The CW‘s traditional early-renewal blitz has finally arrived, although the volume of pickups is down from previous years.
The network on Tuesday renewed seven series for the 2022-23 TV season, including All American (for Season 5), The Flash (for Season 9), Superman & Lois (for Season 3), Riverdale (for Season 7), Walker (for Season 3), Kung Fu (for Season 3) and Nancy Drew (for Season 4).
This marks the first time in four years that The CW has waited until spring to issue its first wave of scripted renewals. (By comparison, in 2019, 2020 and 2021, the network had already handed early pickups by February.)
The “delay” — coupled with the more modest number of renewals — comes as The CW’s corporate parents, Paramount and WarnerMedia, are exploring a sale of the network. (Local-TV behemoth Nexstar is said to be among the suitors.)
If and when a deal goes through, the new owners are expected to implement a new programming strategy, potentially leaving many current CW series vulnerable to cancellation or, in a rosier scenario, primed for relocation to ViacomCBS and WarnerMedia’s respecting streaming outlets, Paramount+ and HBO Max.
In announcing Tuesday’s renewals, CW Chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz (not surprisingly) did not address the sale chatter.
“As we prepare for the 2022-23 season, these scripted series, along with the alternative series we renewed earlier, will serve as the start of a solid foundation utilizing some of our most-watched series for us to build on for next year and beyond,” the exec said in a statement. “These dramas are also important to our overall digital strategy, as they are some of our most-streamed and socially-engaged programming, and we look forward to adding more new and returning series to help strengthen and expand our multiplatform footprint.”
Where does all of this leave The CW’s 12 remaining bubble shows? Scroll down for our “gut check” on all of the network’s in-limbo series.
STATUS: Season 1 ended Feb. 14
PROS: The reboot of USA Network’s The 4400 enjoys the third-largest Live+7 DVR boosts (+97 percent in total audience) of any CW series. TVLine readers gave Season 1 an average grade of (barely a) “B+.”
CONS: That audience is still piddly in the scheme of things (732,000 viewers with the DVR bump), and in fact is the smallest of any freshman broadcast drama.
STATUS: Season 1 is currently airing.
PROS: This is a franchise on the rise.
CONS: For some reason, Homecoming‘s been fumbling a full third of its lead-in audience — provided by the OG All American.
STATUS: Season 3 ended March 2
PROS: In an era of free-falling live numbers, the Arrowverse drama’s audience was down just 7 percent from Season 2.
CONS: Its audience gets one of the smaller DVR bumps (just 65 percent) of any CW drama.
STATUS: Season 4 is currently airing
PROS: Two episodes in (as of this publishing), Season 4 is drawing a larger crowd than last year — with its March 18 outing delivering the supernatural series’ best audience since its Season 3 premiere.
CONS: The reboot has gone through a lot of showrunners, sending each season in wildly different creative directions (and testing viewers’ patience in the process).
STATUS: Season 5 is currently airing.
PROS: It’s a solid performer internationally…
CONS: .. but barely causes a ratings blip stateside. In Live+7 ratings, it musters 400,000 total viewers, and its audience gets the smallest DVR bump (56 percent) of any CW drama.
STATUS: Season 3 ended Oct. 6, 2021. Season 4 is still awaiting a premiere date.
PROS: Its third season audience was larger than what Nancy Drew, Legacies and Dynasty have most recently done…?
CONS: See “status” above.
STATUS: Season 4 is currently airing.
PROS: The TVD-verse series enjoys the largest Live+7 DVR bump (+113 percent) of any CW drama.
CONS: Nonetheless, its total audience lands not quite in the middle of the CW pack, ranking No. 11 out of 19 dramas that have aired this season.
STATUS: Season 7 ended March 2.
PROS: In the overnights, Season 7 slightly improved on both last season’s total audience and its demo number. And in this day and age, “slightly up” is “way up”!
CONS: Storyline-wise, the Legends seem to be running out of… time. The first half of Season 7 was stuck in the year 1925, while a potential eighth season is poised to be some sort of “prison break” drama. It also gets one of the smaller DVR bumps (+63 percent) of any CW drama.
STATUS: Season 1 is currently airing.
PROS: In total audience (1.02 million viewers with Live+7 DVR playback), it ranks No. 6 out of the 19 dramas that The CW has aired this TV season.
CONS: After a solid premiere, its audience declined in each of the following six weeks.
STATUS: Season 3 ended Oct. 11, 2021; Season 4 is awaiting a premiere date.
PROS: Its Season 3 audience would almost crack The CW‘s current Top 5. Almost.
CONS: It’s one of the few CW series that isn’t tied to a major franchise or has yet to spawn a spinoff. Also: See “status” above.
STATUS: Season 2 ended Nov. 2, 2021; Season 3 is awaiting a premiere date.
PROS: Its sophomore run put up a larger total audience than, for example, Supergirl‘s swan song, or Legends‘ latest run. Plus, it still reaps critical raves, while TVLine readers gave Season 2 an average grade of “A-.”
CONS: Airing mostly in-season (meaning, in the fall vs. Season 1’s summertime run), the numbers for Season 2 were down sharply.
STATUS: Season 1, which was greenlit back in August, is awaiting a premiere date.
PROS: Surely the Powers That Be will want to see how the Nancy Drew offshoot performs before making a decision about Season 2… right?
CONS: Is the Nancy Drew franchise really durable enough to sustain two series simultaneously?
Want scoop on any of the above shows? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.
They cant cut legends, batwoman and stargirl (!!!) just like this! Give us at leats final seasons or move them to HBO Max where they’ll enjoy a way better treatment
Stargirl still has a third season to air. so their 4th season renewal may come later this summer
Personally I would say the show is in danger if its not renewed by the end of May.
It has already been renewed for the next season (Season 3). But season 3 hasn’t aired yet so It makes sense that with one season still unaired that they wouldn’t renew it for a 4th season. This is a summer series and will probably air when their regular shows finish their seasons.
Networks always have their house in order in terms of shows for the upcoming season by the end of May. This is why you see shows airing into the Summer picked up prior to airing their season on the CW.
Not necessarily the summer shows… Stargirl wasnt renewed last year until season 2 started running…. They used to be late on their renewals for The 100 when it was a summer show also.
Stargirl was a DC Universe series for the first season until the network acquired it from the platform. The next renewal(Season three) occurred in May 2021 close to three months before it premiered. For The 100 every announced renewal happened before the end of May.
I forgot please renew 4400 and All American Homecoming those r some good shows and Nancy Drew.
Okay, I will renew it just for you.
plus if stargirl does as good as it did last year and even though you have mr. bones coming in this season season 3 will be more like season 1 back to a lighter tone and also we also know season 3 is subtitled frenenimies where the jsa and isa will be working together simply because there common enemy will be mr. bones and the institute that knows about the new green lantern’s brother and we’ll lkely find out if he’s friend or enenmy and then also we have joel mchale returining as a series regular and we don’t know if he’s the real starman or an impostor
Please renew Batwoman it’s a good show.I live it.
hear hear Carrie , i love Batwoman… Alice is awepic!!!
Please CW renew BATWOMAN, LEGENDS OF TOMORROW, and CHARMED those are the ones I’m watching!
Batwoman. Really? You watch that?? Why?
Well perhaps if the shows were aired more regularly instead of all these unnecessary 1 wk or 2 wk breaks then they would be able to find an audience!!
and that’s the problem that has cw has had with many shows as tommorow people i was one of the few who watched the problem is right when it started to get good boom hiatus and that’s why the 100 was moved to mid-season season 3 with it’s lower episode count and there were one or two breaks
TES YES YES!!!!!! NANCY
MY RELIEF AT SEEING NANCY ON THE LIST
Please renew “Legacies”, “Charmed”,” Batwoman” Rosewell & Noami
Roswell still has a 4th season to air so a renewal decision will probably come later.
Maybe All American Homecoming is fumbling because of the utter lack of charm of its lead. I was so surprised when out of all of the characters on All American, they decided to spin off Simone, when both the character and the actress not only completely lack charisma but instead always has a miserable crabby look on her face. One of the reasons All American is so great and has been such a hit is because of the talent and star power of Daniel Ezra.
I imagine Stargirl falls into the same camp that Superman & Lois do because they have an easy home to go to where the HBO Max numbers are better and, well, they are building up their DC library. I hope Legends gets even a final season because it does seem like the show that just deserves it. I think I will be fine with Batwoman ending just because the show basically treated the season 3 finale as if it were the series finale. I feel like Legacies, well, it needs the network to make a decision because there are stories that seem like it could end things (like the TVD universe once and for all) and they are holding off ending two stories because they might need something for a season five. And its getting annoying.
CW shows are the best.
— I thought In the Dark had lots of views on Netflix. That should be enough for another season.
— Stargirl is excellent. Are previous seasons showing anywhere?
— Legends of Tomorrow. Just one more season please.
— Naomi is solid.
— Please more Batwoman and Alice.
— Flash is a surprise to me. It’s become really boring.
Both seasons of Stargirl are on HBO Max while just season 2 is available of the CW app.
Flash is definately gonna be announced for final season i bet
The fact that Charmed has become a “Long shot” on the scorecard scares me.
I know Stargirl skews younger than typical HBO fare, but it seems like one that HBO Max would still likely rescue to expand its small but solid stable of original DC offerings, if CW lets it go.
Dynasty season 6, why not, The CW?!
That’s a call for CBS to make. If CBS wants another season it gets another season one way or another.
CBS and WB makes the decisions for all the shows on the CW. They are the Co owners of the network.
The shows that have been on for years deserve to have endings! This is why I have always liked The CW. They hardly ever cancel anything. Will be very upset if they cancel Legends of Tomorrow without an ending. It’s been on for seven seasons! Same goes for the shows I don’t even watch. I know it’s a business but it’s still not right,
I really enjoyed the great chocolate showdown. Any news on that?
That’s a show made by Food Network Canada. The 3rd season is currently airing there. Whether CW will continue showing it on the US I don’t know.
We’re on Season 3 in Canada. So more seasons to come if they decide to bring it back
legacies and legends can end already im ready for them to end
maybe they can get a small season wrap up idk
I wouldnt actually mind another full season of legacies if I could trust the writers would capitalize on potential ideas they havent went with in the 4 seasons but if I cant then ditch the show then and end with some dignity since season 4 is the best season so far imo.
Legends on the other hand is a different case I think that show needed to end in season 7.
I still have hope that “Legacies” will be renewed for a fifth season. What do you think the hold up is?
Admittedly, I don’t watch the show, but I do live in Covington where it’s filmed. This is pure speculation on my part, but part of the delay might be because of the negotiations they have to do with the city and Newton County at large to film here. For instance, they’re filming in the square this week, and multiple roads around its entirety are closed as a result. They have to pay the businesses for any inconvenience, offer transportation for any citizen needing to get to the square (where important things like our tag office are located) and given the, ahem, colorful history we’ve had with that franchise, that’s going to take a lot of both time and money. I would think they’d have to have an estimate to give the network so the latter can determine whether it’s feasible or not. Again, total speculation on my part, but since I got totally rerouted today because of them, I thought I’d mention it. :)
Oooh, I want to hear more about the colorful history
Cool. Thx
Very happy that we’re getting Superman & Lois season 3!
Surprised at Riverdale as I felt the cast were ready to move on.
I thought Batwoman would get another season but LOT may be too expensive at this point versus the revenue it brings in.
I would guess the CW are waiting to see what the various pilots currently being filmed are like before they make a final decision on bubble shows.
The core four for Riverdale all had 7 year contracts so they’re stuck for another season but I can definitely see season 7 being it for them
Ooof. I really hope Batwoman and Stargirl get another season/land on their feet somehow. Season three of Batwoman finally felt like a cohesive, well-done season, and I’d like to see that continue – or at least give the writers to wrap up stories they’re still wanting to tell.
Stargirl’s just been a plain joy, and we could use more of that, I feel.
I love Dynasty, but I can also see an argument for ending it soon, same for Legends.
again stargirl i think we’ll get an annoncement after the 3rd season premire airs
Legends had its best season yet, the 1925 storyline was a series standout, and deserves a swan song, if it came to that.
I really liked the 1925 storyline as well
Agreed
Considering Roswell NM does as well as it does when each new season has started 11-13 months after the season prior, should be a sign that there’s an audience willing to hang in there.
I hope to be wrong, but it’s hard to believe that the CW will survive in any recognizable form if sold; more likely it will go the way of MyNetworkTV and PAX/Ion. I can’t imagine the incentive for any buyer, given the costs of original content and all the competition now
Plus the demographic that The CW aims at isn’t exactly known for sitting down to watch TV when the network wants them to. I know most people are switching to streaming or watching on DVR etc to be fair.
It won’t. The network has been on life support for…well, most of it’s life. But it seems the end is near.
Not sure why some people are worried about the remaining shows. Pre announced final seasons are a thing too and some among the rest are good contenders for that.
It’s a different ballgame this year with the network being sold.The new owner or co owner may decide to rid a bunch of shows and put different,cheaper,better rated shows on instead.
Thank heavens for Nancy.. fingers crossed for dynasty. Batwoman this year was light years ahead of previous seasons, but legends is a sad shadow of its former self
So, if Nextstar buys TheCW could they still cancel the shows that were just renewed and not pickup the ones that haven’t been renewed yet? I read they might want to skew TheCW to an older audience.
It’s unlikely that NexStar would make immediate changes but rather they would open the doors to other studios to pitch their shows. The current shows renewed would be safe for the next television season at the very least.
Fox is in yr 5 of converting itself to a mostly sports/reality network. Contracts in place, unless they are Gung ho for new direction. They’ll just ride out this season, get CBS and wb to fire sale any additional seasons that would work for broad base shows and build a network around it.
If not for streaming deals, very few of their shows would be airing.
I’m happy to see that Nancy Drew, Kung Fu and All American are renewed because I enjoy all three shows.
I would like to see Legends of Tomorrow, In The Dark and 4400 renewed also.
Oh thank god, now get Nancy out of that Friday Night slot PLEASE!
Superman and Lois, Walker and Kung Fu, have become a regular staple of my TV viewing. Glad to see them all getting renewed.