Nathan Fillion’s 8-Part Crime Thriller Confirms Its Exciting Connection To Supernatural

2 hours ago 5

Published May 2, 2026, 9:01 AM EDT

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Through an unexpected reveal, it has been confirmed that cult-favorite Supernatural has an exciting connection to Nathan Fillion's hit crime thriller. It has been six years since The CW series wrapped up its run. Both Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles have done other high-profile projects, such as Walker, The Boys, and Tracker, and yet, they remain firmly tethered to the legacy of Supernatural. Luckily for fans, the actors are more than happy to continue being tied to Dean and Sam Winchester.

It helps that Padalecki and Ackles developed a genuine bond during their filming days of Supernatural. So, it makes it easy for them to come out together. They continue to appear at fan conventions, occasionally with Castiel actor, Misha Collins. Meanwhile, the series remains very popular on streaming, both for old viewers doing rewatches or for a new generation of fans, entering the world for the first time. Amid these, however, one of the most intriguing references to Supernatural is through Nathan Fillion's The Rookie season 8.

The Rookie Season 8's Documentary Episode Confirms Supernatural's Existence

As The Rookie entered its final stretch of the 2025-2026 TV season, it brought back one of its signature episodes via "Survive the Streets." In the outing, the documentary-style storytelling returned, with John Nolan and the rest of the squad sitting down with a media crew to tell the story of "a possible suicide that spirals into conspiracy." Despite the divisive response to this format after being utilized on the show for several years now, it doesn't seem like ABC is giving up The Rookie gimmick anytime soon. That said, there was one bright spot from the episode — the surprise appearance of Padalecki and Ackles.

The cameo was brief but very much appreciated by anyone who is still in love with Supernatural. In their appearance, the duo was interviewed for this year's The Rookie documentary episode in light of their 15-year experience playing demon hunters in The CW cult classic. Despite how short their appearance was, Padalecki and Ackles brought their A-game to it and even engaged in their signature witty banter. Most importantly, however, this confirmed that Supernatural exists in the same reality as The Rookie does. T

Will Jared Padalecki & Jensen Ackles Return In The Rookie?

Admittedly, The Rookie season 8, episode 15 is perhaps the worst outing of the 2025-2026 TV cycle for the ABC procedural thus far. This is a shame, considering that it has done a great job making sure that each episode is unique and creative throughout the year. However, if doing the documentary-style outing paves the way for Padalecki and Ackles to actually be in the series for a more prominent involvement, then it's safe to say that it will be worth the backlash.

For now, seeing them again this season is nearly impossible. The Rookie season 8 only has a couple of episodes left before it wraps up its run. However, since it's already renewed for the 2026-2027 year, ABC has more than enough time to recruit the Supernatural stars again for a potential bigger role. Realistically, a regular stint in the series is off the table, but since The Rookie has made a name for itself for its high-profile recurring characters, maybe it can find something similar for the pair.

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