The CW, CBS’ sister network, is the little network that could, sustaining itself mostly with superheroes and vampires over the years and more recently with critically acclaimed comedies. For the upcoming 2016-17 TV season, the green-hued net has 3 new dramas and 1 new comedy entering the fray, so let’s take a look.
This fall, Supergirl is moving from CBS to The CW where it will join producer Greg Berlanti’s crop of DC-based superhero shows including Arrow, The Flash, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. CW head Mark Pedowitz promises the “biggest [crossover event]” is in the works. Supergirl will continue on in its Monday-at-8 timeslot followed by Jane the Virgin. On Tuesday, The Flash will open for new hour-long romantic comedy No Tomorrow and on Wednesday, Arrow will aim to attract viewers to new drama Frequency, an adaptation of the 2000 science fiction thriller. Thursday pairs the hot Legends of Tomorrow with veteran Supernatural (which is entering its 12th season!), and Friday sees The Vampire Diaries joined with the low rated but critically touted Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which is relocating from Monday.
The single new series being held for midseason on The CW is Riverdale, a live action drama based on the characters from Archie Comics, also produced by Greg Berlanti. For fans of The Originals, Reign, iZombie, and The 100, fear not; though they are all being benched in the fall, they will return sometime later in the season.
Jump after the break to view the full fall schedule and preview The CW’s new fall and midseason series with video clips and descriptions.
2016-17 THE CW FALL SCHEDULE (new programs are CAPITALIZED)
MONDAY
8-9 PM — Supergirl
9-10 PM — Jane The Virgin
TUESDAY
8-9 PM — The Flash
9-10 PM — NO TOMORROW
WEDNESDAY
8-9 PM — Arrow
9-10 PM — FREQUENCY
THURSDAY
8-9 PM — DC’S Legends of Tomorrow
9-10 PM — Supernatural
FRIDAY
8-9 PM — The Vampire Diaries
9-10 PM — Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
NEW FALL DRAMA SERIES
FREQUENCY — Detective Raimy Sullivan (Peyton List) has always wanted to prove that she is nothing like her father. In 1996, when Raimy was eight years old, NYPD Officer Frank Sullivan (Riley Smith) left Raimy and her mother, Julie (Devin Kelley), behind when he went deep undercover, got corrupted, and got himself killed. Or so the story has always gone. Few people knew about the secret undercover sting operation Frank was really charged with, led by Stan Moreno (Anthony Ruivivar), who has now risen to Deputy Chief of Police. Frank’s former partner, Lieutenant Satch Reyna (Mekhi Phifer), is now Raimy’s mentor and friend, and he has urged her to let go of the hurt and anger she still feels about Frank’s disappearance and death, but the old pain still lingers. Raimy can barely bring herself to discuss Frank, even with her devoted boyfriend, Daniel (Daniel Bonjour), or her childhood friend, Gordo (Lenny Jacobson). Now, twenty years later, Raimy is stunned when a voice suddenly crackles through her father’s old, long-broken ham radio – it’s Frank, somehow transmitting over the airwaves and through the decades from 1996. They’re both shocked and confused, but Raimy shakes Frank to the core when she warns him that the secret sting he is undertaking will lead to his death. Armed with that knowledge, Frank survives the attempt on his life. But changing history has dramatically affected Raimy’s life in the present – and there have been tragic consequences. Separated by twenty years, father and daughter have reunited on a frequency only they can hear, but can they rewrite the story of their lives without risking everyone they love? FREQUENCY is from Warner Bros. Television in association with Lin Pictures, with executive producers Jeremy Carver (“Supernatural”), Toby Emmerich (“The Notebook” feature film), John Rickard (“Horrible Bosses”), Dan Lin (“The LEGO™ Movie,” “Sherlock Holmes”) and Jennifer Gwartz (“Veronica Mars”).
NEW FALL COMEDY SERIES
NO TOMORROW— Evie Callahan (Tori Anderson), a risk-averse quality-control assessor, appreciates order. Whenever she’s making a list, “make a list” is both the first thing on it and the first thing crossed off. Such a regimented life has its drawbacks. Her on-again/off-again romance with the sweet, but soft-spoken Timothy (Jesse Rath) has sputtered out. Her career has stalled. Her boss, Deirdre (Amy Pietz), a petty tyrant with breath that could kill a plant, laughs off her ambitions. Then Evie meets charming, free-spirited Xavier Holliday (Joshua Sasse), and the attraction is immediate and electric. He brings a jolt of joyful, rollicking romance into her life. Xavier encourages Evie to carpe that diem, because it’s more fun that way and because, well, the apocalypse is, you know, nigh. He believes humankind has a mere eight months and twelve days until a runaway asteroid smacks us all into stardust. That’s why he made an Apocalyst – a tally of every last thing he wants to do before the world goes kaput. So with the help of her friends – Hank (Jonathan Langdon), a diehard conspiracy theorist, and Kareema (Sarayu Blue), a droll nihilist – Evie must decide whether Xavier is certifiable and whether that even matters, if being with him means living her life more fully. Based on the International Emmy-nominated Brazilian format from Grupo Globo, NO TOMORROW is a romantic comedy with the ultimate ticking clock. NO TOMORROW is from CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television in association with Electus, with executive producers Corinne Brinkerhoff (“American Gothic,” “Jane The Virgin,” “The Good Wife”), Maggie Friedman (“Witches of East End”) and Ben Silverman (“Jane The Virgin,” “The Office”).
NEW DRAMA SERIES HELD FOR MIDSEASON
RIVERDALE — As a new school year begins, the town of Riverdale is reeling from the recent, tragic death of high school golden boy Jason Blossom — and nothing feels the same… Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) is still the all-American teen, but the summer’s events made him realize that he wants to pursue a career in music — not follow in his dad’s footsteps—despite the sudden end of his forbidden relationship with Riverdale’s young music teacher, Ms.Grundy (Sarah Habel). Which means Archie doesn’t have anyone who will mentor him — certainly not singer Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray), who is only focused on her band, the soon-to-be-world-famous Pussycats. It’s all weighing heavily on Archie’s mind — as is his fractured friendship with budding writer and fellow classmate Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse). Meanwhile, girl-next-door Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) is anxious to see her crush Archie after being away all summer, but she’s not quite ready to reveal her true feelings to him. And Betty’s nerves – which are hardly soothed by her overbearing mother Alice (Mädchen Amick) aren’t the only thing holding her back. When a new student,Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes), arrives in town from New York with her mother Hermione (Marisol Nichols), there’s an undeniable spark between her and Archie, even though Veronica doesn’t want to risk her new friendship with Betty by making a play for Archie. And then there’s Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch)…Riverdale’s Queen Bee is happy to stir up trouble amongst Archie, Betty, and Veronica, but Cheryl is keeping secrets of her own. What, exactly, is she hiding about the mysterious death of her twin brother, Jason? Riverdale may look like a quiet, sleepy town, but there are dangers in the shadows… Based on the characters from Archie Comics, RIVERDALE is from Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, in association with Berlanti Productions, with executive producers Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (“Supergirl,” “Glee”), Greg Berlanti (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Supergirl,” “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”), Sarah Schechter (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Supergirl,” “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”) and Jon Goldwater (Archie Comics).