The CW knows what it's good at and they're sticking to it: sex and beauty. After the success of Gossip Girl and 90210, two very buzzed about shows, the CW announced this morning that they're picking up three new dramatic series in the same vein for next fall: Melrose Place, Vampire Diaries and The Beautiful Life. In addition, the network is also dumping any original Sunday night programming. Next season, local affiliate stations will program these slots. They also announced this morning that in addition to renewing hits like Gossip Girl & 90210, the CW is also bringing back Smallville for an Returning: Smallville, Supernatural, Gossip Girl, 90210, One Tree Hill, America's Next Top Model
Gone: Privileged, Reaper, The Game, Everybody Hates Chris (sorry, left this one out initially)
New: Melrose Place, Vampire Diaries, The Beautiful Life
New Mid-season: Parental Discretion Advised
New dramas:
Melrose Place: The revamped Melrose Place was written by Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer, both producers over at Smallville. Like it's 1990's counter part, the series will revolve around a group of young hot twenty-somethings who all live in the same LA apartment complex. Apparently, this pilot gets underway with a murder mystery right from the start.
Vampire Diaries: Jumping on the Twilight bandwagon, the CW also picked up this drama written by Kevin Williamson of Dawson's Creek fame. It's almost too fun to imagine this ... teen drama, complete with blood sucking outcasts.
The Beautiful Life: This is like a fictional version of America's Next Model, chronicling the undoubtedly sexy exploits of a group of eager young models in New York. Ashton Kutcher is one of the executive producers behind the show.
The Schedule:
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM GOSSIP GIRL
9:00-10:00 PM ONE TREE HILL
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM 90210
9:00-10:00 PM MELROSE PLACE (New Series)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL
9:00-10:00 PM THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE (New Series)
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (New Series)
9:00-10:00 PM SUPERNATURAL
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SMALLVILLE (New night)
UPDATE ...
Moving Smallville to Friday at 8pm: Smallville has held the Thursday 8pm slot for some time now, but it makes sense to move it to Friday at 8pm, for a couple of reasons. First, the network will pair their new urban myth show, The Vampire Diaries, with their old urban myth show, Supernatural. The genre pairing makes sense on paper, but I'd be interested to see if the new show picks up any of Supernatural's highly committed fans or vice versa ... if any of the new viewers will stick around to tune in to a well established show. Second, moving Smallville may allow the CW to gain some traction in a time slot where they traditionally have had no luck. Haven't really heard any fan rumblings about this move yet, but I can't imagine everyone is happy with the switch.
Pairing 90210 and Melrose Place: "Tuesday night gives us a perfect match with 90210 and Melrose Place," network president Dawn Ostroff said in the press release sent out earlier today. It's like 1994 all over again. This was the original Fox pairing when I was in high school and it's back. Again, here's a move that makes sense on paper but may not translate well with fans.
Canceling The Game and Everybody Hates Chris: The CW is abandoning any vestige of their old UPN identity by axing the only programming that stared an African-American cast. While the network is doing away with comedies in general, still troubling to note that they've taken the only shows with minority leads off the air.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-21-2009 @ 11:00AM
Galley said...
"Everybody Hates Chris" has also been cancelled.
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5-21-2009 @ 11:03AM
Darnell said...
What about everyone hates chris? Is it cancelled? I also don't understand why they couldn't keep reaper and put it on fridays nights. Wasn't it getting better ratings then 90210?
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5-21-2009 @ 11:10AM
Jeff N. said...
I'll miss Reaper.
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5-21-2009 @ 11:11AM
Usama said...
It's a little alarming to think that as a 24 year old male I'm no longer in the target demography for this network. I grew up w/ that damn WB frog, sat through those commercials so I can watch Buffy and Angel, and early on, Smallville. I guess you could argue Smallville still applies but I stopped watching that a while back. I've heard One Tree Hill is good, so that's good. I also have read here that Reaper is good so it's a shame that won't continue.
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5-21-2009 @ 11:48AM
CRVBOY said...
Smallville just ended it's 8th season and is coming back for a 9th.
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5-21-2009 @ 11:53AM
Jason said...
I think there should be a Reaper spin-off focusing on the Devil and his antics. Ray Wise's portrayal is too great a character to just throw away.
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5-21-2009 @ 12:33PM
Jimmy said...
Friday actually works for me. I was planning on dropping Smallville, which I record, in favor of Bones/Flash Forward (not sure which one I'll record yet), now I don't have to worry about.
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5-21-2009 @ 12:47PM
Val said...
Reaper and The Game gone.. OUCH.. im hoping someone picks those shows up.
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5-21-2009 @ 1:17PM
Amanda said...
I don't think Vampire Diaries is going to pick up any of Supernatural's male audience or many of its most invested fangirls. The late-teen/college-aged 'eye candy' crowd will probably tune in to TVD, but I doubt the Supernatural fans I know (who are mostly older, highly academic and/or overseas) will tune in any earlier than the last five minutes.
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5-21-2009 @ 1:55PM
RobynM said...
Oh look, zero reason to watch CW. Just as well, I'm way too old for their preferred demo anyway.
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5-21-2009 @ 2:07PM
Alex - A.S. said...
I sometimes wonder why Supernatural is on this network.
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5-21-2009 @ 2:30PM
Edward said...
So Smallville will definitely end next season with the Friday night death slot.
What else will be on Friday nights on CW?
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5-21-2009 @ 3:39PM
djbuhhda said...
NOOOO FRIDAY NIGHT DEATH SLOT BE DAMED
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5-21-2009 @ 6:29PM
Justin Williams said...
I wonder how much longer the night a show comes on will even be an issue. As DVR's & streaming sites grow in popularity it becomes much more of a non issue. How much do networks count these when they decide what shows to keep and which to cancel?
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5-21-2009 @ 7:20PM
BlackDragon said...
Does this mean, that Reaper is really gone for good, or is there still a chance for a pick up by a different network?
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5-21-2009 @ 9:31PM
DapperDan said...
I'd rather have that Gossip Girl spin-off than the show The Beautiful Life about a bunch of dumb ass twig models who live together boring
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5-21-2009 @ 9:37PM
A Viewer said...
I am truly sad to see one of the funniest comedies on television, "Everybody Hates Chris," cancelled after only four seasons. What a terrifically done show. I can only think that on the CW's new sexed up lineup, a family-friendly show like that had no place. It's a shame.
I also think it's worth noting that now, with the cancellation of "Chris" and "The Game," the CW has banished forever from the airwaves all remnants of the old UPN black sitcom lineup ("Girlfriends," "All of Us," etc.) It's too bad that this oft-neglected audience is being abandoned by the CW in favor of rich white teenage girls who watch disgusting, oversexed soaps like "90210," "One Tree Hill," and "Gossip Girl" (along with new series like "The Vampire Diaries," "Melrose Place," and "Beautiful Life"). It's nice to see they're keeping "Smallville" alive, I guess, but for the first time next season I won't be watching any of the shows on the CW.
Also, a big thumbs down to the CW for cancelling "Reaper." Another great show that didn't get a fair shake.
What's on at 9PM Fridays after "Smallville"? Nothing?
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5-22-2009 @ 12:30AM
Boo1881 said...
I really liked Privileged! The acting was not the best and some of the storylines were a little fluffy but it got good there near the end. I would have thought this show hit the target demo for the CW and it is so much better then 90210.
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6-02-2009 @ 1:32PM
Shaunda said...
The Game was the only show left to watch on TV.
As soon as I'm ready I will buy out CW, NBC, CBS and ABC and flip it on them.
First I'll put on those corny-ass, fake-ass, over dramatic, slutty type shows to build up each networks popularity. I'll leave them on for a few season’s so that audience could get into them. Then cancel them without warning leaving the audience hanging.
Then I would put on shows like The Game, Girlfriends and all of the other minority shows that were cancelled from each of the other stations.
I will track ratings from only the one community and ignore the rest.
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5-22-2009 @ 1:10PM
Ben said...
The CW has pretty good shows for next fall I will be watching every night at least one show. Mon, Tue, Thur, I will be watching both show, Wed Fri one show. I will be taping Heroes, Ghost Whisperer, Southland. Along with The Parenthood, Dollhouse.
comment 17 your dead wrong in saying that 90210, Gossip Girl, Melrose Place are all about white rich teens and disgusting & oversexed soaps thats a flat out lie. I'm a guy that likes teen melodrama I watched both BH 90210 & original Melrose Place. Vampire Diaries looks good as well part Buffy part Charm sounds pretty good I was a fan of Buffy so I will like Vampire Diaries.
I did like Everybody Hates Chris it was a pretty good show but I thought it was going to get cancelled plus the creaters said that it ran it's course series finale was that Chris drops out of school I didn't watch it will watch it during repeats this summer. Plus Everybody Hates Chris will be on 5 days a week in the fall check local listings for time & station.
I was never a fan of The Game glad that it got cancelled along with girlfriends as well last year. Plus sitcoms didn't work for The CW and there really was no place to put them at. I think it was smart to put Smallville on Fridays I know some will not like it but oh well. It will boost ratings for The CW on fridays as Everybody Hates Chris & The Game didn't do well on fridays.
As a whole The CW has great shows and I like there fall lineup.
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