Prepare for another year of superhero, musical, telenovela, and supernatural hijinks on The CW, which announced a slate of mostly expected renewals.
It’s January. For television critics, that means the TCA press tour, a biannual event during which network executives and showrunners preview their upcoming series and field questions. And for TV viewers, that means a ton of news. On Sunday, The CW was scheduled to present, beginning with a Q&A session with President Mark Pedowitz.
Pedowitz opened by announcing that seven of the network’s ongoing shows have been renewed: Jane the Virgin, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Supernatural, and the four interconnected superhero shows (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow).
None of these renewals comes as a complete shock. Supernatural has been going strong for 12 seasons, fueled by an eager, social media-savvy fan base. The so-called “Arrow-verse” superhero shows lack the hype of DC’s big-screen outings and Marvel’s Netflix series, but they’ve amassed a loyal niche following, thanks in no small part to crossover events like the recent “Heroes vs. Aliens” team-up. Jane the Virgin garners more than enough critical acclaim to compensate for its middling ratings.
The only show whose continued existence wasn’t a foregone conclusion is Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, a zany, satirical musical that has struggled to find an audience since its debut. Still, critics adore it, and co-creator/star Rachel Bloom has received multiple awards, including a Golden Globe. It has, according to Pedowitz, “altered the perception of what The CW has become.”
The fates of midseason shows, such as iZombie and The Originals, remain up in the air.
We learned more tidbits throughout the afternoon, particularly concerning the Arrow-verse. Most notably, Constantine will be resurrected as an animated series for CW Seed. Matt Ryan is set to voice the titular occult detective, reprising his role from the short-lived NBC show. Fans can also look forward to a two-episode Gorilla Grodd arc on The Flash and the upcoming Flash/Supergirl musical crossover, which producer Greg Berlanti revealed will feature an appropriate villain.
Related Story: Multiple Networks Pull Out of Winter TCA Executive Sessions
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend returned Jan. 6 with two episodes. Supergirl and Jane the Virgin return Jan. 23 and Arrow on Jan. 25. Legends of Tomorrow has been switched from Thursdays to Tuesdays, airing after The Flash; both will return on Jan. 24. Lastly, Supernatural returns on Thursday, Jan. 26, though it has been pushed up to 8 p.m., with the 9 p.m. timeslot now occupied by the new show Riverdale.