CW Shows You Totally Forgot?!

In recent times, The CW’s programming landscape has undergone significant transformation, with most of its original scripted shows wrapping up. For instance, Superman & Lois concluded last year, and All American resumes in February. However, it’s important to remember that at one point, The CW was a dominant force in television series production. This network was once the home for popular series like Gilmore Girls, Smallville, One Tree Hill, and Supernatural, which were originally aired on The WB. Over time, it also produced shows such as Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, and the Arrowverse, including nine seasons of The Flash.

Although many cherished series continue to spark conversations among fans, some even after their final episodes a decade ago, there’s also an abundance of shows that debuted, peaked, and then faded into obscurity. Ranging from teen romances to suspenseful thrillers, catastrophic dramas, and even a brief DC series, here are ten CW series you might have forgotten about.

Containment (2016)

The television show “Containment,” produced by Julie Plec from “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Originals,” aired on The CW for one season, from April 19, 2016, to July 18, 2016. This series, consisting of 13 episodes, was set in Atlanta where an epidemic broke out, leading to a quarantine zone within the city. Characters like David Gyasi, Claudia Black, Trevor St. John, Christina Moses, Chris Wood, Kristen Gutoskie, George Young, and Hanna Mangan-Lawrence portrayed the struggles of those trapped in the quarantined section as they fought for their lives. Although “Containment” received mixed reviews from critics, it presented suspenseful scenarios, morally challenging questions, and emotionally resonant stories against a backdrop of a public health crisis. Despite being cancelled by The CW after its first season, the series now seems somewhat prophetic in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that emerged in 2020.

Luckily for enthusiasts of the show “Containment”, it concluded in a largely fulfilling manner. The secret behind the virus’ origin was revealed, there seemed to be promise for a cure, and a couple found their way back together.

The Secret Circle (2011-2012)

Following the achievement of “The Vampire Diaries”, in 2011 The CW took up another book series by L.J. Smith – this time centered around witches: “The Secret Circle”. Located in Chance Harbor, Washington, “The Secret Circle” follows Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson) who uncovers that she’s a lineage witch and the sixth member of a clandestine coven. Alongside Robertson, the series featured Thomas Dekker, Phoebe Tonkin, Shelley Hennig, Jessica Parker Kennedy, and Louis Hunter.

Regrettably, despite being the third-best rated show that year for the network, The CW decided to terminate The Secret Circle after just one 22-episode season. This was due to a drop in ratings during the second half of the season and high production costs. Although Tonkin later starred in The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, this series is still deeply missed by fans who tried, but ultimately failed, to prevent its cancellation through a campaign.

Hellcats (2010-2011)

The show “Hellcats,” which initially received little recognition, was no exception. This one-season series from The CW premiered on September 8, 2010, and comprised of 22 episodes. The series, starring Aly Michalka, Ashley Tisdale, Robbie Jones, Heather Hemmens, Matt Barr, Gail O’Grady, and Sharon Leal, was inspired by the book “Cheer: Inside the Secret World of College Cheerleaders.” It chronicled the journey of Marti Perkins (Michalka), a law student who unexpectedly had to join her college’s cheerleading squad, the Hellcats, in order to secure the scholarship she required.

It appears that the show was allegedly terminated because the network president at the time, Dawn Ostroff, left. As stated by “Smallville” actor Tom Welling, who held an executive producer role on the series, a revival of “Hellcats” was speculated in 2017; however, no such reboot came to fruition.

Star-Crossed (2014)

If the phrase “alien-human teen romance” comes to mind, you might immediately think of “Roswell” or its modern version “Roswell: New Mexico.” However, these aren’t the only television shows from The CW or shows related to The CW that explore this genre. In 2014, The CW introduced a series called “Star-Crossed,” set in the year 2024. This show focused on the romance between human girl Emery and alien boy Roman, after Roman and six other aliens were enrolled in her high school in Edendale, Louisiana. The cast included Aimee Teegarden, Matt Lanter, Grey Damon, Malese Jow, Titus Makin Jr., Natalie Hall, Chelsea Gilligan, Greg Finley, and Brina Palencia. “Star-Crossed” garnered highly varied reviews – some viewers loved it while others disliked it, but it didn’t achieve significant popularity. The series was ultimately cancelled due to low viewership after only 13 episodes.

Ringer (2011-2012)

Initially, “Ringer” showed great potential. This crime thriller attracted attention with an impressive cast consisting of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ioan Gruffudd, Mike Colter, Kristoffer Polaha, and Nestor Carbonell. It premiered at San Diego Comic-Con in 2011 and was on many lists of “most anticipated new series” that year. Critics generally gave it favorable reviews, but unfortunately, the show failed to capture a substantial audience. After a three-month break, ratings dropped significantly, leading to its cancellation after just 22 episodes.

It’s unfortunate that the story had a promising start, but it didn’t live up to expectations. In this show, Gellar played both Siobhan and Bridget, twin sisters. Bridget, who was recovering from addiction, rekindled her relationship with her glamorous and wealthy sister, Siobhan. However, Siobhan later committed suicide, leading Bridget to pretend to be her twin. Unfortunately, Bridget didn’t know that her sister harbored some hidden secrets. The series ended on a shocking note when Bridget discovered that her twin intended to kill her.

Reaper (2007-2009)

Among the shows listed, only “Reaper” managed to run for more than one season. This comedy revolved around Sam Oliver (played by Bret Harrison), a college dropout who found himself in a peculiar predicament on his 21st birthday. It transpired that his parents had made a deal with the Devil, promising their firstborn child to him – Sam was that child. As a result, Sam was drafted as the Devil’s bounty hunter, tasked with tracking down escaped souls from Hell.

The show, featuring Harrison, Andrew Airlie, Allison Hossack, Missy Peregrym, and Ray Wise, received generally favorable reviews, but unfortunately, it was terminated during its second season. There were rumors of the series being sold to Sci-Fi Channel as it transformed into SYFY, but these talks disintegrated when it was announced that Bret Harrison would not be returning for a third season.

Originally planned for Season 3 were intriguing advancements, such as introducing Archangel Michael as a character and an unexpected twist concerning Sam’s lineage, which could have significantly altered the course of his character.

The Tomorrow People (2013-2014)

In the spirit of a modern adaptation, “The Tomorrow People” is a reboot from a 1970s British series with the same title. The story revolves around a band of young adults who possess extraordinary psychic abilities as a result of human advancement, collectively known as the Tomorrow People. Among them is Stephen Jameson (played by Robbie Amell), whose powers have only recently manifested and happens to be the son of one of the most powerful Tomorrow People, who vanished years prior. With the Tomorrow People targeted by a ruthful genetic purification group called Ultra, Stephen finds himself in a precarious position, infiltrating Ultra to bring them down from within.

Besides Amell, the series featured Peyton List, Luke Mitchell, Aaron Yoo, Madeleine Mantock, and Mark Pellegrino. Although the show had a strong start with a creative team consisting of Julie Plec, Greg Berlanti, and Phil Klemmer, it ultimately struggled to attract viewers, resulting in its termination after only one season.

Cult (2013)

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but share my disappointment that the captivating series, Cult, didn’t get the chance to fully unfold its story. Despite being initially conceived for The WB network back in the day, starring Matt Bomer, it wasn’t until 2012 and a change in cast, featuring Matthew Davis from The Vampire Diaries, that development truly began. Unfortunately, the show was abruptly halted before it could even complete its first season, leaving many of us yearning for more.

The storyline centered around journalist blogger Jeff (Davis) and Skye (Jessica Lucas), a production assistant on a crime show titled Cult, as they delved into a string of inexplicable vanishings associated with the popular TV program Cult. With a 13-episode run planned, the show was abruptly halted after airing seven episodes and being taken off the schedule. Two months following its cancellation, however, the network chose to broadcast the remaining six episodes.

No Tomorrow (2016-2017)

As a fan who’s deeply appreciated the Brazilian show, Como Aproveitar o Fim do Mundo, I must say that No Tomorrow stood out among short-lived The CW series in an extraordinary way. Even though it had low ratings and a modest fanbase, which ultimately resulted in its termination, the network surprisingly decided to share an epilogue, wrapping up the story for us.

The television series No Tomorrow, which ran for 13 episodes from October 4, 2016, to January 17, 2017, followed the story of Evie (Tori Anderson), a woman from Seattle who began dating Xavier (Joshua Sasse). Xavier believed that the world would end in eight months and decided to live life to its fullest. He convinced Evie to create her own “apocalyst” and join him on his adventures. However, as Evie and her friends attempted to determine whether Xavier was serious or merely delusional, it was later revealed that he wasn’t entirely crazy—the apocalyptic event he anticipated turned out to be less significant than expected.

Gotham Knights (2023)

Despite being a relatively newer addition compared to many others on this list, “Gotham Knights” sometimes gets overshadowed due to its association with the popular Arrowverse shows. This action-packed series premiered on March 14, 2023, and ran for 13 episodes, providing DC enthusiasts with a unique perspective of Batman’s world and Gotham City. The story revolves around Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan), Bruce Wayne’s adopted son, who teams up with two runaways, Harper and Cullen Row (Fallon Smythe and Tyler DiChiara respectively), and a criminal named Duela (Olivia Rose Keegan). This unlikely group is brought together when they are falsely accused of Bruce’s murder. They soon discover that the Court of Owls is responsible, leading them, along with Stephanie Brown (Anna Lore) and Carrie Kelley (Navia Robinson), to take up the mantle as Gotham’s new protectors: the Gotham Knights. The series also features Misha Collins in the role of Harvey Dent.

The show didn’t receive the most favorable critical appraisals initially, but some acknowledged that it required a bit of time to establish itself and when it did, it significantly improved. Unfortunately, the show didn’t have enough time to prove itself and was terminated after only one season, leaving viewers in suspense as Turner seemed to have perished – however, he was actually taken by the enigmatic Henri Ducard for training instead.

2025-01-28 04:40