appearance Pits Sam & Dean Against Each Other

When the Trickster comes up, "Mystery Spot" and "Changing Channels" immediately spring to mind. However, the character's first appearance is in Supernatural season 2, episode 15, "Tall Tales." And although "Tall Tales" is notably different from Gabriel's later installments, it's still an underrated gem. The season 2 episode follows Sam and Dean as they look into a series of incidents unfolding at a college, each more bizarre than the next. As their investigation becomes more confusing, they end up at each other's throats — something Bobby Singer needs to mediate.

Bobby comes to the conclusion that they're dealing with a trickster, and indeed, Gabriel is posing as a janitor throughout the episode. Bobby's intervention allows Sam and Dean to understand what's really happening on the campus, but not before the brothers have some hilarious interactions with one another and the people they come into with. "Tall Tales" may not take the same shape as "Mystery Spot" and "Changing Channels," but it still thrives by playing up the absurdity. It's a great installment that should be more popular in hindsight.

Gabriel's First Appearance Takes On A Different Formula But Is Still Hilarious

He Doesn't Target Sam & Dean As Directly In "Tall Tales," But He Still Creates Chaos

"Tall Tales" differs slightly from Gabriel's later installments, as it doesn't trap Sam and Dean in an alternate reality of sorts, forcing them to find a way out. Although "Mystery Spot" takes place in their world, the time loop takes them out of reality in a sense. And "Changing Channels" takes this to an extreme, placing them into TV shows and commercials as characters. In both episodes, they only escape their circumstances after facing the Trickster. He's directly messing with them, whereas he's simply trying to avoid their detection in "Tall Tales."

Even without the setup of the Trickster's two funniest episodes, "Tall Tales" manages to deliver comedy in all the best ways.

Even without the setup of the Trickster's two funniest episodes, "Tall Tales" manages to deliver comedy in all the best ways. The episode uses unreliable narration and the Winchesters' growing frustrations with each other to elicit laughs, with Sam and Dean's recollections becoming increasingly ridiculous. It's not just the fact that their investigation leads them to alien abductions and probing; it's that their memories poke fun at each other, exaggerating their worst qualities in the funniest ways.

This is even more entertaining because they're recounting their antics to Bobby, with each of the Winchesters interrupting the others' memories with their own commentary. Seeing how their versions of events oppose each other makes for an engaging hour of television. It's precisely the sort of humor Supernatural thrives on, and it shows how chaotic things can become under the Trickster's influence — even when Sam and Dean aren't being directly targeted by him. Of course, "Tall Tales" ensures that they will be on the receiving end of his ire, setting up his later traps.

"Tall Tales" Laid The Groundwork For Supernatural's Later Trickster Episodes

It Set Up The Trickster's Later Appearances

"Tall Tales" deserves praise for being almost as funny as Supernatural's other Trickster episodes, but it also must be credited with setting the stage for them. This season 2 installment lays the groundwork for "Mystery Spot" and "Changing Channels," exhibiting some of the earliest examples of this sort of humor. The series leans into this absurd comedy and meta commentary more and more as time goes on, and such things go back to "Tall Tales." It's one of the show's early chapters that proves how successful this storytelling can be.

Additionally, "Tall Tales" sets Gabriel up as a threat to the Winchesters, showcasing his ability to pull one over on them even before his true nature is revealed. It's only thanks to Bobby that they're able to come to their senses in this installment, so it makes sense that they're so easily pulled into his schemes in later episodes. Gabriel's antics get worse and worse over time, and season 2 explains what he has against the Winchesters. Supernatural gradually develops his character from this point on, and given how iconic he becomes, "Tall Tales" deserves far more recognition.