Did you know that the Supernatural series drew inspiration from this just 70s tv series

Supernatural had entertained its audiences for fifteen years, airing from 2005 to 2020. The show followed the story of brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, as they travelled through the United States, confronting ghosts, demons, and every monster imaginable. Supernatural became one of the longest-running fantasy dramas in American television history and is celebrated even today.

When fans discuss the origins of Supernatural, the two most discussed titles are The X-Files and Kolchak: The Night Stalker. But there’s another show from the late 1970s that seems to have shaped the show, which is The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.

The unexpected link between Supernatural and The Hardy Boys

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, which aired on ABC from 1977 to 1979, followed Frank (played by Parker Stevenson) and Joe Hardy (played by Shaun Cassidy) alongside Nancy Drew (played by Pamela Sue Martin). Each week, the teen detectives found themselves in conventionally scary places like graveyards, haunted mansions, or quiet towns that had dark secrets. Their investigations often revealed cursed objects or suspicious disappearances. However, by the end of the episode, most mysteries had a logical explanation rather than a supernatural one.

This setup was likely an inspiration for Supernatural. Like the Hardys, Sam and Dean Winchester also traveled from town to town, following rumors and local stories. The main difference was that the Hardy Boys faced villains who were humans, while the Winchesters had to deal with spirits, demons, and terrifying mythological creatures.

How Kripke's original pitch gives us hints

Eric Kripke, creator of Supernatural, shared his first pitch for the show in an interview with Variety, saying,

"A couple years later I tried to pitch, basically, a “Scooby Doo” rip off of a bunch of kids travelling in a van dealing with these urban legends. It was an idea that I never let go of and kept throwing there every couple years. Finally I had a deal with Warner Bros. and that incarnation was a reporter. Frankly, it was a rip off of “Nightstalker,” but I really fleshed it out and it had mythology."

Kripke also told Variety the final pitch he settled on at the meeting with Warner Bros.,

“...And I said, “forget the reporter, we should do this show as ‘Route 66,’ two cool guys in a classic car cruising the country, chasing down these urban legends,” and literally right on the spot I said “and they’re brothers,” because it popped in my head. “And they’re dealing with their family stuff and they’re fighting evil.”

That road-trip structure is similar to The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. Both shows feature characters leaving home, solving weekly cases, and dealing with how family obligations influence their choices. The parallels extend beyond the case-of-the-week style. Both shows also had a prioritised focus on father figures.

Similarities between the two shows

In The Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe’s father, Fenton Hardy, was frequently away on investigations, occasionally pulling his sons into his world. His absence and secrecy shaped their paths. In Supernatural, John Winchester’s influence was even more. John was often gone for a long time, which made Sam and Dean deal with a lot. In both series, the brothers were motivated not only by the external mysteries but also by the influence their fathers had on their lives.

Both shows also thrived on a familiar rhythm. Each Hardy Boys case usually wrapped up neatly by the episode’s conclusion, though hints of ongoing family issues remained. Supernatural had a similar format, with each episode featuring a new creature while consistently running a few other themes. Even the vehicles hint at the symbolism. The Hardy Boys’ mural-painted van had a lighter tone, while the Winchesters’ Impala symbolised weight, danger, and resilience.

Eric Kripke has never publicly confirmed The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries as a direct inspiration. Still, the similarities are too many. Haunted houses, cursed artifacts, absent fathers, and brothers on road trips are elements shared by both series. Once you spot these connections, they become impossible to unsee. While Supernatural presented a darker version of the core idea, incorporating demons, angels, and looming apocalypses, the foundation feels extremely familiar.

Supernatural is streaming on Hulu and Prime Video, and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries is streaming on Peacock.

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