Andrew Dabb, the showrunner of Supernatural, reveals the original plan for the series finale. The highly-anticipated conclusion to the turbulent journey of Sam and Dean Winchester hit a snag as a result of COVID-19. Like the rest of the entertainment industry, Supernatural had to temporarily halt production. When it returned, to air its final batch of episodes, several adjustments had to be made to the filming process.
Jensen Ackles, who portrayed Dean on the show, alluded to these adjustments in the leadup to the finale. The actor confessed that they had to account for a pandemic, while pointing out that Supernatural ends on a high note. This was also confirmed by Dabb, who noted that the last two episodes of the series were rewritten and changed as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Now, in new remarks, Dabb sheds light on how different the finale could have been under normal circumstances.
As reported by EW, the showrunner stresses that Dean would have always ended up in Heaven. Still, the show’s final moments were originally planned to have a much grander and celebratory feel that was made impossible given the guidelines regarding social distancing. You can read Dabb’s quote, which is included in the new commemorative book Supernatural 15 Seasons: The Crew Member’s Souvenir, below.
Dean was always going to end up in Heaven, and we were always going to see Sam’s life in fast-forward, but those final moments were supposed to take place somewhere else. When Bob Singer and I sat down to talk about season 15, and our inevitable end, we came up with something that felt like a fitting version of Sam and Dean’s Heaven: all the people the boys had met along the way (or, at least, those we could convince to fly to Vancouver) crowded into a re-built Roadhouse, as the band Kansas played our (official unofficial) theme song: ‘Carry on Wayward Son.’”
The finale does attempt to incorporate some of these aspects, as the Kansas song is featured prominently throughout, albeit it’s a much more muted farewell than what Dabb describes. The episode is focused heavily on the Winchester brothers, including only a brief appearance from Bobby (Jim Beaver). This led to a somewhat divisive response online. Some viewers felt that the minimal finale, with its attention zeroed in on the Winchesters, stayed true to the spirit of Supernatural. Others argued that Dean’s death was presented too bleakly and suddenly, leading to a stunted emotional response from audiences. A crowded, lively reunion would have likely helped to lessen this particular criticism. It would have also been interesting to see which characters might’ve cameoed in those closing moments.
Given the impressive run of Supernatural, with well over 300 episodes under its belt, the specifics of the finale ultimately mattered less than the memories and enjoyment which the show’s dedicated viewers experienced along the way. But, nonetheless, if the monster-hunting drama had managed to gather its expansive roster of recurring and minor characters, it would have served as a cool illustration of all the people that Sam and Dean helped on the road to their happy ending. It would have driven home, in a satisfying manner, that the Winchesters earned their own version of paradise.
Source: EW