CANCELED in 2022: Westworld and 14 other genre shows we’ll miss

DC’s Stargirl — “Summer School: Chapter Thirteen” — Image Number: STG213a_0006r.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Meg DeLacy as Cindy Burman/Shiv, Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl and Yvette Monreal as Yolanda Montez/Wildcat — Photo: The CW — © 2021 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Stargirl

Usually, it’s hard to beat Netflix when it comes to canceling shows. But in 2022, The CW managed it. This year, The CW was bought by Nexstar Media Group, which had some very bold ideas about where to take the network. Namely, it was going to cancel most of the original programming The CW had become known for before pivoting into new areas.

We don’t know what those new areas look like yet, but we know what Nextel has chosen to give the axe. Most of the network’s teen-focused superhero shows are gone, including Stargirl.

Stargirl was about a teenaged girl, Courtney Whitmore, who discovers a cosmic staff wielded by the legendary hero Starman and who goes on to become an inspiration to a new generation of heroes. The show is now officially over, but at least it got in three good seasons before the end.

Legends of Tomorrow — “Knocked Down, Knocked Up” — Image Number: LGN713b_0241r.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Lisseth Chavez as Esperanza “Spooner” Cruz, Tala Ashe as Zari Tarazi, Jes Macallan as Ava Sharpe, Caity Lotz as Sara Lance, Matt Ryan as Dr. Gwyn Davies, Shayan Sobhian as Behrad Tarazi, Olivia Swann as Astra Logue, Amy Pemberton as Gideon and Adam Tsekhman as Gary Green — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — (C) 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Legends of Tomorrow

Legends of Tomorrow, a superhero series that often sent its large cast on adventures through time, took itself a little seriously than some of the other superhero shows on The CW. It lasted for seven full seasons before it was canceled, but canceled it was.

Batwoman — “Broken Toys” — Image Number: BWN311a_0204r — Pictured: Javicia Leslie as Batwoman — Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW — © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Batwoman

Even before Nexstar took over, Batwoman had a turbulent production. The first season starred Ruby Rose in the title role, but she left and was replaced with Javicia Leslie, who was playing a new character who also assumed the role of Batwoman.

Like Stargirl, Batwoman got three seasons before it was axed.

Naomi — “Enigma” — Image Number: NMI104fg_0026r — Pictured: Kaci Walfall as Naomi — Photo: The CW — © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Naomi

The final superhero show on the block is Naomi, about a teenager and Superman superfan who sets out to investigate a supernatural event that occurs in Port Oswego, Oregon.

Created by Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay, Naomi had a bit of a higher profile than most CW shows, but it was still canceled after just one season.

4400 — “Present is Prologue” — Image Number: FFH113b_0181r — Pictured: Raven Whitley as Millicent — Photo: Sandy Morris/The CW — © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

4400

In 2004, USA started airing The 4400, a sci-fi series about a group of 4,400 people, all of whom had vanished at some point over the last several decades, who showed up again in the Cascade Range foothills near Mount Rainier, Washington, none of them having aged a day. Where did they go? Why are they back. The show spent four season exploring those questions.

Later, in 2022, The CW mounted a remake of sorts called 4,400. Only this time the vanished individuals appeared in Detroit, no one watched, and the show was canceled after a single season on the air.

Charmed — ÒThe End is Never the EndÓ — Image Number: CMD413a_0310r — Pictured (L – R): Melonie Diaz as Mel Vera, Sarah Jeffery as Maggie Vera and Lucy Barrett as Kaela Danso — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Charmed

Speaking of remakes, The CW’s reboot of Charmed — a trio about a trio of sisters who are also witches — ran for four seasons before it got the axe. At least this one lasted long enough to put some meat on its bones.

Roswell, New Mexico — “How’s it Going to Be” — Image Number: ROS413b_0025_R — Pictured (L – R): Lily Cowles as Isobel Evans-Bracken and Quentin Plair as Dallas — Photo: Michael Moriatis/The CW — © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Roswell: New Mexico

Add one more remake to the pile: The CW brought back Roswell as Roswell, New Mexico. The faces were different, but the conceit — a blend of aliens-among-us sci-fi and high school drama — was the same. This one got four seasons, as well.

And thus ends a very rough year for The CW. May 2023 be better.