CW : The CW Orders Four Dramas, Including the Post-apocalyptic "The 100".

The CW is screaming from the crib about four new shows of its own. The CW would continue to steer toward genre shows, but it's also managed to sneak in a history lesson as well. Let's run 'em down:

.... "The 100" ---- is set 97 years after nuclear war turned the earth into a dust bowl, when the remaining human survivors, who live in a spaceship, decide to get the planet ready for habitation by sending 100 juvenile delinquents back to earth to clean it up and make sure there aren't any man-eating mutants running around. The cast includes Eliza Taylor, Henry Ian Cusick, Kelly Hu, Isaiah Washington, and Page Turco.

..... "Star-Crossed" ----- (formerly known as Oxygen) fulfills The CW's yearly quota of hot human women making out with non-human hunky men. Aimee Teegarden stars as a high-school girl who falls in love with the new foreign exchange student. But this guy is from SPACE! He's one of nine aliens integrated into the school after 10 years of living in segregated camps following an alien immigration. Matt Lanter, Malese Jow, and Maggie Elizabeth Jones also star.

.... "The Tomorrow People" ----- is based on the British series of the same name that ran in the '70s. The drama sees several young people with special powers from around the world team up to beat the bad guys. Yes, just like "Heroes". Robbie Amell, Peyton List, and Mark Pellegrino star.

.... "Reign" ---- is the black sheep here, as there isn't an alien or superpowered teen in sight. It's a period piece set in France during the rise of a then-teenage Mary Queen of Scots. I'm just going to go out on a limb here and say this will be the best of the bunch. It stars Adelaide Kane, Tony Regbo, and Torrance Comps.

Next week, we'll find out which of these new shows will nab the prime slots on The CW's fall schedule and which ones will be held until the midseason. They join the previously picked-up "The Originals" on The CW's roster of freshmen for 2013-2014. That means that the network's other pilots, "Blink", "Company Town", and "The Selection" won't be going to series.

News This Weekend: Finales and renewals

--- Airing this weekend on Sunday is the Season Finale of both "The Good Wife" and "Vikings", while "Revenge" is back on air after 3 weeks break.

--- The CW has renewed struggling "Beauty and the Beast" and "Hart of Dixie" for Seasons 2 and 3, respectively, and also given a series order to "The Vampire Diaries" spin-off "The Originals". They join "Supernatural", "Arrow" and "The Vampire Diaries" on the list of shows confirmed to be returning to The CW for the 2013-2014 TV season.

The quick series pickup of "The Originals" comes the day after its backdoor pilot debuted as an episode of "The Vampire Diaries". The CW apparently would rather take its chances with a new series that can sucker in a built-in audience.

The CW has eight pilots in contention as well as decisions to make regarding "Nikita" and "The Carrie Diaries". Rumors abound that "Nikita" is coming back for one final season and that it would be a short order of episodes rather than the normal 20-plus episodes. With a short order of 13 episodes, "Nikita" can come back next season and finish its series and be replaced by "The Carrie Diaries" which also has a 13 episodes order.

--- NBC has renewed five shows for new seasons, the network announced today. "Revolution", "Grimm", "Chicago Fire", "Parenthood", "Law & Order:SVU" have all been renewed. No word yet on "Hannibal" receiving a second season order while "Deception" and "Smash" will almost certainly be cancelled.

NBC says this was the drama round, so there's no word yet on "Parks & Recreation", "Community", "Whitney", "Guys with Kids" and others.

--- CBS has renewed its long-running comedy Two and a Half Men for an eleventh season. But the show isn't coming back the way you're used to. Angus T. Jones, who plays the half-man Jake, will not be returning as a series regular. It's probably a mutual agreement, as Jones has been thinking about going to college.

The Vampire Diaries Spinoff : "The Originals" airs this week

The Originals' Dark Debut this week.

On Thursday’s Vampire Diaries, the CW series unveils its potential spin-off, The Originals. This is a spin-off that dwells primarily on and with the Originals, Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and other add-ons. This episode is going to take place in New Orleans, as Klaus and Elijah go there to take o. A witch who has (potentially) risen up against them.

We don't know if the potential new show would be primarily set in New Orleans, which makes it different, beautiful and historic than Mystic Falls. The city of New Orleans's colors are vibrant and has a different feel. It’s a little darker.
The voodoo and the witches of New Orleans add a new element to the show. And the character dynamics are different. It’s still in keeping with The Vampire Diaries and what makes that show popular. [But] it’s taking it to a new level.

Nothing yet on whether this potential spin-off will be ordered to series yet, maybe the network is waiting for the episode to air and then decide on whether to pick up on the spin-off.