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Almost 20 years in the past, a fresh scary show premiered starring a pair of actors recognized for their different work. Although the initial broadcaster disappeared, that show, Supernatural, persisted much longer than anyone might have anticipated. The stars, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, turned their roles as ghost-hunting siblings into the heart of one of TV's longest-running and greatest horror series.

What allows Supernatural remain compelling, even across 15 seasons, is the sheer variety of horror it explored. Sometimes, it plays like a contained thriller, while different episodes feature large-scale, demon-infested battles between good and evil. On occasion, the series leaned into horror comedy territory. All of it, however, was firmly anchored in the powerful connection of brothers Sam and Dean Winchester. Their quest to defeat evil and the partnership that developed between them held viewer interest for so long.

Although originally conceived as a five-year story, the show evolved into a far larger phenomenon, embracing elements of virtually every subgenre of horror. If you are familiar with the show, its appeal is well established. If you don't, however, now is your chance.

Supernatural is leaving Netflix on December 17th, giving you just under a seven days to cram in as many episodes as humanly possible. Will you be able to watch all over three hundred episodes? Likely not, but you can at least make an attempt. And if not, the vast quantity of Supernatural to stream makes for quite a few ways to divide the show into themed watch marathons.

The Kripke Era

The term "mini-binge" is flexible, but if you want the purest form of what Supernatural was from its beginning, you'll need to buckle up for the first five years. The series was developed by Eric Kripke, who, together with co-showrunner Robert Singer, had a five-year plan from the start.

That narrative started with the coming together of brothers Sam and Dean, as they hit the road looking for their absent, hunter father. Along the way they face off against supernatural entities, and while each season had its own story arc, the series also had an overarching narrative that built to the looming arrival of the apocalypse in the fifth season.

The initial arc present a complete story, and had the show concluded there, fans would have been satisfied. Indeed, it was conclusive enough for Kripke that he moved on, leaving others to continue the story without him.

So if you want to watch the story of Supernatural the way it was meant, reserve some time for the first five seasons, from start to finish. You can end your watch confident full well you got a definitive Supernatural experience.

The Classic Monsters

To be fair, asking someone to watch five years of TV in a short period is a big ask. Luckily, there are alternative methods to dip into Supernatural, especially if traditional scary tales interest you. Over its many seasons, but especially in its early years, Supernatural brought to life a number of famous folk monsters. From Bloody Mary to the wendigo, the series never shied away from the stories we all shared around a campfire.

So forget about long-term storytelling, and let's focus specifically on the episodes based on well-known myths. (Grabbing a snack and a viewing partner to grab is recommended.)

For the Classic Horror marathon, queue up:

• Season 1, episode 1: "Pilot" (Woman in white)
• Season 1, episode 5: "Bloody Mary" (Bloody Mary)
• Season 1, episode 7: "Hook Man" (Hook Man)
• Season 1, episode 12: "Faith" (Boogieman)
• Season 2, episode 1: "Wendigo" (Wendigo)
• Season 2, episode 8: "Crossroad Blues" (Cross Road Blues)
• Season 2, episode 16: "Roadkill" (Ghostly hitchhiker)
• Season 2, episode 18: "Hollywood Babylon" (Haunted movie set)
• Season 6, episode 4: "Weekend at Bobby's" (demon seductress)
• Season 6, episode 8: "All Dogs Go to Heaven" (Skinwalkers)

Streaming 10 episodes is far more manageable than a massive commitment, but that’s nonetheless a sizable chunk. So if you are pressed for time and still want that satisfying Supernatural dose before it leaves, we have another option.

The Wacky Episodes

Eventually in its run, the team behind Supernatural discovered they could get away with whatever they wanted, and the more meta they got, the better. This included sending the brothers to a convention about themselves, plopping them into an different dimension where they’re TV stars, or even making them cartoons, no concept was considered too weird for this show.

These are the episodes fans lived for over the long haul. Whether it was teaming up with the Scooby-Doo gang or watching a musical based on their exploits, the shenanigans the writers managed were ludicrous and fitting for Supernatural.

For a playlist of the show's wackiest episodes, check out these:

• Season 2, episode 18: "Hollywood Babylon"
• Season 4, episode 18: "The Monster at the End of This Book"
• Season 5, episode 8: "Changing Channels"
• Season 6, episode 15: "The French Mistake"
• Season 9, episode 5: "The Real Ghostbusters"
• Season 9, episode 16: "Meta Fiction"
• Season 10, episode 5: "Fan Fiction"
• Season 13, episode 16: "Scoobynatural"

All of these episodes dip into the more comedic side of Supernatural. Do yourself a favor to watch with them all, especially "The French Mistake" and "Changing Channels."

If you've gotten this far, chances are a true enthusiast. And when you are that invested in the show, you've seen the original story, you know the urban legends, and your viewing count for "The French Mistake" is probably in the double digits. Thankfully, the last watch guide is just for you.

The Comic Relief

That's right, we can't talk about Supernatural without talking about the show within the show, Ghostfacers. Introduced in the early days, the Ghostfacers were a group of hopelessly amateur paranormal investigators making their own reality show. They were goofy, hilarious, and they never overstayed their welcome.

So, if you're extremely pressed, know Supernatural backwards and forwards, and still want to hang out with the Winchester brothers, these six Ghostfacers episodes are a perfect fit.

These are all the episodes featuring the Ghostfacers:

• Season 1, episode 17: "Hell House"
• Season 3, episode 13: "Ghostfacers"
• Season 4, episode 17: "It's a Terrible Life"
• Season 5, episode 19: "Hammer of the Gods"
• Season 9, episode 15: "Thinman"
• Season 14, episode 16: "Don't Go In the Woods"

That's multiple approaches to mount a Supernatural marathon without committing to the entire saga. So choose your preferred playlist above and make the most of the weekend.

And if you really can't manage to catch Supernatural before it exits Netflix on Dec. 17, don't worry. It is moving to another platform shortly thereafter.