Tag Archives: The CW

NBC renews ‘The Blacklist’ for second season

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Here’s some exciting news: NBC has granted the wildly addicting and action-packed procedural The Blacklist for a 22-episode second season. After airing only two episodes the Peacock ordered a full season of the show and it didn’t take the network much longer to decide The Blacklist is a keeper. It’s a ratings machine; it ranks as the #1 drama in the coveted 18-49 demo averaging a 4.9 rating/13 share, plus it gains even more viewers after factoring in DVR usage.

“The success of The Blacklist demonstrates that inspired storytelling is alive and well in broadcast television, and I’m impressed on a daily basis by this creative team’s imagination and the extent to which they will go to capture this grand vision on film,” NBC head Robert Greenblatt said in a statement. “With gratitude to both our partners at Sony Pictures Television and our NBC development executives who took a great script and shepherded it into a great series, I hope that Red Reddington never runs out of names to bring down on his list!”

The Blacklist aired its fall finale last Monday and it returns with new episodes January 13.

Elsewhere, The CW gave full season orders to its three new series The Originals, The Tomorrow People, and Reign.

2013 Fall TV Schedule: The CW

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Just like last year, The CW is letting the big four networks premiere their fall lineups ahead of its own October debuts. CBS’ sister network begins the fall season on Thursday, October 3 by airing The Vampire Diaries and that show’s spinoff The Originals back-to-back from 8-10PM (The Originals moves to its regular Tuesday at 8 timeslot on October 8). The week of October 7 sees the premieres of new series like The Tomorrow People and Reign.

Click here to preview the new shows. Browse the gallery below for key art.

Jump after the break to view the full fall schedule.

Continue reading 2013 Fall TV Schedule: The CW →

2013 Upfronts: The CW orders 5 new series for next season

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The big four networks have revealed their new shows for the fall, but let’s not forget about CBS’ sister network The CW. Today at the Upfronts the young-skewing net showed off five new dramas including The Vampire Diaries spinoff The Originals and The Tomorrow People from TVD‘s Julie Plec and Arrow‘s Greg Berlanti. Learn all about The CW’s new fall lineup after the break. Continue reading 2013 Upfronts: The CW orders 5 new series for next season →

TV renewals: ‘Bates Motel’, ‘Revolution’, ‘Glee’ and others coming back next season

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On April 8, A&E renewed Bates Motel for a second season. Same order as before–10 new episodes will premiere in 2014.

A&E president Bob DeBitetto: “Bates Motel has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal audience in its first few weeks. With superb writing and exceptional acting, led by the critically acclaimed performances of Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore, we’re incredibly excited to see where Carlton and Kerry take Norma and Norman Bates next.”

On April 26, NBC renewed five dramas including freshmen Revolution and Chicago Fire, Law & Order: SVU (for a fifteenth season), Parenthood (for a fifth season), and Grimm (for a third season).

NBC entertainment president Jennifer Salke: “On the verge of our 2013 fall scheduling decisions, we’re pleased to renew five drama series that will be important to our new season line-up. We’re proud and very appreciative of all of the actors, producers, writers and directors who work so hard to deliver such high-quality work week in and week out. These complex shows represent a broad range of genres and tones, and all of them stand out for us in a television landscape now filled with one-hour series. We’re especially pleased to be renewing Revolution and Chicago Fire — two first-season successes — and there will be more returning series announcements made in the next couple of weeks.”

For more renewal news, jump after the break. Continue reading TV renewals: ‘Bates Motel’, ‘Revolution’, ‘Glee’ and others coming back next season →

TCA 13: The CW’s Mark Pedowitz enjoys a “pretty good” fall, discusses the status of ‘Supernatural’ and others

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It may not be considered one of the big networks, but the Television Critics Association still allows The CW to get up and talk about its ratings performance and programming lineup. Network president Mark Pedowitz admitted, “We had a pretty good fourth quarter” noting his network’s 10 percent increase in total viewers. The net’s 18-49 and 18-34 demo numbers remained flat this fall. He blamed the Nielsen system for not fully tracking the number of viewers in the latter demo because it overlooks people tuning into shows using digital platforms. He shared that the network’s median age has risen to 41, something that NBC’s Bob Greenblatt laughed at during his TCA session. “I’d like to thank Bob for giving us a shout out for doing what we set out to do,” Pedowitz held firm. He set out for The CW to try and capture a wider audience across a younger and older generation of viewers. Now what you really want to hear about comes next; Pedowitz spent some time discussing the status of longrunning series like Supernatural, freshman shows such as Beauty and the Beast, and he also talked up new midseason entry The Carrie Diaries, a prequel to the hugely successful HBO series. It’s all after the break. Continue reading TCA 13: The CW’s Mark Pedowitz enjoys a “pretty good” fall, discusses the status of ‘Supernatural’ and others →

2013 Midseason TV preview & schedule: The CW

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As the holiday season approaches, many of your favorite shows go on hiatus so you can spend time with your loved ones. Most will return to the airwaves in early January and with them comes some new programming–some of which are worth checking out. In this year’s midseason TV preview posts, I will recommend which new shows are worth watching as well as offer schedules provided by the networks themselves. Midseason is on the horizon; out your calendars and let’s do this thing!

This midseason The CW is adding two new series to its schedule: mystery Cult and Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries. Cult follows an investigative journalist (played by Matt Davis) who teams with a research assistant (Jessica Lucas) to find his brother and unravel the mystery behind the TV series called “Cult” whose hardcore fans would literally kill to see what happens next. It also stars Alona Tal and Robert Knepper. It premieres Tuesday, February 19 at 9PM.

The Carrie Diaries is all about Carrie Bradshaw before she met Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda. Nineteen-year-old AnnaSophia Robb plays young Carrie and the show takes place in the ’80s so you can expect the glitz and glam from that exciting era. It premieres Monday, January 14 at 8PM.

My recommendation: It’s always hard for me to recommend anyone to invest their time in a show that airs on The CW. (The last time I did was for Ringer and how did that turn out? Not good.) Not that the network’s programming is particularly bad all the time; it just caters to a very young audience mostly. As much as I want Cult to be a fun, exciting, and suspenseful mystery, after watching a preview it just doesn’t reach me. It grabs and pulls at the things I really like to see in a drama, but it contains the glaze that most CW dramas have (it comes off as bizarre and corny, honestly) and it’s hard for me to tell you to invest your time in such an intriguing mess. I tried Ringer, I really did, but the pilot was too horrendous for me to ever get hooked. Cult, unfortunately, might follow the same fate. The Carrie Diaries, however, is easier to recommend because it sits in the shadow of one of the most successful shows of all time (HBO’s Sex and the City). Obviously the prequel can’t be as edgy and risque, but if the preview has anything to offer its that young Carrie isn’t so different from her future self. This show opens up the world of Carrie Bradshaw to a whole new generation of girls and likely they’ll bite. And if you’re older with kids and remember the wild adventures of Carrie and company, perhaps The Carrie Diaries is a new guilty pleasure for you.

Jump after the break to watch previews for both shows.

Look in the gallery below for key art (aka TV promotional posters).

Continue reading 2013 Midseason TV preview & schedule: The CW →

FOX pushes ‘Touch’, schedules remaining ‘Mob Doctor’ episodes; ABC gives ‘Last Man Standing’ & ‘Malibu Country’ back orders; The CW cancels ‘Emily Owens’

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The Tim Kring drama just can’t catch a break! Originally scheduled to premiere this fall on October 26, FOX delayed the second season start to the Kiefer Sutherland vehicle Touch thrice now. It was first bumped to midseason with a vague “January 2013” timeframe; then it was pushed to February 1; and now it’s confirmed to air a two-hour premiere on Friday, February 8 from 8PM-10PM. The following week it will relax into its regular 9PM timeslot. Good grief  Hopefully people will tune in; last year’s ratings were relatively soft and this show about connectedness is worth checking out.

Elsewhere on FOX, the poorly received and rated The Mob Doctor has its days numbered. Though the network is not calling it a cancellation, it has decided not to give the medical drama the back nine. But just like ABC is doing with Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue, it’s allowing the show air all 13 produced episodes being calling time of death. The final four episodes will air on the following dates: Saturday, December 29, Monday, December, Saturday, January 5, and Monday, January 7 all at 9PM. That’s right–some are airing on Saturday nights. Most would call that a loftier death bed than the Friday night graveyard.

Over at ABC, Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing and Reba’s Malibu Country are receiving back orders, specifically an additional 5 episodes each. Since the sophomore and freshman series (respectively) got a late start this year, an extra five instead of nine is enough to get them through the season. If you’re a fan of LMS, here’s something to look forward to: TVLine reports that a Home Improvement reunion is being staged when Richard Karn (aka Al Borland) joins Tim Allen in a future episode scheduled to air early next year.

And last, after picking up freshman dramas Arrow and Beauty And The Beast, The CW has axed Emily Owens M.D. This week’s episode attracted a paltry 1 million viewers, scoring a 0.3/1 in the adults 18-49 demo. Though the CBS sister network is not used to seeing typical ratings found on the bigger broadcast nets, Emily Owens scored as the lowest rated new series this fall for them and so the cord has been cut.

ABC grants full season order to ‘Nashville’, cancels ‘Last Resort’ & ‘666 Park Avenue’; NBC picks up ‘Chicago Fire’; CBS cancels ‘Partners’; and other order updates

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As we start to approach midseason, broadcast networks take a close look at the ratings and decide whether or not to keep the new shows they introduced earlier this fall. In addition to reporting the latest pickups and cancellations, I will take a grander look at the status of each network’s programs to give you an idea as to what is likely to stay and go before the new year rolls around.

ABC: On Monday, ABC picked up the Connie Britton-Hayden Panettiere country music drama Nashville. This serialized soap had a ton of buzz going into the pilot and word of mouth helped this show perform to respectable ratings; leading up to its back-nine order it was averaging 9.4 million viewers and a 3.2 in adults 18-49.

PREVIOUS: The Alphabet is still sitting on new dramas Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue as ratings continue to bottom-out for the submarine and supernatural thrillers. Ratings are not good for either shows. This week Last Resort drew a 1.3 in adults 18-49 (a series low) and 666 saw that same number in its most recent outing. While Last Resort continues to fluctuate, it appears as though 666 has found the bottom since this is the second consecutive week it scored a 1.3 in the coveted demo. Insiders bet that ABC will likely renew Last Resort and dump 666 when all is said and done, but with ratings so neck-and-neck, it’s a tough call at the moment.

UPDATE: As I was putting together this post, news broke that ABC has cancelled both Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue. That 1.3 demo ratings must’ve really spooked the execs at top and gave them no choice but to let the Colorado and Drake go. It’s sad, really. Both of these shows were refreshingly ambitious in their storytelling. Fans will likely be vocal about this somber news because over the course of the last few weeks both shows managed to get ahead creatively and their potential to grow into truly memorable series jumped significantly. The acting on Last Resort (a show from The Chicago Code creator  Shawn Ryan who just can’t catch a break) is superb led by Andre Braugher and Scott Speedman. In 666, the enigmatic Rachael Taylor only just ventured down the rabbit hole. I tip my hat to ABC for giving these serialized dramas wrapped in mystery and intrigue a shot in its schedule; it’s unfortunate that neither of them managed to retain an audience. They will sorely be missed.

Now here’s a sprinkle of good news on top of all this: ABC will allow both series to finish out their respective 13-episode runs; whether or not this gives the writers and producers enough time to properly wrap some things up remains to be seen. Also, ABC is not letting go of these show entirely just yet; the network has the option to revive them next season, but without a back-nine order now this is likely a formality and you shouldn’t hold your breath.

Elsewhere, The Neighbors miraculously received a pickup and the new Reba McEntire sitcom Malibu Country dropped significantly after opening to huge ratings a couple weeks back; ABC recently ordered three additional scripts.

NBC: Last Thursday, NBC gave a back-nine order to the Dick Wolfe drama Chicago Fire. Though the procedural didn’t have much buzz a the get-go, it managed to reach 8 million viewers on average and a decent 2.4 rating in the adults 18-49 demo leading up to its pickup. NBC’s other new drama Revolution was picked up over a month ago and continues to be a strong performer for the network.

Elsewhere on the Peacock, comedies Go On and The New Normal were also granted full season orders. Animal Practice has been cancelled, and multi-cam comedy Guys with Kids is still alive. Though it has been sitting on the fence ratings-wise (it attracted 3.8 million viewers and a 1.3 demo in its last two installments), this week NBC has shown a spark of faith by ordering an additional four scripts increasing the Jimmy Fallon-produced comedy episode count from 13 to 17. It’s not a back-nine order, but it’s certainly good news for fans of the show. Whether or not the network decides bring the season’s episode count up to the typical 22 remains to be seen.

CBS: Today, CBS cancelled the David Krumholtz-Michael Urie comedy Partners after six episodes. Though it averaged 6.5 million viewers and a 2.4/6 in adults 18-49, in its most recent outing it sunk to 5.6 million viewers and a 1.8. With ratings giants like The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men on its schedule, Partners is obviously a weak link for the network and did not perform up to its high standards. The show has been pulled from the schedule effective immediately and CBS comedy repeats will air in its Monday at 9:30PM slot starting next week. Though the sitcom was packed to the brim with gay jokes, I enjoyed engaging in the excellent rapport between stars Krumholz and Urie and I will sorely miss seeing the stunning Sophia Bush on a weekly basis. Also cancelled by CBS earlier this season was Made in Jersey.

CBS dramas fared better this season as the network picked up the Sherlock Homles-inspired Elementary and the Dennis Quaid-Michael Chiklis period drama Vegas. This week the network played around with these series’ episode orders: Elementary has gained an additional two episodes bringing its grand season 1 total to 24 and Vegas is losing one so its debut season will consist of 21 episodes.

FOX: Nothing new to report here. Comedies The Mindy Project and Ben And Kate were given “full season orders;” Mindy will run 24 episodes and Kate 19. The Mob Doctor continues to practice, for now.

The CW: Over at The CW, Arrow and Beauty and the Beast have been given the back-nine. Emily Owens, M.D. is still awaiting its fate.

TV reminder: ‘Dr. Horrible’ airs tonight at 9PM on The CW

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Now the nightmare’s real
Now Dr. Horrible is here
To make you quake with fear
To make the whole world kneel…

In 2008 during the Writers’ Guild of America strike the Whedon brothers (Joss, Jed, and Zack) and Maurissa Tancharoen wrangled together Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), Nathan Fillion (Castle), Felicia Day (The Guild), and Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) to produce the low budget but high value product Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. They released it to the Internet in three acts and quickly it gained in popularity. Four years later the catchy musical web series is about to air in its entirety on television.

Relive the action-packed tale tangled in love featuring Dr. Horrible, Captain Hammer, Penny, and Moist tonight (10/9) at 9PM on The CW. If you’ve been living under a rock like Patrick Star and haven’t seen it yet, this is must-see TV and you are in for a real treat. Head up Billy buddy it’s almost time to watch! Gather your friends and earn your Ph.D in Horribleness. Watch a CW-produced trailer after the break. Quick note: Bad Horse, he’s bad!

And for you hardcore fans out there, a sequel is most definitely in the works. Though Joss has The Avengers 2 on the horizon and his family (Jed, Zack, and Jed’s wife Maurissa) are starting to prep the Marvel ABC series S.H.I.E.L.D., the team behind Dr.H plans to begin production on Dr.H2 this spring with a tentative release in July 2013, five years after the original splashed on the ‘Net. Continue reading TV reminder: ‘Dr. Horrible’ airs tonight at 9PM on The CW →

2012 Fall TV Schedule: THE CW

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Here we are, the most exciting time of year. Summer is coming to a close, school is back in session, new shows premiere and your favorites return to the magical box in your living room. The 2012 fall TV season technically doesn’t start until later this month, but some of the networks are premiering new shows sooner rather than later. Whip out your calendar; it’s prime time to mark it up.

The CW is starting late. They’re letting their new and returning shows out of the gate next month. It’s all part of the network president Mark Pedowitz’s plan to let viewers sample the big four networks’ new programs before diving into The CW’s offerings with “no traction.” The network kicks things off October 2 with the return of the Rachel Bilson starrer Hart of Dixie, followed by Supernatural the following day. The following week of October 10 sees the return of 90210, Gossip Girl, and The Vampire Diaries. New shows Arrow and Beauty and the Beast also premiere that week. The week of October 16 sees the premiere of Emily Owens M.D. and on Friday, October 19 America’s Next Top Model returns to the schedule along with Nikita. The following shows are being held for midseason starts: The Carrie Diaries, Cult.

Jump after the break to view the full schedule.

Click here to get reacquainted with the new programming.

Look in the gallery below to view key art, aka TV posters!

Continue reading 2012 Fall TV Schedule: THE CW →

2012 Upfronts: The CW orders 5 new series for next season

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You can’t call it the Upfronts without including the network-that-could The CW. With their flagship series Gossip Girl fading away next season, The CW is prepared to reinvigorate its schedule with a grand total of five new series for the 2012-13 TV season. The three shows premiering this fall are medical drama Emily Owens, M.D., DC Comics adaptation Arrow, and a modern twist on Beauty and the Beast. Entering midseason is a Sex in the City prequel series The Carrie Diaries and investigative thriller Cult. Jump after the break to get more information about all of the new shows including synopses, cast and creator/executive producer listings, and clips.

CW president Mark Pedowitz kicked off the presentation by stating that “This is a transformative year for the CW with bigger and bolder programming.” He shared high praise for Emily Owens, M.D. which stars Meryl Streep’s daughter Mamie Gummer. He also addressed the Ringer cancellation and plans for Gossip Girl. “I don’t think anything went wrong with Ringer,” he said. “I was happy it’s there…The show was well-crafted, well-produced, well-written, but it was a complicated serialized show. After it finished a run in the fall and came back in January, the audience went somewhere else. And it just could not find the 18-34 demo that we hoped.” He promised that star Sarah Michelle Gellar “is coming back to this network as a producer or as an actress.” Phew. On Gossip Girl‘s sixth and final season, Pedowitz said it will likely contain 11 episodes and finish its run before the holiday season. Last, the CW prez let slip that the network will wait until October for the fall schedule to air to ensure “no traction” with the other broadcast nets who traditionally premiere their shows in late August/September. Continue reading 2012 Upfronts: The CW orders 5 new series for next season →

2012 TV renewals and cancellations

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Tis the season when the TV season comes to a close and the press goes wild with speculation about which shows will be coming back next fall and which ones will be brutally murdered never to be seen again. If you’re looking for rampant speculation you won’t find it here; this post will inform you about the already determined futures of your favorite TV shows that air on the big four networks. As the Upfronts loom ahead (the time when the networks reveal their schedules for next season), the current slate of TV shows look fate in the eye and a decision is made to keep them or cut them.

Unless otherwise stated, the following shows have been renewed for full 20-something episode seasons and will return in the fall or midseason.

CBS

Renewed: 2 Broke Girls, Blue Bloods, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, Hawaii Five-0, How I Met Your Mother, Mike & Molly, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, Person of Interest, Rules of Engagement (13 episodes), Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, The Mentalist, Two and a Half Men

Cancelled: A Gifted Man, CSI: Miami, How To Be A Gentleman, NYC 22 Rob, Unforgettable

NBC

Renewed: 30 Rock (13 episodes), Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, Celebrity Apprentice, Community (13 episodes), Grimm, Fashion Star, Law & Order: SVU, Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, Rock Center with Brian Williams, Smash (15-18 episodes), The Biggest Loser, The Office, The Voice, Up All Night, Whitney

Cancelled: Are You There, Chelsea?, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever, Chuck, Fear Factor, Free Agents, Harry’s Law, Playboy Club, Prime Suspect, The Firm

FOX

Renewed: American Dad, American Idol, Bob’s Burgers, Bones, Family Guy, Fringe (13 episodes), Glee, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, New Girl, Raising Hope, The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, The X Factor, Touch

Cancelled: Alcatraz, Allen Gregory, Breaking In, House, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Napoleon Dynamite, Terra Nova, The Finder

ABC

Renewed: America’s Funniest Home Videos, Body of Proof, Castle, Cougar Town (moving to TBS), Dancing with the Stars, Don’t Trust The B in Apartment 23, Grey’s Anatomy, Happy Endings, Last Man Standing, Modern Family, Once Upon A Time, Private Practice (13 episodes), Revenge, Scandal, Shark Tank, Suburgatory, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, The Middle

Cancelled: Charlie’s Angels, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, GCB, Man Up!, Missing, Pan Am, The River, Work It

The CW

Renewed: 90210, America’s Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, Hart of Dixie, Nikita, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries

Cancelled: H8R, One Tree Hill, Remodeled, Ringer, The Secret Circle