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Supernaturalremains one of the most feel-good shows in the genre. Despite running for fifteen seasons, it somehow managed to retain its loyal fanbase through the highs and lows. Everyone felt the bond in Team Free Will as they navigated through Werewolves, Shapeshifters, Angels, and even God himself. However, none of this would have been possible if Eric Kripke hadn’t taken a plunge with a failed show,Tarzan.
Developed by Eric Kripke,Tarzantold a modernized story of Edgar Rice Burroughs’Tarzanbut it didn’t really work out for anyone. The show was canceled just after eight episodes and instead of feeling disheartened, Eric Kripke was glad the ship sank before it sailed deeper into the waters. Luckily,Supernaturalended up being the lifeboat the man needed.
Eric Kripke and the show that was a hot mess
In the show that ran for 8 episodes in 2003, Jane Foster is an NYPD detective whose life turns upside down after meeting John Clayton aka Tarzan, who was being held against his will by his billionaire uncle, Richard. Interesting…
Surprisingly, the show received mixed reviews from critics but creatorEric Kripkewas not a fan. In an interview withCS Weekly, he calledTarzana“piece of cr*p”.He delved into the story behind the making of the show and stated that despite his disdain for it, he will continue to“stand behind”the first episode.
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Unfortunately, the problem was that the pilot had a beginning, a middle, and an end. Kripke didn’t know what more to do. However,“hungry”to have something in production, he went ahead with the show. Warner Bros. demanded twelve more episodes and Kripke found himself in a mess.
They were able to deliver eight total and then the show collapsed, putting Kripke out of his misery. He stated,
I had adapted another show for the WB, a piece of crap called Tarzan. Here’re my feelings on Tarzan: I’ll stand behind the pilot. It has a beginning, middle, and — the problem — it ends. I was hungry to have anything in production, so I wrote a 50-page story that ended.Then it got made and I had something in production and it was all my dreams come true. They said to me, ‘Let’s do 12 more.’ I said, ‘Uh, wait! What’s the story?; So, Tarzan was a hell ride in every way, and we only did eight before they wisely put us out of our misery.
So, how did this lead to the birth ofSupernatural? Well, WB saw Kripke’s dedication and the fact that he stood withTarzandespite it being a sinking ship and offered him a chance to do something he really wanted to do.
But I think Warner Bros. appreciated that I stood proudly on the deck of the Titanic with my violin and just played away. I never tried to dress as a woman and get off the boat… I just went right down with that ship. So they came to me the next year and said, ‘Thank you for developing Tarzan for us, but what idea do you want to do?‘
And that’s how the world was introduced toSupernatural– a story about two brothers standing steadfast against the world and building themselves a family that was thicker than blood.
Eric Kripke had a different version ofSupernaturalin his mind
Before Sam and Dean came into the picture, Kripke had imagined the urban legends being investigated by a reporter and not the very lovable hunter bros. When he pitched this idea to WB, they were not too keen on turning it into reality.
Nervous and put on the spot, Kripkelied through his teeth and switched up the narrative. The reporter investigating the supernatural became two brothers on a road trip, driving a muscle car. Now, this spoke to the studio, andSupernaturalwas born.
Eric Kripke: The “Single Biggest Change” in Original Supernatural Script Is Why Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s John Winchester Survived Season 1
Kripke stated,
I had in my back pocket an idea that was basically an exploration of American urban legends, an obsession of mine since back in elementary school. The pitch I took to them was a reporter who would go out and investigate these urban legends. They were all true, but no one ever believed them — basically a sub-par rip-off of Night Stalker. Warner Bros., to their credit, said, ‘We don’t want to do the reporter idea. What else you got?’
The reporter idea was all I had. I’d been working on it for weeks and it was very fleshed out and had its own mythology. I immediately started lying through my teeth and saying, ‘I do have another version of this idea where it’s Route 66… and it’s these two guys on a road trip… and they’re brothers! They investigate these urban legends as they drive from town to town in a muscle car.’ Warner Bros. sparked to that immediately. We took it to the WB and they bought it.
It looks like the fandom has WB to thank for introducing them to Sam and Dean Winchester! Can you imagine the show without the banter between these two? Neither can we.
Supernaturalis available to watch on Netflix.
Mishkaat Khan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2256
A connoisseur of all things horror, fantasy, and the occasional chick flick, Mishkaat has been penning pieces for FandomWire since 2022. She started off as an intern and has worked her way up to a Senior Writer with over 2000 articles to her name.Outside of entertainment, she has also written well-researched medical content as a freelance writer and has experience in social media management.When not writing, you can find her relaxing with a romance novel and a tall glass of iced coffee in her hand or watching re-runs of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘The Office.’
