Sam & Dean Winchester's Supernatural Return Is Doing What The TV Series Never Could

Published Aug 25, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT

Faith Roswell is a Senior Writer on Screen Rant's Classic TV team. Since earning her degree in Creative Writing over a decade ago, Faith has written articles on film and TV from a variety of different angles. Faith now combines her knowledge of psychology with her love of monster movies to give more insight into what makes the best ones. 

You may have read her Screen Rant lists and features covering horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, or read her Amazon Top 10 book, "Movie Monsters of the Deep."

Faith has had an extensive career as a writer, appearing on BBC live radio, researching true crime for Rotten Mango podcast, and writing for publications including Mental Floss, Atlas Obscura, and The Daily Jaws before beginning here at Screen Rant. 

Supernatural's return has been highly anticipated and while this has not yet been in the form of a Supernatural season 16, the story transferring to another medium has allowed for a level of creativity that the TV show never managed to achieve. The series had a surprisingly low-key start, beginning with a "monster of the week" format that placed the relationship between Sam and Dean Winchester front and center. However, the concept grew over time, becoming something much more ambitious, until Supernatural's 15 seasons were counted among some of the greatest fantasy epics of all time.

Supernatural's fantastic ensemble cast allowed the series to grow in popularity, with a fanbase that remains just as passionate to this day, and this has resulted in some unexpected projects. Supernatural is returning with two separate spinoff series in the form of the comic books of the same name, and they are about to make a bold new decision that the TV show never managed. The upcoming comics will mark the end of an era for the epic story, splitting up the Winchester brothers for what looks to be a significant amount of time.

Supernatural Never Managed To Split Sam & Dean In The TV Show

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The relationship between Supernatural's Winchester brothers is part of the show's enduring appeal. The transition from episodes centered on wisecracking and monsters to hard-hitting emotive storylines and high-stakes situations was a masterclass in storytelling, and Supernatural's best episodes have left a legacy that keeps the show attracting new audiences, even today. That said, it is the unparalleled connection between Sam and Dean that has Supernatural ranking among the best fantasy series of all time. This is likely why the brothers were never truly separated during the TV show's run.

The brothers did occasionally go their separate ways, but this was rarely shown onscreen. Instead, if the story required Sam and Dean to separate, the show tended to do this through time skips and storylines that continued between seasons, rather than continue the series without the brothers working as a duo. The only exceptions have been when one of the brothers has been possessed, and these have generally enhanced the story, highlighting the skills of Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as actors, with the two portraying other characters and showcasing Supernatural's many nightmare-fuel monsters.

When Supernatural returned through Dynamite Comics, the series took the show's format back to its roots, returning to a "monster of the week" format." However, the 48-page Wayward special is set to start a new era for the brothers, with the description explaining, “Sam and Dean Winchester are bound by blood and purpose – so what horrible, hellish forces could drive these brothers to travel separate roads?” This cryptic hint takes a risk, changing the central dynamic, but it could maintain interest in the story through an approach that the TV show may not have managed to make work.

Sam & Dean's Chemistry WAS Supernatural

Supernatural's focus on the brothers' dynamic made the two a package deal, which is a major contributing factor in why storylines involving characters like Castiel were so well-received. Newer characters had to be interesting in their own right, but also fit into Sam and Dean's world. Castiel became another member of the family, without undermining the central relationship that served as the foundation for every storyline in Supernatural's 15-season run. The chemistry between the actors came to define the show, and without this core, Supernatural's three polarizing endings could not have been as emotive as they were.

Dynamite comics' Supernatural special, Wayward, is due out on September 2, 2026, and will form the starting point for the two spinoffs.

Sam and Dean's love, emotional turbulence, and occasionally hilarious moments had become inseparable from Supernatural, and it would not have been possible for them to part while still keeping the series the same. This is where the comics have an advantage, as they can experiment with the story without risking canon, as the comics take place early in the timeline. Sam and Dean's chemistry was Supernatural, but this new chapter adds to the show's lore rather than changing it, and with this in mind, it may be time to see what happens when the brothers strike out on their own.

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  Sam Winchester

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  Dean Winchester

Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their '67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.