Supernatural was put in an unfortunate position earlier this year.
The hit CW drama was set to wrap its 15th and final season, but the series was dealt a huge blow when the coronavirus pandemic paved the way for production on its final two episodes to be shut down.
Despite having five episodes in the can, the CW decided to pull Supernatural off the air, making many fans mad in the process.
But it seems there was a method to the madness in pulling the show.
Instead of airing the two final episodes on their own at an undisclosed time, the network wants to air the final seven in a block, with one episode rolling out weekly.
The CW has confirmed the series will return in the fall on a schedule filled with acquisitions, and shows that would typically air in the summer.
The CW CEO Mark Pedowitz told Deadline that the plan is to film the final two episodes this summer, but there could be some hurdles given the pandemic that brought TV production to a halt.
“We already have five episodes in the can of Supernatural, Jared and Jensen will go back as soon as they are able to to finish up the last two episodes and then Jared will go off to Walker. The two studios are in constant communication to make sure that this is a seamless handoff,” he said.
Indeed, Jared Padalecki is staying put at The CW with Walker, a reboot of Walker, Texas Ranger. That show has been eyed as Supernatural’s successor, taking over the Thursday slot Supernatural will call home for its final two episodes.
The issue plaguing Supernatural, however, is whether returning to production will actually be feasible.
Many states are still in a state of lockdown, meaning that there’s a good chance that production could be disrupted all over again.
If The CW decides to air the five episodes in the can, it’s possible there could be another hiatus down the line, between those five and the final two episodes.
It’s nice too know that the show is planned to return to production in the coming months, but it’s also tough to know that it might not be safe to do so.
For now, all we can do is hope.
What are your thoughts on having to wait until the fall for the final episodes?
Hit the comments.
Remember you can watch Supernatural online right here via TV Fanatic.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.