CW renews TV shows, rest canceled?

Smallville The CW handed out some early renewals today and there really weren’t any surprises, especially if you look at the struggling network’s overall numbers. Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, 90210, Gossip Girl, and America’s Next Top Model will all be back next season. What about Life Unexpected, Melrose Place, One Tree Hill, and Smallville?

First, to the renewals…

90210 is set to come back for season three. The show is down in the ratings and is one of the network’s weaker performers. However, the network has plenty of holes to fill in its schedule and apparently isn’t ready to give up on the show just yet. The network is dropping Jennie Garth and Rob Estes in an attempt to focus even more heavily on the younger characters next season.

America’s Next Top Model will be back for two more cycles, numbers 15 and 16. The reality show has been in a decline for years but apparently the benefit still outweighs the costs on the venerable reality competition.

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Gossip Girl will be coming back for season three as well. The show is first among the CW’s target demographic of women 18-34, making it a lock for renewal.

Supernatural will be back for a sixth season. The show is having a great year and has improved last season’s performance in women 18-34 by 29%. Series creator Eric Kripke said that he planned to finish the show after five seasons. He’ll supposedly still be heavily involved but won’t be the day-to-day showrunner. Stars Jared Padelecki and Jensen Ackles are reportedly signed for only one more season and have hinted that they want out.

The Vampire Diaries will be returning for its second season. Despite airing on the most competitive night of television, Thursdays, the freshman show is the network’s highest rated show overall and in the 18-34 demographic.

What about the CW’s other shows? Are they cancelled? They aren’t all goners but at least one, likely two, won’t be back.

Melrose Place is the network’s biggest disappointment of the season and it looks nearly impossible that it’ll be back for a sophomore year. A dozen of the 18 ordered episodes have aired so far. The remaining six will begin airing on March 9th after a three month hiatus of originals.

One Tree Hill has been around for seven seasons and hasn’t been having a very successful season. The series could come back or it could end. Its fate will likely will come down to costs or the faith that the network has in other options.

Conversely, Life Unexpected is the new kid on the block. It got off to a decent start but has been losing steam week after week. The execs are likely waiting awhile longer to see what happens. Four of 13 episodes have aired so far.

Smallville is performing well, especially considering the show is in its ninth season and is airing on Friday nights. It’s a lock for renewal and could only end if Tom Welling doesn’t want to continue.

What do you think? Are you happy that the shows have been renewed? Would you trade any of them for the four on the bubble?

More about: 90210, America's Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, Life Unexpected, Melrose Place, One Tree Hill, Smallville, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries