The CW, as we know it, died a long time ago.
Gone are the days of a full network that “dared to be bold,” delivering a full slate of the type of genre programming we gravely miss and even giving us full 20-episode count seasons of fun series.
While the onslaught of unique genre sites and teen dramas was fading away for some time, the last of which slowly signed off well before the Nexstar deal, it was the nail in the coffin for the network as we knew it.
Suddenly, this broadcast network, which had appealed to a diverse demographic, narrowed its scope quite drastically.
And it left in its stead a broadcast network filled with Canadian exports, reality, game, and variety shows, with a sprinkling of Jesus, via The Chosen.
The drastic shift was not only alarming, but it also displaced a full era of television, which we have yet to reclaim in any way.
For all the jokes many of us cracked about The CW, it truly became an iconic network for its diverse content and offerings on broadcast.
Alas, to the average viewer, The CW now feels like it’s constantly in an identity crisis, attempting to shape and define what it is and carve out its own demographic and new audience.
It has acquired some gems here and there — Wild Cards is an utter delight every bit as much as ABC’s High Potential but with less fanfare and recognition (Boo! Hiss).
But it’s mostly a mishmash of variety shows, reality shows, Canadian imports, and that stellar show about Jesus (The Chosen is everywhere, though).
However, now The CW is making a move that will likely further baffle former fans of the network while potentially striking gold in a whole new way (whether people want to admit it or not).
It could be finding a new winning formula by combining former CW stars, the proven-effective formula of book-to-screen adaptations, and the romance genre.
The network has ordered six films based on Harlequin novels. The publishing company has epitomized the romantic fiction genre as we know it for the better part of 70 years.
Interestingly enough, The CW partnering with Fathom Entertainment will result in the first of these six films receiving a theatrical release in select theaters on August 26-27, followed by its network debut in the fall, and the subsequent five movies airing in primetime.
It’s not unlike the type of release setup The Chosen has succeeded in, making it a global sensation.
And as much as I’m still frustrated with losing what The CW used to be, even I cannot deny the potentially smart business move with this.
This new version of The CW may finally be establishing itself by carving out its own niche space.
Could The CW become broadcast’s answer to Hallmark? It’s possible.
And in doing so, it possibly makes the romance genre, which Hallmark has done so well for years, accessible to a larger demographic.
With so many people cutting the cord, coveted channels dropping from their cable providers during disputes and licensing agreements, and a myriad of other factors, many people who love the type of content Hallmark provides may not always have access to it.
For so long, Hallmark has dominated in this particular genre, becoming a monopoly in its own right for romantic movies and expanding into franchises.
But The CW could be putting its hat (possibly a cowboy one) into the ring and giving the crown network a run for its money here.
After all, while The CW feels like a wasteland outside of a show here and there to many of us (not to mention impossible to provide content for anymore), it has quietly found success with original movies and documentaries, amassing 26 million viewers.
Building upon that, especially with familiar former CW faces, could only improve from there.
Notably, Arrow and Walker: Independence star Katherine McNamara will headline one of the films, Montana Mavericks — the first in the slate and the only one with a theatrical release.
She’ll play Heather, a New Yorker and best-selling author battling writer’s block who inherits a family ranch in Montana.
Setting out on a new adventure with two best friends, she finds there’s a lot of work cut out for her with the ranch’s poor condition. She also has to contend with a cowboy veterinarian next door, who challenges her “big city ideals” along the way.
Dennis Andres, Linda Kee, and Kaya Coleman will also star alongside MacNamara.
Meanwhile, Ordinary Girl in a Tiara will star Transplant’s Katharine King So as a vintage fashionista who harbors her former nemesis and couture designer, played by Gossip Girl‘s Kathryn Gallagher.
But love and fashion will collide with the pair.
Interestingly, The CW has become semi-aligned with its former self by adopting a more progressive approach to its romances, whereas Hallmark has barely scratched the surface of doing so.
The adaptation of this film will be interesting because of its sapphic twist.
Paws in the City will have Shadowhunters beauty Emeraude Toubia costarring with Famous in Love’s Carter Jenkins in a film about a social media whiz who essentially gets canceled and blackballed and takes on dogsitting for a handsome recluse to make ends meet and keep a roof over her and her 14-year-old sister’s heads.
It’s a unique take on the genre, distinct from Hallmark, particularly with its non-traditional family angle.
That’s actually something that may appeal to romance genre fans and those interested in seeing familiar faces from all those fun shows of yesteryear that the network and its similar ones were known for.
Recipe for Romance will definitely cash in on those who love the enemies-to-lovers trope when the daughter of a family-owned coffee shop (Days of Our Lives‘ True O’Brien) clashes with the nearby owner of a bakery (Alex Mallari Jr.) and prank wars, and love ensues.
While Glee‘s Amber Riley leading Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell has the kind of flavor and fun that stands out.
It’ll have her ditching her “situationship” to focus on a kitchen she inherited from her grandmother, relying on the help of her best friend, mom, and a hot contractor played by Transplant‘s Dorian Grey.
Finally, Second Guessing Fate will have The Flash fans squealing over Danielle Panabaker, leading a fun film where she plays an event planner who gives up on love until a fortune teller tells her that her true love is just one bad blind date away.
However, she’ll have to figure out if it’s Immortals’ Corey Sevier or The Handmaid’s Tale‘s Brendan Morgan.
It’s cute, with a hint of fantasy that will appeal to those who loved the network before, and it genuinely hits all the great romance tropes.
Sadly, The CW will never be what it once was.
However, it could potentially be on the path toward becoming a more progressive, potentially younger-skewing, and more accessible version of Hallmark, while still appealing to its former demographic.
And it just might work.
Let’s keep the conversation going — do you think The CW easing into romance films may give Hallmark competition?
Say something in the comments, share if you’re moved to, and keep reading. Independent voices need readers like you.
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