Killing monsters is what we do
Twenty Years of Supernatural!!
It is 20 years since production started in early 2005 on Supernatural and the first episode aired on The WB on 13th September. In this newsletter, social media and of course the SupernaturalWiki, I will be highlighting the history of our Show, the cast and crew and of course our fandom, the SPNFamily. Whether you’ve been around for twenty years or you just started watching, this history belongs to all of us, and its something I’m passionate about sharing.
The very first mention I could find online about the show was from September 2004, from a site called allbusiness.
As you can see, in this version Baby is still a ‘64 Mustang and not a ‘67 Impala!
If there is any SPN history you’d like me to include, please comment on this post. Maybe you want to know the history of Cas’ trench coat, or how many awards the Show won, where the first Supernatural convention was, who wrote the first J2 fic or why everyone laughs at the word “influence”! I will also be posting under the tags #SPNhistory and #SPN20 on Twitter and Bluesky.
Paging the new Dr Sexy!
Big news this week is the announcement of Jared’s new TV show! Jared will again be working with Anna Fricke who created Walker. The show, currently in development, is a one hour drama that would air on CBS. It is described as follows:
It centres on a headstrong, devoted country doctor (Padalecki) who practices his unique style of improvisational medicine alongside his new protégé, a young doctor running from her past, as they operate a mobile clinic and heal the bodies and souls of their underserved community in the medical desert of rural Texas.
Medical shows are back in at the moment. Gray’s Anatomy is in its 21st season and there are new series such as Brilliant Minds and The Pitt. The latter stars Noah Wylie who rose to fame on E.R., of which The Pitt is very reminiscent.
These shows are all set in big city hospitals, so Jared’s yet unnamed show would stand out as it is set in rural Texas (it also gives him an excuse to wear cowboy boots like a certain Dr Sexy!). The description of Jared’s character makes me think he may be a veteran with experience in field medicine. I would guess there will be a hospital or community health centre as well, which would allow for some semi-recurring characters. Plus, you just know Jared has to have a boss trying pull him into line!
I’m wondering if the pitch was “Tracker, but with a stethoscope”, as the format is reminiscent of Justin Hartley’s hugely successful show, allowing for a case in a different location each week, with some season long arc as well. With both shows being on CBS, that theoretically opens up crossover possibilities, which could also include Jensen who has a semi recurring role on Tracker!
This project comes out of Jared’s first look project deal with CBS. I don’t know if this new project puts paid to the possible spin-off from Fire Country but I am sure we will hear more in the coming months.
L.A. Fires
This week there have been horrendous fires around Los Angeles, which are still not under control. MutualAidLA on Instagram has a great list of resources for people impacted by the fires, and these will also be good places to donate money. There is also a general fund set up by GoFundMe called the Wildfire Relief Fund which will send relief grants of $1000 to those who have lost property and loved ones in the fires.
Some of you may know Leticia Serafin who has worked for Creation Entertainment for many years. She lost her home in the fires, and a fundraiser has been set up to help her out. Please donate if you can.
Eric Kripke and his family also lost their home in the fires, although they are all safe. He made a heartfelt post about some of the irreplaceable items he lost.
Only afterwards, when it was all gone, did it hit me: I didn't take the things that had sentimental value. A photo of my Dad. The cardboard robots my kids made in elementary school. The journals I kept since I was 18. The Godzilla Shogun Warrior Toy and Omnibot from when I was a kid. My favorite issues of Twilight Zone Magazine and Cinefantastique.
Australian singer Darren Hayes from Savage Garden who know lives in LA, put out a call to help an SPN fan who lost all her memorabilia including Con autographed Con photo-ops in the fires. The SPNFamily came thru and contacted Creation, and it looks like she’ll be able to get the photos reprinted and maybe signed! (SPN Trivia: Savage Garden’s “I want You” played in the Season 15 episode “Destiny’s Child”.) Darren posted a heartfelt thank-you to Creation and the SPNFamily on his Facebook
As an Australian, I am unfortunately familiar with the impact of fires like this, and know it will take a long time for these people and communities to recover both practically and emotionally. I have friends in LA, I have visited around a dozen times, and hope the support needed is available to all.
Conventions
The last Supernatural Convention was in Nashville in December. Check our NashCon Convention entry for links to videos of panels with Jared, Jensen and Misha, as well as the Saturday Night Special featuring a rockstar performance by Jensen, and also the Louden Swain Jam.
Now there aren’t any Creation conventions til April, however Jared and a number of other SPN actors are hitting the Albuquerque Comic Con this weekend, and after that will be at FanExpo Cons in Portland, Orlando, Vancouver, Toronto and Cleveland in February and March.
Check out our Convention Calendar for details and all the other Conventions coming up in 2025 around the world. Also promoting upcoming conventions, Creation has a new promo vid out focusing on Jensen that goes hard!
Fandom
The SPN Reference Guide is collating information on aspects of the show with fan creators and fanfic writers in mind. Check out their great entry on Bobby’s house.
I love fandom stats! Check out the incredible work by centreoftheselights on popular stories on AO3. Sam & Dean stories at #69 for new stories in 2024 (Gen fic not Wincest). They are also at #7 in the platonic rships with Cas and Dean at #12 for works (total on A03).
If you are looking for a place to kickstart your art or writing muse, here are some SPN challenges to check out:
· Reverse Fantasy Bang – reverse Bangs are challenges where artists create a piece and then writers pick one to inspire their story. This challenge is for works with a fantasy theme. You can read all the guidelines here. Note Wincest works are not allowed.
· Valentine’s Day Challenge – This SPN Fanfic Pond challenge comes with a great set of text and mood board prompts. Fics to be a minimum of 1,000 words.
For some great reading, check out the annual Now It’s Perfect collection which centres on post-canon wincest/gencest works set after Sam and Dean reunite in Heaven.
You never know where fanfic will pop up! Dr Ally Louks went viral on Twitter late last year she posted about passing her Ph.D. entitled “Olfactory Ethics: he Politics of Smell in Modern and Contemporary Prose”. Somehow the worst misogynist dude bros on Twitter decided to attack her because they can’t stand to see a woman achieve anything. Dr Louks not only withstood their attacks with grace and humour but in explaining what her work was about, made a lot of us think more about the role smell plays in many forms of media.
Long story short, the many conversations she has had on the subject included one on omegaverse stories! Scent of course plays a big role in terms of attraction, and characters detecting who is an Alpha or Omega and in mating activity!
Some great Supernatural podcasts around for your listening enjoyment including:
Denim-wrapped Nightmares - will be starting season 8 in the northern hemisphere spring! Most recently Berly & LA recapped the season seven Party On, Garth.
The Epic Love Story of Sam and Dean is a rewatch podcast with a focus on the relationship between the boys which will start in February.
Idling in the Impala Focusing on the show and the fanfic it inspires, they have been brave enough to ask me on as a guest! I will post when I know the air date in case you want to hear me extol the virtues of tentacle porn.
SPN: Then and Now Don’t forget Rob and Rich’s rewatch podcast which is currently in the back half of Season Six. They continue to have great guests each week including both actors and production people. I highly recommend any featuring Supervising Sound Editor Michael Lawshe who gives amazing insight into how the whole sound scape for the show is created, complete with audio clips!
Sisterhood of the Traveling Misha Shirt This is a wonderful fan project I only discovered recently, which I think embodies so much that is wonderful about fandom.
It all started with GISH as so many escapades often do. After Katy Bonello won one of Misha’s shirts in the #ShirtOffTheirBack auction held by Random Acts. Now GISH finished up in 2022, and Katy along with the other sisterhood founders Kirky, Suzi, Heather, and Jessie, formulated a way to keep the spirit of kindness & silliness alive and creating friendships around the world.
The shirt now passes between the members who are GISH and Misha enthusiasts all over the globe, and who must complete a list of fun tasks when the shirt is with them.
In 2024, the sisterhood also raised over $2,500 for charitable causes. In 2025, the Sisterhood has “upped the stakes” and set a $3,000 fundraising goal in support of the Legacy of War Foundation - one of the organizations highlighted and supported often during the days of GISH which supports beneficiary led projects in areas impacted by war.
In 2025 there is an assignment provided by Misha himself, which anyone can get involved with. Check out their linktree for more info and where to follow along with all the fun and acts of kindness!
Other news
Also based in Austin is 911: Lone Star and we will be blessed with an appearance on the show by Richard Speight when it returns on 20 January. Richard will play Reverend Phil, the leader of a faith-based sobriety group that Judd is attending. @Amieleighluna’s nickname for the show is “yeehaw weewoo” which is brilliant!
Sad news that director Jeannot Szarc has died at the age of 85 in France. Jeannot was a successful movie director (Jaws 2; Somewhere in Time) and worked on many TV series including five episodes of Supernatural.
Streaming now on Shudder is Bloody Axe Wound is a lesbian horror-comedy produced by Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (who also appears!). Check out the trailer here.
Hiliary has confirmed that work is proceeding well on the sequel to One Tree Hill for Netflix which is planned to star her and Sophia Bush. Danneel Ackles is producer role on the show and may return in her role as Rachel.
Please drop me a line if you have any news or projects you would like included in the next newsletter, or on the SuperWiki.
Carry On!
Jules Wilkinson