The CW Gives Early Renewal to Fall Drama

One of The CW's new fall series has already been renewed for Season 2 before making its American debut. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network has signed on for Season 2 of Sullivan's Crossing, which is set to air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. this fall. The series debuted March 19th on Canada's CTV and production on Season 2 is expected to take place in Nova Scotia later this year. The series stars Batwoman alum Morgan Kohan as Maggie Sullivan, a neurosurgeon who finds herself in legal trouble and returns to her hometown in rural Nova Scotia to reconnect with her estranged father, Sully. The series also stars Scot Patterson as Harry "Sully" Sullivan and Chad Michael Murray as Cal Jones. According to the report, The CW joins Reel World Management, CTV, and Fremantle as producers on the series' second season.

"We have to be entrepreneurial — we can't just write a $10 million per-episode check for a show with some dragons in it," Brad Schwartz, network president said back in May. "We'll find acquisitions that turn into co-productions and maybe some [projects] that need deficit financing from a studio."

He also attempted to curb the idea that this move was cheaper than licensing new series from a third-party studio.

"I don't differentiate homegrown from acquired," he said. "We've picked shows we think have a chance to do well … Every single show we acquire, we do because we believe in it, and we do a deal [with the producers] to be involved creatively going forward."

The CW Recently Cancelled a Fan Favorite Horror Series After Three Seasons

While The CW has renewed Sullivan's Crossing ahead of its American debut, the network has also quietly cancelled the fan favorite horror anthology series, Two Sentence Horror Stories, after three seasons. It was reported earlier this week that the series would not be returning, making it the latest series cancelled by the network. Last month, network cancelled several series. Walker Independence and The Winchesters were both cancelled after just one season at the network, while Kung Fu was also cancelled after three seasons. The network had previously announced that several other series — The Flash, Riverdale, and Nancy Drew — would be ending after their current seasons. Currently, there are three fan-favorite series awaiting renewal news: Superman & Lois, Gotham Knights, and All-American: Homecoming.

"We're still looking at those analyzing these shows…and looking at our budgets in 2024," Schwartz said last month. "We love all those shows, and they all do very well for us in different ways. We will be making decisions on those probably sooner than later."

He particularly expressed frustration with a lack of control over the streaming in reference to Superman & Lois, which he called one of the network's "strongest" shows. If renewed, the series will air at midseason or over the summer of 2024. Rumor has it Warner Bros. Discover's Max streaming platform may save at least Superman & Lois, if not both, if The CW declines to renew.

What Will The CW's Programming Look Like Going Forward?

There have been several changes when it comes to The CW's programming following its acquisition by media giant Nexstar last year. The network released its fall 2023-2024 schedule last month, revealing several acquired series — including Son of a Critch, Run the Burbs, Children Ruin Everything, and Sullivan's Crossing — as well as the debut of 61st Street, a series that was previously cancelled by AMC. Additionally, it was recently announced that The CW has picked up the first three seasons of The Chosen, a series about the life of Jesus, which will premiere on the network on Sunday, July 16th, and air through Christmas Eve.

"The Chosen is based on the biggest IP of all time and is truly a one-of-a-kind series that tells this historically significant story in a captivating, dramatic and premium way," said Brad Schwartz, The CW's President of Entertainment, in a statement. "This show has already connected deeply with viewers around the world, and The CW will expand its audience even further."