YOU SAY?
universe.” Needless to say, Cas is glad to be back, and for a season that starts
with so much grief, his return will inject some light back into the show. “One
of my favorite things about the series is that it can bring levity to situations,”
Ackles says. “And I think that’s one of the reasons why this season we’re not
going full-mope.” Padalecki chimes in, “Never go full-mope.”
Which might explain why Scooby-Doo is around for season 13. Yes, that
Scooby-Doo. In the 2017 TV landscape where reboots are becoming the rule
and not the exception,Supernatural will be bringing back the beloved Great
Dane—notSupernatural’s first talking dog—and a van full of kids who share
the Winchesters’ passion for solving mysteries (but not their love of flannel).
“It’s going to be an episode ofSupernatural withScooby-Doo in it,” Dabb says.
“It’s not going to be an episode ofScooby-Doo with the guys in it. It’s more
adult than your average episode ofScooby-Doo.” And aside from a set of rules
the writers were given, Warner Bros. animation was fully on board to help
realize a dream that had long been discussed in the room. Dabb remembers
first hearing mention of an animated episode way back in season 4. “We have
ideas floating around sometimes for years before we use them,
and that’s the benefit of being on a long-running show.”
And thanks to that early season 13 renewal from The CW,
it had enough time to finally make that idea a reality.Being 13 (seasons old) also allowsSupernatural to learn
from its mistakes. The first episode after the midseason
break in 2018 will be a backdoor pilot for the show’s second
spin-off attempt. In 2014, the show attempted to set up a
( Clockwise from left ) Kathryn
Love Newton, Clark Backo,
Briana Buckmaster, and RhodesIn June, The CW announcedWayward Sisters,
a potentialSupernaturalspin-off—with a back-
door pilot set to air as part of the show’s 13th
season—about a group of troubled women
who’ve all been orphaned by supernatural trag-
edy. Led by the late Jimmy Novak’s daughter,
Claire (Kathryn Love Newton), and under the
training of sheriffs Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes) and
Donna Hanscum (Briana Buckmaster), they’ll
become a monster-fighting force. “This is an
opportunity to do something in the world of
Supernaturalthat has some of the sensibilities
ofSupernaturalbut addresses a lot of issues,
scenarios, and characters that are very differ-
ent,” EP Andrew Dabb says. It all begins when
Claire comes home. “Claire went out, she kicked
ass on her own, but a crisis will occur that will
force her back into the fold of the Wayward
family,” EP Robert Berens explains. And though
the show will have a similar feel toSupernatural,
one of its biggest differences is location. While
Supernaturalisaroadshow,Waywardwillbe
localized in Sioux Falls, S.D., a decision that
Dabb says allows them to create a real commu-
nity. “This is a place where romance can hap-
pen. Or rivalry,” he says. Speaking of which,
Claire arrives home to find that her caretaker,
Jody,hastakeninanewpsychicnamed
Patience (Clark Backo), the granddaughter of
Missouri Moseley (Loretta Devine), and she
won’t exactly be happy about it. Rounding out
the family is Alex (Katherine Ramdeen), the first
girl Jody took in and the closest thing she has
to a daughter, and Kaia (Yadira Guevara-Prip),
a new addition who has the ability to walk
between worlds in her dreams. “The story does
have a little more of a fantasy vibe,” Newton says
ofWayward. So why don’t Sam and Dean stop
by? Rhodes promises, “It’s made very clear why
this is happening without Sam and Dean,
although there’s a beautiful opportunity for
them to come visit.” After all, Jody’s door is
always open.—Samantha HighfillLOVE NEWTON: DIYAH PERA/THE CW; BACKO: BETTINA STRAUSS/THE CW; BUCKMASTER:LIANE HENTSCHER/THE CW; RHODES: KATIE YU/THE CW