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« Roush Dispatch
The CW: Network Lite
Tyra Banks courtsy The CW
The question that has been keeping no one I know on the edge of their seat: What’s next for the CW, coming off its mostly dismal freshman year, in which the biggest news was made by posting closing notices on shows that had long ago peaked or lost much of their buzz (7th Heaven, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, the latter still apparently having an itty-bitty chance of midseason resurrection). A year in which the closest thing to a new breakout hit that didn’t originate on either the WB or UPN was an insipid Pussycat Dolls reality show—slated for a midseason return, begging the question: How many Pussycat Dolls do we really need?
It took the CW long enough to get busy in the reality game, which is actually rather puzzling considering its target demographic of young females has been weaned on the format on MTV, VH1, as well as the bigger networks. America’s Next Top Model has long been a signature show, first for UPN and now CW, and now the network is getting serious with the genre, leading Tuesday with reality as well, with the unexpectedly charming Beauty and the Geek. (Hate to say it, but this is just the sort of guilty pleasure Lorelai and Rory would have loved to curl up to and obsess over in the good old days.) Other reality projects for midseason include a mother-daughter pageant and a dating show in which the bachelor is a farmer. Ain't we got fun?
Otherwise, what is there really to say about this lineup, which includes six new series (three times as many as on last year’s fall schedule), except that much of it still feels awfully familiar.
Some quick thoughts about CW's schedule, night by night:
Monday. Tradition rules as CW sticks with its long-standing African-American comedy block, which loses All of Us (was that still on?). The promising-sounding Aliens in America, a culture-clash comedy featuring a Pakistani exchange student, is positioned between the terrific Everybody Hates Chris and the durable Girlfriends, now entering its 8th (!) season. The Game closes out the night.
Tuesday. Beauty and the Geek leads the night (no doubt to rotate with other high-concept reality franchises in the wings as the season wears on), paired with The Reaper, the network’s newest attempt at supernatural chills and thrills (a genre that has worked for these niche networks since Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s glory days).
Wednesday. In what sounds like a very compatible lineup, the addictive America’s Next Top Model is teamed with the female-friendly Gossip Girl, a teen drama set in the world of Upper West Side prep-school privilege, from The O.C.’s talented Josh Schwartz. (One Tree Hill, which used to occupy this spot, is due back at midseason, but if Gossip Girl is a hit, I'm betting not on this night.)
Thursday. To the relief of cultists coast to coast, Smallville and Supernatural return, thrilling their loyal core audience while doing battle against the blockbuster hits of their mightiest network rivals.
Friday. WWE Smackdown. For those who care.
Saturday. Closed.
Sunday. CW will continue to fly under the radar on this busy night, leading off with two reality-based half-hours that sound both cost-effective (read: cheap) and negligible: infotainment newsmag CW Now and a grabbag of user-generated Internet material titled Online Nation. This is followed by a new family drama for the post-7th Heaven world: Life Is Wild, set on a South African game reserve. A Top Model replay closes out the night.
And there you have it. No more Gilmores. Very likely no more Veronica. The watercooler has become an emptier, sadder place.
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May 17, 2007 10:43 AM
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Wow - The CW is really starting to look like TV's barren wasteland. Cruddy reality fare paired with a few humdrum comedies and dramas. The only show I will be watching next season is Supernatural; thankfully they kept that around. But seriously - this is a pretty sad schedule for a network that is already trying to rebuild in its sophomore year.
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May 17, 2007 11:11 AM
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I'm really sad about Veronica Mars. I'm still clinging to the hope it will come back somehow. Why must the network insist on adding more and more less intelligent shows?
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May 17, 2007 11:21 AM
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Not too much to get excited about here. Thankfully, the CW had the good sense to keep Supernatural (their best show) and Smallville (having its best season, in my opinion).
I'll check out Reaper since the concept sounds fairly interesting, but I'll be passing on all of the reality and chick-flick shows.
Is it too late to check out Everybody Hates Chris? I've never seen an ep. What am I missing?
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May 17, 2007 11:25 AM
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Nothing too surprising here, really. And though Gossip Girl and Reaper sound like they could be enjoyable, if clinging to teen shows didn't stop the WB from folding, how long before the CW either has to revamp or closes shop too?
The one thing I don't get is throwing Life is Wild on Sundays basically by itself. Do they really think that one's gonna last?
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May 17, 2007 11:34 AM
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Reaper and Gossip I will definitely check out. My Thursdays are filled to the max but of course I'll be squeezing in Smallville and Supernatural and squeezing out something else.
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May 17, 2007 11:35 AM
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Amen to TPTB (and not Angel's!) that they're keeping Supernatural and keeping it on the same night. I would have followed it to wherever it landed but I'm glad it is staying put. Otherwise I won't be watching anything else on the network. Perhaps I should give Reaper a chance since I did enjoy the Buffy and Angel days but...we'll see.
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May 17, 2007 12:10 PM
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As long as Gossip Girl employs my Kristen Bell I'm going to have to watch it. And it actually sounds kind of enjoyable, as long as it doesn't try to take itself too seriously.
But boo to no Veronica.
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May 17, 2007 12:19 PM
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how long before the CW either has to revamp or closes shop too?
Or, they could join forces with the awesomely powerful MyNetwork TV.
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May 17, 2007 1:14 PM
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I am glad CW is keeping supernatural, one of the best shows on TV.
I may give reaper a try too!
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May 17, 2007 1:20 PM
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Rod - to answer your question about Everybody Hates Chris, it's not too late to watch. There will probably be reruns over the summer (I'm guessing) but the eps are pretty stand alone. Basic concept: Chris Rock as a kid and everything goes wrong for him. Quite funny and he has an amazingly crazy family.
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May 17, 2007 1:28 PM
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Veronica is the best show on the CW. I'm all for her crossing over for narrating but she is Veronica Mars. If the show lived on and they replaced her (as suggested might happen) the show would be ruined. It is what it is because of her ability to deliver the dialogue and be taked seriouly as a teen private investigator.
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May 17, 2007 1:44 PM
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I think the network needs to join (with the exception of Smallville and Supernatural which could happily move to a better network) Mike Ausiello's favorite the MIA Network. It would be a nice change.
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May 17, 2007 2:29 PM
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This all sounds cliche or uninteresting. Really, I have no desire to watch any of these shows. 'Supernatural', maybe, but even that's starting to get old already.
This schedule looks like network suicide.
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May 17, 2007 4:35 PM
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If it wasn't for thursday nights I could have sworn I was reading the fall schedule for My TV Network. (Does that even still exist?)
This is worse then any schedule put out by UPN or WB over the years. I thought things were supposed to improve with the merger not rapidly decline.
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May 17, 2007 4:39 PM
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