It’s been over four years since Supernatural ended, and to this day, the WB/CW series remains one of the most rewatchable shows ever, even at 15 seasons. Streaming with a Netflix subscription, the show had a cult following that made it the longest-running show on The CW, capping at 327 episodes when it ended in November 2020. The fandom is still pretty loyal, as the frequent fan conventions can prove, but star Mark Sheppard doesn’t really like the current “idea of a fan” when it comes to the series.
Sheppard, who played Crowley, the King of Hell and enemy and sometimes ally to the Winchester brothers on SPN, appeared at MegaCon Orlando earlier this month with some of his fellow former castmates. While reflecting on the drama’s impact and how the show is a lot of fans’ “safe/comfort show” even after all these years, Sheppard got to talking about how fans is not really the correct term for the Supernatural family, revealing where the term “SPN Family” came from:
What makes it so different is — that’s why I hate the idea of a 'fan.' We always hated the word 'fan.' Fan comes with fanatic, it’s a negative, it’s always been a negative. Supernatural family is seeing what people do with other people in conjunction with the show. Sharing the show, sharing lives, doing stuff. My friends here do a lot of charity work, do a lot of things that they care about. It’s enormous. But you guys make it bigger. It’s not a normal thing. It’s a wonderful antidote, as far as I’m concerned, to the craziness in the world.
Many fandoms have names, and Supernatural is no different. The term SPN Family has been used for years. That’s what makes it all the more special and it shows just how close of a bond the cast has with the fans, or rather, the SPN Family. Although the show lost its way towards the end, especially when it came to the series finale, that doesn’t seem to put a damper on the fandom, which is good.
Since there is such a close bond, it makes the stories that come out of those convention appearances or even just on the street all the more sweeter. Jensen Ackles fans shared stories about meeting the actor last year, whether a random encounter, sharing what happened during an autograph signing, or speaking in a different language. Additionally, creator Eric Kripke previously revealed how blown away he is whenever people come up to him about Supernatural, even still after all this time.
Knowing how close everyone is makes the fact that prequel The Winchesters was canceled all the more disappointing because the show could have definitely ushered in a new era for Supernatural and the SPN Family. The show brought back several cast members, including Ackles and Misha Collins, among others, and it would have been fun to see how that multiverse would have continued. Really, it was another way to keep Supernatural going after 15 years, but at least the fandom doesn’t seem to be dying down any time soon.
Whether or not there’s another series in the Supernatural universe, it’s clear that the SPN Family won’t be going anywhere any time soon. Plus, with Ackles and Jared Padalecki busy with new roles, and Padalecki might be joining Ackles on The Boys, they are sure to continue following them and the rest of the cast wherever they may end up.
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