The CW Fall 2014 Premiere Dates

The CW Network will strategically roll-out its Fall 2014 launch this October with two highly anticipated new series, The Flash and Jane The Virgin, joining returning favorites.

For the third year, The CW will kick off the new season with an exclusive telecast of the biggest concert of the year, the iHeartRadio Music Festival, airing over two nights, Monday, September 29 (8-10 p.m. ET) and Tuesday, September 30 (8-10 p.m. ET).

Thursday, October 2, all-new seasons of bloody, sexy drama return with the season premiere of The Vampire Diaries (8-9 p.m. ET) followed by Mary, Queen of Scots continuing her Reign (9-10 p.m. ET).

Thursday Night Ratings: The CW Delivers Its Most Watched Thursday in Six Weeks

Below is a roundup of Thursday, May 1 ratings reports from ABC, The CW and CBS.

From ABC:
ABC Thursday Prime (8-11 p.m. – 6.6 million and 1.5/4 in AD18-49): With a repeat Grey's Anatomy at 8 p.m., and original Grey's at 9 p.m. and Black Box at 10 p.m., ABC finished #2 on Thursday in Total Viewers and won the night in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34 (10th straight week).

Grey's Anatomy (9-10 p.m. – 8.7 million and 2.6/8 in AD18-49): Nearly tripling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9 p.m. (+189%), ABC’s Grey's Anatomy shot up to dominate its hour, beating CBS’ comedies by 44% (Two and a Half Men/Bad Teacher = 1.8/5), NBC’s iHeart Radio Music Awards by 53% (1.7/5) and Fox with American Idol and Surviving Jack by 117% (1.2/4). In fact against Grey's, Idol fell to a new all-time low for any telecast in AD18-49 (1.5/5).

The CW Announces Early Pickups for the 2014-2015: ARROW, REIGN, THE ORIGINALS, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and SUPERNATURAL

The CW Network has ordered early pickups for the 2014-15 season for its hit series ARROW, REIGN, THE ORIGINALS, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and SUPERNATURAL, which will be returning for its tenth season next fall. The series pickups were announced today by Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW.

"This season we've had great success with our new hit series THE ORIGINALS paired with SUPERNATURAL, giving us our best Tuesday nights in years. THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is #2 in its time period in the young adult demos, and with ARROW continuing to gain among young men, and REIGN growing its time period, we now have strong nights on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday," said Pedowitz. "I'm very pleased to announce early pickups for all five series, and let our fans know they'll have more great drama to look forward to next season."

NEWS: Luis Avalos, William Roache, Frank Runyeon, Paul James, Robin Strasser, Lauralee Bell

ELECTRIC COMPANY Actor Luis Avalos Dies at 67
Luis Avalos, the Cuban-born character actor best known for his work on the PBS kids show The Electric Company, died Wednesday after suffering a recent heart attack. He was 67.

Avalos played Doctor Doolots -- a composite of Doctor Dolittle and Groucho Marx who used words to cure his patients -- and many other characters on the show. He came on board in 1972 during the second season and remained part of the cast until ELECTRIC COMPANY wrapped in 1977.

He also played Jose Melendez in RYAN'S HOPE in 1978.

CORONATION STREET's William Roache acquitted of one of seven abuse charges
Jurors at Preston Crown Court were directed to acquit Roache of the indecent assault charge because of insufficient evidence. Roache is still on trial over two rape and four indecent assault allegations. He denies the charges, which relate to incidents between 1965 and 1971.

Thursday Night Ratings: PARENTHOOD, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and REIGN Up

Ratings rose on Thursday night (January 23) for PARENTHOOD, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and REIGN. Check out ratings reports from NBC and The CW below:

From NBC:
PARENTHOOD (1.3/4 in 18-49, 4.3 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m.) finished #1 among ABC, CBS and NBC in the 10 p.m. hour in adults 18-49, as well as women 18-49 and adults, men and women 18-34. PARENTHOOD grew 8% week to week (1.3 vs. 1.2), to equal its highest 18-49 rating since Oct. 3 (1.5), during the second week of the season. In total viewers, PARENTHOOD was up 7% week to week (4.252 million vs. 3.981 million) and is currently reporting the show's second-best total viewership since premiere week (virtually tying its 4.256 million of Jan. 9 and otherwise highest since 5.056 million on Sept. 26, pending updates).

TVGN Announces Binge TV Event Featuring THE TOMORROW PEOPLE, THE ORIGINALS and REIGN

The holidays may be over, but TVGN (TV Guide Network) invites viewers to indulge in binge-viewing three fan-favorite television series from The CW Network this month.

Every episode to date of THE TOMORROW PEOPLE (Saturday, January 4 starting at 2 p.m. ET/PT), THE ORIGINALS (Saturday, January 11 starting at 2 p.m. ET/PT) and REIGN (Saturday, January 18 starting at 2 p.m. ET/PT) will air back-to-back on TVGN in all-day marathons, giving fans and new viewers an opportunity to catch up on each series starting from their premieres.

"There is no better way to catch-up on great television than to binge every episode from the beginning of a series," said Brad Schwartz, President of Entertainment and Media, TVGN.

REIGN "Fated" Sneak Peek

Megan Follows as Queen Catherine and Rossif Sutherland as
Nostradamus.  Photo Credit: Sven Frenzel/The CW

The first season of REIGN continues on Thursday, December 12th at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW with "Fated."

Nostradamus (Rossif Sutherland) tells Mary (Adelaide Kane) of his prophecy that one among them will die soon, which causes Mary to make a decision that will forever change her relationship with Francis (Toby Regbo). Clarissa (guest star Katie Boland) becomes bolder with her endeavors, while Kenna (Caitlin Stasey) informs Catherine (Megan Follows) of Diane's (guest star Anna Walton) plan for Bash (Torrance Coombs), which ends up backfiring.

Check out a sneak peek video and producer's preview below:

Amy Brenneman to Guest Star on REIGN as Mary, Queen of Scots' Mother

Catherine de Medici has met her match! Amy Brenneman (JUDGING AMY, PRIVATE PRACTICE) will make a guest appearance on REIGN as the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots in an episode to air in Spring 2014.

Brenneman will play Marie de Guise, Mary, Queen of Scots' mother and the acting regent of Scotland. Beautiful, brilliant and cunning, she returns to French Court after years apart from her daughter. She faces off with Catherine de Medici, the woman to whom she traded her child for Scotland's protection, and the two mothers will conspire against young hearts, fierce desires and dark warnings for the purpose of achieving their own ends.

REIGN "Chosen" Sneak Peek

Anna Walton as Diane de Poitiers and Torrance Coombs as Bash.
Photo Credit: Christos Kalohoridis/The CW

The first season of REIGN continues on Thursday, November 21st at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW with "Chosen."

An attempt to scare Mary (Adelaide Kane) causes Queen Catherine (Megan Follows) to take drastic measures to make sure the guilty party is caught. Francis (Toby Regbo), aware of Bash and Mary's growing attraction, turns to Olivia (guest star Yael Grobglas). Bash ventures into the woods to pay his debt -- the human sacrifice the pagans demand -- and returns with blood on his hands.

REIGN "A Chill in the Air" Sneak Peek

Photo Credit: Sven Frenzel/The CW

The first season of REIGN continues on Thursday, November 14th at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW with "A Chill in the Air."

When Olivia (guest star Yael Grobglas), who is an ex-lover of Francis’ (Toby Regbo), arrives at the castle, she brings the dangers of the woods with her. Mary (Adelaide Kane) seeks comfort in Bash (Torrance Coombs). Bash is threatened by heretics for interfering with a sacred blood rite.

The CW Announces Full Season Orders for All Three Freshmen Series: THE ORIGINALS, THE TOMORROW PEOPLE and REIGN

The CW has ordered full season pickups for all three of its freshmen series, THE ORIGINALS, THE TOMORROW PEOPLE and REIGN, it was announced on Monday by Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW.

"In just a few seasons, we have built a much stronger primetime schedule. Our on-air ratings are up year to year, and our digital viewing continues to grow exponentially," said Pedowitz.

Thursday Night Ratings: THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, PARENTHOOD, SCANDAL Up

Nina Dobrev stars in THE VAMPIRE DIARIES. Photo Credit: The CW

The fast national overnight ratings are in for Thursday, October 17. Check out a roundup of ratings reports below:

From The CW:
Last night, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES beat both ABC and NBC in the hour in A18-34, W18-34, and A18-49.

It was TVD's most watched episode (2.84M) since February (2/21/13), and its best A18-49 rating since March (3/21).

Week to week, TVD was up 33% in total viewers, 18% in A18-34 (1.3/5), 30% in A18-49 and 6% in W18-34 (1.8/6).

The series premiere of REIGN gave The CW its second best performance in the Thursday 9-10pm time period in a year in total viewers (2M), W18-34 (1.0/3) and A18-49 (0.8/2) (10/11/12, the series premiere of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which aired opposite the Vice Presidential Debate on the other broadcast networks), and since Nov. 2012 in A18-34 (0.7/2), behind only the special airing of THE ORIGINALS in the time period.

NEWS: Real SMASH 'Hit List' Concert; TV's Highest-Paid Actors; Casey Jon Deidrick on Leaving DAYS OF OUR LIVES; DWTS; Scott Evans

DOWNTON ABBEY Characters Drawn As "The Simpsons"
Amazing cartoons by Belgian artist Adrien Noterdaem.

SMASH Musical 'Hit List' Is Actually Happening
"Hit List," one of the musicals that took shape during Season 2 of SMASH, is becoming a real show. SMASH stars Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez and Andy Mientus are attached to star in a "Hit List" concert at 54 Below in New York.

According to 54 Below, the "Hit List" concert will feature a score written by Drew Gasparini, Joe Iconis, Andrew McMahon, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman, and Lucie Silvas. Look for the special shows to include additional songs from the composers that were intended for the show but never made it to air.

Ashton Kutcher Tops Forbes List Of TV's Highest-Paid Actors
Patrick Dempsey ($13 million) and Michael C. Hall ($10 million) made the list.

Netflix Pursues Deals with U.S. Pay-TV Operators
Netflix is in talks with several U.S. cable operators, including Comcast and Suddenlink, to make its streaming service available as an app on distributors’ set-top boxes, WSJ reports. The operators believe Netflix users are more likely to buy more expensive, faster broadband connections, and believe joint-programming deals with Netflix may offer a way to gain leverage in their carriage negotiations with programmers.

Garrett Clayton joins THE FOSTERS
Clayton has joined the hour-long drama in a recurring capacity as Chase, a handsome and charming high school senior who recruits Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) to join the crew of the school play. He first appears in the second episode of the winter season, which kicks off in January.

Casey Jon Deidrick on leaving DAYS OF OUR LIVES and the role of Chad DiMera
“I think that Chad is a very important role," he told Soap Opera Digest. "I feel like carrying on the DiMera name is important for the show. If the show decided to recast Chad, I wouldn’t be opposed to it. The show must go on. But if they ever asked me to come back and do a couple of episodes here and there, I would never be opposed to doing that.”

Hector Elizondo returning to GREY'S ANATOMY as Callie's Father
Elizondo will appear in a Callie-centric episode slated to air in November, but further details on why Carlos resurfaces are being kept under wraps.

Corbin Bleu's DANCING WITH THE STARS Blog: A ‘Most Memorable’ Dedication
"At the end of the day, yes I want to score high and have the correct technique for the Foxtrot, but my true number 1 priority when it comes to this dance is letting my sisters know how much I love them."

NEWS: Gillian Wright Leaving EASTENDERS; Nia Peeples; CW Flash Series; Paul Wesley and Torrey DeVitto to Divorce; BREAKING BAD Exhibit

Gillian Wright leaving EASTENDERS
Wright is shooting her final scenes this week, with her last moments on screen due to air in October. Wright first appeared on the BBC soap as Jean Slater in late 2004, before being made a regular member in 2007.

The actress has won several awards for her portrayal of the bipolar disorder sufferer, including Best Actress at the 2012 Inside Soap Awards.

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS Mom, Nia Peeples, Reveals Her Ultimate Beauty Secret: Love Yourself
Peeples said she had seen too many women measure themselves against picture-perfect images of TV characters, and she felt compelled to change the conversation about beauty.

NEWS: CW'S REIGN & The Royal Baby; Michael French Returning To EASTENDERS; Cady McClain; Aaron Paul

The CW Targets Royal Baby Photos With Ads For REIGN
To promote its new fall show REIGN, The CW is slapping ads on photos of Prince William and Kate Middleton's newborn son.

Michael French returning to EASTENDERS
French will return to his role as David Wicks later this year. The popular character was last seen in January 2012, when he returned to Albert Square to see his mum, Pat, before she died of cancer. While back home, David reignited his romance with former flame, Carol, with whom he has a daughter, Bianca. But Carol was left angry and broken-hearted when David fled Walford alone on the night they were due to leave together. So how will Carol react when David finally shows his face again?

"It's an absolute honor to have Michael back in the show," says Lorraine Newman, executive producer of EASTENDERS. "Michael created an iconic character in David and with such rich history with Ian, Bianca and of course, Carol, there's plenty to explore in the future."

Terri Garber Signs On For Three-Part MISS BEHAVE Finale; Leads Cast Of Spin-Off

Terri Garber, best known as Ashton Main from the North and South franchise, Leslie Carrington on the popular prime time soap DYNASTY and most recently as Iris Dumbrowski on AS THE WORLD TUNRS, has joined Indie Soap Award-winning MISS BEHAVE in the coveted role of "The Queen", Tori's (Jillian Clare. ex-Abby, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) ever absent mother. The series is set to wrap this summer with a three-part finale scheduled to debut late June.

In addition, Ms. Garber will headline a spin-off, REIGN.