‘The Spencer Sisters,’ ‘The Swarm’ & More Must-See Shows From the New CW

When Nexstar purchased control of The CW from Warner Bros. and Paramount last August, it seemed the home of all things supernatural and superheroic was doomed. Not so, swears entertainment president Brad Schwartz, who knows a few things about launching hidden gems, having brought Canada’s Schitt’s Creek to Pop TV.

After a slew of the pricey Warner Bros.–produced titles were axed, the current lineup includes comedies such as Son of a Critch and Children Ruin Everything, sports programming like Inside the NFL, and the religious drama The Chosen. “We are trying to find content that feels different than what others are doing,” Schwartz says. Here are three shows (including two more Canadian imports) that might fit the bill.

Back to the Future icon Lea Thompson camps it up as vivacious mystery novelist Victoria Spencer, who ropes her estranged daughter, Darby (Stacey Farber) — a former cop — into pairing up as crime-solving “sisters” in this high-spirited dramedy. “Darby’s skepticism and innate distrust are useful in spotting lies, while Victoria’s gregariousness allows her to leverage connections to get the information they need,” previews series creator Alan McCullough, adding that “every episode is a case of the week” involving different residents of the idyllic town of Alder Bluffs. Later in the season, however, he hints that “an ongoing mystery” will threaten the Spencers’ already unconventional family reunion. Premieres Wednesday, October 4, 9/8c, The CW

(Credit: Courtesy of The CW)

Frank Schätzing’s 2004 sci-fi novel about a massive underwater life force targeting mankind finally surfaces on U.S. television after a European run earlier this year. Fittingly, the epic filmed all over the map. “It is truly global,” says showrunner Frank Doelger (Game of Thrones) of the show, in which scientists worldwide race to stop a wave of unnatural disasters. Just don’t expect to see the eco-threat early on. “In taking a page from Steven Spielberg, we thought it was very important not to reveal the creature until the very end,” warns Doelger, who hopes by then that viewers will realize that “the horror was created by us.” Premieres Tuesday, September 12, 9/8c, The CW

(Credit: Courtesy of The CW)

After her Boston career goes up in flames due to a financial scandal, neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan) heads back home to the comfort of the Nova Scotia campground run by her father (Gilmore Girls’ Scott Patterson). Life may be a lot slower at the lakeside escape, but it can be just as messy as in the big city. Especially once she sparks with a rugged stranger named Cal (CW vet Chad Michael Murray of One Tree Hill and more) who has her second-guessing her romance with beau Andrew (Allan Hawco). “Morgan and Chad have this incredible onscreen chemistry,” notes executive producer Christopher E. Perry. “You can’t help but find yourself rooting for the two of them as their relationship develops.” Premieres Wednesday, October 4, 8/7c, The CW

This is an excerpt from TV Guide Magazine’s 2023 Fall Preview issue. For more first looks at fall’s new shows, pick up the issue, on newsstands now.