The CW Passes on "Wayward Sisters" for Some Odd Reason

Thirteen seasons in and no signs of stopping, there is no doubt that Supernatural is The CW's most popular show right now and arguably, ever. But with more seasons behind them than in front, it would make sense for the network to take advantage of creative pathways to keep the Winchester Universe alive as well as hold on to their ever-faithful fans. 

The obvious way to do this would be through spin-offs. With a property like Supernatural, there are plenty of ways a series could go. It was attempted first back in 2014 with Bloodlines. But that idea felt forced and lazy and The CW was smart on passing on it. But fast forward to 2018 and there was a fresh new idea that easily would have kept the Supernatural fandom in a frenzy for years to come. That was Wayward Sisters. 

It followed fan-favorite Sheriff Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes) and a group of troubled young women, all of them orphaned by supernatural tragedy. Under Mills’ training and protection, the women will emerge as a supreme monster-fighting force. It also featured popular characters such as Sheriff Donna Hanscum(Briana Buckmaster) and Claire Novak(Kathryn Newton).

On paper, the idea sounded fantastic. When the backdoor pilot aired January, it was even better than I expected and incredibly promising. However, despite overly positive fan reception, when decision time came, The CW passed, killing another opportunity to extend the network's most popular property. 

This time though, the decision was confusing and more than irritating. From both a creative and business standpoint, The CW's judgment seems flawed. 

If you're not familiar with the Supernatural fandom, let's just say that what they've accomplished is remarkable. They saved the show from the TV-death sentence that is Friday night and has protected it ever since. The cast attends fan conventions, literally, every weekend(Their European "Jus in Bello" was this past weekend). 

But the best part about this fandom is that while they love themselves some Sam and Dean, they idolize the female characters on the show. From Mary Winchester to Charlie Bradbury to Jo & Ellen Harvelle, these characters have fierce fan followings. Heck, even Becky Rosen gets her share of fan love. 

A show like Wayward Sisters, with the cast and premise it did and a Supernatural fanbase that sways overwhelmingly female and the fact that it's 2018 where more woman headlining a show is a very good thing, would have easily been a multiple season run and an heiress apparent for when Sam and Dean eventually ride off into the sunset for good. 

Which may still happen but to balk on Wayward Sisters now, seems like a missed opportunity and another proverbial middle finger to Supernatural fans who have to watch yet another Vampire Diaries spinoff(Legacies) take flight.

However, there is hope on the horizon. A petition is being circulated to try and save the show. At the time that this column was published, they had almost reached their goal of 35,000 signatures. Also the hashtag, #savewayward is gaining steam. Fans of Brooklyn Nine-Nine saved their show from cancellation, maybe there's hope for Wayward Sisters. 

I, for one, hope The CW changes course and gives this show a shot. These characters deserve much better and something like this would be incredibly refreshing to see.