Eric Kripke revealed his genius modus operandi with his ginormous writer’s room that delivered some of the best episodes for CW’s Supernatural.

Having a talented group of writers behind any show is always the goal for any showrunner worth his salt. Eric Kripke is no different, being responsible for some of pop culture’s most relevant properties. Especially when it came to Supernatural, which ran for a long time, Kripke was there for more than a fair bit of the show, churning out some of its best character arcs.

The Winchester Brothers || Credit: CW

When asked about how he ran his ship to deliver some of Supernatural‘s greatest moments, Kripke was quick to attribute his writer’s room, which was fairly extensive. However, speaking with Deadline, Eric Kripke opened up about how he kept all his writers in line, and what process he followed to keep such an extensive army of writers on track.

Eric Kripke was the only one who was allowed to say ‘no’

Supernatural showrunner Eric Kripke | Genevieve, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Eric Kripke had a very important rule in place to figure out which would be the best ideas in a writer’s room that could make it to the final product. The idea was that they would only say no, and people could make their case for why the no shouldn’t stick if they truly believed in what they had to say. Everybody got to put their thoughts on the table, but only Kripke had the authority to reject or approve an idea. Speaking with Deadline, he said:

I always give the same speech for every show, which is, ‘Now that we’re inside this room, there are no labels or levels. We’re all trying to figure this out. There’s only one asshole in the room, and that’s me. And no one in this room is allowed to say no, except me. So let’s just start talking. And if you think I’m wrong in saying no, you have to get in my face and tell me.’ That’s how good shows get made…the minute people stop saying no to you, your sh*t is terrible.

The idea was to invite a lot of fodder, which then Kripke and the team could chafe through to find what works and what does not. This system worked well for the Supernatural alum, given that it delivered an IP that lasted for a whopping 12 seasons, still thriving during the time of streaming. Further, it can be assumed that a similar approach is being taken with The Boys, which has been taking the internet by storm with each new season.

Eric Krpke will be reuniting with yet another Supernatural alum in the final season of The Boys

Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki in the finale of Supernatural Season 5 | Credits: Kripke Enterprises

Kripke first cast Jeffery Dean Morgan as the ruthless manifestation of the devil on Billy Butcher’s shoulder. He then cast Jensen Ackles as the traumatized Supe Soldier Boy. Kripke will now reunite with yet another Winchester on the set of The Boys as Jared Padalecki has been confirmed to be a part of The Boys‘ final season.

The actor might get a chance to reunite with his onscreen brother Jensen Ackles as the actor is also likely to return for the final season of the show after sitting Season 4 out. Jeffery Dean Morgan will definitely be part of the final season as the voice in Billy Butcher’s head, manifesting as the latter’s former colleague Joe Kessler, coaxing him to be his most ruthless self.