Supergirl Show Rumors-Canceled? Shuffled To The CW?

Like many, I have been waiting to hear about a Supergirl Season 2.

I have read many thought pieces about the show and have responded to some of them.
I have read articles that talk about how bad the ratings were.
I have read articles about how good the ratings were.

I have read articles that talk about how great it is to have a feminist show like this.
I have read articles that lambast the show for not being feminist enough.

I have read articles that the show is going to be renewed for CBS.
I have read articles that the show is going to be canceled.
I have read articles that the show is going to be moved to a different network.
I have read articles that it is moving production to Canada.
I have read articles that it will be renewed but with fewer episodes.

I have read so many articles and heard so many rumors that I felt exhausted. I showed support here and in social media. But I realized that I just needed to wait for a decision to be announced.

But then this article came out which sounded less like an opinion piece and more of a news item:
http://ift.tt/1VKHSsN

The article talks about how Supergirl is an expensive show and the ratings didn't blow anyone out of the water. And maybe, a move to the CW with the concomitant slash in budget is the eventual destiny of the show. Here are a couple of blurbs.

CBS embroiled in negotiation talks with Warner Bros. over costly freshman show

CBS boss Leslie Moonves is deep in talks with Warner Bros. Television about the fate of its super-expensive comic-book series starring Melissa Benoist, which wrapped up a less-than-superlative first season last month.

The roughly $3 million per-episode price tag CBS pays to broadcast “Supergirl” — one of the highest license fees ever for a freshman show — isn’t quite justified by the ratings. Thirteen million total viewers tuned in to the heavily-promoted premiere back in October, but about half the audience bailed over the season, according to Nielsen.

That has set the stage for a last-minute stare-down between Moonves and Warner Bros. TV chief Peter Roth. CBS will announce its fall schedule in two weeks at the upfront presentations in New York, so the clock is ticking to hammer out a deal.

 The youth-skewing CW already has “The Flash” and other superhero franchises (there was a crossover between “Supergirl” and “The Flash” this season), and its audience is much more aligned with “Supergirl” than is CBS’ much-grayer viewership.

Fans have suggested such a move for months and lately the Hollywood rumor mill has gone into overdrive that “Supergirl” is flying to CW. But that move would be fraught for both producers and fans, as budget-conscious CW shows don’t tend to collect huge license fees for the studios. The upshot of a CW shift is that there would very likely be big budget cuts in the offing for “Supergirl.”

You never like to see the verb 'embroiled'. That has a negative connotation, one of conflict.

And then yesterday, Deadline had an article that had a few more details about costs, locations, and tax breaks. But it had no specifics on what was actually happening. Here is that link: http://ift.tt/1O17O0t
(Hat tip to Supergirl.tv and Mart Gray)

And a couple of blurbs:

WBTV is looking to trim the budget of Supergirl as the studio is in conversations with CBS about a second-season renewal. The show commands a very high license fee, and a reduction of that and/or the number of episodes ordered by the network are considered a possibility. Then there is the possibility of the show not getting renewed by CBS.

I can understand how moving to Vancouver, dropping effects, and trimming episodes would save money. But would it be the same show. It is said to be the most expensive show on CBS right now between production costs and license fees. Something has to give.

And then some optimism from Deadline:

Still, despite the fact that its numbers tapered off significantly after a strong start,Supergirl, aided by a solid DVR play, averaged a 2.4 rating

among adults 18–49 in a competitive time slot, ranking as the No. 1 new CBS drama and No. 4 new network series overall (behind only Blindspot, Life in Pieces and Quantico) in the demo this season. It is CBS’ youngest-skewing new drama and averaged nearly 10 million viewers.

Still, Supergirl has been part of traditionally older-skewing CBS’ effort to attract younger demographic via newer dramas like Supergirl‘s Monday companion Scorpion. The network brass likely will weigh in all these factors as they head to New York during the next few days to start working on the network’s 2016-17 schedule.

Frankly, I'm trying to wrap my head around all these talks.

I'll start out by saying I absolutely loved the show. I felt it captured everything that I love about the character. It is appointment watching by me and my daughters. I ... have ... loved it.

Supergirl was the highest rated new show on CBS. But it has never felt like a CBS show. It never was really embraced by the network which didn't air any repeats to see if it could pick up new viewers. But the show ended up losing about 50% of the audience it had for the premiere.

It is an expensive show. But the effects have been great. The show has felt Super with the fights on wires, massive heat vision battles, satellite-hoisting super-strength, and shape-shifting. The episodes have felt like mini-movies at times. Can the network afford to keep up that level of action and effects?

It is a heartfelt show and does have women in positions of authority on all levels. But at times, the gender politics have seemed simple.

Unfortunately, I can see both sides of this conundrum.

So what will make me happy ...

Well, in the best of all possible worlds, CBS picks up the show and leaves the budget untouched. But I fear that isn't going to happen.

The next best option would be WB decreasing the license fee so that the show's production budget remains intact. Hopefully Warner Brothers sees the potential for recouping the lost cash on merchandise and building a new franchise.

If the budget is going to be slashed, the show will feel very different. But, if there are going to be major budgetary changes, I actually would want the transition to the CW where it might grab a bigger or steadier audience. Also, the numbers Supergirl generated on CBS which are said to be lackluster would be tremendous for the CW so all the talk of cancellation might evaporate.

That said, if we don't see Supergirl flying, if we don't see super-feats, if we don't get that epic nature, I worry the show's quality will suffer.

I just don't know.
I feel like I am working through my stages of grief when it comes to Season 2. First I was in denial about any problems. Then I was angry that it hadn't been renewed already. Now I am bargaining.

Head to the CW?
Stay on CBS with less cash?
Get canceled and end on a high note?

What do you all think?

Posted in: Reviews