I only just started watching the television series Supernatural two years ago, starting from the beginning and working my way through… and while circumstances have caused my viewing to stall a bit in the middle of season 6, but I'm still enthusiastic about seeing this through. I had hopes to catch up with the long-running series while it's still on the air, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. The show is currently wrapping up season 14, and stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Misha Collins have announced that season 15 will be its last.
It's slightly shocking that Supernatural has been on for so long, but it seems equally shocking that it's going to end so soon. The CW's President Mark Pedowitz has been a fan of the show since before he ever joined the network and has always said that Supernatural will continue for "as long as ratings are strong and the stars want to do it."
It's not clear what was behind the decision to end Supernatural. The ratings for season 14 do appear to be slightly down from season 13, but the show was still a "top-three demo ratings earner" for The CW at the end of season 13, so I wouldn't think the small number change would be enough for Pedowitz to decide to call it quits. But I don't know. It would be totally understandable if Ackles and Padalecki have come to the mutual decision that they feel like 15 years of playing the Winchester brothers is enough.
Ackles, Padalecki, and Collins made the announcement on Ackles' Instagram account with a video accompanied by the caption:
Well, it’s official. One more round for the Winchester brothers. Though nothing ever really ends in Supernatural… does it?
Executive producers Robert Singer and Andrew Dabb had this to say about the show coming to an end:
Firstly, we would like to thank all the people who have been involved with the show both in front of and behind the camera. For us it has been an experience of a lifetime. The support we have had from both Warner Bros Television and The CW has been incredible. We’d like to give special thanks to Jensen, Jared and Misha for making this journey so special. It is now most important to us to give these characters that we love the send off they deserve."
Hopefully they will be wrapping up the show in a way that will satisfy fans who have been making this journey with the characters for all these years.
At least I know I have nine more seasons to look forward to once I finally finish season 6.