The fifth of the network upfronts is out, covering CW’s fall schedule. Here are my thoughts and what I anticipate I will be covering in one degree or another next season. The following is the schedule released by the network on 17 May 2012:
THE CW’s 2012-2013 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM 90210
9:00-10:00 PM GOSSIP GIRL
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM HART OF DIXIE
9:00-10:00 PM EMILY OWENS, M.D. (New Series)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM ARROW
9:00-10:00 PM SUPERNATURAL
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
9:00-10:00 PM BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL
9:00-10:00 PM NIKITA
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Mondays
Neither “90210” nor “Gossip Girl” is remotely interesting to anyone in my household.
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Tuesday
Neither is “Hart of Dixie”. “Emily Owens, MD” is only notable because it feels like CW put Justin Hartley on the wrong damn show. Speaking of…
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Wednesday
This is the scheduling coup of the new season. First and foremost, putting “Arrow” and “Supernatural” on the same night is a great idea, recalling the old synergy of “Smallville” and “Supernatural” on Thursdays and Fridays. But moving “Supernatural” was an even better idea. It eliminates the conflict with “Fringe” and “Grimm”, and there’s really nothing else genre-related on Wednesday nights on any network. Even fans of “Ghost Hunters” might rather watch “Supernatural” in that timeslot, given the departure of one of its most popular cast members. The CW often seems to be stumbling through its existence, but this was a perfect move.
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Thursday
I freely admit that “The Vampire Diaries” is a must-watch show for Thursday nights. The reboot of “Beauty and the Beast” does nothing for me, however. I was tired of Kristen Kreuk by the time she left “Smallville” (long before, actually), and the production pedigree just isn’t that compelling. That one’s a pass for me.
Friday
I don’t know what it says about “Nikita” that they decided to lead into it with “America’s Top Model”, but given that the renewal was one of the biggest shocks coming into the upfronts, I suppose I should just be happy that it’s still around. I’m still catching up on the second season, and I’m sure the third will remain a staple of my DVR queue.
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Mid-Season
“The Carrie Diaries” looks dreadful, even if a couple people on the cast have been great in other roles. “Cult”, on the other hand, has a great cast, an unusual premise, and a solid production pedigree. It’s one of the few mid-season offerings that looks like it work well for genre fans.
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Final Verdict
I’m always surprised at how the CW network manages to give genre fans more to work with than most traditional networks, despite a lower budget and far fewer available timeslots. “Supernatural”, “The Vampire Diaries”, “Arrow”, “Nikita”, and “Cult” are all either proven properties or solid potentials.
