The CW has set its official 2020-2021 schedule with returning dramas including the Arrowverse as well as the arrival of new programming. As the Coronavirus pandemic is still affecting the TV and film industry, productions have remained suspended while also preventing new shows from being able to shoot their pilot episodes. With studios and networks working out ways to get production back on track while keeping everyone’s health safe, a lot of things are still up in the air in how the future TV season will look. From uncertainty around how many episodes every season will have to when shows will exactly air, the next few months will be crucial as executives begin finding solutions.
With The CW, the Coronavirus situation held back several dramas from being able to properly finish their seasons. While Legends of Tomorrow and Black Lightning were able to finish their respective seasons, due to their 16-episode order, The Flash, Supergirl, and Batwoman along with Archie Comics drama Riverdale finished earlier than expected. With at least 3-5 episodes unproduced, their seasons will automatically be left on cliffhangers that won’t be resolved until much later in the year, if they can even be filmed. Every May is traditionally the month where networks hit Upfronts to promote their new schedules including their latest shows that will join the veteran slate.
While Upfronts aren’t happening in the traditional sense this year, The CW still joins other broadcast networks in revealing their new slate for the 2020-2021 TV season. But the announcement comes with a twist as the network won’t airing new original episodes until 2021 of the Arrowverse shows, including newcomer Superman & Lois, along with several other series. The following schedule reveals a handful of changes as well as confirmations of what won’t be back right away in January 2021.
SUNDAY:
8/7c: Batwoman
9/8c: Charmed
MONDAY:
8/7c: All American
9/8c: Black Lightning
TUESDAY:
8/7c: The Flash
9/8c: Superman & Lois
WEDNESDAY:
8/7c: Riverdale
9/8c: Nancy Drew
THURSDAY:
8/7c: Walker
9/8c: Legacies
FRIDAY:
8/7c: Penn and Teller
9/8c: Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Given Melissa Benoist’s pregnancy, it makes sense why Supergirl season 6 won’t be happening until later in 2021. Similarly to previous seasons, Legends of Tomorrow arriving later in the season is normal. But with only 4 DC dramas returning at the start of 2021, it might imply that the annual crossover is perhaps in for a change if it happens at all. The pair-up of The Flash and Superman & Lois is a surprising decision as the Man of Steel drama is set to follow Lois and Clark as parents, which makes 9 PM an intriguing choice for the family-focused series.
While details are still limited on how the new seasons will look structurally and creatively, more information will likely emerge throughout the summer. What is currently missing on the schedule is Riverdale spinoff Katy Keene which was given an additional 13-scripts order earlier this year ahead of its premiere. A formal announcement might arrive later unless the additional script order was their renewal and the Lucy Hale-led series is just being saved till later in 2021 on The CW schedule.
Source: The CW