CW signals new era by picking up AMC drama 61st Street
After a series of cancelations more or less wiped the CW's slate clean, 61st Street hints at the next chapter for the network
The end of this CW era has been a long time coming, but a spate of cancellations this week sealed the death warrant. Kung Fu, The Winchesters, and Walker: Independence all bit the dust, while standbys The Flash, Nancy Drew, and Riverdale are all airing their final seasons. And now that the network has said out with the old, it’s beginning to usher in the new, starting with the Courtney B. Vance drama 61st Street.
61st Street, “the dramatic story of a promising high school athlete who gets swept up in a corrupt Chicago criminal justice system” (per the show’s synopsis), originally aired last year on AMC. The network ordered two seasons and both of them were filmed, but the series was canceled after the first season in a cost-cutting measure. Signaling its strategy for its new chapter, the CW has now swooped in to dust the show off and put it on the air. The first season will air in Fall 2023, with the handily completed second season set for Fall 2024.
“There was a lot of love and hard work that went into making 61st Street,” Vance said in a statement. “I’m thrilled that The CW has enthusiastically given all 16 episodes of 61st Street a network home. With The CW, I’m confident that we will engage a universe of viewers who will celebrate the series with us. My cast, crew and I can’t wait!”
61st Street heralds the next phase of the CW (under its new ownership Nexstar) in multiple ways. For one, it targets an older, more serious demographic than its previous teen soaps and superhero fare was meant to attract. For another, it’s an easy acquisition for the network which is looking to make itself profitable on the cheap. The new programming strategy is “focused on acquisitions and co-productions” (per Deadline), as reflected by the summer slate which includes Canadian series Run The ’Burbs, Moonshine, and Family Law as well as the second season of Australian dramedy Bump (also per Deadline). Peace and love to those shows, but it’ll be a sad day when the Riverdale finale tolls the bell for the CW’s golden era. If you’ll excuse us, we’ll be over here mourning the Good Old Days.