Supernatural is gearing up for its fifteenth and final season, but it’s safe to say that some fans don’t want the world of the show to be over quite yet. While the show has toyed with the idea of spinoffs, nothing has officially gone to series, and the show’s cast and crew have an interesting perspective as to why. ComicBook.com was on hand for the show’s panel at the Television Critics Association press tour, where the recent comments from network president Mark Pedowitz were brought up. While Pedowitz shot down the possibility of a spinoff anytime soon, arguing that the show’s “essence” is in series stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, the cast expressed a desire to see the world further explored.
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“I hesitate to maybe accept the idea that spinoffs didn’t work.” Padalecki revealed. “They worked great, and I’m proud of those episodes. I am proud to have been parts of those episodes. They didn’t fit, I suppose I don’t I’m paid to do my job. I don’t pay people, like, so this is well above my pay grade. But I imagine they just didn’t work for the network at the time. But they were great episodes, and I’m proud to have been a part of them. I don’t know. There is something very, very humbling about the idea that the show keeps going. And we do see a lot of spinoffs on our network and other networks and other studios, and movies. And so it’s humbling to think, like, hey, they still want us to be a part of it.”
The series’ two backdoor pilots attempted to expand the world of the show in interesting ways, although they never quite made it to series. Supernatural: Bloodlines, which was set to explore “clashing hunter and monster cultures in Chicago”, was given a backdoor pilot in Season 9, but ended up not being picked up for the 2014-2015 season. A similar situation happened in Season 13 with Wayward Sisters, a female-led backdoor pilot that received quite a lot of love from fans.
“I do hope we see more of the Supernatural universe.” Padalecki continued. “I always love when – this sounds funny, because it sounds like I’m just asking for time off, which I kind of am – but I always love scenes without me in them, because I feel like I’ve fleshed out the Supernatural universe… So one of the funny things is that when I watch a Supernatural episode and Jensen and I are not in it, the scene, I feel like it’s fleshing out the universe for me. So I don’t know. I feel like it would be an interesting spinoff to see one of these guys.”
“Well, I’m aware that I was literally hired so these guys could see their families, which I totally appreciate.” Alexander Calvert, who plays Jack, joked. “They’re like, ‘We need another guy. Like, these guys are never home. We gotta help them out.’ But what I would say, going back to one of your guys’ questions, was what I’ve always been aware of is that these other characters are fleshing out the universe, but ultimately we are in service of the Winchester brothers’ story. And I’ve known from day one, other than the long weekends, that whatever foil, whatever new, interesting little caveat that I could help you guys, you know, come out of and bring out of the Winchesters was most important to the story.”
Ackles seemed to agree that a spinoff might not entirely work without Sam and Dean Winchester at the core, while also suggesting an off-shoot that he’d like to see.
“I think that’s also maybe one of the reasons why the spinoffs haven’t taken off, is because when you have a show that is so anchored not necessarily in a world but around two characters, that it makes it difficult to tell the story without those two characters present,” Ackles added. “I know that it’s been done, but I think it is tough. I think that for my money, it would be Castiel and his garrison of angels, but that’s just me.”
Supernatural‘s final season will begin Thursday, October 10th at 8/7c on The CW.
Additional reporting by Scott Huver.
