Supernatural is the CW network’s longest-running fantasy sci-fi series to date, and without a doubt, it will remain that for quite some time. Beloved by millions all over the world, the show became a significant part of many lives. Airing for 15 years, it’s safe to say it left quite an impact on those who watched it.
But, as with any long-running series, it had its highs and lows throughout the seasons. If you were to put a dozen SPN fans in a room together and ask them to name their favorite season from the show, you’re a different answer from each of them. The diversity and uniqueness of some of its storylines just means that what may be the best to one Supernatural fan could be the worst to another. Rotten Tomatoes has every season on their Tomatometer and an audience rating, but their varying scores may very much surprise you.
Supernatural
- Release Date
- September 13, 2005
- Creator
- Eric Kripke
- Seasons
- 15
15 Season 8
Original Air Date: October 3, 2012
The final episode of Supernatural‘s 8th season may be one of the most emotional finales of the entire show, not to mention having one of the most heartbreaking moments between the brothers. In the effort to close the gates of hell forever, Sam (Jared Padalecki) grew weaker and weaker as the season progressed, making for a very emotional season.
Despite the heavy, emotional aspects of Season 8, like all of them, it had its high points. With some comedic entries, monster-of-the-week, and plot-heavy episodes, it made for an enjoyable storyline. However, according to audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, it wasn’t anywhere near the best. With one of the lowest audience scores, second only to the 12th, it is rated at 54%, with a Tomatometer rating not much higher at 67%.
14 Season 14
Original Air Date: October 11, 2018
The penultimate season of Supernatural centered on the fallout from the Season 13 finale. After Dean (Jensen Ackles) enlists alternate universe Michael to assist in taking down Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) once and for all, things take a disastrous turn when Michael takes control over Dean. Dean has been the confirmed one true vessel of the Archangel since Season 5, so completely ridding him of Michael wouldn’t be an easy process.
The quality of the 14th season received mixed opinions, with some liking it and some thinking it was on the lower end of its potential for greatness, and this proved evident in its Rotten Tomatoes scores. While critics gave this an 83%, audiences only gave it a 63%, making it the third lowest-rated in their eyes.
13 Season 1
Original Air Date: September 13, 2005
«Dad’s on a hunting trip. And he hasn’t been home in a few days.» That was it. We were hooked from the moment Dean Winchester uttered that short sentence in the pilot. They really did have us from the get-go, didn’t they? Season 1 primarily focused on finding the boys’ father, John (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), after he suddenly disappears. In the meantime, in classic SPN fashion, the «monster of the week» episodes would fill the gaps and make for an entertaining mix.
The show’s earlier seasons are often dubbed the best, and its first is no exception. An introduction to the main characters, the world of monster hunting, and the Winchester family business will always be high points of the entire series. You can’t beat the «first watch» feeling, can you? As a result, Season 1 has one of the highest audience scores of the entire series, third only to Seasons 2 and 3, sitting at 91%, while critics place this only 4% lower at an impressive 87%.
12 Season 4
Original Air Date: September 18, 2008
Following the previous season’s events, fans were left shaken. It was tough to watch. But Season 4 started with Dean miraculously back, alive and well, with but a scratch on him, aside from a somewhat menacing red handprint on his shoulder. The season was the first to explore angels within the show, and from there, it spiraled to what the series became in later seasons
But if the introduction of a certain beloved Angel wasn’t enough to pin this season on a high for you, what was? It had its highs and lows like every season, but what made it either one of the worst or best to you? According to critics, it earned 88% on the Tomatometer, whereas audiences placed it slightly lower at 69%.
11 Season 3
Original Air Date: October 4, 2007
Supenatural‘s third season saw the Winchesters battle through a shorter, albeit jam-packed, season. As the show’s only one to consist of 16 episodes as opposed to its usual 22, there was a lot more to cram into less, but they did it incredibly well. Focusing on Dean’s deal to resurrect Sam in the previous finale, it was a rollercoaster of emotions to try and keep Dean from going to Hell.
Despite Season 2 beating it out on the Tomatometer, Season 3 of Supernatural was the most popular for fans. It earned a whopping 95% score from its audience, making it only one of two seasons to breach the 90% range. In the eyes of critics, it was just as good, coming in at 88% on the Tomatometer.
10 Season 11
Original Air Date: October 7, 2015
Season 11’s main focal point was finding the Darkness after removing the Mark of Cain from Dean’s arm at the end of Season 10, releasing her. A being so powerful that God himself banished and locked her away meant that the Winchester brothers needed to do whatever it took to prevent her from causing destruction.
The first of the Supernatural seasons to drop just shy of a perfect 100% Tomatometer score came with number 11. The season had some lovable episodes and shocking reveals, but it just couldn’t beat out the likes of earlier seasons from the show. Audiences gave this one a 70%, while critics disagreed and gave it a 90%.
9 Season 12
Original Air Date: October 13, 2016
Season 12 of this long-running fantasy show followed Sam and Dean’s continued story after their mother, Mary (Samantha Smith), was brought back to life in the Season 11 finale. As a backdrop to the «our mother is back from the dead» situation, the British Men of Letters made a not-so-subtle introduction to the boys’ lives, bringing nothing but trouble for the Winchesters.
Despite some undeniable high points for this season, Season 12 remains one of only two in the entire series to obtain a rotten audience score. However, critics and audiences couldn’t disagree more when it comes to this one, as the audiences gave a shockingly low 48%, and the Tomatometer gave it a perfect 100%, albeit based on only ten critic ratings.
8 Season 13
Original Air Date: October 12, 2017
Kicking off the season with the hunt for the spawn of Lucifer himself might just have been the best way to grip an audience’s attention after a nearly five-month cliffhanger. Especially after the apparent death of one of Supernatural‘s most iconic characters. What followed was a season of shocking character returns and alternate universe exploration.
Between Archangel Gabriel (Richard Speight Jr), Bobby (Jim Beaver), and Charlie (Felicia Day), Season 13 had plenty of great characters come back. Not just that, if featured in the crossover episode «Scoobynatural,» one of the best things to come out of the series. Surprisingly, Season 13 only sits at a 64% audience score, whereas critics place it with a 100% Tomatometer score.
7 Season 10
Original Air Date: October 7, 2014
For any show to make it to the 10 seasons is a very impressive achievement. By the time Supernatural reached that milestone, the Winchesters had accomplished a lot. Fighting the devil himself, encountering the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, cheating death a number of times, and going to Hell and back, to name a few. Halfway through Season 9, Dean took on another burden, that of the Mark of Cain, and season 10 further explored Mark’s history and its impact on Dean.
Season 10 of SPN had some very story-driven episodes throughout, primarily focusing on any way possible to rid Dean of the Mark. The storytelling was up there, but the loss of an incredibly loveable character could well have been a primary reason why it didn’t sit too well for some fans. The Tomatometer places Season 10 at 100%, but audiences place it at just 67%, leaving it as one of the shows lowest rated by audiences.
6 Season 15
Original Air Date: October 10, 2019
The fifteen-year journey of the Winchester family business ended with Supernatural‘s fifteenth and final season in 2020. A bittersweet watch, as the looming thought of «it’s nearly over» was ever-present in our minds. Despite being the show’s last season, it did what it did best and kept fans entertained with an equal share of «monster of the week» episodes and a juicy plot.
There’s always an unnerving feeling of seeing how a show that’s been on for as long as SPN will ultimately end. Will it satisfy everyone? No, absolutely not. There will always be holes and unhappy fans, but you can never tie up every loose end. The final season ranks at 100% on the Tomatometer with a 69% audience score.
5 Season 7
Original Air Date: September 23, 2011
Season 7 predominantly focused on the Leviathans, an unkillable group of ancient monster shapeshifters who were big into the world of eating people. Being almost invincible made them very difficult to kill, but when going up against the Leviathans, bring borax and a blade.
Like its predecessor, Season 7 was another one of either love or hatred among fans. There was no in-between. While it’s a little unreliable against the audience score, the Tomatometer rates this at 100% based on only five reviews. Audiences, however, ranked this at 73%, which is a little more understandable.
4 Season 9
Original Air Date: October 8, 2013
Season 9 of Supernatural saw the Winchester brothers up against a revived Knight of Hell and Castiel (Misha Collins) at an all-time high in his conflict with his fellow feathered friends. Although, when were they ever really on good terms with each other? After the angels fell at the end of the Season 8 finale and Sam was left clinging to life, the road ahead looked bumpy for this wayward family.
Some brilliant episodes, a gripping plot, familiar faces, and perhaps one of the most shocking cliffhangers from the show kept viewers hooked throughout its entirety. The ninth season of this decade-and-a-half-long fantasy series places at a perfect 100% Tomatometer score, with its audiences giving it a just as impressive 74%.
3 Season 6
Original Air Date: September 24, 2010
Season 6 had plenty of mixed feelings from viewers. Despite its rocky reception, it had some brilliant high points and forever memorable episodes, including «Weekend At Bobby’s» and the fourth-wall-breaking «The French Mistake.»
Its popularity among fans wavers, but despite its ups and downs throughout the season, and considering it wasn’t technically supposed to exist, it didn’t do too badly, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Season 6 comes in at third with a 77% audience score and a perfect 100% on the Tomatometer, albeit only scored by six critics.
2 Season 5
Original Air Date: September 10, 2009
To many, this is Supernatural‘s best season. Season 5 followed the repercussions of the Season 4 finale, in which Sam, under the influence of Ruby (Genevieve Padalecki), killed Lilith and released Lucifer from his cage. Aside from the Season 4 introduction of angels, this was somewhat of a turning point for SPN and, from then on, featured supernatural beings of higher power instead of your average ghosts, shapeshifters, and demons.
What was supposed to be the finale had its ending slightly changed when the show was renewed for another season, which, in turn, paved the way for its future. For a lot of people, the way it ended would’ve been a great way to say goodbye. Despite its ending that never was, Season 5 remains one of the best in the opinions of many. It sits at 100% on the Tomatometer with a 79% audience score.
1 Season 2
Original Air Date: September 28, 2006
Until the end of…