CW network returning bulk of its lineup next year
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - A roundup of news Sunday from the Television Critics Association winter meeting, at which TV networks and streaming services are presenting details on upcoming programs.
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Award-winning shows like "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and "Jane the Virgin" may bring more plaudits than viewers to the CW, but that's OK for the niche network's chief executive.
They were among seven programs the CW announced would be back for another season next fall, including the now-teen-aged "Supernatural."
The stars of "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and "Jane the Virgin," Rachel Bloom and Gina Rodriguez, have both won Golden Globes as best actresses in a comedy or musical. Mark Pedowitz, CW president, said the shows deserve to continue even if it's a mixed call from a business perspective.
"Critically-acclaimed, great programming, sometimes you just leave it on the air and hopefully it finds an audience," Pedowitz said. "I'm hoping that happens, but if it doesn't, I have no regrets" about supporting them, he said.
The programs, along with the CW's comic-book based shows, give the CW a calling card. Even without great ratings, they have another life online and that's becoming more important for the CW as a business, he said.
The series "Supergirl," ''Arrow," ''The Flash" and "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" will also return, the CW said. "Supernatural" will be back for its 13th season, and Pedowitz said there's no end in sight.
The network also said Sunday that the one-season NBC series "Constantine" is also being reimagined as an animated series on the CW's digital network, with real-life star Matt Ryan signing on as the voice of the his character.
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Time marches on, and sometimes reminders come like a slap in the face.
K.J. Apa, the actor who plays Archie in "Riverdale," the CW's dark remake of the comic book series, was asked if he saw another teenage drama, "Beverly Hills, 90210," while growing up in New Zealand.
"My mum definitely did," Apa replied.
He was born in 1997, or three years before the prime-time soap ended its decade-long run on Fox.