Supernatural Just Turned 20, And Eric Kripke And Jared Padalecki Celebrated With Sweet Posts (Though I Would Have Taken Some Rules To Live By, Too)

Saturday, September 13 marked the 20^th anniversary of Supernatural's debut on The WB. The pilot episode kick-started what would be 15 seasons of adventures with the Winchester brothers. Given the milestone, much of the cast and crew recently looked back at SPN’s legacy. Series creator Eric Kripke and co-lead Jared Padalecki celebrated with sweet posts, although I also would've been happy with some rules to live by.

Dean Winchester’s Rules to Live By are the core principles that Jensen Ackles’ eldest Winchester sibling, well, lives by. Those include protecting his little brother, staying off the grid and eating before a hunt. And, of course, there's the infamous, “Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole” stipulation. Even though neither Kripke nor Padalecki shared their own rules to live by, Kripke did share a lengthy message on Instagram alongside his original pitch for Supernatural to The WB:

Getting a visual representation of how Supernatural started and knowing what came of it is truly remarkable. I am curious to know where Dean’s rules came in as well, because they're not mentioned in the pitch, and it’s hard to imagine him without his core rules. Though, considering there are a few storyline pitches that ultimately didn’t get chosen, it’s not surprising that changes were made between the series' pickup and the start of production.

As for Jared Padalecki, he also shared a long message on Instagram alongside pictures of the pilot script and his sides from the table read all those years ago. Even though he also didn’t share any rules to live by, he did reference a pretty iconic quote that Sam would say on numerous occasions. It's ultimately a great alternative to the rules, and it conveys just how much the show means to him. (It also make me all the more excited for the upcoming SPN reunion on The Boys):

While it's definitely hard to believe that it’s been two decades since Supernatural aired, what's even more amazing is the staying power it still has. The show has gained a massive following over the years and, with all of the seasons being streamable with Netflix subscription, more fans -- young and older -- can still watch the Winchesters hunt down otherworldly creatures. All the while, of course, Dean drives and picks the music while also acting like an overprotective big brother.

As far as the show's legacy goes, Supernatural’s finale is still controversial due to how it ended and what was and was not included. It’s hard to please everyone, of course, and COVID also played a big part in how the episode shook out. At the very least, most of SPN’s run was memorable, though I still would've liked that Vampire Diaries crossover that was previously pitched.

Between the heartfelt brother moments, Dean’s rules, the action, the supernatural creatures, Team Free Will, and much more, Supernatural packed a lot into its 15-season run, and then some. What makes me smile is that those associated with the show, like Jared Padalecki and Eric Kripke, still has such affection for it. Fans will surely never forget their work -- as well as those rules to live by.