Aliens in America.
NEW YORK CITY--The CW is still The CW. Just because there's a shiny new fall season ahead, it doesn't mean that the network will leapfrog any of the competition to become a major player this season. But it does know what its specialty is--attracting young viewers. CW president of entertainment Dawn Ostroff discusses the decisions to not have any comedies in the lineup, and the future of One Tree Hill without its two stars.
Hey, CW, don't women 18-34 like to have a few laughs once in a while?
Five nights, 10 hours, 10 shows--none of which are comedies. That's next fall's tally for The CW, which announced a new Monday-to-Friday lineup (no Saturday and Sunday shows on CW) containing no half-hour sitcoms. The last of the CW's comedies, Chris Rock's Everybody Hates Chris and The Game, are history.
It's not that CW's target audience--women aged 18-34--lacks a sense of humor, says CW's top programming exec, Dawn Ostroff. It's that the CW has had a few too many disappointments with sitcoms.
"We decided not to develop comedies a few years ago," she told reporters in New York after the CW Upfront presentation to advertising execs Thursday. "We were doing so well with our scripted dramas and our reality shows and honestly, I think we have had a lot of disappointments in comedy. We did several shows like Everybody Hates Chris and Aliens in America, which we were really proud of. We felt they were different--they were about something [and] the writing was wonderful. [But] we just couldn't make a go of it, so we decided to stick with what's working for us now."
Least glamorous CW show is talk of the Upfront
Thanks primarily to Gossip Girl, CW has forged an identity as the network for soap opera-style dramas about wealthy, young, beautiful people. Most of the network's new shows reflect that, particularly the new Melrose Place and The Beautiful Life, producer Ashton Kutcher's series about the New York fashion world.
But the show that generated the most buzz at the Upfront was a midseason drama called Parental Discretion Advised that was not anything like those other shows.
At the post-Upfront news conference, CW's Ostroff described the series as "Juno meets Gilmore Girls." She wasn't referring specifically to a high school student becoming pregnant in the show (there was no evidence of that in the trailer shown to advertisers). Instead, she was describing this show's sensibility-- characters, living in Portland, Ore. (not L.A. or New York), who ordinary people can identify with, living lives regular folks will recognize. It's about a 16-year-old girl--an orphan who spent her life in foster care--who goes in search of her birth parents.
As fun as the over-the-top CW soaps are to watch and twitter about, this was the series that captured the most attention at the Upfront.
Chad and Hilarie are AUDI 5000.
One Tree Hill: The show goes on without, you know, those two
CW's top programming exec didn't exactly shed any tears over the exit of Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton from the cast of One Tree Hill. When the show returns next fall, they won't be on it, having decided to stake their careers elsewhere after six seasons.
Programming chief Dawn Ostroff says the show now has an opportunity to "reinvent" itself. "We tried to get them to stay and we would have been thrilled if they'd wanted to," she told reporters. (Editor's note: for the record, amateur footage of Murray posted to YouTube in March caught him saying The CW didn't want to renew his contract because they wanted to save money.)
On the other hand, it's obvious Ostroff doesn't think losing these two will harm the show. Just the opposite: "I think that the show going into its seventh year was very open to sort of reinventing itself," she said. "[Executive producer] Mark Schwahn is excited about thinking of bringing on a few new characters, which is what we're going to do. . . . So we were sad to see them go and grateful for everything that they did for the show, but excited about moving on and seeing who else is going to join the cast."
Comments (49)
The only alright CW shows were OTH, everybody hates chris, and Privileged. OTH won't survive without Luke or Peyton. It's ridiculous to keep going with the show, without the main character! it's like going on with Gilmore Girls after Lorelai and Rory aren't in it anymore. ha!And Gossip Girl sucks
BTW reinvent the show? Bull. More like, we're going to bring in crappy new characters who remind us of the people who used to be in it and make them go through exactly the same problems in an attempt to (and in the process of making ourselves look like idiots) retain an audience who will be too smart to stick around. Brilliant! Stupid executives.
For the record, Supernatural is a hundred times a better show than Gossip Girl. Please, that trash is a soap, hence the trash. With One Tree Hill, hey, that's the thing with shows these days. Stars want to move on and explore their options if they have potential in other markets or bigger networks. It's a mean game. As for the show not being hurt? HAH, this show's going downhill quick of that I'm sure. They probably would have been better off making the last season a series finale. Like in Smallville when Lex left. Shows like these can't survive without the characters they began with, that's the way television today really works. OK, I guess I should say shows don't survive WELL without the characters they began with. Look at ER. Eventually they run out of ideas (Smallville, cough, cough) and things start to get redundant and unoriginal. Nowadays it's better to have a shorter run and end with the best you have.moreless
Sorry, but I have to disagree w/ her about OTH not being harmed by Chad and Hilarie leaving. I've watched since season 1 and I won't be watching next season because not only were those two my favorite characters, but I also don't see the point of a 7th season. Everyone's happy. It should have ended at this season but noooo... they have to drive a once good show into the ground.
oh and it says theres no comedies. does that mean Reaper won't return either? it's a comedy but they don't say anything about it above.
yeah, seriously. shows can't lose one main charcter let alone two without being canceled the next season. it never works. and though the whole dramas about the young, beautiful, and rich such as Gossip Girl and 90210 might be working for the network. but you can't have multiple shows with the same exact kind of theme. IMO it's not a very smart move.
What do u mean there is no comedies? there was nothing wrong with everybody hates chris or aliens in America, and i can tell you that there wil regret losing chad and Hilarie, didnt the downfall of the OC teach them anything? and that had been only one cast member tht went away(truthsofdiets.blogspot.com)
Whats even more stupid about this is the fact that thye went from WB 11 to the new CW and basically got rid of everything, basically took Everybody Hates Chris from UPN (or My Network....) and then now they are getting rid of it. DO we really need more your crappy genetic crap CW?! DO WE! GIVES US REAPER!
If that absurd, stupidity, terrible mistake is really true, 6x24 was series finale, I'm sure about it. Or, they think we're idiots! CHAD is One Tree Hill, its heart and soul. I truly believe in Chad when he says it is CW who doesn't want to renew his contract. What a waiste of talent!!! I HATE IT!!! THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR MIND!!
i m disappointed cause they r ignoring our opinion
without chad and hilarie there won't be decent oth
CW might as well just close shop now, it's amazing how far they have fallen from the prime of The WB days. The only thing I'll watch is Smallville, which frankly should have been wrapped up long ago but I've got this much time in it, why quit now? Sucks to see Chris gone and I'm guessing The Reaper will also be gone, even though that's not official yet.
Whatever. Screw The CW. Go ahead and get rid of funny and original shows like Reaper and Aliens in America for the same generic crap.
i think the CW never heard of The O.C, the O.C just lost ONE of its main characters and plummeted, what makes them think that if they lose TWO main characters, they are going to survive? i love OTH but, i just dont see that happening
With Leyton leaving, it would be a disaster to continue!
Why is Dawn still the Boss?
They shoulda cancelled Smallville and One Tree Hill.Renewed Privileged and pick up the GG Spinoff!
I only watch Supernatural
Peyton was right all along: "People always leave"!! The show will never be the same without them. The new season will suck, and everyone that knows anything about TV shows can figure that out.You lose core characters => the show is basically over and it will never be the same!(see That '70s Show, The O.C., and even Smallville)
I am so pissed at CW that they kept 90210, but canceled Privileged :(
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My CW lineup this year, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, 90210, Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Smallville and maybe Melrose Place
why would they let chad go! he'S TOOOOO cute!?!?!?!?!?!?
Me either they cant leave
XO XO
:(:(:(:(
i can't believe that they're leaving
Yeah, I hear every show is gonna get rid of their 2 main characters so that once the viewer gets invested in the character and show, they yank them from it so it can "reinvent" itself. CW FTL.
wow... they don't need comedies? Everybody Hates Chris was the only reason I watched CW. And they say more people are playing video games than watching TV... guess its time to pick up the 'sticks!
I think we have had a lot of disappointments in comedy
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When you don't promote them during other shows or even bother to promote with billboards, magazine interviews and so-they tend to fail.
DO networks drug test before they hiring these people?
I will only watch the C.W. for Smallville and Supernatural when they are gone I will no longer be interested in the C.W. at all I guess I have to find something esle to occupy my Thursday and Friday night.
Comedies get terrible ratings these days, even on the big networks. So why bother with them when they're gonna end up canceled. I'm looking forward to Vampire Diaries, but that's it. Everything else is cheesy, rich white people shows.
Love all of their shows!!!! CW has most of my fav shows: GG, 90210, One Tree Hill, and i really like the ideas for the next season! :)
wow! CW is really clamping down on diversity in every angle....Dawn Ostroff "really knows what she's talking about" doesn't she?! Why would someone be so arrogant as to say "No need for comedies"...the Big 4 don't NEED comedies but they have it don't they? And it works out fine too!
The only shows I watch on the de is reaper and supernatural. Once those shows are off I won't be watching it anymore
All these networks are racist..... CANCEL YOUR CABLE
Once Supernatural and Smallville are over, I think the CW will be losing viewership fast.
Dawn O just made a huge mistake dumping CMM and Hil-Bur... She sank UPN now he has another network to ruin!
one tree hill will not be as good without those two especially the way the season ended...with no rhyme or reason for their departure...this season's finale felt like a series finale and should have been that way...if the character the show was based around is not going to be on the show anymore it's time to call it quits
One tree hill without those is a tragedy
reaper is probably of, sam breaks the deal with the devil, end of the show.that is my guess
reinventions are always bad
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no CMM and HB means no OTH.
when Smallville and Supernatural finishes nothing much to watch in CW
I HATE that CMM and Hilarie Burton are leaving!
Never occurred to me before but CW is the soap opera network
all their comedies sucked anyway
I think a lot of networks just have a few comedys just cos they think they should. A network shouldn't take on a comedy unless it's gold, so fair enuf if they don't want any. The majority of american sitcoms don't even have jokes in them anymore..