While Supernatural ran for more than a decade, The Winchesters prequel series was not as lucky. The CW canceled the series on Thursday, along with the Kung Fu revival. Since The CW is now under Nexstar’s management, they have prioritized low-cost scripted shows and reality programs over costlier productions.
The Winchesters starred Meg Donnelly and Drake Rodger as Mary and John Winchester, the parents of Supernatural brothers Sam and Dean, as they fight monsters and search for their missing fathers. The show was developed by Robbie Thompson and also starred Nida Khurshid, Jojo Fleites, Demetria McKinney, and Bianca Kajlich. Jensen Ackles, who starred in Supernatural as Dean, narrated the series and served as an executive producer. Ackles’ wife, Danneel Ackles, was an executive producer, alongside Thompson, Glen Winter and David H. Goodman.
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Warner Bros. Television expected The Winchesters to be canceled, so the studio is already searching for a new home. The studio plans to be “aggressive” in its efforts, sources told Deadline. Considering Supernatural built up an incredible fan base during its 15 years on the air, it’s likely that fans will be just as aggressive with a “save the show” campaign.
The CW also canceled Kung Fu after three seasons. The series was inspired by the 1970s series of the same title and starred Olivia Liang as a Harvard dropout-turned-martial arts expert. Warner Bros. Television searched for a new home for Kung Fu but was unsuccessful, reports Deadline.
The only CW shows to survive Nexstar’s low-cost strategy so far are its biggest hits, Walker and All American. Walker Independence was already canceled, while Superman & Lois, All American: Homecoming, and Gotham Knights are still in limbo. Gotham Knights, a DC Comics-inspired series set in a Gotham City without Batman, is likely to be canceled after its first season.
Nexstar took a controlling interest in The CW last year, leaving Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery with 12.5% stakes each. The broadcaster plans to keep costs down by adding more unscripted shows to the schedule. They will carry over the previous strategy of filling in empty slots with international acquisitions. On Thursday, the network picked up the Canadian series The Spencer Sisters, which stars Lea Thompson and Stacey Farber as a mother-daughter duo leading a private detective agency.
“The Spencer Sisters is a charming new drama series led by the unforgettable Lea Thompson and rising star Stacey Farber,” The CW Entertainment President Brad Schwartz said Thursday. “We are thrilled to welcome this dynamic pair to The CW this fall in an entertaining procedural that will appeal to multiple generations of amateur sleuths.”
