CW Announces Midseason Schedule: Top Model Returns February 20

The CW has announced it's midseason schedule, with America's Next Top Model set to return on February 20 with a two-hour kick-off installment.

Reality shows Beauty and the Geek and Pussycat Dolls Present will also be back -- the former on Tuesdays at 8PM beginning March 11, the latter Mondays at 9PM beginning February 18.

In addition, Gossip Girl and Reaper get new nights, with the teen drama moving to Mondays at 8PM (out of the way of American Idol) and the supernatural comedy following Smallville on Thursday evenings.

Here's the full CW midseason schedule:

Monday
8:00-9:00 p.m. “GOSSIP GIRL” (Beginning January 28)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “PUSSYCAT DOLLS PRESENT: GIRLICIOUS” (Beginning February 18)

Tuesday
8:00-9:00 p.m. “REAPER” (Beginning January 15)
8:00-9:00 p.m. “BEAUTY AND THE GEEK” (Beginning March 11)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “ONE TREE HILL”

Wednesday
8:00-10:00 p.m. “AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL” (Beginning February 20)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “PUSSYCAT DOLLS PRESENT: GIRLICIOUS” Encore (Beginning February 27)

Thursday
8:00-9:00 p.m. “SMALLVILLE”
9:00-10:00 p.m. “REAPER” (Beginning February 28)

Sunday (Beginning February 10)
7:00-7:30 p.m. “CW NOW”
7:30-8:00 p.m. “EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS” Encores
8:00-8:30 p.m. “EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS”
8:30-9:00 p.m. “ALIENS IN AMERICA”
9:00-9:30 p.m. “GIRLFRIENDS”
9:30-10:00 p.m. “THE GAME”

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Tonight's TV: Tuesday September 18

For the next couple weeks, I'm going to lay out the new shows that are premiering and the returning series. Big night tonight on the CW...Beauty and the Geek is back!

** Indicates new or returning show premiere

ABC
8:00 Just for Laughs
8:30 Just for Laughs
9:00 Elvis: Viva Las Vegas

CBS
8:00 Power of 10
9:00 Big Brother
10:00 NCIS (R)

CW
8:00 Beauty and the Geek **

Fox
8:00 House (R)
9:00 K-Ville (R)

NBC
8:00 The Biggest Loser **
10:00 Law and Order: SVU (R)

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Idol Thoughts on The CW's Fall Schedule

So, I just got back from The CW's upfront presentation (the first upfront I've ever attended), and I'm ready to "get into it," as the new CW slogan goes.

The presentation started with a performance from The Pussycat Dolls, featuring newest member Asia. It was quickly announced that a second season of Search for the Next Pussycat Dolls will be on the schedule come midseason, although it wasn't explained whether the newest winner will replace Asia, or will be come the 700th member of the Dolls. I guess we'll have to wait and see on that one.

Tyra Banks was there too, along with this season's winner and runner-up Jaslene and Natasha, to promote America's Next Top Model. This show is the gift that keeps on giving for The CW, and should provide an excellent lead-in for the network's most exciting newcomer, Gossip Girl. Based on the novels of the same name, and produced by The OC creator Josh Schwartz, the show looks fantastic -- a sort of OC-in-Manhattan, with an equally hot cast. This is one I'm definitely looking forward to.

Also looking promising is Life is Wild, about a veternarian who moves his family to a reserve in South Africa. Yes, the premise sounds a little wonky, but the clips showed at the presentation made it seem like a sort of Everwood-in-South Africa, and anything that even remotely evokes Everwood is a-ok with me.

I was less impressed with the clips of Reaper, featuring Brett Harrison and Tyler Labine, but the crowd seemed to like it's mix of humor and supernatural elements. We'll see about that one.

Also getting a strong response from the crowd were clips from upcoming reality show Crowned, about mothers and daughters competing for a pageant title. If you like the goofiness of Beauty and the Geek, you'll love this one.

Speaking of Beauty and the Geek, it's a bit of a gamble to lead off Tuesday night with this one, especially after female-skewing Gilmore Girls has held down that timeslot for years. It has worked to have Top Model lead off Wednesdays, however, so perhaps it'll pay off for The CW on Tuesdays as well.

There was nary a mention of Veronica Mars throughout the entire presentation, so even though Michael Ausiello and others are reporting there is still a chance it could come back as FBI Agent Mars, my guess is it's gone for good.

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Here's the Rumored CW Schedule

Although this will not be confirmed until tomorrow, Variety is reporting that the CW is close to finalizing it's fall schedule. It appears Beauty and the Geek and America's Next Top Model will both air in the fall, with One Tree Hill set to come back midseason (possibly for 22 straight episodes). And, of course, Veronica Mars is missing from this schedule -- while there is very little chance the show will return in any form, apparently a final decision will not be made until June 15. Here is the rumored schedule:

SUNDAY
7:00 New entertainment newsmagazine shows
8:00 New drama Life is Wild
9:00 Top Model repeat

MONDAY
8:00 Everybody Hates Chris
8:30 Aliens in America
9:00 Girlfriends
9:30 The Game

TUESDAY
8:00 Beauty and the Geek
9:00 New drama Reaper

WEDNESDAY
8:00 Top Model
9:00 New drama Gossip Girl

THURSDAY
8:00 Smallville
9:00 Supernatural

FRIDAY
8:00 Wrestling

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