Although The CW's hit Supernatural lasted for a total of 15 seasons, even diehard fans can agree that the series wasn't always at its best over that impressive span of time, and arguably, after season 5 the show only got worse and worse. Supernatural is a paranormal mystery following Sam and Dean Winchester, brothers who fight impossible evils to save themselves and the world. While the show began as a procedural type series with a new monster every week, it expanded into vast worlds of demons and angels, eventually becoming something of its own universe.
Supernatural's outstanding amount of seasons aren't necessarily proof that the series was good for the entire time it was on the air. While there are many bright spots throughout, the show had many plateaus as well as bad parts that made sticking with it difficult. Those who watched Supernatural from the very beginning definitely did not get the same horrifying, dark show 15 seasons later. In this way, Supernatural got worse after season 5 because of the various ways the series changed at that time and beyond.
10 Supernatural Had Different Showrunners After Season 5
The top reason why Supernatural became worse after season 5 in particular is because of certain staff changes that occurred at this point. From the start, Eric Kripke was the creator and main showrunner of Supernatural. He gave the show its dark, grungy ambiance and horror-centric themes. However, after season 5, Eric Kripke left Supernatural. He had no ill will towards the show but rather had a five-season plan that he successfully fulfilled. Therefore, having completed his goal, Kripke left the series with Sera Gamble as the new showrunner.
Unfortunately, after Kripke left, the series not only lost some of its previous ambiances but also its organization. After season 5, Supernatural went through four more showrunners. Sera Gamble managed seasons 6 and 7, Jeremy Carver had seasons 8 through 11, and Robert Singer and Andrew Dabb were in charge of seasons 12 to 15. In this way, Supernatural was shaken up every few years. Although these showrunners had plenty of experience with the show, they couldn't possibly replicate the magic that had pulled audiences in with Kripke's first five seasons.
9 Supernatural Became Less Horror-Based In Later Seasons
Another side effect of Eric Kripke leaving Supernatural was that the series became less horror-based. Where Kripke had the original plan to make Supernatural horror, this occurred less and less over the years. This can be seen clearly when comparing season 1 to season 15. While the later seasons of Supernatural do have disturbing storylines, the first five seasons are particularly scary. In fact, some of the show's scariest episodes originate from the early seasons of the series. Kripke's focus on horror made Supernatural stand out from other series at the time and the later push away from horror likely hurt the series.
8 Sam & Dean's Supernatural Story Became More Repetitive
Being a procedural series, it wasn't hard for Supernatural to fall into the same old routines. Unfortunately, this was not only true for the episode structure but also for the show's main characters. Sam and Dean Winchester are fairly archetypal characters: Sam is the black sheep who is comionate and independent while Dean is the perfect soldier who can be stubborn but emotional. With these descriptions guiding them, the characters don't see a lot of development, even over 15 seasons. In contrast, events usually happen to them rather than them taking action and changing their ways. In this way, the same arguments simply occurred over and over again.
7 Supernatural Drifted Away From Its Original Format
Furthermore, while Supernatural began as a procedural series, it eventually drifted away from that familiar format, focusing more on its overarching storylines. In one way, this could be seen as shaking things up, however, it also changes an integral part of what makes Supernatural enjoyable. Although the main arcs are exciting, much of the series' joy and surprise comes in the filler, monster-of-the-week format. Like the horror aspect, the procedural part of Supernatural made it unique, and without it, the show became something entirely different from where it began.
6 Few Supernatural Villains Could Match Lucifer & Azazel
Another major issue Supernatural faced after its first five seasons were the villains. In seasons 1 and 2, the Winchesters faced Azazel, a yellow-eyed demon responsible for their mother's tragic death, and later, their father's. Though not the most powerful villain in Supernatural history, Azazel was scarier than the monsters they had previously chased, and they had a serious reason to hate him. Furthermore, season 5's Lucifer had power that made it seem like nothing could possibly be worse. In a way, this proved true. Although later seasons of Supernatural introduced its strongest villains including Leviathans, angels, and even God, nothing could sur being tracked by the Devil himself.
5 Supernatural Killed Too Many Of Its Beloved Characters
While Supernatural season 3 offered a major twist by sending Dean to Hell, the series' attempt to recreate this sense of shock only dug them into a bigger hole. Supernatural is known for killing off its characters, and in fact, only a handful of the show's characters actually survived by the end. While this tactic can help raise stakes and add drama, it only hurt Supernatural after a while. In a sense, audiences couldn't relax as every new character they saw met the same tragic fate. Plus, when it came to the Winchesters themselves, they always seemed to drag themselves back from death, making their demises meaningless after a while.
4 Supernatural Struggled With Plot Holes
After 15 seasons, it would be nearly impossible for Supernatural to not suffer from plot holes, and suffer it did. Fans haven't held back on pointing out a variety of storylines that could've raised the stakes but ultimately went nowhere. For example, the Colt was a weapon introduced early on in Supernatural that was able to kill anything. However, at a certain point during the series, the gun disappeared entirely. Where it could have been used to kill the Winchesters' biggest enemies, it simply was gone. Furthermore, a massive Supernatural plot hole is that Sam and Dean were being followed by the FBI, a plot that miraculously vanished later on.
3 The Supernatural World Became Too Vast (And Confusing)
As Supernatural drifted away from its procedural roots and became more focused on its own overarching storylines, the world of the series became much bigger. Writers introduced demons, angels, kings of Hell, and God himself. Around season 5, these pieces of lore were interesting and expansive. However, as the series went on, it only became more and more confusing. As more monsters appeared and more problems cropped up, it was hard to keep up with the constant threats. By season 15, Supernatural's world had gone beyond facts and simply made room for anything, including a Supernatural and Scooby Doo crossover. Rather than hooking the audience, it drowned them in information.
2 Supernatural's Stakes Were No Longer Scary
Despite trying to expand upon their world and add bigger, meaner demons, at a certain point, Supernatural's stakes weren't scary anymore. As previously mentioned, Sam and Dean cheated death so many times before, it felt inevitable that they would find a way to survive. Whereas season 5 felt like the world truly could end, later seasons had little doubt that the Winchesters would find some way through it. This is mostly a product of the length of the show and less about the writing of the series itself. It is extremely difficult to keep the stakes high in such a long-running world. At a certain point, the options run out.
1 Supernatural Had A Disappointing Ending
Ultimately, Supernatural could have ended with season 5 and this would have made for a fine ending. It definitely would have been different from the disappointing end fans received at after season 15. The way Supernatural really ended felt anticlimactic and bland. It didn't live up to the cool, dark characters that had begun the series or fans' expctations. Then again, if the series had ended with season 5, audiences never would have gotten the amazing parts of the other ten seasons. Either way, one of Supernatural's biggest failures post-season 5 was its series finale.
Although Supernatural could be described as overdone, and in some ways it was, the series was still amazing and a staple for many viewers. Supernatural after season 5 certainly wasn't all bad, and its continuation allowed for some unforgettable episodes. In this way, the series is a mixed bag. However, it's hard not to wonder how things could have been different for Supernatural if they could be done all over again.