‘Reign,’ ‘Tomorrow People’ lead 4 CW drama pickups

Suddenly, The CW’s 2013-2014 schedule is looking very full.
On the same day the network renewed both “The Carrie Diaries” and “Nikita,” The CW also ordered a quartet of new dramas, which will joined the previously announced “Vampire Diaries” spinoff “The Originals” somewhere on the slate for next year.
Still a week ahead of its upfront presentation to advertisers, The CW confirmed on Thursday (May 9) that it has ordered “The Tomorrow People,” “Star-Crossed,” “The 100” and “Reign.”
Some of The CW’s new offerings seem familiar. “The Tomorrow People” comes from “The Vampire Diaries” and “Originals” mastermind Julie Plec, who will now have three dramas on The CW next year, and Greg Berlanti, one of the producers on “Arrow.” While “The Tomorrow People,” “The 100” and “Star-Crossed” all extend The CW’s commitment to varying degrees of sci-fi/fantasy/horror.
Some of The CW’s new offerings, however, seem less familiar. A non-name cast in an internationally produced look at the teenage years of Mary Queen of Scots? Hmmm.
And at least one CW disappointed is quite familiar, as the network won’t be moving forward on “The Selection” for the second straight year.
Here are some more details on the four CW orders:
* “The 100” comes from Jason Rothenberg, whose “Body Politic” generated some buzz for The CW a couple years back. Based on the upcoming book by Kass Morgan, the drama is set 97 years after a nuclear war, when a ship holding 100 juvenile delinquents is sent back to Earth to look into moving home. Familiar stars include Henry Ian Cusick, Kelly Hu, Isaiah Washington and Paige Turco.
* “Reign” is the aforementioned Mary Queen of Scots thing, which picks up when she arrives in France as a 15-year-old. The cast includes Adelaide Kane, Toby Regbo, Torrance Combs, Celina Sinden, Jenessa Grant, Megan Follows, Caitlin Stasey, Anna Popplewell, Rossif Sutherland, while Stephanie Sengupta and Laurie McCarthy serve as executive producers. Perhaps the most familiar person on the pilot is director Brad “Casper” Silberling.
* “Star-Crossed” was formerly titled “Oxygen” and tells the “Roswell”-esque story of a high school girl (Aimee Teegarden) who comes into contact with nine new kids who also happen to be aliens. Joining the once-and-future Julie Taylor are CW favorites including Matt Lanter, Malese Jow and Grey Damon, plus “Ben and Kate” scene-stealer Maggie Elizabeth Jones.
* “The Tomorrow People” is based on Roger Price’s British format and focuses on young people with “gifts” who are the next stage in human evolution. In addition to Berlanti and Plec, the show comes from Phil Klemmer, who will serve as showrunner. Danny Cannon directed a cast that includes Robbie Amell, Peyton List, Mark Pellegrino and more.
Stay tuned for pictures and more details next week!
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