Supernatural's Failed Spin-Off Introduced A Monster Mafia

"Supernatural" set records for The CW during its 15-season run, with the monster-hunting exploits of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) earning the show a devoted fan base and impressive ratings for the network. With this success, it was only a matter of time until the series' creators had conversations about expanding the franchise, which eventually led to a canceled spin-off show in the form of "The Winchesters." However, the short-lived prequel outing wasn't the original plan for a new series set in this spooky universe, as evidenced by a backdoor pilot from season 9.

The episode in question, "Bloodlines," sees Sam and Dean team up with cop Ennis Ross (Lucien Laviscount) to take down mafia-esque monster families in the underbelly of Chicago. That said, the creatures do a pretty decent job of taking out each other, as a war is brewing between the vampires, werewolves, djinns, ghouls, and shape-shifters. The monsters also own the cops and run organ trafficking rings, all while spending their downtime hanging out in nightclubs hidden behind the walls of upmarket restaurants. What's not to love?

All of this was supposed to lead to a spin-off called "Supernatural: Bloodlines," which would have been spearheaded by long-term series writer/producer Andrew Dabb and centered around Ross and the city's competing monster clans. Despite boasting an interesting premise and being attached to a hit property, however, the project was canceled before it stood a chance.

"Supernatural" follows Sam and Dean as they travel across the United States saving people and hunting evil things. The failed spin-off series, meanwhile, would have kept the action in Chicago and followed Ennis Ross — now a formidable hunter in his own right — as he dealt with the Second City's monster families and their wicked exploits. During a conversation with TV Guide in 2018, Andrew Dabb explained why he and his fellow creatives wanted to make the spin-off feel more secluded to one place, especially compared to the more sweeping elements of its parent series:

"We wanted to do something set in the 'Supernatural' world but very unlike 'Supernatural.' At that point, 'Supernatural' [was] going strong. We didn't know when it was ending but it certainly didn't feel like it was on its way out and so we were really worried about taking any elements from the show."

Unfortunately, season 9 isn't the best installment of "Supernatural," so the enthusiasm for a spin-off wasn't high at the time. According to Dabb, the timing wasn't ideal either, as the show's setup was too similar to the since-canceled "Vampire Diaries" offshoot "The Originals," which follows a fanged family from New Orleans. Still, it's a shame that "Bloodlines" never materialized, as a monster-centric Mafioso saga sounds pretty awesome.