2009 Upfronts: The CW 

Paranormal makes way for pretty faces
By Blaine Kyllo | Thursday, May 21, 2009
The CW is nearing completion of its reinvention plan from a network appealing to younger viewers, to an organization wanting even younger women viewers.
The first programs on The CW, which was formed from the merger of UPN and The WB in 2006, were a blend of programs from those networks, from action and supernatural dramas to bubble gum soaps and urban sitcoms.
With its 2009 schedule, though, The CW looks to be remodeling itself as a home for shows about young, beautiful people, and the network is arranging its schedule to pair up those shows with similar DNA.
Which matches the Melrose Place revival with 90210 and Beautiful Life, about the trials and tribulations of a group of young models, with America’s Top Model.
And Supernatural, which is lensed in Vancouver, has a new match in Vampire Diaries, which supplants Smallville. The new drama, about a love triangle between two vampire brothers and a mortal girl, will air on Thursdays.
Smallville moves to Fridays for its ninth and what is widely expected to be its final season.
Parental Discretion Advised is a midseason drama about a 15-year-old girl in the foster care system who tracks down her unlikely parents and ends up being in their custody.
Cut from The CW’s schedule are Privileged and the sitcoms The Game and Everybody hates Chris. A possible spinoff of Gossip Girl has reportedly been quashed.
Reaper, another program shot in Vancouver, is still in the running to appear for a third season, but not on the full network. If a deal can be worked out the show would move to Sundays in syndication that would be opt-in for CW affiliates.
If I’m Eric Kripke, Robert Singer and the cast and crew of Supernatural, I’m wondering now about the future of the show. With Smallville gone after this season, that leaves Supernatural as the show that’s not like the others.
The sci-fi themed series have slowly disappeared from The CW. Vampire Diaries might feature blood-sucking creatures, but they are hardly the horror envisioned by Stoker. The key word in the title is not “vampire” but “diaries”, and the series - just like the books on which it is based - is about teen angst and young love, not an exploration of good and evil.
Because The CW is courting younger women as a demographic, the shift in tone is understandable, but as cute as Sam and Dean Winchester are, they don’t really fit in with the pretty faces of the 90210, Melrose Place and Beautiful Life crowd.
The Winchesters drink beer and whiskey. Not Cosmos.
The CW’s full fall schedule is as follows:
Monday
8 - 9 p.m.: Gossip Girl
9 - 10 p.m.: One Tree Hill
Tuesday
8 - 9 p.m.: 90210
9 - 10 p.m.: Melrose Place
Wednesday
8 - 9 p.m.: America’s Next Top Model
9 - 10 p.m.: Beautiful Life
Thursday
8 - 9 p.m.: Vampire Diaries
9 - 10 p.m.: Supernatural
Friday
8 - 9 p.m.: Smallville
9 - 10 p.m.: Top Model (in repeat)
'Beautiful Life' is a new series on The CW about the lives of young models living in a co-ed residence.
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The first programs on The CW, which was formed from the merger of UPN and The WB in 2006, were a blend of programs from those networks, from action and supernatural dramas to bubble gum soaps and urban sitcoms.
With its 2009 schedule, though, The CW looks to be remodeling itself as a home for shows about young, beautiful people, and the network is arranging its schedule to pair up those shows with similar DNA.
Which matches the Melrose Place revival with 90210 and Beautiful Life, about the trials and tribulations of a group of young models, with America’s Top Model.
And Supernatural, which is lensed in Vancouver, has a new match in Vampire Diaries, which supplants Smallville. The new drama, about a love triangle between two vampire brothers and a mortal girl, will air on Thursdays.
Smallville moves to Fridays for its ninth and what is widely expected to be its final season.
Parental Discretion Advised is a midseason drama about a 15-year-old girl in the foster care system who tracks down her unlikely parents and ends up being in their custody.
Cut from The CW’s schedule are Privileged and the sitcoms The Game and Everybody hates Chris. A possible spinoff of Gossip Girl has reportedly been quashed.
Reaper, another program shot in Vancouver, is still in the running to appear for a third season, but not on the full network. If a deal can be worked out the show would move to Sundays in syndication that would be opt-in for CW affiliates.
If I’m Eric Kripke, Robert Singer and the cast and crew of Supernatural, I’m wondering now about the future of the show. With Smallville gone after this season, that leaves Supernatural as the show that’s not like the others.
The sci-fi themed series have slowly disappeared from The CW. Vampire Diaries might feature blood-sucking creatures, but they are hardly the horror envisioned by Stoker. The key word in the title is not “vampire” but “diaries”, and the series - just like the books on which it is based - is about teen angst and young love, not an exploration of good and evil.
Because The CW is courting younger women as a demographic, the shift in tone is understandable, but as cute as Sam and Dean Winchester are, they don’t really fit in with the pretty faces of the 90210, Melrose Place and Beautiful Life crowd.
The Winchesters drink beer and whiskey. Not Cosmos.
The CW’s full fall schedule is as follows:
Monday
8 - 9 p.m.: Gossip Girl
9 - 10 p.m.: One Tree Hill
Tuesday
8 - 9 p.m.: 90210
9 - 10 p.m.: Melrose Place
Wednesday
8 - 9 p.m.: America’s Next Top Model
9 - 10 p.m.: Beautiful Life
Thursday
8 - 9 p.m.: Vampire Diaries
9 - 10 p.m.: Supernatural
Friday
8 - 9 p.m.: Smallville
9 - 10 p.m.: Top Model (in repeat)
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(3 Comments)
Kripke's sticking to his 5 Year plan
Posted by Rosewood on May 21st, 7:46pm
Kripke is taking Supernatural out with a complete story in season 5 and then he's done. He said he had a 5 season plan, and this schedule seems to indicate he'll be able to stick to it. Then Supernatural will drive off into the sunset. The CW replace Supernatural and Smallville with yet more 'tween soaps.
Reaper Still Hopes
Posted by cathy on May 21st, 4:33pm
The Hollywood Reporter http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/cont....c0f60c8af5aed4f says talks still ON for Reaper Season Three for syndication Sundays; write your CW local affiliate and ABC Studios, tell them there's a fanbase for REAPER. Addresses and links at reaperdmv.com.









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"'Beautiful Life' is a new series on The CW about the lives of young models living in a co-ed residence." who the hell comes up with this crap?
"Superficial sexually promiscuous rich white teenagers who sleeps around to get back at their fathers" There, I got a new show idea for the CW.