The Strange Supernatural Deleted Scene That Involves Mister Rogers

Launching on the former WB Network in 2005, the action-horror series "Supernatural" finished its broadcast run on the CW after an epic, 15-season reign. Starring Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki as the Winchester brothers, the show holds its loyal viewership spellbound as the two siblings hunt down and dispatch that episode's monster, demon, hellhound, vampire, or other assorted unnatural entity.

In addition to offering fans tight scripting, reasonably high-quality special effects, and decent creature make-up, the show is also known for its clever, often ironic use of pop cultural Easter eggs peppered throughout the series. For instance, as noted on the Supernatural Wiki, when it comes to brothers Sam (whose scenes sometimes go too far) and Dean Winchester assuming phony names when they need to go undercover for one reason or another, they display a decided taste for rock 'n roll celebrities. In various episodes, the two conceal their true identities, ranging from Metallica lead singer James Hetfield to Led Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham to KISS bandmates Ace Frehley and Gene Simmons. So, how does the show's penchant for hiding this kind of Easter egg within episodes extend to a deleted scene involving that venerable PBS personality, Mister Rogers?

It seems unlikely to find a reference to the uber-comforting, folksy-advice-giving children's TV icon Fred Rogers in a series involving the frequent spectacle of violent death, demonic possession, or regular visits to Hell. For "Supernatural," of course, this sort of juxtaposition was not only likely but appreciated by an audience familiar with the series' razor-sharp, very dark humor.

And as for the deleted scene in question, Variety reported it was included as a bonus element in the DVD and Blu-ray releases of "Supernatural: The 15^th and Final Season" and "Supernatural: The Complete Series." Scripted initially for, but then dropped from, the "Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven" episode, the omitted scene finds angel Castiel (Misha Collins) failing to talk fallen prophet Donatello (Keith Szarabajka) into assisting the Winchesters in their ongoing battle against God. As a last ploy, Castiel implores Donatello with the very catchphrase the prophet himself would use when faced with a difficult moral choice, i.e., "What would Mister Rogers do?"