By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
The Winchesters and Walker Independence will see their seasons capped at 13 episodes.
According to our sister site Deadline, the Supernatural and Walker prequels will not be receiving backorders — though Season 2 renewals are still a possibility. The decision was made by the network’s new, Nexstar-appointed president Dennis Miller, who has decided against backorders for all first-year CW dramas (which would also include midseason entry Gotham Knights, which is still awaiting a premiere date).
Walker Independence across its first four episodes has been averaging 560,000 total viewers and a 0.05 demo rating (in Live+Same Day numbers), showing decent retention out of its sire (which is averaging 730K and a 0.08). Delayed playback gooses the “Windy” audience by some 83 percent.
The Winchesters, meanwhile, is averaging 600K and nearly a 0.1 across its first three episodes, and as a self-starter on Tuesdays. DVR playback boosts its audience by 66 percent.
The young-skewing CW network faces an uncertain fate: Local-TV giant Nexstar Media Group recently acquired a 75 percent ownership stake, with plans to target older viewers and add low-cost, unscripted programming. Longtime network head Mark Pedowitz departed The CW shortly after the acquisition was finalized.
The short-order news for The Winchesters and Walker Independence follows the recent cancellations of two of The CW’s remaining scripted originals: DC’s Stargirl (ending with Season 3) and Nancy Drew (ending after Season 4). Fellow veterans The Flash (entering Season 9) and Riverdale (entering Season 7) are also set to end next year — and, according to Deadline, the list of final seasons is only expected to grow.
Along with The Winchesters, Walker Independence and midseason entry Gotham Knights, the fates of All American, All American: Homecoming, Kung Fu, Superman & Lois and Walker, beyond the current broadcast season, remain up in the air.
I’m really disappointed by the lack of more “The Winchesters” episodes. I’m really enjoying that show!! Hopefully it will get a season 2 pick up!! Great cast, great writing and interesting story!!
I’d feel safe about Winchesters getting picked up by Netflix or HBOMax. Not so sure about Walker spinoff, but that’s because I don’t really follow that show. But it’s extremely rare for a fall show too not get further episodes and get renewed by it’s network. Seems like The CW will likely be history after this season.
I really wish a streaming service would pick up “The Winchesters,” “Stargirl,” “Kung Fu” and “Nancy Drew.”
Me too with the exception of Nancy Drew. I couldn’t get into it. But I love The Winchesters, Stargirl and Kung Fu. Sigh…
Stargirl is likely dead unfortunately. Cast options just expired and HBOMax would have picked it up before that. Kung Fu I’d guess still has a decent chance at either CW or HBOMax. I have a feeling that at least three shows will continue on CW next year.
Non of the Stargirl cast is that super busy outside of the show to be honest so I believe they could pick them up again and possibly make them sign new 3/4 year contracts.
Its possible for the show to get picked up.
It also would have been impossible to pick the show up before CWs announcement too since this appears to be a very recent decision.
No, it’s not. Contracts have expired and sets will be destroyed.
100% with you Carrie.
I get that feeling too.
I wouldn’t count on HBO Max for anything. They’re the same owners who mostly dumped the CW to Nexstar in trying to trim their own budgets. They’ve dumped almost all DC stuff from HBO Max with the idea of changing their focus, to heaven only knows what. Right now, I can’t see any streamers wanting to take on these shows, things aren’t like it used to be.
I would think if you don’t get extra episodes, and your show is designed for that. That is bad news for a Season 2. Especially in this climate, and with CW under new management. I guess we shall see.
I agree that if this was the CW of old or the other broadcast networks, both shows would have no chance of a second season without a back order. Nexstar is a wildcard however. Starting with the 2023-24 season, Nexstar could stop doing 22 episode seasons on all of their scripted series for example.
They want to cut costs. Less expensive shows Paranormal (I admit I don’t watch the show) and a western would bring on the costs so if you are new. You don’t have history on your side. I love Kung Fu but I worry that will be cut next. Superman and Lois has backstory to it side. And they cannot cancel everything because they need content. Walker is more mainstream. But it WAS not calling out for a for a origin prequel. But still, I suppose they need content so there is possibility only 13 episodes can bring Season 2.
Yes they can and most likely will cancel pretty much everything hopefully giving writers enough notice to actually craft a serviceable finale in favor of Canadian imports that are cheaper to syndicate than producing new programs in house…
Yeah, walker, all American, Penn and Teller, and Superman would honestly be enough to mix with unscripted and Canadian imports.
Kung fu, Winchester, walker independence and batman show could always try to go on the cheap for another season
What a cluster The CW has become
Several of those new shoes are fast becoming my favourites and I’m an elder viewer. What’s going on!
What’s going on is that they’re closing up shop.
Paramount + if they’re lucky, or HBOMax, depending on the actual owner of the IP. CW is gonzo. Superman and Lois will be gone as soon as they reach 88 eps.
To be fair, even under the old regime, shows like The 100 and iZombie ran for years with mostly 13 episode seasons.
Not saying the shows aren’t in jeopardy – CW will definitely be making major cuts – but not getting extra episodes isn’t necessarily the kiss of death.
That’s not exactly accurate comparison though or at least not without giving context. Both Izombie and The 100 regularly premiered later in the tv season with seasons starting around february or later for the most part. The only 2 times those shows had Fall premieres they had 16 and 19 episode seasons.
Nexstar is in the process of destroying what it took years for the CW to grow and this is from one of the “older” they are supposedly aiming toward.
Which shows they know nothing of their targeted audience.
But what the CW grew over years of work was deteriorating rapidly. Almost all of their shows went fractional a few years back. Their young viewers want to stream or binge or shift viewing. Nets DGAF about anyone who watches the shows after 7 days, and they don’t care much more about folks who watch it within 7 days but likely fast forward through commercials.
.
The CW’s traditional viewers aged out, and weren’t replaced by equal numbers. They were left chasing a demographic that is hard to monetize on TV nowadays.
.
Everyone wants EVERYONE ELSE to watch shows live, so that they themselves can watch at their leisure. But if everyone does that, no one watches live, so the project makes no money.
Yeah cw 2.0 while not bad wasn’t working, most shows left are 4 seasons or less, with only walker, Superman and maybe flash showing any life.
I agree. They have no idea what they are doing.
I’m in my 40s and I’ve watched more shows on the CW this past decade than any other network. I just am not into procedurals or reality; the one thing I do enjoy elsewhere that CW hasn’t had much of is comedies like Ghosts, Grand Crew, Welcome to Flatch, and Abbott Elementary, but comedies have been being cut more too. And though I do stream some, they are cutting a lot of the shows I watch there as well lately… and even then, I prefer having stuff I can easily access on my DVR. :(
They also just layed off at least 30 employees according to other news outlets.
Wow that was a surprise. NOT!
Give me 13 quality episodes over 20+ subpar ones.
Low cost, unscripted programming = I am out. I dislike that kind of television intensely.
CW should just try and sell-off this shows they feel are below the older demographic they are now trying to seek rather than get rid of them which is what’s going to happen.
I get Nexstar’s perspective where the only people that primarily are hanging onto their cable service are the older generation that grew up with paying for cable service and that’s why their network is in last place by trying to cater to a generation that is used to streaming services instead. Most current CW shows are exclusive to their app which isn’t that great and loaded with commercials and only past episodes are sometimes on other streaming services.
If these shows aren’t renewed I hope another network/streaming picks them up.
Somebody please save Superman and Lois from this bloodbath! Tyler Hoechlin is the best on screen Superman in a LONG time-and yes I am including Henry Cavill. Tyler is Supes and the rest of the cast is stellar too
Agreed! I love S&L! This year has hurt. I podcast on Legends, Stargirl & Superman & Lois. Now we are down to one show!
Yes to this. While we have a season 3 still to air I’m really hoping to get to season 4. Tyler Hoechlin is perfect as this iteration of Clark & Superman and Bitsie Tulloch as Lois.
I hope that “The Winchesters” & “Walker: Independence as well as “Waker”, “Superman & Lois”, “Kung Fu” & “All-American” & “All-American: Homecoming” get renewed for additional seasons.
does Gotham Knights even make it to air
Yes, it’ll still air and it’s still filming. The schedule is set till May and they’ve been airing everything still that they announced back at the Upfronts last May.
Yeah nexstar has 75%, probably can’t get same tax write off as they don’t own the show, as HBO max, HBO max gave descent residuals toast shows, so that and ownership makes a finance sense to get tax write off
I feel like if All American and Superman &Lois are cancelled, they may be the only ones saved. All American trends for at least month+ on Netflix when they put the latest season on. And Superman & Lois is just too good.
Kind of weird buying a network just to ruin it.
Nexstar did this already to WGN America and now it’s a 24 hour news channel when it used to have their own original shows and used the be the home of most Chicago Cubs baseball games.
Where is my comment? Did you ever post it so people will know my opinion about canceling any of the shows that you have canceled that includes the Winchester’s!
This is the end of The CW. I absolutely despise all Reality Shows.
I will be surprised if studios offer the CW any new series. I think Paramount and Warner Bros should decide to move what series that want to continue on to their streaming services. Let the CW become a reality shows and procedural reruns channel. Its cheap and might get the same ratings as their scripted series. I read that they wont rebrand the CW in the short term because it is too expensive to spend money on the rebranding.
I am one of the older demographic and I like a lot of Cw programming… unscripted Shows I find to be pointless. They should just own up and say they are going for ChEAP programming and not blame their cheapness on older viewers.
This sucks. I don’t really know why they’re trying to appeal to older viewers (I thought networks wanted the opposite), but doesn’t the CW have an older audience, anyway? I’m sure the younger viewers watch the episodes on streaming, not live. They’ve already cancelled some of my favorite shows, and I don’t see them keeping everything else. They may want to continue to have a relationship with Jared & Jensen, I don’t know. I also enjoy “Kung Fu,” but I’m sure they’ll announce the cancellation soon. *sigh*
I’m sorry, Are the powers that be trying kill off the CW? Kinda looks like it, with the changes they are trying to make.
l see wanting to attract new followers, but don’t just act like long time viewers don’t count.
Exactly. Don’t act like current viewers don’t count. Trying to court Grandma and Grandpa in the future hoping the now follow your brand is ridiculous.
I do not understand why the cw even commissioned new shows for 2022-2023 lineup to begin with with the knowledge they are about to be mostly gone as a channel anyway, these shows could have been put on hbo max or something
I kind of think all the cw shows could have been put on hbo max that got cancelled early tbh
I agree. All the shows could have been picked up by other networks or put on streaming services.
so I guess apparently events of the new shows were already in motion and couldnt just pull them so my bad on that error of assumption
Nothing is that cut and dry, cw has to operate as a network to keep affiliates.
CW even with canceling a ton last season, had to many shows to launch a fallschedule.
They have 7 days 14 hours, but weekends can be reality or repeats like other nets, leaving 10 hours, all america takes up mon, L&S /Canadian drama tue, Walker can be wed, Kung fu/ Canadian drama thu, Penn and teller/new hour fri.
Leave a few shows for fill in done
ok thanks
So sad to see what is happening at the network and how many got laid off today. Plus ending so many of these shows even more people are going to lose work, especially in Vancouver. If they do keep a few of the shows I really only feel “The Winchesters”, both “Walkers”, and maybe both “All-American” are safe as they seem to be the top rated on shows that aren’t ending like “The Flash”. But really shouldn’t be surprised since Nexstar did exactly this when they took over WGN American and ended all their scripted shows to turn it into a 24 hr news network. I know they talked about doing comedies too besides reality but not sure how that’s less expensive.
I do hope these shows get another season. I’m upset about the cancellation of Nancy Drew. I love that show.
I think they are deliberately trying to kill The CW.
I’m 59 years old. I watched more on the CW (and before that, The WB) than any other network. And after reading months’ worth of similar statements from people in my age bracket, I can only conclude that the people in their research department who study the demographics need to be banished from working in television. Permanently. The cancellation of Legends of Tomorrow (on a cliffhanger!) was the last straw. Seven seasons we were faithful, and we were summarily given the finger by the new president of the network.
I have not watched a single program on The CW since that bloodbath. As much as I loved Supernatural (faithful viewer since the pilot) I refuse to get attached to another show that will be thrown out with naught an ounce of respect for the viewers.
I am beyond pissed at the outcome of this debacle.
I grew up in the 50s here in Cda and have watched Westerns during the early days. Roy R, Kung Fu and so many others BUT – – – I am truly enjoying , and Presently watching Walker: Independence – The show has many twists and turns – contrats to actors and the writers. I would really hate to see this show disappear from TV — I make sure I have the TV set so I do not miss Walker: Independence – plus I am sitting in front of the TV when it is ON.
The Winchesters will end up on HBO Max Walker-verse will end up on whatever streaming service CBS has. Gotham Knights will be one and done. With Warner Brothers in just as much upheaval as the CW S&L, AA is a wild card.