What you need to know before starting Supernatural

To read more on Supernatural, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday. You can buy the whole set now, or purchase the individual covers of the group shot, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, or Misha Collins. Don’t forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.

12 seasons. 264 episodes. Two brothers. One angel. And a whole lot of monsters. All of that, when put together, creates the world of Supernatural, where Sam and Dean Winchester have dedicated their lives to saving innocent people from anything and everything that goes bump in the night (or day, really).

The series, which premiered in 2005, is heading into its thirteenth season, though thanks to the likes of Netflix, the long-running show is still reaching new fans. But here’s the thing: Binging Supernatural is not a small undertaking. So when EW gathered stars Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, and Misha Collins for a cover shoot, we asked them what advice they’d give to anyone who’s considering joining the #SPNFamily by starting at episode one.

Check out the full video above to see what they had to say.

Supernatural returns Thursday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.