Fans of Privileged and Reaper, you may want to sit down.CW President Dawn Ostroff announced that the netlet has renewed six series for the 2009-2010 season, including Supernatural, Gossip Girl, Smallville, 90210, One Tree Hill, and reality series America's Next Top Model (cycles 13 and 14).
Smallville was not thought likely to return unless studio Warner Bros. Television was able to successfully renegotiate a contract renewal with series star Tom Welling. (And, given the renewal announcement, it seems like they did so.)
“As we continue to build The CW Network as a destination for young women, these six shows have clearly contributed to strengthening our schedule and our brand identity,” said Ostroff in a statement.
Missing from the renewals list: on the bubble dramas like Privileged and Reaper and comedies Everybody Hates Chris and The Game. It's thought likely that the comedies will not be returning as both have produced enough episodes for syndication and the CW has stopped developing comedies altogether.
It's worth noting that the CW is currently only programming roughly ten hours a week, with a mix of repeats (such as for 90210) thrown into the mix. And very likely to end up on the schedule next season: the netlet's relaunch of soap Melrose Place, overseen by Smallville showrunners Darren Swimmer and Todd Slavkin, and Gossip Girl prequel series Lily, about the 1980s teen adventures of the future Lily van der Woodsen.
The network has also ordered pilots for Kevin Williamson-produced drama Vampire Diaries and Light Years and today ordered a pilot for drama The Beautiful Life, from writer Adam Giaudrone (Swingtown) and executive producers Carol Barbee, Mike Kelley (Swingtown), Karey Burke, Jason Goldberg, and Ashton Kutcher. Project follows the lives of young male and female models living in Manhattan whose daily existence isn't quite the glamour seen in fashion photography.
As for whether Privileged, which has one episode left to air this season, and Reaper will return, it does seem very doubtful at this point. With very little real estate to fill and a slew of returning and probable projects to choose from, it's unlikely that both or either will make an appearance next season.
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