The CW is going to try to rush through a whole season of TV in the first half of 2021
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The unprecedented COVID-19-based shutdown of the film and television industries has had some very weird effects on the world of broadcast TV, from Zoom-based reunion specials, to massively truncated seasons, to James Spader’s animated jowls. And now the news that The CW is going to try to shove an entire season of TV into the first half of 2021, because that’s apparently the only way we’re going to get back to business as usual, provided that business is a thing that’s ever going to be usual again.
This is per Deadline, reporting on a faux up-front the network held today, outlining its plans for the near-but-no-less-terrifying future. (For the unfamiliar, upfronts are the big annual meetings where network execs, stars, ad buyers, and the press all get together to hobnob about the upcoming TV schedule/get their germs all over each other.) Specifically, network president Mark Pedowitz announced that The CW’s “Fall 2020" schedule will actually kick off in January of next year, at which point it’ll then run full seasons of its shows through July or August—before jumping right into the “next” season in October of that year. All of which sounds super stressful for everyone involved in the production, but also presumably less stressful than being out of a job/catching a deadly virus.
Speaking of: This is all, of course, still tentative, based on just how Fury Road things get by the time Fall 2020 rolls around. “We take an optimistic view at the moment,” Pedowitz told reporters, while also acknowledging that there are plans in place to scrounge around for already-produced English-language entertainment to spackle in gaps in the schedule. That’s the same tack they’ve already taken to fill up this year’s programming block, where they’ll be tossing the already-filmed Swamp Thing, Dead Pixels, and Tell Me A Story—plus the still-needs-to-be-shot series finale of Supernatural. (After all, they need to clear Jared Padalecki’s schedule for the Walker: Texas Ranger reboot to debut just a couple of months down the line.)
You can see the full January 2021 schedule for The CW—which includes several “fingers crossed” new series, including Walker and Superman & Lois—below:
The CW January 2021 schedule:
Monday:
8-9 PM — All American
9-10 PM — Black Lightning
Tuesday:
8-9 PM — The Flash
9-10 PM — Superman & Lois
WEDNESDAY
8-9 PM — Riverdale
9-10 PM — Nancy Drew
THURSDAY
8-9 PM — Walker
9-10 PM — Legacies
FRIDAY
8-9 PM — Penn & Teller: Fool Us
9-9:30 PM — Whose Line Is It Anyway?
9:30-10 PM — Whose Line Is It Anyway?
SUNDAY
8-9 PM — Batwoman
9-10 PM — Charmed
31 Comments
Where’s Legends?
Sorry to take over this Newswire, but I just got a brand new MacBook, and at least half the time I visit The A.V. Club (or any other Gizmodo website) on Safari, I get redirected to a phishing website telling me I have to update Adobe Flash. Has this happened to anyone else? No idea why something would be wrong with my computer within minutes of turning it on for the first time.
It’s a bad ad. I sent a note in this morning and they were already aware and working to get it removed.
Oh, so it’s not just me! Sweet. Thanks.
And these sites keep wondering why we have to block ads.
Supernatural only needs two weeks of filming to film the finale (plus whatever post production is needed).So I’m hopeful they can get that done before the fall.But, that’s some big dreaming right there if CW thinks they’ll get that much filming done for that many shows in Vancouver even as restrictions lift before a vaccine is made.
They are being very optimistic. I think there is a good chance most their show’s seasons end up shortened.
I’m guessing fewer action scenes and fewer/lower quality special effects to speed up shooting. More angsty dialogue in two-shots.
The Flash’s so it’s frustrating it halts here just as the momentum crescendos.
Riverdale, so don’t expect cliffhanger satisfaction.
The CW proposed post-coronavirus production changes.
No Supergirl or Legends? If Black Lightning is a half season, maybe Legends runs May-July or something, but Supergirl’s 22-episode standard season doesn’t seem like it could easily slot in anywhere.
That’s what I was thinking–where’s Supergirl?
Probably has something to do with Melissa Benoist pregnancy.
Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow will premiere mid-season. Which is probably spring in this case. Hopefully March but it could be later.
Supergirl and Legends are both supposed to start in May. I don’t hate the idea of spacing out Superman & Lois and Supergirl.
Did its episode order get cut, then? The other shows will have a tight schedule, but if not, Supergirl will be airing new episodes every week for like five straight months, which is crazy.
22 episodes for Supergirl and Flash is what I read. You’d think CW would take this opportunity to go to shorter seasons, especially after Arrow turned in its best season in years with 10 episodes, but they seem stuck on the idea of a 22 episode season.
So, no CW shows until January? I don’t know that I have a better answer, other than maybe try testing everyone, have them sign a waiver and get filming, but if it will be that long until new episodes, they’ll have to remind me which shows I watch.
Sounds like they’ll be airing DC Universe’s Swamp Thing in the fall, along with a couple other imports.
I hope they search their archives for some old stuff or something. I’ve been wondering how shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Brooklyn 99 and others would incorporate the current situation. I assume some might ignore it and that could be even more possible in the superhero worlds, but I hadn’t actually thought about how there could just be less new television for maybe a year.Somebody has to dig into the archives because if we’ll have to wait until January, there could be nothing left to watch.
I believe the solution here is clear: bring back puppet shows.
Provided the puppeteers remain at least six feet apart.
Honestly, the worst part of the CW shows is the length of the season. Half-season shows would be all the plot but half the filler and treading water. They could be great…
Flash was usually 23 episodes but much of TV had already shrunk to 11, 13, 16 episodes (Mandalorian was a paltry 8). So series could no longer span a traditional TV season with a traditional summer hiatus even if they tried. Korean TV is radical in comparison. Usually a 12-16 episode cap, usually a single season only, and usually airing two episodes per week. So they burn through a full series inside of 2 months and move on to the next project. Its like a well oiled TV series generating machine. For the COVID crisis I noticed they moved shows into rural communities or stuck to night scenes with nobody on the street. you can do a lot of interesting, innovative TV if you abandoned the concept of multi-year series.
“interesting, innovative TV” On the CW? That’s adorable.
Where’s Legends of Tomorrow?
‘Legends of Tomorrow?’ What’s that supposed to mean?
‘Legends of Tomorrow’ Y’know..the actually still fun and watchable DC/CW show
I don’t watch any of this shows but somehow this post made me incredibly sad.
Perhaps if all are still concerned, write the entire season of all of the Arrowverse shows first then get the cast together and remain confined for the duration of the shoot. No one new in or out and that would keep the risk of infection pretty low. This would take Soprano’s level of planning so I am not sure they will be up to the task, but it might also lead to a better season because they will take the time to write it all out without doing it piecemeal like they usually do and make it nice and polished before scene one is even rehearsed. Have more little crossovers since all will be together. ( Oh they could have made a really awesome version of Crisis this way!)
Honestly, I’d rather they be realistic with shooting schedules than aim for a fall start and end up pushing premieres. No Arrowverse in October for the first time in nearly a decade is weird, but at least they’ll be airing Swamp Thing so there’ll be a bit of DC Comics content.