Supernatural was undoubtedly one of the most popular TV shows in history, so it makes sense that The CW would want to try and capture lightning in a bottle once more with a spinoff series. After all, the show’s rabid fan base would certainly turn out in droves to help make it a hit, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, the short-lived prequel titled The Winchesters that focused on Sam and Dean’s parents failed to make much of an impact when it premiered back in 2022, but now, it’s finding redemption on streaming. Starring Meg Donnelly and Drake Rodger as Mary Campbell and John Winchester, The Winchesters was set in the 1970s. Narrated by Jensen Ackles – who played Dean in Supernatural – the prequel tells the story of how Mary and John met, fell in love, and got involved in hunting monsters. It’s a simple premise that was made way more complicated than it should have been thanks to the series taking place in an alternate universe within a multiverse that left a lot of fans scratching their heads at times. Holding just a 44% rating from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes, many of the comments call The Winchesters an “uninspired” series with “bad writing and bad acting.” Most agree that it doesn’t live up to the standards set by the original series. As such, The Winchesters was canceled after just 13 episodes. Now, it’s found new life on streaming, where it’s currently in the #7 spot on HBO Max via Amazon Channels via Flix Patrol. Check out the synopsis below:
“A prequel to the long-running series Supernatural, The Winchesters tells the epic, untold love story of how John Winchester met Mary Campbell and put it all on the line to not only save their love, but the entire world. When John returns home from fighting in Vietnam, a mysterious encounter sparks a new mission to trace his father’s past. In his journey, he crosses paths with 19-year-old demon hunter Mary, who is also searching for answers after the disappearance of her own father. Together, the two join forces to uncover the hidden truths about both of their families.”

Was ‘The Winchesters’ Really That Bad?

Meg Donnelly and Drake Rodger in The WinchestersThe CW

While fans may not have been able to agree on The Winchesters, critics went absolutely bonkers for the Supernatural prequel series. It holds a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus being that it was an engaging series that showed promise. Unfortunately, we’ll never know if it could have reached its full potential in later seasons, as The CW gave it the ax two months after the conclusion of the first season. The sad truth is that for Supernatural fans, The Winchesters just wasn’t a good series. Yes, we definitely saw glimpses of greatness during its short-lived life, but those moments were few and far between. Stacked up against the original show, it was a pale imitation that tried to do too much too fast. The chemistry between the two leads really wasn’t there, which made it hard for viewers to accept that they could be the same parents Sam and Dean spoke so highly of. All that being said, it’s definitely caught the eye of more than a few people thanks to its resurgence on streaming. Who knows? Maybe they’ll find something worthwhile in it to enjoy, but for the most part, we suspect its curiosity from new viewers more than anything else that’s driving up its numbers.

Release Date

2022 – 2022

Network

The CW

Showrunner

Glen Winter

Directors

Glen Winter

Writers

David Goodman

Franchise(s)

Supernatural