changed dramatically over the years, as it transitioned from a story of two brothers hunting to a battle between the Winchesters and God himself. At the end of the day, though, family always comes first on the beloved CW series. That's why it was truly shocking when Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who played Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean's (Jensen Ackles) dad, John, left the series at the beginning of season 2.
There were no hard feelings between Morgan and his co-stars or the creatives behind the scenes — in fact, he remains close to Padalecki and Ackles to this day. Instead, his exit was simply a matter of timing. to blow up when he landed , and scheduling conflicts kept the original Papa Winchester from making a proper return until the show's 300th episode.
Way back in 2008, writer Sera Gamble explained to that Morgan's busy career made a return unlikely. "We would love to have him back, but he's really busy. He's turned into a huge star over here!" she said. "There's always a chance. We would love to bring back the character if our schedules ever lined up, but I don't think anyone should hold their breath."
Over a decade later, Morgan finally made his triumphant return, but only after he became a major star in his own right.
During his brief stint as John Winchester, Morgan was also appearing on and . In 2006, he marveled at his good luck in an interview with the . "It's a complete switch, I'll tell you that," he said of balancing three roles at once.
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