Jared Padalecki Reveals One of the Worst Supernatural Episodes
Behind the scenes: Supernatural star unveils one of the most disappointing installments of the hit show.
The hit fantasy drama series Supernatural kept audiences on the edge of their seats for 15 seasons. Having delivered a whopping 327 episodes, the show certainly graced us with countless awesome storylines. However, as one can expect from a long-running series, it also had its fair share of misses.
In a recent interview with TV Insider, Jared Padalecki, best known for starring as Sam Winchester on Supernatural, shared his vision for the show's episodes, revealing one that completely missed the mark for him.
Padalecki expressed his preference for shorter seasons, stating that if the fantasy series had followed a 13-episode format, it might still be on the air today. He emphasized the challenges of balancing a demanding filming schedule with personal commitments as a husband and a father. 'I think a shortened season would just be a really strong, action-packed, story-packed season where we don't have to do an episode like 'Bugs' in season 1 of Supernatural,' he then added.
'Bugs,' the eighth episode in season 1, focuses on Sam and Dean Winchester as they encounter a new housing development on sacred Native American land.
The cursed land, ravaged and destroyed in the past, unleashes a deadly swarm of bees, locusts, spiders, and beetles that the Winchester brothers must confront. This particular episode failed to resonate with both the cast and the viewers.
Many fans criticized the episode for its poorly executed elements, pointing out that the CGI spiders appeared cartoonish and lacked believability, while the plastic spiders used in some scenes looked silly. Additionally, the plot came under fire, as it felt rushed and could've benefitted from further development.
But apart from the execution, filming one scene was notoriously difficult for the actors. During the climactic fight scene with the swarm of bees, the production initially opted to use real bees. However, despite the risks involved, Padalecki and Ackles fought the bees without protection and ended up getting stung multiple times. Ironically, the real bees failed to show up well on camera, resulting in the decision to replace them with CGI.
So, not only did they have to go through all of that for nothing, the episode itself didn't do well with the audience. It's no wonder Padalecki feels some type of way about it. In the end, while 'Bugs' may not have been the series' strongest episode, it serves as a reminder that even the most beloved shows are not immune to the occasional missteps along the way.