Variety: Supergirl may switch to CW on renewal

Latest update from Deadline Hollywood make it sound like it s moving to CW.

EDIT BY R5 -- Link: deadline.com/2016/05/supergirl-cw-move-c...s-bubble-1201752684/

There is also talk of several other networks wanting to buy the show.

My guess is that the show continues in some form, but perhaps not on CBS with their big budgets.

I wonder if this is all some suits deciding it's too expensive for the ad revenue it generates.

Might be bad news for special effects afficiondos, but maybe good for the writers, who had to fill every episode with flash and bang regardless of story. If that happens, I might like the change.

Shadar

CBS just renewed Life In Pieces. Variety in reporting about LIF, says it sources tell them Supergirl is one their most likely new shows to get renewed, despite the CW rumors.

EDIT BY R5 -- Link: variety.com/2016/tv/news/life-in-pieces-...on-2-cbs-1201771693/

Not a usual poster around these parts but thought I'd throw this in.

Supergirl's been renewed and is moving to the CW next season.

www.ew.com/article/2016/05/12/supergirl-...y_socialflow_twitter

eJm wrote: Not a usual poster around these parts but thought I'd throw this in.

Supergirl's been renewed and is moving to the CW next season.

www.ew.com/article/2016/05/12/supergirl-...y_socialflow_twitter

Makes sense to go to CW with the rest of Berlanti's stuff.

Also move to Vancouver where his other productions are. But they have yet to announce the move.

My guess is that they'll lose a few regular actors with the Vancouver move, so that's gotta be worked first.

Just saw this on Twitter. Not a big deal to me. I just hope the writing gets better.

I am buying the blu ray package as well. Never watched or DVR'd it. But I like to support what I love.

Voting with your pocket book sends a strong message.

I also have to wonder what this means for special effects. A show where we see a flash of light (instead of MB in the Supergirl outfit) when Supergirl flies, as well as less use of her other super powers (heat and x ray vision, super speed, super hearing, super strength, invulnerability) would be enough for me to stop watching the show. Basically, I hope the super power use doesn't look worse due to lower budget issues.

I also hope the storyline writing improves vastly. One suggestion I would make is that they include at least one or more writers who are working exclusively on the Supergirl show (and who are not involved with the Flash, Arrow, or other shows at all). This way, those writers who work exclusively on the Supergirl show have a stake in the show and more reason to put effort into it. Those who split their time between the SG show and the others have more time juggling concerns while writing, and, if the CW Supergirl fails to get renewed for a third season, its not a huge loss for them, as they still have shows to work on.

I'd also mention to Kreisberg that a confident Supergirl isn't the same as a competent one (I want to see a competent Supergirl who doesn't need to be rescued by others and who can save the day by herself and can contribute to strategies Hank and Alex develop), and that nerfing her powers to put her in peril (she can't breathe in space, so she had to be rescued is a strategy that I absolutely loathe.

To put it another way, a show that's about Supergirl's growth as a heroine is worth watching. A show that's about Supergirl's willingness to sacrifice herself to save the day is MOST DEFINITELY NOT, at least not when it involves her being written as incompetent or being put in peril and rebranding that as Supergirl's willingness to sacrifice herself.

I continue to maintain that its not budget issues or anything like that that's the problem_its simply that the writing tends to be idiotic and weak. If that doesn't change, I doubt the show will make it to a season 3.

That was fast... show has been announced as moving to Vancouver, and Calista has signed on to work in Vancouver (despite her earlier voiced resistance to working outside LA).

Also, at CW, the show avoids roughly $3M of licensing fees to WB -- per episode. Apparently you don't have to pay licensing fees to yourself. So with that savings, and other Vancouver savings, the CGI work might be able to continue as before. Here's hoping.

And the pool of writers under Berlanti is now concentrated in one place. Maybe that'll help too.

Oh, almost forgot... the order was for a full 22 episodes.

Not a bad day for SG...

Shadar

Actually, I think that having the same team of writers working on at least three shows (Supergirl, Arrow, and Flash) is a bad thing, not a good thing. Means there's too much juggling going on. If things get busy, there's always the chance that the writers will opt to neglect one of them. Also, since the writers are working on several shows, they might not see it as a big loss if one of them gets canned. Means weak storylines are more likely on at least one of the shows. Again, I'd strongly suggest bringing it at least one writer who works exclusively on Supergirl.

I hope you're right about the special effects, though. That, plus Melissa Benoist, is a big reason I watch the show.

Oh, and fats should send in my letters to the producer now. I want to be sure that the writers actually get a chance to read what I (and everyone else) thinks of the show, both good and bad.

Mixed feelings about the move to CW and Vancouver. Still glad the show is coming back, but it's still it's a little disappointing it couldn't stay with CBS and film in SoCal.

Vancouver, BC isn't all that far from my house. If there's advance notice of shooting locations and dates/times, I might mosey up and check it out.

Anybody know of a website or Twitter feed or whatever that reports on TV and movie shooting in Vancouver area?

Why have so many superwomen related shows over the years switched networks? Wonder Woman and Bionic Woman back in the 1970s, Buffy The Vampire Slayer in the early 2000s and Supergirl from CBS to CW.

Does Supergirl going to CW prove that superhero drams don't work on the Big 4 networks?

andyf wrote: Why have so many superwomen related shows over the years switched networks? Wonder Woman and Bionic Woman back in the 1970s, Buffy The Vampire Slayer in the early 2000s and Supergirl from CBS to CW.

Does Supergirl going to CW prove that superhero drams don't work on the Big 4 networks?

Wow, never noticed that trend before. Wonder what is up with that?

Although wasn't Buffy on Fox (I think it was Fox, correct me if I am wrong...) for like 7 years before switching to the CW for the 8th? And Wonder Woman went from ABC to CBS, didn't it? Both major networks but there really wasn't anything else at the time, was there?

jdrock24 wrote:

andyf wrote: Why have so many superwomen related shows over the years switched networks? Wonder Woman and Bionic Woman back in the 1970s, Buffy The Vampire Slayer in the early 2000s and Supergirl from CBS to CW.

Does Supergirl going to CW prove that superhero drams don't work on the Big 4 networks?

Wow, never noticed that trend before. Wonder what is up with that?

Although wasn't Buffy on Fox (I think it was Fox, correct me if I am wrong...) for like 7 years before switching to the CW for the 8th? And Wonder Woman went from ABC to CBS, didn't it? Both major networks but there really wasn't anything else at the time, was there?

Buffy was on the WB for 5 years, then made a big money switch to UPN. The WB and UPN merged to become the CW later.

geekseven wrote:

jdrock24 wrote:

andyf wrote: Why have so many superwomen related shows over the years switched networks? Wonder Woman and Bionic Woman back in the 1970s, Buffy The Vampire Slayer in the early 2000s and Supergirl from CBS to CW.

Does Supergirl going to CW prove that superhero drams don't work on the Big 4 networks?

Wow, never noticed that trend before. Wonder what is up with that?

Although wasn't Buffy on Fox (I think it was Fox, correct me if I am wrong...) for like 7 years before switching to the CW for the 8th? And Wonder Woman went from ABC to CBS, didn't it? Both major networks but there really wasn't anything else at the time, was there?

Buffy was on the WB for 5 years, then made a big money switch to UPN. The WB and UPN merged to become the CW later.

This is something I completely forgot. And I was alive and watching Wonder Woman and Bionic Woman at the time (I guess I didn't care about the network).

Switching networks is not totally uncommon, but it's weird that all those shows hopped networks. Great observation. I thought Buffy switched on the merger, but it didn't.

For those who care, here's a nice list I found (with dates/network):

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_change

It also could be weirdly a positive thing. People cared so much about those shows, they got another chance to go somewhere else instead of just being canceled. I think WW and Bionic Woman fit that bill -- they were saved by the network move.

The Supergirl move is really a 1/2 move, as it's jaunting from one network owned by CBS to a network that is 1/2 owned by CBS. It's also a chance to cut some costs in the move. (They did this for WW too, switching up the time period to make it cheaper to film)

(I'm still mad SyFy didn't pick up Constantine since NBC Universal owns them.)

You have to wonder, if the change in management at CBS had something to do with Supergirl leaving for the CW. Nina Tassler left 5 months ago and was replaced by Glenn Geller.
One of CBS most talked about pilots for this year was a new dram based around an adult Nancy Drew as an NYPD detective, played by Sarah Shahi.

It did not go to series, but an all new Macuyver series, that tested poorly with test screenings, is.
Drew tested better, but was said to be too female aimed for CBS.

Now CBS Leslie Monvees say s CBS would have picked have picked up Supergirl for season 2 if it had not gone to CW.

My head hurts now.

deadline.com/2016/05/supergirl-stay-cbs-...p-the-cw-1201758715/

No, that'll be if and when season 2 sucks as hard as season 1 did. The writers (especially that idiot Kreisberg) seem oblivious to the idea that it needs to get A LOT better in terms of storylines and character development (especially Supergirl's).

Brad2 wrote: No, that'll be if and when season 2 sucks as hard as season 1 did. The writers (especially that idiot Kreisberg) seem oblivious to the idea that it needs to get A LOT better in terms of storylines and character development (especially Supergirl's).

Shows like Supergirl, where a portion of the audience has been waiting forever to see, has a built-in tolerance in Season 1. Some people (like me) are just happy its on TV at all. Special effects are, well, Special. This allows the show to muddle around a bit in Season 1 and survive.

In Season 2, however, viewers are familiar with the characters and all their strengths, limitations, personality twists, relationship opportunities, etc. They've gotten used to the special effects, etc. Now they want to see the themes that have been intorduce explored with greater detail and competence. Season 2 should focus on the internal stories of the now familiar characters.

Season 2 can't just hammer a different supervillain into the scene every weak and have them beat up on Supergirl until she decides to fight back (with help) to kick their asses.

Now the writing has to go inside, and be interlinked, with an extended story line.

Season 1 started with Fort Rozz villains running amok, and it ended with the destruction and death of (presumably) everyone in Fort Rozz. All tied up in a bow, but far too crudely. They lost their way several times during the season.

But, at the end, relationships are moving forward, Kara and Alexa's parents are going to feature heavily in the story, and then there's the new Pod. This time they have to keep a central plot line running from end to end. Have as many subplots as they want, but move the main plot line forward every week. Essential.

They didn't live by that rule in Season 1, but that won't be tolerable going forward if they want a Season 3.

I'm putting on all my money on the Pod containing either a young Kryptonian male (who will be James's competitor for Kara affections, and won't be infringing on movie and TV licensing agreements), or it'll be Kara Zor El from the Earth 2 universe. Could be fun either way, but I lean strongly toward hoping Cat gets to invent a name for another superheroine. Powergirl.

Or so I see it...
Shadar

One other point on Season 2... I wonder if they can save money on special effects scenes by doing fewer of them, but doing at least one per week at very high quality. I'd consider that a good tradeoff for saving a few bucks.

Presumably the show will need to reduce its costs to that of other CW shows unless they really feel it will bring in more viewers (ad revenue) than Flash, et.al.

Does anyone have easy access to numbers comparing the number of Flash viewers to Supergirl viewers?

I presume in general CBS has many more viewers than CW, but they also have a lot more shows, but none of them in the same genre as Supergirl. That's not what CBS is normally all about.

In contrast, CW has broad offerings in the genre. So we've got a dedicated genre viewership on CW, but its much smaller than the overall viewing audience on CBS. Dedication versus mass audience. Not sure how that plays out.

Shadar