The CW Pushes New Season to 2021: ‘Superman & Lois,’ ‘Walker’ & More Premiere Dates

Superman and Lois, Walker
The CW

Well, the TV landscape has changed a ton since the start of the pandemic that has shut down productions and sent us all into lockdown. So much so, that The CW is now looking at starting its new season in January 2021, rather than the traditional fall launch.

However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be new content until then. As we’ve previously reported, the network has crafted a line-up of original programming and acquired series for the rest of the year, Swamp Thing, Tell Me a Story, Coroner, Dead Pixels and returning summer shows Pandora, Two-Sentence Horror Stories and The Outpost. Unscripted offerings like World’s Funniest Animals, and new seasons of Masters of Illusions, Whose Line? and Penn & Teller: Fool Us are also in the pipeline.

For the 2021 slate, the new Superman & Lois will team with The Flash on Tuesdays, and Jared Padalecki’s Walker reboot brings him back to Thursdays as a lead-in to Legacies. Additionally, The CW has seven original scripted series set for its 2021 midseason schedule, with new drama The Republic of Sarah and their reboot of Kung Fu joining returning titles Legends of Tomorrow, Dynasty, In the Dark, Roswell, New Mexico and Supergirl.

Other shows that had to end their seasons early will incorporate their unfinished episodes into their new seasons.

Admitting there is no “exact return” time for productions, Pedowitz wants each show to to have enough time to get up and running, hopefully by September. He also pointed out that the net’s streaming business on CWTV.com, The CW app and CWSeed has been a robust destination for viewers and that the freshman seasons of Batwoman and Nancy Drew have each seen an almost 30 percent growth on the digital platforms. Nearly half of The CW’s scripted shows will be free to stream online in 2021.

Additionally, The CW has seven original scripted series set for its 2021 midseason schedule, with new dramedy The Republic of Sarah and their reboot of Kung Fu joining returning titles Legends of Tomorrow, Dynasty, In the Dark, Roswell, New Mexico and Supergirl.

As for Katy Keene, the Riverdale spinoff that wraps its first season on May 14 but is not on the schedule so far, Pedowitz said “we are incredibly pleased with the creative on this show…the producers and the talented cast have done a terrific job.” Noting the rom-com’s soft linear ratings, he went on to acknowledge that “we have seen some good streaming viewership” and that they have extended the option of when they can pick it up to see how it performs once the entire season is available for streaming. He will also be looking at how Keene does as part of the HBO Max launch on May 27. “We’ll make the decision a few weeks after that.”

The Arrow spinoff Green Arrow & the Canaries is still in discussion, as well as The 100 prequel and Pedowitz’s pet project, The Lost Boys.  “I have spoken to [exec producer] Rob Thomas and many of the people directly about this. The Lost Boys is a passion of mine personally…having Rob attached to it. Once we get through this climate, we will make the determination of how best to proceed with [it]. I am hoping to keep it going.”

THE CW’S NEW PRIMETIME SCHEDULE, JANUARY 2021

MONDAY

8:00-9:00PM All American

9:00-10:00PM Black Lightning

TUESDAY

8:00-9:00PM The Flash

9:00-10:00PM Superman & Lois (New Series)

WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00PM Riverdale

9:00-10:00PM Nancy Drew

THURSDAY

8:00-9:00PM Walker (New Series)

9:00-10:00PM Legacies

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00PM Penn & Teller : Fool Us (New Night)

9:00-9:30PM Whose Line is it Anyway? (New Night)

9:30-10:00PM Whose Line is it Anyway? (New Night)

SUNDAY

8:00-9:00PM Batwoman

9:00-10:00PM Charmed (New Night)