For how greatSupernaturalis, it’s a classic example of a TV series that might have stretched its story a little too far, as the fan-consensus best episode should have been the true finale for the show. Running for 15 seasons,Supernaturalis largely placed near the top of thebest CW showsas it explores the various exploits of Sam and Dean Winchester as they hunt monsters, demons, biblical forces, and other supernatural entities. Jared Padelecki and Jensen Ackles as Sam and Dean were the driving force behind the show’s success, and a big reason it stayed so popular.
Witth a staggering 327 episodes, there are onlya handful of skippableSupernaturalepisodes, exemplifying the quality of the series as a whole. Still, there came a time when Supernatural felt like it had run its course, extending way beyond the initial ending that creator Eric Kripke had in mind.Supernatural’s seriesfinaleended the show on relatively strong terms, though it was somewhat controversial. If the series had ended with an episode that the fans agreed was the best,Supernaturalcould have been a nearly flawless television series.
“Swan Song” Is Still Supernatural’s Highest-Rated Episode On IMDb
“Swan Song” Was Supernatural’s Season 5 Finale
Supernaturalis full of incredible episodes with only a handful of duds thrown in the mix. Because of this, it can be hard to choose which episode of the entire series is truly the best, but according to fans over atIMDb,the consensus isSupernaturalseason 5, episode 22, “Swan Song.“Sitting at a 9.7/10, “Swan Song” ranks above other amazing episodes likeSupernaturalseason 6, episode 15, “The French Mistake,” season 5, episode 8, “Changing Channels,” and season 13, episode 16, “Scoobynatural,” the iconicScooby-Doocrossover. “Swan Song” topping them all is incredibly impressive.
Of course, there is no objective answer to what episode can be someone’s favorite. For example, Jared Padalecki and Erik Kripke think"The French Mistake” is the best. No matter what, though,it is hard to argue against the lasting impact “Swan Song” left onSupernaturalgoing forward, and how emotionally resonant it was as it closed out the spectacular fifth season. One of the most significant aspects of “Swan Song” was the original plan Erik Kripke had for it when creatingSupernatural, which could have been perfect.
Supernatural Season 5 Marked The End Of Eric Kripke’s Original Plan For The Show
Erik Kripke Ended Up Leaving Supernatural After Season 5
Supernaturalwas not always meant to run for 15 years Creator Eric Kripke, who went on to be the showrunner ofThe Boys,originally hoped to haveSupernaturalrun for five seasons. While he likely didn’t have the concrete details planned out for where exactly the narrative would go, Kripke intended to hit 100 episodes, soSupernaturalcould go into syndication, which would allow the series to keep bringing in a hefty revenue stream long after it ended.
Eric Kripke ended up stepping down as showrunner following season 5, with long-timeSupernaturalwriter Sera Gamble taking over for seasons 6 and 7.Supernaturalgarnered four other showrunners (including Sera Gamble) over the show’s remaining ten seasons. In an interview withEW, Kripke explained his reasoning for leavingSupernatural:
We were reaching the end of this five-year storyline [so] I thought the timing was right. I knew that we were closing this chapter and opening a new one. It felt like it was the right time to take a step back and focus on new projects, but still keep my grubby little mitts in the show. It was a lot about Sera and her enthusiasm and her ambition. I really think after five years of all of my crap, to have someone who has a fresh perspective and a fresh energy on these characters and this universe is healthy for the show.Supernaturalhas always been a show about reinvention. We try really hard not to do the same thing.
Eric Kripke’s idea for five seasons is seen throughoutSupernatural,as much of what the show had been building towards had finally been realized by the time “Swan Song” aired.
Why Supernatural Should Not Have Continued Past Its Original 5-Season Plan
The Ending Was Essentially Perfect
It’s hard to justify ending a show when it is arguably the most popular series airing on a given network, and that is exactly what happened withSupernatural. It makes sense on The CW’s part: Sam, Dean, and Castiel had grown to be extremely beloved by fans who were willing to see their various shenanigans for as long as the show was willing to run. While there have been spectacular moments duringSupernatural’s latter 10 seasons,it’s entirely justified to think the show shouldn’t have continued past the originally planned five seasons.
There are a variety ofreasons whySupernaturalshould have ended with season 5. The biggest is arguably the character arcs that Sam and Dean went through. Sam ended up sacrificing himself to save humanity, while Dean ended up choosing his own path following Sam’s sacrifice, something he had struggled to do since he was a child. On top of that, it’s hard to get more epic than ending in a showdown between Lucifer and the archangel Michael.Supernaturalhad evolved into a biblical epic by the time season 5 came to an end, and it was jaw-dropping.
A Five-Season Supernatural Series Would Have Been Amazing
Finishing offSupernaturalat its highest note would have been something special, cementing the series as arguably one of the greatest pieces of genre television of all time. A lot of the best TV shows know when to end their story. BothBreaking BadandBetter Call Saulcome to mind, as well as countless others.A tightly-written, five-season thrill ride thatSupernaturalcould have been if it had ended with “Swan Song"would have elevated the show’s legend.
That didn’t happen, andSupernaturalended up telling stories for 15 years, with Sam, Dean, Castiel, and the rest of the recurring cast finding new monsters to fight and new world-ending scenarios to deal with. If it wasn’t for the sheer charisma and chemistry the main trio had during the entire series,Supernaturalcould be remembered differently.By the timeSupernaturalfinally came to a close in 2020, the series had seen its viewership slowly declineduring virtually its entire run, with the final season having the lowest ratings of the series.
Following the end ofSupernatural, Jensen Ackles reprised his role briefly forThe Winchesters' finale, as well as providing the narration throughout the season.
Supernaturalwill always have a lasting legacy in television history, and being able to span 15 seasons without any massive dips in quality is impressive on its own. Seeing Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki playing Dean and Sam for 15 years was special in its own way, and the show never outright tarnished its legacy, but some part ofSupernaturalwill always feel like “Swan Song” should have been the end of its story.
Supernatural
Cast
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
