Supernatural is getting a cast-led rewatch podcast
Series mainstays Richard Speight, Jr., and Rob Benedict will host the show, with appearances from both Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki
At 327 episodes—produced across 15 years of TV—there are very few shows out there than can match former CW series Supernatural in duration or, uh, intensity of fan base. So it’s not wholly surprising to learn today that the show’s producers have decided to get in on the increasingly popular “cast of the show re-watch it and then podcast about it” trend, tapping series co-stars Richard Speight, Jr., and Rob Benedict to host Supernatural Then And Now.
The thing about the cast-led recap show is that it’s a very efficient format, combining the standard appeals of a rewatch podcast (a blend of nostalgia, genuine appreciation, and occasional critique) with the feeling of getting an insider’s look at how a beloved show operated. (The fact that the hosts’ address books come pre-loaded with relevant guest stars doesn’t hurt.) Also, this particular project will keep Benedict and Speight in episodes through—at a week per episode—the next 6 years. Always nice to have a steady gig.
Benedict appeared in 20 or so episodes of Supernatural across its mammoth run, playing a character who was eventually revealed to be God Himself. Speight, meanwhile, appeared in 12 episodes as a character initially called The Trickster, and who was eventually revealed to be the angel Gabriel. (Being on the air for 15 seasons means you get a lot of “eventually revealed”s.) Speight also served as a director on the series, ultimately helming 11 episodes from 2015 on.
And, yes: The press release for the show revealed that series stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, who played Dean and Sam Winchester respectively, will be the guests on the first two episodes of the podcast (respectively). No word yet on whether Mischa Collins, who played the show’s third lead, the angel Castiel, will also appear at some point—or whether the series will address apparent tensions between the leads that cropped up a few months back, when it was announced that Ackles was producing a prequel series, The Winchesters, without Padalecki’s involvement. (Padalecki later clarified his Twitter comments to The New York Times, reasserting his love for his TV “brother.”)