The CW Officially Cancels Frequency and No Tomorrow
Carissa Pavlica
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Even though some series at The CW seem to linger on long past their apparent expiration dates, there will be no happy ending for two freshmen series from the 2016-17 season.
The network officially canceled Frequency and No Tomorrow today.
The first clue that these two series were not coming back were their lack of additional episodes on their original order of 13.
It's the first time in years that has happened at The CW.
Frequency was a television version of the movie of the same name that meant a movie revival and time travel in one package.
Starring CW regular Peyton List and Nashville grad Riley Smith, the series seemed like a sure thing when you add in their pedigrees and the nostalgia factor of a well-received theatrical release.
Unfortunately, only fans of the cast and movie appeared to tune into the series, which was well-written and had some fun toying with the butterfly effect.
The series was averaging a 0.4 and 1.4 million viewers, which isn't that far off from the rest of The CW stable, but a nonstarter for a freshman series with nowhere to go but down.
No Tomorrow was another attempt at finding a romantic comedy in the vein of Jane the Virgin and Crazy-Ex Girlfriend.
The series focused on a couple thrown together by fate, one of whom also happened to believe the end of the world was nigh. Yes, nigh.
It was a cute concept, and almost outlived it in the first season, with the couple going through the gamut of emotional turmoil and the ultimate will they/won't they scenario.
The cast was well-rounded and the leads were surrounded by a tremendous supporting cast.
But, much like Frequency, No Tomorrow struggled to find an audience, averaging only 0.3 and 1 million viewers per week.
That left Riverdale as the only remaining freshman from the 2016-17 season to be renewed for a second.
The CW has a plethora of new programming on the horizon, so much they will be hard pressed to renew the only two shows they haven't renewed as of yet, iZombie and The Originals.
Of the two, iZombie has been the one considered most likely to remain on the schedule, but The Originals retains some ties to The Vampire Diaries and has been doing relatively well after it's mother series went off the air, so it's generally a toss-up at this time.
There are six shows being considered as pilots for The CW in the upcoming season, and as many as five could be viable contenders.
The Dynasty reboot continues to be the hottest ticket, with Black Lighting – another superhero drama from Greg Berlanti – hot on its heels.
Two of the hour-long comedies are also liked very well at the network, including Life Sentence from Bill Lawrence and Insatiable, which is said to be on the darker side. The CW has never picked up two such series for the same season before.
Another new type of show for The CW is a military drama titled Valor, while another Berlanti production, that has been rife with reshoots, Searchers, is still on the docket, although it may be a longshot.
Considering how the season's trio of new dramas went, are you hoping they keep iZombie and The Originals, or would you like to see The CW shoot for some new, solid dramas that may eventually replace their somewhat long in the tooth superhero series?
Let us know what you think!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
