Supernatural is an American television series created by Eric Kripke. It was first broadcast on September 13, 2005, on The WB, and subsequently became part of successor network The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the two brothers as they hunt demons, ghosts, monsters and other supernatural beings. Supernatural was in development for nearly ten years, as creator Kripke spent several years unsuccessfully pitching it. Along with Kripke, its executive producers included McG, Robert Singer, Phil Sgriccia, Sera Gamble, Jeremy Carver, John Shiban, Ben Edlund and Adam Glass. Former executive producer and director Kim Manners died during production of the fourth season.[5] Filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and in surrounding areas. The series was produced by Kripke Enterprises and McG's Wonderland Sound and Vision, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The pilot was viewed by an estimated 5.69 million viewers,[6] and the ratings of the first four episodes prompted The WB to pick up the series for a full season. Kripke planned the series for three seasons but later expanded it to five. The fifth season concluded the series' main storyline,[7] and Kripke departed the series as showrunner.[8] The series continued on for 10 more seasons with new showrunners, including Sera Gamble, Jeremy Carver, Robert Singer and Andrew Dabb.[9] With its eleventh season, Supernatural became the longest-running American live-action fantasy TV series.[10] The series was renewed for a fifteenth and final season that consisted of 20 episodes,[11][12] and premiered on October 10, 2019.[13] Supernatural concluded on November 19, 2020, with 327 episodes aired.