America’s longest-running fantasy show is finally coming to a close with its fifteenth season. Supernatural, originally created by Eric Kripke, proved to be a goldmine for the WB (and later CW). It became a mainstay on the network, following the adventures of Winchester brothers, Sam and Dean, as they traveled cross-country hunting ghosts, demons, and more.
As the show went on, it introduced more religious themes, such as bringing in angels in its fourth season (this concept brought in Castiel, one of the most popular characters in the series) and later even Cain. After fourteen seasons of constantly upping the stakes, the Winchesters are tackling their biggest adversary yet: God. For long-time fans of the show, now is the best time to find other, similar series to fill the hole that Supernatural will soon leave.
Shadowhunters
Speaking of incredibly popular fantasy series, a good alternative to watch would be Freeform’s Shadowhunters. The series ran for three wildly popular seasons but was inexplicably canceled. Based on The Mortal Instruments novel series by Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters positively updated the stories for television and leaned hard into plenty of similar themes to Supernatural.
In it, Clary Fairchild finds out that her mother has hidden a whole different world from her: one that her mother Jocelyn and father figure Luke hail from, where a group known as Shadowhunters hunt demons and try to keep peace with the Downworlders.
Constantine
Another criminally short-lived series worth a binge would be NBC’s Constantine. In it, John Constantine (an exorcist and self-proclaimed master of the dark arts) traveled around to investigate paranormal claims and cast out demons with the help of psychic Zed and John’s long-time friend Chas, who is practically immortal.
Even with a cliffhanger ending, NBC cast out Constantine after one season. However, Matt Ryan’s portrayal of the character became so popular that he reprised his role in the Arrowverse, eventually becoming a recurring character on Legends of Tomorrow.
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Kolchak: The Night Stalker followed the titular Carl Kolchak, a reporter for a wire service, as he investigated claims of the strange and unusual. The series became a kind of cult-classic after a mere twenty episodes were aired, and the series became a strong influence for Chris Carter while he created The X-Files.
Kolchak is a classic supernatural series and stands among other greats like Night Gallery, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and The Twilight Zone. If fans of Supernatural are looking for a quieter form of scares to follow-up their favorite show, Kolchak would be a good place to start.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Following the immense success of Riverdale, it was announced that the powers-that-be would be making a sister series about Sabrina Spellman. Chilling Adventures was released on Netflix and became an instant success. Despite glowing reviews for its first three dark and campy parts, Netflix announced its fourth part would be its last.
Chilling Adventures follows Sabrina Spellman as she matures as a witch and challenges the rigid, sexist nature of her family’s coven and their worship of the Dark Lord — all while fighting to keep her life in the mortal world, with her friends and boyfriend Harvey Kinkle.
A Discovery of Witches
This contemporary-fantasy has little concerns when it comes to horrifying jump scares, but the premise is certainly one that would intrigue fans of Supernatural. It follows Diana Bishop, a witch, as she accidentally becomes entangled with a mystery surrounding an enchanted manuscript that the vampire Matthew believes could hold the answer to the origins of magical entities.
This grounded take on the horror/fantasy genre is a breath of fresh air, with gorgeous cinematography, an intriguing plot, and a fun central romance for fans to get attached to. The first season was such a hit that it was immediately picked up for two more.
Teen Wolf
Loosely based on the campy 80’s movie of the same name, Teen Wolf aired on MTV for six successful seasons. The series became a fan favorite, catapulting the series to a sort of cult status. It followed young teen Scott McCall as he navigated becoming a werewolf and protecting his small town from a variety of supernatural threats — and, of course, surviving high school.
There are many aspects to the show’s appeal: from fan-favorite characters such as Scott, Stiles, Lydia, and Allison, to the balance the show keeps between humorous and scary. No doubt, tonally, Teen Wolf would be a great replacement for Supernatural thanks to its brand of humor, emotional stories, and terrifying scares.
Charmed (2018)
In 2018, the CW rebooted the 90’s series of the same name (which has recently been in the news for less-savory reasons) for modern audiences. The series introduced fans to Latina sisters Mel, Maggie, and Macy as they discover they’re a group of incredibly powerful witches known as The Charmed Ones and must protect the world from the Harbinger.
The CW show has been renewed for a third season, and although fans of the original Charmed may be hesitant to try it, there’s a lot of heart to the series. It delivers in its promise to be a series for modern-day audiences with a focus on feminist ideals and by including various forms of representation, not to mention its emphasis on family, which continues and updates the original series’ legacy in a beautiful, meaningful way.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Another 90’s classic fantasy series that is a must-watch would be Buffy The Vampire Slayer, which was based on a charming movie of the same name. The series followed teenager Buffy Summers, who is the newest “Slayer”, a young woman who must protect the world from evil.
It became a huge success due to its heart, charm, slight camp, lots of scares, poignant storylines, and of course, the characters. From Buffy to Giles, there’s a character for everyone to fall in love with.
The Vampire Diaries
Based on the successful line of books by L.J Smith, The Vampire Diaries follows teen Elena Gilbert as she enters a new school year and quickly becomes entangled with vampire brothers Stefan and Damon.
A large part of the first season is Stefan and Damon’s rivalry, and the ongoing mystery of why Elena looks so much like Katherine, a vampire that Stefan and Damon fell in love with centuries prior. The series became a huge hit among CW fans and spawned several spin-offs including The Originals and Legacies.
The Haunting of Bly Manor
The internet has been going wild since Netflix released The Haunting of Bly Manor, another horror anthology series by Mike Flanagan and a follow-up to the incredibly popular The Haunting of Hill House.
It follows American governess Dani as she takes on a job at Bly Manor to take care of two young children. It has been praised for its emotional and poignant story, incredible performances from the cast (which includes several returning actors from Hill House), and scares.