The CW Network To Launch Original Summer Programming For First Time
April 6, 2009 (Burbank, California) ? The CW announced today that it will launch two original series for the summer: the reality relationship series HITCHED OR DITCHED and the docu-series set in Washington, D.C., BLONDE CHARITY MAFIA.
“We’re very excited to be launching original programming during the summer months for the first time,” says The CW entertainment president, Dawn Ostroff. “We want to keep this season’s momentum going by freshening our schedule with two new reality shows with fun, relatable concepts aimed squarely at our young female demo.”
HITCHED OR DITCHED premieres Tuesday, May 26 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET), following the season finale of REAPER (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET). Encore presentations will air Wednesdays (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET), beginning May 27. The six-episode run will continue until the season finale on June 30.
HITCHED OR DITCHED is a one-hour reality show focusing on couples who are in long-term relationships but have not yet taken that big leap into marriage. Nominated by a friend who believes it’s either time for the couple to tie to the knot or break up, each episode features a different couple who accept their friend’s proposition to set a wedding date in one week’s time. Viewers will witness every emotional milestone as the couple decides if it’s time to get HITCHED OR DITCHED. The series is hosted by Tanya McQueen (“Extreme Make-Over Home Edition)and is produced by RDF USA in association with Next Entertainment.
The half-hour episodes of BLONDE CHARITY MAFIA will premiere with two back-to-back episodes on Tuesday, July 7 (9:00-9:30 and 9:30-10:00 p.m. ET). Beginning July 14, an encore of the previous week’s episode will air at 9:00 p.m., followed by an original episode at 9:30 p.m. The six episodes will conclude with a season finale on August 4.
BLONDE CHARITY MAFIA is a docu-series about the lives of Washington, D.C.’s most influential 20-something Alpha Girls. The BCM runs the D.C. social circuit from charity events to society parties. Their events are the hottest ticket in town, and everyone vies for an invitation – from Congressmen to Hill staffers. Gossip about the BCM is played out and played up on LATENIGHTSHOTS.com (a local, invite-only social website), where minute-by-minute gossip updates about the BCM’s daily (and nightly) exploits are shared for the D.C. public to devour. BLONDE CHARITY MAFIA is from Capital Hills Productions, Inc. with executive producers Patty Ivins (“The Modern Girl’s Guide To Life,” “Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Model Search”) and Julie Pizzi (“The Modern Girl’s Guide To Life,” “Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Model Search”).
If I hear Ms. Ostroff talk about her “young female demo” one more time, I think I’m seriously going to puke! Because like it or not, the top-rated shows on The CW are not the ones pulling in this coveted young female demo. As for these new shows, all I can say is “nice try”. Reality is cheap to produce, so might as well give it a try. But I seriously do not expect these shows to get more viewers than repeats of their top-rated duo of Smallville and Supernatural get during the wasteland of summer.