‘Arrow,’ ‘Supergirl,’ & ‘The Flash’ Renewed Early By The CW
The CW went on a renewal binge early Monday morning on January 9, giving an early renewal to seven current series. Six of the series were almost a sure thing to be renewed, but the seventh came as somewhat of a surprise.
The series that were renewed are Supernatural, Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Jane the Virgin, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. This marks the 13th season for the supernatural dramedy, Supernatural, the sixth season of Arrow, the fourth seasons for Jane the Virgin and The Flash, and the third seasons for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and the surprise renewal, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
In addition to the huge boost of confidence that the early renewal gives to each of these shows, CW president Mark Pedowitz indicated that there were other reasons for renewing these shows early. In a press release, Pedowitz said the following.
“Over the past several seasons, The CW has built a schedule of proven performers, from our lineup of DC superheroes, to critically acclaimed comedies to sci-fi dramas. Early pickups of these seven series now allow our producers to plan ahead for next season, and gives us a solid base to build on for next season, with original scripted series to roll out all year long.”
The renewal of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend came as a surprise to most industry insiders, especially considering the relatively low numbers that the show produces. On average, the comedy has been drawing an average of 553,000 viewers weekly. Those numbers are underwhelming, especially for a show that garnered its lead, Rachel Bloom, a Golden Globe in 2016 and a nomination in 2017.
Pedowitz’s decision to leave the critically acclaimed show on the air is indicative of the risks he is willing to take as the Head of Entertainment since 2011. It was he who has overseen the current growth of DC Comics properties and negotiated saving Supergirl from cancellation on rival network CBS.
The Flash is currently the top show on The CW, pulling in a 1.2 rating, or more than 3 million viewers weekly. This is a better average than over 20 shows on rival networks. Supergirl is the second show, drawing a 0.9 rating (2.7 million viewers), and Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Supernatural tie for third with a 0.7 rating.
With the renewal of Supernatural for its 13th season, the show joins some of the Hollywood elite for longevity. This hallmark season sees it pass iconic shows that only lasted for 12 seasons, such as NYPD Blue, Murder, She Wrote, Two and a Half Men, and My Three Sons. Supernatural is the only show currently on the CW that predates the network’s existence. The drama thriller was originally aired on the WB network, home to shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
The 250th episode of the series is due to air on January 26, when Supernatural returns from its mid-season hiatus.
Jane the Virgin is a commercial and critical success, with lead Gina Rodriguez nailing three Golden Globe nominations and winning in 2015. The team behind Jane is also set to revamp another show from the past, with a reboot of Charmed in the works currently.
The CW has yet to make a decision on its other shows for this season. While The 100, iZombie, and Riverdale have yet to premiere, Frequency, and No Tomorrow did not receive orders for the second nine episodes of the season. There has been no official word on their fate, but the lack of commitment has the writing on the wall.
Vampire Diaries and Reign are both in their final season. The final episode for Diaries will happen in spring 2017, while Reign’s final season will premiere on February 10, 2017.
Are you excited for the renewal of (almost everything) DC? Let us know in the comments below which is your favorite show this year.
[Featured Image by Debby Wong/Shutterstock]
