With Supernatural still going strong as it heads into its 10th season, questions about the future naturally came up. For the stars and showrunner on The CW drama, they don’t see an end — at least not yet.
“If the show quality diminishes [and] if the show ever reaches a spot where we get a phone call from [executive producer] Jeremy [Carver] or whoever — ‘You know what guys, at this point in time we’ve said what we feel needs to be said and can be said.’ I truly do deeply care about the show and about Sam Winchester. I’m 32 years old tomorrow, and I’ve spent nine years of my life with him, so I don’t want him to be broken down and beaten down into something that I do not respect. And I respect this character, and I respect this show,” said Jared Padalecki during Friday’s Television Critics Association press tour session.
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If anything, Padalecki hopes for a preplanned end date when that time does come around the bend. “We know the show enough and know the characters enough — if there’s an end coming, we’ll see it and won’t have to push it,” he continued. “When it’s time to hang up the Sam Winchester hat, then I’ll welcome that chapter.”
Carver maintained that there are still stories to mine, opting not to put a timetable on when Supernatural could be running its swan song. “There’s so much story left to tell, which is remarkable given that we’re in season 129 already. We’re very excited to keep telling more stories,” he said.
Jensen Ackles echoed Padalecki and Carver’s sentiments. “We’re all on the same page. We still get excited about it, and that hasn’t tarnished in 10 years,” he said. “As long as there’s that fulfillment, that enjoyment, that excitement, then yeah, we will keep going.” Ackles shared his excitement over reading the season-nine finale: “I got all giddy about it because I was excited to see what happens in season 10.”
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The hourlong series debuted in 2005 on the now-defunct WB network and will hit the rare 200th-episode milestone, which will air as the fifth hour of the season. The CW president Mark Pedowitz remained bullish on the future of Supernatural and with good reason. The series remains one of the network’s top-rated scripted offerings. Though spinoff Bloodlines failed to take hold, he was hopeful for another possible spinoff idea. Back in May, Pedowitz made his intentions to develop another Supernatural show clear and on Friday, reaffirmed his plans. “I’ve already spoken to the creator and the studio. They know that we want to develop once more next season a Supernatural spinoff. What it is and what it isn’t is still in the air,” he said at the time.
Is there a final image in mind for the end of the series, whenever that time does come? Carver was mum. “I know that [creator] Eric Kripke always had an ending in mind. He hasn’t yet shared it with me. I have an image and the like, but I always want to keep room for … happy accidents as well,” Carver explained.
Supernatural premieres Oct. 7 on The CW.
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