The CW was once the home of many Berlanti-produced superhero sagas, with several of them collectively known as the “Arrowverse.” But over a period of just a few weeks in spring 2022, a whopping nine different scripted CW shows (not all of them superhero stories) got the boot, and by the time “The Flash” ended this past May, no Arrowverse shows remained. The programming line-up seems to have been hacked to bits for a simple yet disappointing reason: to make room for incoming new ownership, including execs who are apparently not that into the scripted lineup the network already had.
Last year, Nexstar executive VP and CFO Lee Ann Gliha told investors (via Variety) that the company had plans to unveil their own slate of shows for the 2023-24 season, but noted that any “carryover” from previous WBD and CBS-greenlit shows would be “minimal at that point.” In short, the company wanted to start its takeover with as clean a slate as possible. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The CW needed to do something to keep its financials in order, as it’s apparently only ever made money on streaming and foreign sales. Since the takeover, the network has already pivoted to more sports and unscripted content.
