The world of Supernatural never resulted in a spinoff, despite The CW's best efforts. Various ideas came and went, but none made it to series. Now that the flagship show has finally ended after 15 seasons, The Winchesters is the last shot for the network to turn one of its biggest hits into one of TV's many franchises.

When Supernatural debuted in 2005 on what was then The WB, the show became a phenomenon unlike anything in genre television at the time (or since, really). It spawned an incredibly active online fandom and even sustained its own traveling conventions for a few years. Kids grew into and out of the show throughout its run. The producers tried a few times to create a series, yet each time the network declined to pick the pilots up. The CW's Arrowverse was able to make double the number of seasons Supernatural produced in only five years, thanks to the strength of the spinoffs. But a world of secret magic and hidden monsters seems like it could support multiple stories -- so why hasn't it been able to?

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The Winchesters Supernatural cast

Asked about the lack of spinoffs during press for Supernatural's final season in 2019, then-president of The CW Mark Pedowitz told reporters it was impossible to replicate the talent of Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki. Pedowitz's answer was charitable but incorrect -- and not just because he ignored Misha Collins. The problem with Supernatural's failed spinoffs was that they hewed too closely to what Supernatural already was. Supernatural: Bloodlines swapped out deadly rivalries between hunters for a focus on families of vampires, werewolves and whatever other in-universe monsters they wanted. Wayward Sisters featured fan-favorite characters from the main show doing the same thing Sam and Dean did. The Flash was about as far from Arrow as DC Comics stories could get from each other in tone and reality. Supernatural's creative team needed to provide a similarly new window into the world.

However, The Winchesters is about as close to a clone of the original series as one can get. This is a risky proposition, because by tying the series directly to the titular family, Supernatural's legacy is on the line. But what gives the show a fighting chance is that, unlike previous attempts, the original series is finished. In 2022 and with new ownership, a fresh monster-of-the-week series might be just what The CW needs to stay in the scripted TV series game. While Superman & Lois could save the Arrowverse, The Winchesters could make or break not just the Supernatural brand but the future of the network.

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Hopefully for Supernatural fans, The Winchesters is the project that turns the show into a franchise. But just as important as pleasing the fans is that The Winchesters also has to find a new audience. After even a half-dozen seasons, Supernatural became so bogged down in its own lore that casual viewers tapped out. Since all that lore exists already, The Winchesters should be free to create its own story that can deliver the same things that were great about the original series. The producers should take a lesson from the Star Wars prequels: they fit with the older "sequel" stories while still being their own entities.

Even if The Winchesters writers, cast and crew all surpass fans' expectations, the show faces a changing media landscape where spinoffs are common and time slots are dwindling. If they focus on their series and their story than mimicking what Supernatural did almost 20 years ago, they've got a shot to be the successful spinoff fans have always wanted. If nothing else, at least they've still got the Impala.

The Winchesters premieres Oct. 11, 2022 on The CW.