The CW on Thursday unveiled its fall 2017 schedule, along with previews for its upcoming series, including fifth superhero series Black Lightning, as well as the military drama Valor, starring Sleepy Hollow‘s Matt Barr.
Here at TVLine, we immediately jumped at the chance to screen both trailers — which you can also do by clicking here — and we’re ready to divulge our totally unfiltered, brutally honest snap judgments.
Below, Michael Ausiello, Matt Mitovich, Kimberly Roots, Andy Swift, Dave Nemetz, Vlada Gelman and Ryan Schwartz share their gut reactions to each new series based on the first footage released by the network, then turn it over to you to tell us whether you agree or disagree with our pithy reviews.
Now, keep in mind: The following trailers are just the very first glimpse we get of a series and are often not wholly indicative of quality. As such, don’t take the following analysis to mean the series below will necessarily be good or bad. Previews can be deceiving — and we’ve all been fooled before.
Keep scrolling to see how Team TVLine reacted to each respective preview…
BLACK LIGHTNING (Midseason) [WATCH TRAILER HERE]
MITOVICH | I kinda love the idea of a family-centric superhero drama, and how grounded it looks versus its sister CW series.
SWIFT | It may not be part of the Arrowverse, but it’ll definitely be part of my weekly rotation.
GELMAN | We were all so curious to know if The CW’s latest DC show is part of the Arrowverse, no one thought to ask, “Will there be a crossover with The 100?”
SCHWARTZ | In terms of this week’s superhero trailers, this one is not quite as good as Fox’s The Gifted, but is leaps and bounds better than ABC’s Marvel’s Inhumans.
DYNASTY (Wednesday at 9/8c) [WATCH TRAILER HERE]
AUSIELLO | Paging Joan Collins…
MITOVICH | Why appropriate the Dynasty name if your trailer is never going to say “Blake,” “Fallon” or “Carrington”?
SWIFT | Didn’t think Dynasty could get any gayer? Think again, my friend!
GELMAN | Soapy, ridiculous guilty pleasure. Also, this trailer desperately needs a different song. And is that Revenge‘s Nick Wechsler?!
SCHWARTZ | I’m not opposed to remakes of classic properties — especially not ones adapted by the creative minds behind The O.C. I’m all in.
LIFE SENTENCE (Midseason) [WATCH TRAILER HERE]
MITOVICH | Before you mock the “As if!” premise, remember: We all did same with Jane the Virgin.
ROOTS | Lucy Hale is winsome and watchable, but I already have angst about when they’ll inevitably bring back her character’s cancer. Life’s too short. Pass.
SWIFT | Cute, cute, cute. Did I mention cute? This show is cute!
NEMETZ | It scratches that Jane/Crazy Ex rom-com itch, and Lucy Hale makes for a charming lead. But I liked the No Tomorrow trailer, too.
VALOR (Monday at 9/8c) [WATCH TRAILER HERE]
AUSIELLO | I thought we were weighing in on new CW shows. This is clearly a TNT drama.
MITOVICH | Valium.
ROOTS | A military drama with a messed-up female lead? Holy Starbuck, I think I’m in.
NEMETZ | Feels way off-brand for The CW, and kind of a snooze — like actors playing military dress-up. I don’t expect a long tour of duty for this one.
