The CW 2019-2020 Fantasy Schedule

Our resident script reader Jean-Maxime Renault has read the pilot scripts for almost all of this year's series pickups heading into upfront week. For his detailed thoughts on all of the year's contenders, be sure to check out his pilot script reviews. 

How to craft a schedule for a network that no longer seems to care about ratings?  With the network's business model almost exclusively focused on streaming and international licensing revenue, timeslots don't seem to matter much anymore. Still. we persist.

Here’s the score card to date...

....and here's how The CW's fall schedule would look if I was programming it:

While it seems obvious that Batwoman should carry the torch on Mondays once Arrow is done after its last batch of episodes, the 9pm slot is a question mark. Black Lightning could fit right in after its previous run on Tuesday nights. 

It's hard to tell if Roswell, New Mexico is a priority for The CW, but it did a pretty decent job in this slot during Spring, soI'd try to keep the momentum going in the fall. 

The CW has two options here: either use Riverdale as a launchpad for its incompatible spin-off Katy Keene, or try Nancy Drew instead, which is highly compatible in terms of atmosphere and feel. I've made my choice. If Nancy Drew flops, they could still give the slot to Katy Keene midseason.

This midseason duo did well enough to be protected, plus The CW doesn't really have any new supernatural show ordered. So why mess with semi-success?

These two low-rated shows don't really fit with The CW's other offerings. They're both soaps dealing with rich people doing... um, things. Since they got renewed and they have to be somewhere, I say let them own fridays and... ratings don't matter, right?

Stability should be the order of the day on Sundays, which is doing okay as it is. Charmed is not as big as The CW might have wanted it to be, but a move to another night probably wouldn't change that. 

Batwoman – Paired with In The Dark on Mondays for a "wrecked women" evening

In The Dark – Paired with Batwoman on Mondays

Katy Keene - Paired with Glamorous on Fridays for a "fashion/beauty" night

Glamorous - Paired with Katy Keene on Fridays for a "fashion/beauty" night

Legends Of Tomorrow - Late Spring launch, Summer fare

The 100 – Late Spring launch, Summer fare
 

We'll have complete coverage of The CW's upfront presentation on Thursday May 16th. In the meantime, join us in our forums to share your opinion!

Jean-Maxime Renault is a TV addict based in Paris who writes about television and movies on AlloCiné (aka "the French IMDB"). In 2015 he created Season Zero, a website about television development and pilot season, which is now a part of Primetimer. Follow him on Twitter @SeasonZeroCom