2010 Upfronts: The CW
by Scott Harris, posted May 20th 2010 8:50AM
The CW held its annual upfronts today and its motto this year appears to be "everything old is new again," as next season's schedule will look nearly identical to last season's. The only new arrivals this fall: 'Nikita' and 'Hellcats,' which will replace outgoing shows 'Melrose Place,' 'Fly Girls' and 'High Society.' Those changes will result in some shuffling of the schedule, however, with '90210' and 'One Tree Hill' swapping time slots; '90210' will now air on Mondays as lead in to 'Gossip Girl,' forming perhaps the cattiest block on television, while 'One Tree Hill' moves to Tuesdays and a more synergistic partner in 'Life Unexpected.' 'Supernatural,' meanwhile, jumps to Fridays to team with fellow sci-fi staple 'Smallville,' with 'Hellcats' and 'Nikita' filling the 9PM slots on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
Though the CW's decision to maintain the status quo is not entirely unexpected, it does have some wondering about the long-term plans for the network. After all, the CW's identity in the crowded television marketplace is as a destination for young viewers, with teens and the coveted 18-34 demographic being their target audience. Whether or not that audience is being best served by an increasingly aging lineup -- shows such as 'Smallville' and 'One Tree Hill' are getting particularly long in the tooth -- may be a growing concern for potential advertisers.
Here's a complete look at what you can expect from The CW's tweaked lineup.
FULL RUNDOWN:
Returning: 'Life Unexpected,' 'One Tree Hill,' 'Smallville,' 'Supernatural,' 'Vampire Diaries,' '90210,' 'Gossip Girl,' 'America's Next Top Model'
Canceled: 'Melrose Place,' 'High Society,' 'Fly Girls'
New: 'Nikita,' 'Hellcats,' 'Plain Jane' (midseason)
NEW SHOWS:
'Nikita' -- The latest adaptation of Luc Besson's 1990 action flick 'La Femme Nikita,' this version of 'Nikita' will star Maggie Q as the deadly secret agent. The character previously starred in a USA Network hit that ran for five seasons beginning in 1997.
'Hellcats' -- Aly Michalka stars as a pre-law student who loses her college scholarship and is forced to join a cheerleading squad in order to stay in school. Ashley Tisdale of 'High School Musical' fame co-stars.
'Plain Jane' -- British fashionista Louise Roe will host this 'Extreme Makeover' style reality show where a regular lady is dolled up for a night on the town with a man who secretly has a crush on her.
THE SCHEDULE (NEW SHOWS IN BOLD):
MONDAY:
8 PM '90210'
9 PM 'Gossip Girl'
TUESDAY:
8 PM 'One Tree Hill'
9 PM 'Life Unexpected'
WEDNESDAY:
8 PM 'America's Next Top Model'
9 PM 'Hellcats'
THURSDAY:
8 PM 'The Vampire Diaries'
9 PM 'Nikita'
FRIDAY:
8 PM 'Smallville'
9 PM 'Supernatural'

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