The CW might not pull as many overall viewers as the other broadcast networks, but what it lacks in numbers, it makes up for in youthful enthusiasm and, more recently, some of the best genre programming anywhere on television. But when the network launched 13 years ago, it’s unlikely thatanyonewould have come close to guessing that fact at the time. (And you know what? Sometimes it’s nice to be wrong.) So we’re taking the time to recognize all of the game-changing dramas (and, unavoidably, the forgettable ones) in this ranking of every CW drama to ever air.
Before we begin,a few qualifiers: Shows that also aired on The WB or UPN are judged only based on the seasons that aired on The CW. (This affects the rankings forVeronica MarsandGilmore Girls, for example, which both aired only their final season on The CW.) Also, this list includes only dramas, which means noAmerica’s Next Top Model, noEverybody Hates Chris, and noJane the VirginorCrazy Ex-Girlfriend,which The CW classifies as comedies.
Finally, the importance of a TV show within the history of The CW and the development of network television in general over the past decade will be taken into account. You have been warned, fans of “Shows That Are Kind Of Awesome, But Indistinguishable From Larger TV Trends.”
Let the definitive ranking of the best and worst of the CW’s many dramas begin…
52. Runaway (2006)
Meet the first show to be cancelled in the history of The CW!Runawaywas cancelled only four weeks following its debut and with only three episodes ever airing. The show, starring Donnie Wahlberg and futureParenthoodstar Sarah Ramos, was about a seemingly-perfect family on the run from the law for a crime they didn’t commit. Also, they are being hunted by a killer! Because of course. -Kayti Burt
51. Easy Money (2008-2009)
This show about a family that owns a high-interest loan business was about as interesting as it sounds.Easy Moneymet with some pretty dismal ratings on The CW’s Sunday nights, but the larger context for its short-lived existence is a bit more complicated: Programmed by Media Rights Capital (MRC) when the company briefly took over the Sunday night programming block from The CW,production was haltedwhen the company could not secure a necessary bridge loan. Soon after, The CW ended its contract with MRC, permanently pulling bothEasy MoneyandValentine(see later on the list) from their Sunday night slots. -Kayti Burt
50. Hidden Palms (2007)
This quickly-cancelled show gets points for having Kevin Williamson, creator ofDawson’s Creekand co-creator ofThe Vampire Diaries, as its helmer and Amber Heard in a leading role. But, givenHidden Palms, ashow about a group of Palm Springs-based teens, was cancelled after only eight episodes, that’s about all of the points it gets. -Kayti Burt
49. The Messengers (2015)
The CW hasn’t made many programming missteps in recent years — at least not when it comes to creating compelling drama — butThe Messengersproves that, even a network at the top of its genre narrative game, can greenlight some duds. This show about five people who inexplicably become angels after a meteoritic event was so dull. It’s clear that its writers were going for an intricate, character-driven musing on the nature of faith and human connection, but the characters and their problems were so boringly rendered, that not even some pretty cool CGI wings could make this show interesting. -Kayti Burt
48. The Beautiful Life: TBL (2009)
This show about a group of models living together in a New York City apartment had a lot of familiar faces — Mischa Barton, Corbin Bleu, Elle MacPherson, and Sara Paxton — but never made it very far down the runway, getting cancelled after only two episodes aired. Still, it wasn’t half bad. -Kayti Burt
47. Valor (2017-2018)
This military drama about an elite unite of U.S. Army helicopter pilots starredOne Tree Hill’sMatt Barr, and featured a mysterious flashback-fueled subplot involving one of the unit’s first female pilots. But the series never really felt of a piece with the rest of The CW’s lineup full of superheroes, supernatural creatures and teen soaps, and struggled to find an audience. Ultimately, it only saw 13 episodes of action.
46. Cult (2013)
Culthad an ambitious premise: a journalist and production assistant team up to investigate a series of mysterious disappearance linked to a popular cult TV show. Structured as a show-within-a-show narrative, the meta potential for this series was off the charts. And withThe Vampire Diaries’Matt Davis,Gotham’s Jessica Lucas, andPrison Break’s Robert Knepper all in main roles,Culthad a lot going for it. Unfortunately, the big mystery of the show never built up any suspense. When this show was cancelled halfway through its first season, there were few who were sad to see it go. -Kayti Burt
45. Life Sentence (2018)
This feel-good drama followed the story of Stella, a young woman who has to reevaluate the course of her entire life when she discovers her terminal cancer diagnosis was actually a mistake. Its premise about second chances actually presented some intriguing philosophical questions, but the series often opted for cloying sentiment rather than facing those issues outright. Despite featuringPretty Little Liarsstar Lucy Hale in her first post-Rosewood role,Life SentencewasThe CW’s lowest-rated drama series in 2018, and didn’t return for a second.
44. In the Dark (2019-present)
This series, which follows the story of a young blind woman named Murphy, clearly wants viewers to see it as daring, edgy drama. Murphy, a chain-smoking, mean alcoholic who loves to hook up with random dudes at bars isn’t particularly likeable, and that’s before the show turns her into a terrible amateur detective investigating her best friend’s death. Basically,In the Darkhas no idea what kind of series it wants to be, haphazardly mashing up a coming of age drama with a murder mystery, and throwing some bizarre dating antics on top. Itmightbe fun if the series leaned at all into the idea of its own ridiculousness, but it doesn’t.
43. Melrose Place (2009-2010)
A reboot of the 90s primetime soap about a group of rich, dramatic residents living in the Melrose Place apartment building in Hollywood,Melrose Placewas a revival based on a TV formula with a lot of competition. This show, which lasted one season before getting cancelled, had some great cast members going for it — Katie Cassidy (Arrow), Laura Leighton (a member of the originalMelrose Placecast, and currently the best mom character onPretty Little Liars), and Stephanie Jacobsen (The Sarah Connor Chronicles) — but was not different enough from the other, much superior primetime soap about rich people (a.k.a.Gossip Girl) airing at the same time on The CW. -Kayti Burt
