The CW's Fall Schedule Has No Comic Book Shows For The First Time Since Smallville Ended

The CW released their fall schedule today, with only a small number of returning shows and much of the content coming from low-cost unscripted and acquired series. While some of these shows are sure to find a strong connection to the audience -- The Spencer Sisters and Sullivan's Crossing in particular have actors that are likely to bring in some fans -- there was one especially notable absence: In the fall of 2023, The CW will have no comic book adaptation on the air. This marks the first fall schedule without one since the 2011-2012 season, which was nestled in between the end of Smallville and the beginning of Arrow.

The lack of comic book shows isn't just about superheroes, of course; Riverdale also wraps up its seven-season run in August, and shows like Katy Keene and iZombie have also been on the network during the "geek years." Ever since Supernatural became a hit, The CW has been a haven for genre content -- an era that seems officially over as new owners Nexstar struggle to figure out how to make the network profitable.

When The CW was a joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS, it was a bit easier to spend big on original content. Each of the owners had a studio, which The CW would pay to acquire the content being produced. They also got DVD, Blu-ray, Digital, and streaming revenue -- meaning that any given show didn't really have to be profitable on linear broadcast TV, because there were additional ways to monetize it after the fact.

Nexstar, a company that owns a number of local TV stations around the U.S., bought up 75% of The CW in 2022, and even before the deal was closed, the network was aggressively cutting costs in order to appease the incoming management. Last May had a veritable red wedding, with shows like DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Charmed, and Dynasty all getting the ax.

At the time, the network announced that both The Flash and Riverdale were getting renewals with an "...and final season" attached. They revealed a 2022-2023 schedule that featured just one comic book show -- DC's Stargirl, which has since been cancelled -- on the fall schedule.

The CW launched Smallville in 2001, and while it didn't spawn its own spinoff universe -- a show called Birds of Prey, with no connection to Smallville, aired a single season, while an Aquaman-themed Smallville spinoff never got off the ground -- it was a massive hit, and convinced the network that there was money in superhero shows. 

When the series ended, The CW decided on Arrow, a show about Oliver Queen, a superhero who had been a key supporting player in Smallville. While Arrow stood on its own, and was not part of Smallville's world, it did launch a number of spinoffs, including The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Supergirl, and Black Lightning. Animated movies, comic books, novels, and more sprung out of this "Arrowverse," and for years it was key to The CW's brand identity. 

Along the way, Riverdale premiered, and became a sensation on Netflix, making Supernatural, The Flash and Riverdale the de facto faces of the network. Riverdale got a spinoff in Katy Keene and a kind of oddball cousin in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which aired exclusively on Netflix, but those never found the same traction as The CW's flagship teen drama.

It is not yet known whether Gotham Knights or Superman & Lois will be renewed. If so, they will air at midseason or over the summer of 2024. This schedule is likely not a good sign -- although 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.