With over 300 episodes to choose from, Supernatural has something for every kind of fan. Whether you’re a longtime viewer or still making your way through the 15-season saga, one episode in particular stands out as proof that the show still had fresh ideas deep into its run. Season 8’s “Hunteri Heroici” is a standout for its imaginative take on Saturday morning cartoons—an unexpected but delightful twist in a series known for demons, angels, and apocalyptic drama.
After the darker and often polarizing events of Season 7, Season 8 marked a return to the show’s roots. Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) were once again crisscrossing the country, battling supernatural threats while navigating their personal struggles. With the return of Castiel (Misha Collins), the trio embarked on their first “monster-of-the-week” style case in some time with “Hunteri Heroici,” a break from the season’s overarching mythology.
The premise is as wild as it sounds: Castiel discovers a case involving literal exploding hearts, leading the group to Oklahoma City, where they uncover a world behaving like a classic cartoon. Anvils drop from the sky, characters float in midair before falling, and visual gags come to life. The cause? A former family friend, Fred Jones (Mike Farrell), who is unknowingly projecting cartoon physics into the real world due to his unstable psychic abilities. As it turns out, his caretaker, Dr. Dwight Mahoney (Greg Webb), has been exploiting Fred’s powers to commit a series of clever robberies. He uses cartoon tricks—like drawing a black hole on the wall and stepping through it—to steal from banks and homes. It’s a plot worthy of Looney Tunes, and, true to form, the hunters show up just in time to stop him.
Written by Andrew Dabb—who would later become the series’ showrunner—“Hunteri Heroici” predates the equally beloved Season 13 episode “Scoobynatural” by five years. While that later episode literally drops the Winchesters into the world of Scooby-Doo, this one turns the real world into a cartoon. The tone stays mostly light, filled with animated-style antics and slapstick, though the ending, as with most Supernatural episodes, dips back into darker territory.
What makes “Hunteri Heroici” especially memorable is how well it blends cartoon absurdity with the show’s familiar structure. Supernatural has long embraced comedic horror, with episodes like “Hollywood Babylon” showcasing its ability to parody and poke fun at itself. “Hunteri Heroici” follows that tradition, delivering big gags wrapped in a mystery that still feels grounded in the show’s universe. The commitment to the cartoon concept is total, but the episode still functions as a strong standalone case.
Cartoon lovers will catch plenty of nods throughout the episode. Fred Jones shares a name with the famous Scooby-Doo character but also references animation legends Fred Quimby and Chuck Jones, known for their work on Tom & Jerry and Looney Tunes. Victims and locations drop names like Gary Freleng (a tribute to Friz Freleng, the animator behind Bugs Bunny), and Dean even throws out a “What’s up, Doc?” as a cheeky homage. These Easter eggs make the episode even more rewarding for animation fans.
In context, “Hunteri Heroici” was a breath of fresh air after a rocky stretch in the show’s history. Many fans found Season 7 underwhelming, with key characters like Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver) being written off and villains like Dick Roman (James Patrick Stuart) failing to deliver compelling arcs. The show had also begun to lean heavily into mythological complexity, losing the charm of its earlier, simpler format. With Jeremy Carver stepping in as showrunner for Season 8, the tone began to shift, and episodes like “Hunteri Heroici” demonstrated that the show could still surprise its audience with unique and creative stories.
That said, not every element of the episode lands. Flashbacks to Sam’s relationship with Amelia Richardson (Liane Balaban) and scenes involving Castiel and Naomi (Amanda Tapping) feel shoehorned in. These moments break the pacing and tonal consistency of an otherwise whimsical and energetic episode. While they tie into the season’s overarching storylines, they can detract from the fun, especially on rewatch.
Still, despite these detours, “Hunteri Heroici” stands as a shining example of Supernatural’s willingness to experiment and not take itself too seriously. It’s a love letter to the cartoons many grew up with, wrapped in a quirky, supernatural mystery. For longtime fans or newcomers looking for something different, this episode proves that even eight seasons in, Supernatural still had plenty of creative gas left in the tank.