So far, the networks have been holding off on canceling programs this fall, but a few shows have gotten good news thus far. On Tuesday, The CW announced it was moving forward with additional episodes of newcomers The Flash and Jane The Virgin, although both seem to have been picked up for very different reasons. There may be different reasons behind the pick-ups, but both shows have received full 22-episode orders for Season 1.
The Flash is obviously the hotter property for The CW, having premiered to 4.5 million total viewers during its first airing. Counting Live+3 ratings, more than 6 million watched the premiere and the ratings have held well since then. Add in the fact that that The Flash has been The CW’s highest premiere since The Vampire Diaries hit the schedule in 2009 and The Flash becomes even more impressive, especially considering same day ratings are down across the board. A 22-episode order was the next step for the series, and I’m glad The CW didn’t wait to give the show what it deserves.
Jane the Virgin’s full season order feels like less of a sure thing, but it is no less welcome. The show only posted 1.63 million during its premiere—numbers which aren’t great, but are better than anything else The CW has been able to land on Monday nights in a while. (Seriously, why weren’t any of you watching Hart of Dixie? Major disappointment.) From The CW’s press release, it seems like the network decided to sign on for a full season thanks to the critical acclaim surrounding the pregnancy charmer, as well as Jane the Virgin’s likable lead, Gina Rodriguez.
Jane the Virgin is narrated and set up a bit like a telenovela, making it a very different enterprise from the DC comic-oriented The Flash. Still, both shows have followed a similar trajectory thus far. The news comes after The CW showed confidence in both The Flash and Jane the Virgin before either show had premiered. Toward the end of September, the network signed on for three additional scripts for both shows, upping the orders from 13 episodes to 16. Obviously, a 22-episode order is the Holy Grail for Season 1 shows, and hopefully the early confidence in both shows will be factored in when The CW is making renewals next spring.
For now, you can catch new episodes of The Flash when it airs on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET. Additionally, The Flash already has a crossover storyline in the works with other CW series Arrow. Jane the Virgin airs on Monday nights, also at 8 p.m. ET.
