The CW Network will launch its seven-night 2023-24 primetime schedule in the Fall of 2023 with a strategic mix of new and returning original scripted series and new alternative programming, it was announced today by Brad Schwartz, President of Entertainment.
“This fall, The CW embarks on the first step to become bigger and broader by offering our viewers a wide variety of programming from premium adult dramas to bold comedies and binge-worthy unscripted franchises,” said Schwartz, President of Entertainment, The CW Network.
“We are presenting a fall lineup that includes classic CW series like the smash multiplatform hit All American plus introducing new premium dramatic offerings such as 61st Street, Sullivan’s Crossing and The Spencer Sisters. We are proud to bring comedy back to The CW on Tuesday nights with some of the funniest and heartwarming family sitcoms on television with Son of a Critch, Run the Burbs, Children Ruin Everything and Everyone Else Burns. We are thrilled to welcome one of the biggest and most outrageous unscripted franchises on television, FBoy Island, to The CW family alongside long-running hit alternative series Penn and Teller: Fool Us, Whose Line is it Anyway?, Masters of Illusion and World’s Funniest Animals And Sundays will introduce a season-long family co-viewing night beginning with the acclaimed I am film franchise. The new CW is now a broadcast network built for a broadcast audience.”
This schedule represents the new owner Nexstar’s goal to cut costs and generate profit. The CW, when co-owned by CBS (who still holds a 12% stake) and Warner Bros, was never designed to generate profit. The profit came from licensing the shows to streamers such as Netflix.
The Schedule:
Mondays feature the return of The CW’s critically-acclaimed drama and most-streamed series All American (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), paired with the original dramatic thriller 61st Street(9:00-10:00pm ET/PT), from executive producer Michael B. Jordan and starring two-time Emmy® Award winner Courtney B. Vance and Emmy-nominee Aunjanue Ellis.
Comedy is back on The CW on Tuesday nights with the series Son of a Critch from the executive producer of Schitt’s Creek and starring Golden Globe nominee Malcolm McDowell, followed by the family sitcom Run the Burbs from award-winning Kim’s Convenience star Andrew Phung and Children Ruin Everything from the producers of Schitt’s Creek and Letterkenny. The night concludes with the coming-of-age family comedy Everyone Else Burns from the executive producers of Broad City and Emily in Paris.
REELated:
Wednesdays are the home for female-led dramas beginning with Sullivan’s Crossing (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), based on the book series by best-selling novelist Robyn Carr and featuring the return of Chad Michael Murray and Scott Patterson to The CW, followed by the series debut of The Spencer Sisters (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT) starring Lea Thompson and Stacey Farber.
Thursdays introduce one of the most popular and critically acclaimed reality dating franchises FBoy Island (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT) to The CW, hosted by comedian and actress Nikki Glaser.
Two of The CW’s longest-running franchises come together on Fridays, with the tenth season of Penn & Teller: Fool Us (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT) featuring new host Brooke Burke paired with the twelfth season of Whose Line is It Anyway? (9:00-9:30pm & 9:30-10:00pm ET/PT).
The CW’s hit alternative series Masters of Illusion kicks off Saturdays (8:00-8:30pm & 8:30-9:00pm ET/PT), followed by new hilarious episodes of World’s Funniest Animals (9:00-9:30pm & 9:30-10:00pm ET/PT).
Sundays are a night of co-viewing programming appealing to history buffs and pop culture lovers with the award-winning I am documentary film franchise (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT), a series of 15 documentary features that showcase and celebrate American and global icons including Jackie O, Alfred Hitchcock and Burt Reynolds.
This midseason, The CW will once again be the home to the renowned CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS airing on Sunday, January 14, 2024. Midseason will also feature the Season 4 premiere of Walker, the network’s most-watched linear series in Total Viewers, and the series premiere of the highly-anticipated unscripted spinoff FGirl Island.
What About Superman and Lois?
It’s important to note that the statuses of Superman and Lois, Gotham Knights as well as All American: Homecoming are not mentioned for the upcoming season. They are not mentioned as a part of the midseason either. All three are produced by Greg Berlanti, the former king of the CW.
“We’re still looking at those analyzing these shows… and looking at our budgets in 2024. We love all those shows, and they all do very well for us in different ways. We will be making decisions on those probably sooner than later,” Schwartz told Deadline.
Schwartz said Superman & Lois was one of its “strongest” shows.
Superman & Lois has aired for three seasons on the network and was part of the soon-to-be gone (The Flash airs its last episode May 24) Arrowverse. Created by Greg Berlanti and Todd Helbing and based on the DC Comics characters, the series stars Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch.
Gotham Knights is a cheap and very subpar superhero series developed by Natalie Abrams, Chad Fiveash, and James Stoteraux and is based in The Batman universe. Its first season premiered in March.
It follows Bruce Wayne’s adopted son Turner Hayes, who is framed of murder by the Gotham City Police Department and Harvey Dent before becoming Gotham’s new protectors.
