Jared Padalecki is making an announcement.
“It’s the culmination of 300 episodes,” Padalecki says of Morgan’s return.
After all, John’s disappearance kick-started the brothers' road trip.
“I had a good feeling about the show just reading the pilot,” Ackles says.
“It had grit, the characters were well-written, and the story had miles to go.”
Although he couldn’t quite predict how many miles the journey would be.
Supernaturalpremiered on The WB in 2005 and has since become the longest-running show in The CW’s history.
Yep, him too.
But just how far could they stretch?
And would they even get the chance?
Despite surviving the 2006 WBUPN merger that created The CW, it took years forSupernaturalto land on solid ground.
“We’d have a meeting with the internet that we informally called the ‘explain-why-we-should-give-you-another-season’ meeting.”
As Dean recently said in a season 14 episode, “Impossible oddsfeels like home.”
It’s where they thrived.
“There weren’t a lot of genre shows on The CW.
It was mostly Gossip Girl and 90210.
There was no one saying, ‘That’s too crazy.'”
So they took risks.
They created “Hollywood Babylon,” an episode where Sam and Dean investigated a haunted horror-movie set.
They produced “Ghostfacers,” an episode shot to look like a reality show about ghost hunting.
“We said, ‘If they don’t like us, let’s be bold.’
“I was concerned that would be a bridge too far,” Padalecki says of the angelic decision.
“I realized the supernatural world was unbalanced,” Kripke says.
“There was only evil.
“Lazarus Rising” introduced Castiel, the show’s first and longest-lasting angel.
He adds with a laugh, “I was like, ‘You’re so full of yourself.'”
It was good versus evil.
And for a while, everyone believed it was the end of the show.
“A medical show is limited in the scope of what they can do.
We’re not.”
), and new villains.
“Fans would forgive sins of certain episodes because they love watching Sam and Dean,” Singer says.
Because sayingSupernaturalfans likeSupernaturalis like saying Dean likes pie.
It’s not aboutlikingit.
“I don’t think we have casual fans,” Singer says.
“They live and breathe this show.”
“The core of the show is the bond between the brothers.”
“It’s unlike any other show, really, in the history of American television.”
“Dad?”
This time he’s not enlisting his brother to find Dad, because Dad has come to them.
And he hasn’t changed much.
(Sorry,Walking Deadfans; the rifle came before Lucille.)
But John isn’t the only one who’s changed.
They’ve grown up.
Their lives, quite simply, have changed.
The same can be said of the actors themselves.
In fact, Ackles is currently two years older than Morgan was when he filmed the pilot.
“That’s how full circle it all is,” Morgan says.
“Like a father would be, I’m very proud of the guys.
It makes me get choked up because they’ve done so well here.
That’s unheard of.”
As for how John comes back, let’s just say things get weird don’t they always?
and there’s an altered reality at play.
The need for closure is really what brings John back into their lives.”
But John isn’t the only person who comes back into their lives.
As with any altered reality, not everything changes for the good.
(Like Kripke said, angels are dicks!)
Speaking of angels, this reality also affects Castiel in… certain ways.
This time the boys are dealing with a different (though not entirely unfamiliar) version of their friend.
And before the hour’s over, both boys will get a moment alone with Dad.
“This episode gives Sam a chance to forgive,” Padalecki says.
But he knows he has to.”
Yes, they’ve saved the world (more than once).
Yes, Lucifer has a son.
“It’s very romantic.”
But as the Winchesters know a bit too well, all good things must come to an end.
Because despite the show hitting 300 episodes, nobody’s ready to call it quits just yet.
“I don’t think we’re ready to throw in the towel,” Ackles says.
“We’ve still got a little gas in the tank.”
Put another way, Sam and Dean still got work to do.
A very special coverfeaturing the Winchester familyis also available for purchase exclusively at Barnes & Noble.
