Supergirl's 9 hiatus is due to "production issues" and Mark Pedowitz's assurance to fans

With the show’s production schedule of 10 days per episode, it’s easy to believe they may have fallen behind. They may need more time to rebuild a backlog of completed but unaired episodes.

I think the whole problem is the introduction of Black Lightning. Mark P mentions not wanting 5 superhero shows a week...so why introduce a fifth? Maybe this is just me, coming from someone who is so uninterested by BL, but why introduce a new show when fans coming in now are having trouble catching up? The addition makes it harder to introduce new fans and doubles down on this idea of keeping those who have managed to watch Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, AND Legends. I started watching Arrow during Flash Season 2, and catching up with current eps PLUS having to catch up on Legends was extremely difficult.
And if the CW is concerned about overload, how is 2018-19 going to work? The only way BL could get a spot this year is a temporary bump of LOT and Supergirl's hiatus. I really think either BL, LOT, or Supergirl will get the axe this summer, unless the CW plans for BL to be a short series like Marvel's Agent Carter was on ABC, and only air during that February-April slow period.

Mark P mentions not wanting 5 superhero shows a week...so why introduce a fifth?...
I really think either BL, LOT, or Supergirl will get the axe this summer, unless the CW plans for BL to be a short series like Marvel's Agent Carter was on ABC, and only air during that February-April slow period.

None of the shows will get cancelled this year. However, in my opinion, 2018-19 will be Arrow’s final season and CW is looking to BL to replace Arrow. By starting BL now, if it doesn’t work out, they still have time to find something else to replace Arrow.
However, they didn’t need to start it quite this early. Instead of January, they should have held BL until some other show finished its season.

Mark P mentions not wanting 5 superhero shows a week...so why introduce a fifth?...
I really think either BL, LOT, or Supergirl will get the axe this summer, unless the CW plans for BL to be a short series like Marvel's Agent Carter was on ABC, and only air during that February-April slow period.

None of the shows will get cancelled this year. However, in my opinion, 2018-19 will be Arrow’s final season and CW is looking to BL to replace Arrow. By starting BL now, if it doesn’t work out, they still have time to find something else to replace Arrow.
However, they didn’t need to start it quite this early. Instead of January, they should have held BL until some other show finished its season.

I agree next season will probably be Arrow's last. I think the original plan was to start Black Lightning after Flash when Legends finished its season in March. What happened is Valor isn't getting more episodes so the network saw an opportunity to start Black Lightning earlier than planned. The partnership between CBS and Warner Brothers is part of the no more than 5 superhero shows at once rule. The partnership means at any given time a certain number of shows have to be from each partner. That means the network couldn't simply put Black Lightning from WB in place of the canceled Valor from CBS after Supergirl on Mondays. It's possible that next season Black Lightning, if it gets a second season, will start after Legends finish it’s shorter season as I believe was the original plan this year.

I agree that 2018-2019 might be Arrow's last hurrah. The ratings are okay, but story wise, they are just out of ideas. This season was supposed to be a new start, and it's been nothing but rehashed ideas from previous seasons.

I believe that all of the DC comics shows have performed well enough, for CW, that if they were to end, CW would grant them a final season to wrap things up. Kind of like how they've done for The Vampire Diaries and The Originals.

Supergirl's safe. Hands down. A 22+ episode Season 4 order brings a syndication-level episode count. Networks will often renew a show, even if it's tanking (which Supergirl is not), when it's that close to syndication numbers.

The schedule next year largely depends on Black Lightning's ratings, especially if they are serious about only having 4 superhero shows at a time. If it's as big as Riverdale, it'll get a full 20+ episode order, next year.

If ratings are good, but not as good as other shows, I would renew Black Lightning for around a 13 episode 2nd season. Then give Legends a half-season, as well.

I would start Fall 2018 with Supergirl, Arrow, and The Flash on full season orders, and have Legends start the season. This would also support Fall's annual crossover. Then, when Legends finishes airing, they can pop Black Lightning on the air for the other half of the season, in Legends' time slot.

This makes sure they only have 4 superhero shows on the air at a time, per the CW's preferences, but also manages their 2018 schedule better.

If they make 2018-2019 Arrow's final season, this would allow Black Lightning to take it's spot in the Fall 2019 season, bringing the status quo back to just 4 CW shows on the air.

I honestly think the biggest "what if" shows for next year are Dynasty (not performing well), Jane the Virgin, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. All 3 of these shows have been shuffled to the Friday "Death Slot", this year.

We also don't know, yet, how The 100 and iZombie will fare, this year.

If new show, "Life Sentence" does well, it can easily fill the type of demographic that Jane the Virgin or Crazy Ex-Girlfriend go for.


I'd say the 100% Fall renewals are Flash, Supergirl, Arrow, Legends, Supernatural, Riverdale.

If Dynasty gets renewed, it'll be by the skin of it's teeth. Valor's gone for sure. And Crazy Ex-Girlfriend/Jane the Virgin are tossups. But I feel like if they were going to end either of those latter two, they'd give them a season to wrap up their stories.


For Spring shows, we've got Black Lightning, iZombie, Life Sentence, The Originals, and The 100.

We already know that this is the last season for The Originals. As for the other 3, it's a tossup on their renewal chances.

I feel like they could announce 2018-2019 as being the final season for any of the following shows: Arrow, Jane the Virgin, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, iZombie, or The 100.

did we ever get more details about this? something was clearly "up" and it showed in the back half of S3

did we ever get more details about this? something was clearly "up" and it showed in the back half of S3

No, we didn't and we likely never will. I for one am looking forward and don't care if I ever find out what happened.