Eric Kripke's Supernatural began as an idea heavily inspired by the 1970s horror show Kolchak: The Night Stalker and the animated series Scooby-Doo. During a crucial pitch meeting, Kripke improvised the final concept of two brothers hunting monsters across America. This version secured approval and led to a 15-season run on The CW.
Early Inspirations
Eric Kripke drew significant influence from Kolchak: The Night Stalker, a short-lived ABC series from 1974-1975 that followed an investigative reporter tackling supernatural mysteries in Chicago. In a 2014 Variety interview, Kripke described his initial pitch as a direct imitation, blending elements of that procedural horror format with the group dynamic from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!. He envisioned a team of young investigators traveling in a van to confront urban legends, an concept he refined over years of unsuccessful pitches.
Evolution to a Reporter-Led Story
Once Kripke secured a deal with Warner Bros., the idea shifted to center on a single reporter solving eerie cases, explicitly modeled after Kolchak. This version maintained strong monster-of-the-week structures similar to the original, but Kripke noted it still needed more depth, incorporating overarching mythology to distinguish it.
The Improvised Pitch That Sealed the Deal
Facing rejection in a meeting with The CW executives, Kripke spontaneously reimagined the premise. He proposed framing it like the classic Route 66, with two charismatic brothers driving a vintage car through the country, pursuing folklore creatures while navigating family conflicts and battling evil forces. 'And they're brothers,' Kripke recalled adding on the spot, which resonated strongly. The network embraced this sibling-driven narrative, greenlighting the series that premiered in 2005.
Supernatural's protagonists, Sam and Dean Winchester, often adopt disguises like reporters or agents to gather intelligence on their hunts, echoing the investigative roots. The show ran for 15 seasons, concluding in 2020, and inspired a prequel spin-off, The Winchesters, in 2022. Notably, it crossed over with Scooby-Doo in a 2018 episode, tying back to Kripke's early influences.