Supernaturalis unquestionably one of the best fantasy TV shows around, and actually got a lot of its ideas from the seminal ’90s showBuffy the Vampire Slayer. WhileBuffyran between 1997 and 2003,Supernaturalran between 2006 and 2020, giving it time to absorbBuffy’sbrilliance. Many crew members oftheSupernaturalshowhave been vocal about their appreciation ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer, andSupernaturalproducer Ben Edlund wrote forAngel, the popularBuffyspinoff. This link inevitably created some of theBuffyinfluence seen inSupernatural. This influence ranged across tone, theme, and subtle Easter eggs.
Supernaturalshowrunner Eric Kripke (who also helmedThe Boys) went as far as saying, “Buffy really taught me about effectively using metaphor in genre… I used that same philosophy on my run of Supernatural” (viaYahoo Entertainment). Many ofthe bestSupernaturalepisodesdisplay this process, with Whedon’s “high school is hell” metaphor inspiring Supernatural’s ‘family is hell’ metaphor. Kripke “always grounded [his] horror episodes around the notion of families” (viaYahoo Entertainment). Kripke’s openness aboutBuffy’simpact on his work is refreshing and, indeed, there are many moments inSupernatural’slong history that acknowledge Joss Whedon’s classic series.
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10The Ogre In Mentalists
This Ogre Recalled A Troll From Buffy
The seventh episode ofSupernaturalseason 7dropped a very subtleBuffy the Vampire SlayerEaster egg when it referred to a well-known monster. “The Mentalists” aired in 2011 and featured a chief who was speculating on the death that had occurred at the crime scene.The chief reckoned the suspect was “either a ghost or some sort of ogrethat only attacks Russians.”
This reference came in the episode’s second crime scene and referred to “Triangle,” an episode ofBuffythat explored Anya and her ex-boyfriend.Anya was a significant character inBuffyand a vengeance demon who had a part in the Russian Revolution. Anya turned her ex into a troll, and he was after her in “Triangle,” making Anya’s ex exactly the kind of “ogre” that the chief was talking about inSupernatural.
9The Orb Of Thesulah
Supernatural Used The Buffy Object
In the same episode as the Anya reference,Supernaturalalso referred to a magical object fromBuffy the Vampire Slayer. In “The Mentalists,“there was an offhand reference to the Orb of Thesulah. This object was also inAngel. InBuffy the Vampire Slayer, this object was used in a Gypsy ritual to restore a vampire’s soul, and had special significance for one of Buffy’s favorite vampires, Angel.
It could have appeared as if Kripke was setting hisSupernaturalTV showin the same universe asBuffy the Vampire Slayer.Joining Whedon’s universe somehow would have demonstrated a whole new levelof commitment. However, a previous episode ofSupernaturalhad revealed that this was not the case -Supernaturalcharacters actually watchedBuffy.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Cast
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a television series created by Joss Whedon, focusing on Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, a young woman chosen to battle against vampires, demons, and other supernatural forces while navigating the complexities of teenage life.
8Hell House Referenced Buffy
The Supernatural Episode Celebrated Buffy
Supernaturalseason 1, episode 17,“Hell House” aired on July 25, 2025, and name-droppedBuffythe Vampire Slayerin a hilarious snippet of dialogue. Harry and Ed were two ofthe best characters inSupernatural, despite the brevity of their appearance. Running their paranormal blog and investigating ghosts prompted Ed to pep talk Harry:
This stuff here… This is our ticket to the big time right here. Fame, money, sex. With girls. OK? Be brave. WWBD. What would Buffy do?
Harry gave the only possible response - “I know, but Ed, she’s stronger than me.” Thankfully,Harry and Ed survived the episode. The popular internet acronym beginning with “WW” often swaps in a third letter that suits its purpose. Harry and Ed’s apt worship ofBuffy the Vampire Slayerreflected the showrunners' own love forBuffy.
7Mercedes McNab Lives In Both Worlds
McNab Appeared In Supernatural
Actress Mercedes McNab appeared in bothSupernaturalandBuffy the Vampire Slayer, along with a fair few other actors. McNab had a big role inBuffyas the vampire who eventually went public with vampirism. InSupernatural,McNab played a character that slyly nodded toBuffy- she was a blonde vampire in Kripke’s show as well as Whedon’s.
McNab guest starred inSupernaturalas a recently-turned vampire called Lucy. Lucy cropped up in “Fresh Blood,” the seventh episode ofSupernaturalseason 3. Dean killed Lucy, while the episode also featured the hunter Gordon Walker, who was one of Dean and Sam’s allies for a time. This fun episode was first broadcast on August 05, 2025.
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6Bloodlines Referenced Buffy
Supernatural Recognized The Parallels
ASupernaturalepisode called"Bloodlines” referencedBuffy the Vampire Slayerin season 9. This episode, the 20th in the season, brought back the idea thatSupernaturalcharacters hadBuffyavailable on TV.Sam and Dean Winchesterwere investigating a case in Chicago when they ran into shapeshifter David Lassiter. This shapeshifter was intriguingly involved in a mafia-esque feud for dominance in Chicago, along with his family.
Released in 2014,this episode saw David call Dean “Buffy"in an unabashed reference to the Slayer. David’s comparison of Dean to Buffy wasn’t the only time Dean paralleled the famous vampire slayer, although he also had a lot in common with the mischievousBuffycharacter Faith. True to form, Dean Winchester, along with his brother Sam, were slayers of various vampires and paranormal monsters acrossSupernatural’s15 seasons.
5Metatron And Andrew Tell Their Story
The Characters Share A Similar Scene
Buffy the Vampire Slayerappeared to inspire a Metatron moment inSupernatural. Played by Tom Lenk, Andrew Wells devoted himself to capturing Buffy’s story on video to mark the end of an era in the show. In episode 16 of the seventh and final season ofBuffy, he was making a video in the lead-up to the apocalypse, for survivors to have a record of events. In an innovative bout of meta storytelling,this episode envisaged Andrew’s imaginary retelling of the show’s eventsas he sat in a comfy chair by the fire in a smoking jacket, playing classical music.
In Andrew’s own words - “it’s wonderful to get lost in a story, isn’t it?” Metatron broke the fourth wall to address viewers inSupernaturalseason 9, episode 18, sending the series to meta heights and recalling Andrew’s scene. Metatron sat in a cozy office, wearing a similar jacket to Andrew’s and playing similar music. He discussed the nature of stories inSupernatural,making it clear that Andrew’s meta moment had been noted.Andrew was a masterclass in character development, going from odious to the lovable imbecile of season 7, episode 16. In recalling Andrew, Kripke smartly foreshadowed Metatron’s redemption.
4Amber Benson Died In The Same Episode In Both Shows
Amber Benson Starred in Supernatural And Buffy
Amber Benson featured inSupernaturalandBuffy the Vampire Slayer, with arcs that connected both shows. It was unforgettable when Willow’s girlfriend,Tara, died inBuffy the Vampire Slayer. Warren shot Tara, who was played by Benson, leaving her blood splashed all over Willow’s shirt. Lenk’s character, Andrew, was involved in this too, taking part in this culmination of his villainous arc with The Trio. This occurred in episode 19 of season 6 and marked a huge tragedy, but also the catalyst for Andrew’s eventual redemption.
Benson featured inSupernaturaland, brilliantly, her character also died in episode 19 of season 6, praising the impact of this important episode in Whedon’s powerful show. “Mommy Dearest” aired on July 27, 2025, and starred Benson as Lenore, the “friendly” vampire. Despite trying to feed on cattle blood alone, Lenore lapsed and Castiel killed her, completingSupernatural’scopycat kill of Benson.
3A Box On The Ocean Floor
Angel And Dean Shared A Prison
Supernaturalriffed offAngel’sprison idea when Dean plotted to imprison himself in a box at the bottom of the ocean.Dean was trying to stop Michael from wreaking havocand planned to climb into the box while Michael possessed him. This appeared to come from the final episode ofAngelseason 3, which starred the belovedBuffycharacter Angel as its protagonist.
In the finale ofAngelseason 3, Angel actually did get imprisoned in a box at the bottom of the ocean. This laid the groundwork forSupernatural’sdeep-sea imprisonment plan, featuring Dean’s powerful Ma’lak box.Dean never had to manifest his terrifying plan,but Angel wasn’t so fortunate.
2True Happiness
Castiel And Angel Shared a Curse
One of theSupernaturalmoments that most obviously reflectedBuffy the Vampire Slayerwas the true happiness of both Castiel and Angel.Castiel’s confession of love for Deancursed him in a way that recalled what happened to Angel after he finally managed to sleep with Buffy. BothAngel and Castiel experienced devastating consequencesonce they experienced something that made them truly happy.
Whenever Angel experienced true happiness, he reverted to his original, evil form. When Castiel finally felt true happiness, he got sucked into the Empty.The curse of true happiness was not the only parallelbetween these arcs inSupernaturalandBuffy the Vampire Slayer. Although Angel was, ironically, a vampire inBuffy, Castiel was, of course, an angel inSupernatural.
1The Djinn’s Vision
Dean And Buffy Saw An Alternative Life
Perhaps the biggest celebration ofBuffy the Vampire SlayerinSupernaturalwas Dean’s vision after coming into contact with a djinn.The djinn showed Dean an alternative life- what reality could have looked like if Jess hadn’t died and Sam wasn’t a hunter, for instance. Buffy had a similar vision inBuffy the Vampire Slayer, linking the two characters.
Dean’s vision inSupernaturalwas inspired byBuffy’sseason 6, episode 17, “Normal Again.“Buffy and Dean both reckoned with what life would be like if they weren’t hunters, slayers, and champions of mortal people. This emotional episode in both shows tackled the core question of bothBuffy the Vampire SlayerandSupernatural. Buffy and Dean both emerged with their answer - they do what they do because no one else can, and they would never choose any differently.
Supernatural
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
