Supernatural creator Eric Kripke left the show after season 5, but why did he exit the hit series? Beginning its run in 2005, the show was one of very few to survive the transition when The WB merged with UPN to become The CW in 2006. For many shows, the creator stepping away would’ve signaled the end, but for Supernatural, it wasn’t even the halfway point.
Considering the series began as two brothers on the road together “saving people” and “hunting things,” Supernatural has grown particularly epic in scope. The Winchesters have died on multiple occasions, visited alternate dimensions and traveled through time. They have killed Death, battled the devil, angels, and even God himself. After playing Sam and Dean Winchester for well over a decade, stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are ready to move on, so season 15 was planned as the show’s last. However, thanks to worldwide production shutdowns due to COVID-19, the Winchesters’ fight isn’t actually over yet. The show is currently on hiatus and the hope is for the final episodes to air this fall, effectively granting Supernatural a second final season.
So, why did Eric Kripke step down as Supernatural showrunner after season 5? Kripke told EW in 2010 the main reason he chose to leave was that he "felt like it was the right time." The CW wanted Supernatural to continue and Kripke had ended his story with season 5 finale, "Swan Song." He stepped aside, making room for someone else to tell stories in this universe, allowing him to focus on other projects as well. Kripke also cited the ion of Sera Gamble, who succeeded him as showrunner. He explained, "I really think after five years of all of my crap, to have someone who has a fresh perspective and a fresh energy on these characters and this universe is healthy for the show." Kripke remained attached to the series as a writer/executive producer for season 6, and then became an executive consultant.
Supernatural has changed hands several times since then, with Gamble running seasons 6 and 7, Jeremy Carver taking the wheel from seasons 8-11, and Robert Singer and Andrew Dabb co-running the show ever since. Kripke also responded to those who felt the show should’ve ended with season 5, saying, “My answer to that is time will tell…I the same kind of concerns when we bumped off Yellow Eyes in season 2. We killed their Big Bad and where were we going to go now? We always found a different place to go." He continued on, explaining how reinvention was a part of the show's DNA, which would allow it to continue to grow and change over time. For example, Kripke initially didn't want angels in Supernatural, but itted their introduction moved the show in new and exciting directions. Though that was a major paradigm shift for the series, the show has indeed continued to reinvent itself season after season.
While Kripke had something of a five-year plan mapped out for Supernatural, it was more barebones than many believe. The first five seasons of the show do have a very clear, beginning, middle and end, which can give the impression that season 5 was meant to be the show's last. The idea of Kripke's original plan has been somewhat exaggerated, and he was optimistic about the series continuing without him to begin with. There was always a hope for Supernatural to reach enough episodes for syndication — which it did with season 5 — and Kripke did have an idea of where he wanted things to go. However, the writers were worried every season would be their last in those early years, so much of what happened was written along the way, rather than mapped out very far in advance.
Any show that survives as long as Supernatural is going to have some seasons that are far stronger than others. The series has had both soaring highs and crushing lows since Kripke's departure, but it has also continued to push boundaries, always finding fresh Hell for the Winchesters to triumph over. When it comes down to it, fans will stick with Sam and Dean through anything. The brothers themselves have always been at the heart of the show and that has never changed. Although audiences will be waiting a bit longer for their ultimate fate to be revealed, hopefully, the Supernatural series finale will give viewers a satisfying conclusion.