'Supernatural’s' Worst Episode? The Failed Spin-Off That Fans Couldn't Save

Across 15 seasons and 327 episodes, Supernatural delivered plenty of highs — and a few undeniable lows. But one episode in particular has gone down as the show’s biggest misfire.

Fans widely agree that Season 9, Episode 20, titled Bloodlines, is the weakest of the entire series. Intended as a backdoor pilot for a spin-off, the episode fell so flat that the new show was cancelled before it even launched.

What went wrong with Bloodlines?

The episode swaps out Sam and Dean’s usual demon-hunting antics for a mix of crime drama and fantasy. In Chicago, the brothers discover that five monster clans secretly rule the city. They meet Ennis Ross, a young man on a revenge mission after his girlfriend is killed.

After helping him track down the murderer, the Winchesters leave town, and Ennis is left to face the brewing war between the clans. The episode ends with a visit from his supposedly dead father, warning him not to get involved.

So why did fans hate it?

• It pushed the spin-off too hard. Rather than advancing the main plot, the episode felt like a forced advertisement for another show.

• The story felt generic. Even for Supernatural, the monster gangs seemed oddly out of place.

• The new lead didn’t click. Ennis lacked the charisma of the Winchesters, and viewers simply didn’t connect.

The planned spin-off would have focused on the monster families of Chicago. Four were introduced in the episode, with sirens teased as the fifth — had the show gone ahead.

Instead, The CW scrapped the idea, and Bloodlines remains a curious footnote in Supernatural history. It currently holds the lowest rating of any episode on IMDb: just 5.8/10.