There is no such thing as a traditional Upfront season anymore. Last year, very briefly, it felt like the Upfronts — the events when the networks announce their upcoming fall schedules and new series — were back following the pandemic and the steady decline of network television in general. But now with a writers’ strike that could very well stretch through the summer, and potential strikes by the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild on the horizon, the networks are having to play the upcoming fall season entirely by ear. With some networks, this looks like loading up on reality content; with others, it looks like they are moving forward with their scripted material and hoping for the best.
The CW changed ownership last year and they are shaking things up. Out are the superhero shows that defined the network for the past decade. In are more “adult”-friendly series from unconventional sources, including the raunchy, definitely-not-meant-for preteens reality series salvaged from HBO Max, FBoy Island, and the well-received crime drama, 61st Street, that AMC unceremoniously canceled last year. They’ve also added a dark sitcom from the UK, and a number of series from Canada: three family sitcoms and two female-led dramas.
Continue reading “Here’s what you’ll be watching on The CW this fall”
