Okay, several new variables come about in the last few weeks with the CW since Round One, so I’m giving everyone a chance to tweak their schedules. Here’s what has changed in just a mere few weeks:
– Gossip Girl, 90210, America’s Next Top Model, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural were officially renewed. I don’t recall any of those missing from the schedules I saw anyway, but for any new contributors, these series must be in your schedule now.
– Mark Pedowitz, a long time ABC executive that seems to be in close company with Warner Brothers’ president Bruce Rosenblum, is the new President of The CW. He has officially started his new post, so he does have say so on which pilots will be picked up and which of the remaining on the block series will be renewed. Not sure if that’ll change your selections either, but keep in mind the new prez is not girl power oriented Dawn Ostroff. It’s possible Pedowitz will want to broaden the scope of the network. We really don’t know though!
– Rumor has it the cast of One Tree Hill has been re-signed and a new cast member, Bethany Joy Galeotti, has been signed for season nine, should there be one (source TV Line). Given these signings, I’d work One Tree Hill into the schedule. Granted, we have no idea if that will be a 13 or 22 episode order, but my guess is like previous seasons, they’ll start with 13 and go from there. Would you save One Tree Hill for midseason? Will they get a final season send off like Smallville?
– That leaves Nikita and Hellcats as the wildcards. Would you keep them? Rumors have their fate going either way.
– Here’s the latest scoop from Deadline.com. The pilot landscape has indeed changed:
Two pilots seem to be separating from the pack, Kevin Williamson’s witch tale THE SECRET CIRCLE and the medical drama HART OF DIXIE, both from Warner Bros. TV. The verdict on the latter is not as unanimous as some still have issues with star Rachel Bilson’s believability as a doctor but she reportedly tested very well.
Of CBS Studios’ entries, the angel-and-attorney drama HEAVENLY appears the strongest early on, while zombie drama AWAKENING has had only so-so testing despite a very strong script, probably because of the departure from the CW’s brand of teen soaps it represents.
Ditto on COOPER AND STONE, which, despite a dash of Gossip Girl as the two female cops at its center are quite the fashionistas, is a straight-forward procedural, something the CW has no history of. And it also didn’t come out well, people who have seen it say.
DANNI LOWINSKI cold
Okay, given all that, here’s my tweaked schedule:
Monday:
8:00 90210
9:00 Gossip Girl
Tuesday:
8:00 One Tree Hill
9:00 Heavenly
Wednesday:
8:00 America’s Next Top Model
9:00 Hellcats
Thursday:
8:00 The Vampire Diaries
9:00 The Secret Circle
Friday:
8:00 Supernatural
9:00 Nikita
Midseason: Hart of Dixie (If the suits get past the lead issues. Gives them time to retool.)
Why Heavenly and The Secret Circle? Easy, one pilot from Warner Brothers, one from CBS. Pick the two top contenders. The Secret Circle is the perfect companion for The Vampire Diaries and Heavenly seems like it has the right kind of supernatural fluff that would fit this network. Heavenly also stars Lauren Cohen, who is a pretty strong actress to carry a series.
I’m giving Nikita and Hellcats a second chance because Hellcats seemed to be compatible with America’s Next Top Model before they moved it. I predict Hellcats will only get a 13 episode order though. Nikita attracts the same audiences as Supernatural and would be a good companion for that show, especially since the zombie pilot looks shaky (that and you can’t launch a new series on a Friday!).
One prediction I make with less certainty is the Friday night lineup. I’m convinced I have the shows right, but I’m not sure about the order. I think it makes sense to move Supernatural to 8pm to give Nikita a strong lead in (since it’s been faltering in the ratings of late) and so Supernatural can move out of Fringe’s way. A kick ass spy drama would be a better choice to go against Fringe than another supernatural drama. Both shows are TV-14 rated, so I don’t think that rating will affect that decision.
Okay, your turn! Agree, disagree? Heck, come up with whatever you think makes sense. We’ve got some time to kill until the real schedule is announced May 19th.
{jcomments on}
Okay how would I schedule the CW shows with the new information. I’m torn between what I think they would do and what I’d like to see.
I read the info on OTH and really you don’t work that hard to sign stars if your not going to renew the series. Really though it is not doing that good in the ratings so I’m going to go with a 13 epi series. I’m not sure if I would but it on in the fall or leave it for a midseason replacement. I do not think it would go like Smallville, just because it is not as popular.
As much as I feel CW should axe Nikita, it will probably stay and I’m guessing its rating is not suited for 8:00p. Course I didn’t think SPN was either, but now is seems okay to put it at that time period, and quite frankly I think that is a good idea, but I do think it should be moved from Friday.
Friday is just too weak of a night for TV and while most don’t feel a show can grow in year 7, which has not always been the case. It really depends on the network. Dawn O has been so involved with the young demo and females she has really cut off a lot of her options. With a new pres and one that is pro WB, I really feel that will change…at least it better if the CW wants to continue. Mark P has been predicted to give showrunners a free lead, but with as poorly as CW is doing, especially in their prime W18-49 group (down 9%), and if they want to turn CW’s decline around, I think a new direction will be a must.
That being said, I feel Sci-Fi is the way for CW to go for a few years and I think they do too as most of their pilots are on the paranormal side….with the exception of Cooper And Stone, but crime procedural shows, even with female leads, can do well…as long as they stay away from the teen/soap opera effect. It might even ride on the wake of the remake of Charlie’s Angels, which I understand is coming out this fall. I also feel the grouping similar shows by content as opposed to demos works better.
Based on that I feel Heavenly, Secret Circle, and Awakening are good pilots for CW. And renewing Hellcats as well, but I still would not do 22 epi. It is not that strong.
That leaves Hart of Dixie. Don’t know much about it but if it’s a procedural medical drama, don’t know how well it will work on CW. If Mark P decides too broaden CW demo it might work with C&S, but right now ‘House’ isn’t doing so good so it might not work well with largely teen viewers.
So how would I group the shows?
Monday:
8:00 90210
9:00 Gossip Girl
Tuesday:
8:00 Supernatural
9:00 Secret Circle/Awakening
Wednesday:
8:00 Cooper & Stone/ Hart of Dixie
9:00 Nikita
Thursday:
8:00 The Vampire Diaries
9:00 Secret Circle/Awakening
Friday:
8:00 America’s Next Top Model
9:00 OTH/Hellcats
Okay how would I schedule the CW shows with the new information. I’m torn between what I think they would do and what I’d like to see.
I read the info on OTH and really you don’t work that hard to sign stars if your not going to renew the series. Really though it is not doing that good in the ratings so I’m going to go with a 13 epi series. I’m not sure if I would but it on in the fall or leave it for a midseason replacement. I do not think it would go like Smallville, just because it is not as popular.
As much as I feel CW should axe Nikita, it will probably stay and I’m guessing its rating is not suited for 8:00p. Course I didn’t think SPN was either, but now is seems okay to put it at that time period, and quite frankly I think that is a good idea, but I do think it should be moved from Friday.
Friday is just too weak of a night for TV and while most don’t feel a show can grow in year 7, which has not always been the case. It really depends on the network. Dawn O has been so involved with the young demo and females she has really cut off a lot of her options. With a new pres and one that is pro WB, I really feel that will change…at least it better if the CW wants to continue. Mark P has been predicted to give showrunners a free lead, but with as poorly as CW is doing, especially in their prime W18-49 group (down 9%), and if they want to turn CW’s decline around, I think a new direction will be a must.
That being said, I feel Sci-Fi is the way for CW to go for a few years and I think they do too as most of their pilots are on the paranormal side….with the exception of Cooper And Stone, but crime procedural shows, even with female leads, can do well…as long as they stay away from the teen/soap opera effect. It might even ride on the wake of the remake of Charlie’s Angels, which I understand is coming out this fall. I also feel the grouping similar shows by content as opposed to demos works better.
Based on that I feel Heavenly, Secret Circle, and Awakening are good pilots for CW. And renewing Hellcats as well, but I still would not do 22 epi. It is not that strong.
That leaves Hart of Dixie. Don’t know much about it but if it’s a procedural medical drama, don’t know how well it will work on CW. If Mark P decides too broaden CW demo it might work with C&S, but right now ‘House’ isn’t doing so good so it might not work well with largely teen viewers.
So how would I group the shows?
Monday:
8:00 90210
9:00 Gossip Girl
Tuesday:
8:00 Supernatural
9:00 Secret Circle/Awakening
Wednesday:
8:00 Cooper & Stone/ Hart of Dixie
9:00 Nikita
Thursday:
8:00 The Vampire Diaries
9:00 Secret Circle/Awakening
Friday:
8:00 America’s Next Top Model
9:00 OTH/Hellcats