This Canceled Supernatural Series Is Finally Finding An Audience On Streaming

The CW's "Supernatural" enjoyed 15 successful seasons on their air, but attempts to create spin-off shows have faltered, to say the least. One planned "Supernatural" offshoot would have featured a monster mafia, but the project never materialized due to a lack of interest. There's also an animated spin-off about Sam and Dean Winchester's adventures that was sent to the chopping block after one season. Finally, there is "The Winchesters," a canceled prequel series about Sam and Dean's parents saving people and hunting monsters in the 1970s. That last one is now finding a new lease on life via streaming, and it's about time.

According to FlixPatrol, "The Winchesters" has creeped its way into the top 10 charts of HBO's Amazon channel, three years after it premiered on The CW. Created by Robbie Thompson, the series stars Meg Donnelly and Drake Rodgers as Mary and John Winchester, respectively, as they team up with their friends to stop an apocalyptic threat in the form of the Akrida — insect creatures who were created by God to cause chaos for humanity. Of course, these aren't the only creatures our heroes have to contend with, but they are a problem.

Knowing that audiences are gravitating toward "The Winchesters" is hardly surprising, as the series follows the same formula that made "Supernatural" such a success, all while simultaneously expanding the lore with twists, fun new characters, and worldly monsters. It's awesome, and Thompson's series deserved more time to shine. Season 2 doesn't look likely anymore, which is a shame, as the show's creatives had some big plans in mind for the spin-off.

Creator Robbie Thompson envisioned "The Winchesters" as a multi-season project with plenty of twists and turns. This corner of the "Supernatural" universe isn't bound to the events of the parent series, as the finale reveals that Mary and John are multiversal variants who might get to live happily ever after. Speaking about the Marvel-esque twist in an interview with TVLine in 2023, Thompson explained that he didn't want "The Winchesters" to interfere with "Supernatural" and how that story played out — and this opened the door to some fresh possibilities. In his own words:

"There's so much more story to tell about where these two kids go. And because now, as Dean [Jensen Ackles] says at the end of the [season 1 finale], they have a chance to write their own story that doesn't have to be necessarily what happened on our version of 'Supernatural,' we have an opportunity to really go into some interesting places."

It remains to be seen if The CW will see sense and let the multiversal John and Mary continue their story on "The Winchesters," potentially giving them the happy ending their counterparts were robbed of in the main "Supernatural" timeline. "The Winchesters" finding success on streaming can't hurt its chances, but for now, we can add this one to the ever-growing list of one-season wonder shows fans still miss.