WISH-CRAFT: THE CW

I wasn't going to chime in on this big news story about the loss of The WB and UPN and The CW rising from their ashes because it was a Real World business story that really wasn't going to affect the status of the TV Universe itself.

TV shows are cancelled all the time, and it's more than likely that there are a few shows on both networks that won't survive the squeeze after the merger. But even so, just because we can't see the characters anymore, that doesn't mean they stop existing in Toobworld.

But there were a few ancillary stories connected to the merger that I wanted to address.

First off, Herbie J. Pilato over in Media Village (link to the left) announced before the merger news that UPN was considering a spin-off from 'Girlfriends'. Afterwards, he mentioned it again, but this time threw in the word "allegedly".

Brent McKee (You'll find his link to the left also.) figures that the following shows are probably safe in the shake-up: 'Veronica Mars', 'America's Next Top Model' and 'Everybody Hates Chris' from UPN, and 'Smallville', 'The Gilmore Girls' and 'Supernatural' from The WB.'

But no mention of 'Girlfriends', yet I think it may have a chance to survive the merger. Personally, I don't watch it, but I know it's been a steady performer for many years, and I would think the new network would like to keep a healthy relationship with its producer, Kelsey Grammer, in hopes of snaring him for future projects.

Whether the other shows in UPN's "black block", such as 'One On One', 'Eve', and 'Cuts' among others, will survive.... That's a different story.

Okay, the other thing is the idea of crossovers between the shows from the two networks now being possible since they'll all be on The CW.

The only thing that I DON'T want would be a show crossing over with 'Smallville'. Because Toobworld already had its Superman back in the 1950s, Tom Welling's Clark Kent has to be shuttled off to an alternate dimension. And I don't want to lose too many series to that same world as it is.

Crossing over with 'Everybody Hates Chris' would be difficult as that sitcom look at Chris Rock's early life is set in the early 1980s. Perhaps they could have a character from a current show appear in Chris's life... but as a child.

Instead, there's one crossover I would like to see, and it's one I think they should do as a big, splashy introduction to this new world of The CW.

'The Gilmore Girls' & 'Veronica Mars'

So what if the continent divides them on a regular basis? Earlier this season, Keith Mars took a trip to Chicago on business; it's entirely possible that he might have to go to Stars Hollow, Connecticut, and stay at the Dragonfly Inn. (Or is it the Firefly? I can never remember.)

And if 'Crossing Jordan' can leave Boston to visit 'Las Vegas', not once but twice to work with the exact same characters, why couldn't the Gilmores work with the Mars family?

Keith Mars could take his daughter along, with the trip sponsored by Richard Gilmore who is his client. (He'd be the one to make the trip out to Neptune, California, to enlist Keith's services.) And while there, Veronica could help Rory solve some little mystery of her own.

I think that idea would work a lot better than having Veronica team up with Sam and Dean of 'Supernatural'.

Anyway, the only other thing is - the name of the network? The CW? Feh, it doesn't bother me, really. Makes me think of CW Moss from 'Bonnie & Clyde', is all......

BCnU!
Tele-Toby