Upfront Week, Day Four: The CW is All About Young Women

In an effort to find new shows that flow seamlessly with the established shows, The CW will be adding three new dramas to its slate and eliminating its Sunday night schedule. After the MRC programs flopped early in the 2008/2009 season, The CW has decided to give Sunday back to the affiliates.
The CW’s signature show duo of Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill will continue to anchor the Monday night lineup. Gossip Girl will air at 8PM and One Tree Hill will follow at 9PM. Perhaps surprising is The CW’s decision not to pick up the Gossip Girl spinoff, but apparently the concept failed to generate significant buzz after a “backdoor pilot” episode aired two weeks ago. Gossip Girl is as much about buzz as it is about ratings, so this is a disappointment for the network.
Tuesdays will consist of the remakes of two 1990’s hit shows. 90210, which is returning for a second season, will be the lead-in for the new drama, Melrose Place. Viewers will follow the lives of 20-something year olds that live in an elegant building on Melrose in Los Angeles. Similar to 90210, Melrose Place will feature actors from the original series. Potentially, this can bring in a dual audience; the young women the network is targeting as well as fans of the original show. This has been the case with 90210, which skews older than similarly themed shows like Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill.
Wednesday nights will be devoted to fashion with the return of Tyra Banks-produced America’s Next Top Model and the Ashton Kutcher-produced The Beautiful Life. Top Model will have a twist this upcoming season, as for the first time, the participating models will include those that are 5’7 tall and under. The CW is hoping this stunt will breathe life back into the show, which is experiencing deteriorating ratings. Building on the popularity of Top Model, The Beautiful Life will explore the world of modeling and the cut throat competition it entails.
With Monday through Wednesday packed with drama, Thursday nights will have a bit of mystery. The CW will be replacing its Thursday 8PM slot with the new vampire drama, The Vampire Diaries, pairing it with Supernatural, which airs at 9PM. Based on the best-selling series of books, this new show centers on two brothers who are battling over a girl’s soul and the souls of the people from the small town where they live.
Friday completes the lineup with Smallville airing at 8PM and encore episodes of America’s Next Top Model at 9PM. This signals waning support for Smallville, as Friday night is the only night without a strong theme to keep the audience tuned in for the entire programming block.
Fall 2009
Melrose Place: Tuesday 9PM-10PM / Drama
CBS Television Studios
Executive Producers: Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer, Davis Guggenheim
Director: Davis Guggenheim
Summary: In an elegant Spanish-style apartment building in the trendy Melrose neighborhood of Los Angeles, a diverse group of 20-somethings have formed a close-knit surrogate family.
The Beautiful Life: Wednesday 9PM-10PM / Drama
Director: Christian Duguay
Cast: Sara Paxton, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Mischa Barton, Dusan Dukic, Elle Macpherson, Ashley Madekwe, Nico Tortorella, Jordan Woolley, Corbin Bleu
Summary: The life of a high-fashion model appears glamorous and sexy, but as every new model quickly learns, behind the beautiful facade is a world of insecurity and cutthroat competition.
The Vampire Diaries: Thursday 8PM-9PM / Drama
Executive Producer: Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec, Leslie Morgenstein, Bob Levy
Director: Marcos Siega
Cast: Nina Dobrev, Steven R. McQueen, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder
Summary: Based on the best-selling series of books, this new show centers on two brothers who are battling over a girl’s soul and the souls of the people from the small town where they live.
Mid-Season
Parental Discretion Advised: Drama
Executive Producers: Liz Tigelaar, Gary Fleder
Cast: Britt Robertson, Kristoffer Polaha, Shiri Appleby, Kerr Smith
Summary: This drama centers on a teenage girl who is in search of her biological parents in hopes of being emancipated. Once reunited with them she discovers that being with them is the life that she wants.
The CW’s FALL 2009 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
*New Programs in UPPER CASE
MONDAY
9:00 PM – 10:00 PM – One Tree Hill
TUESDAY
8:00 – 9:00 PM – 90210
9:00 PM – 10:00 PM – MELROSE PLACE
WEDNESDAY
9:00 PM – 10:00 PM – THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE
THURSDAY
9:00 PM – 10:00 PM – Supernatural
FRIDAY
9:00 PM – 10:00 PM – America’s Next Top Model Encore



























