The CW is prepping for life after "Smallville" -- and looking to expand its stable of unscripted fare.
Those are among the topics on the table as the CW wraps up a busy week of network upfront presentations with its event at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.
Network is expected to make some significant sked shifts. In one scenario making the rounds, CW will pair returning hit "The Vampire Diaries" with newcomer "Nikita."
But the big news that CW was hoping to unveil at its upfront was accidentally leaked on Wednesday by "Smallville" star Tom Welling, who let slip that the net planned a "Smallville" farewell announcement at its presentation. The show's upcoming 10th season will be its last.
News isn't a huge surprise, as the show is aging, and an end date appeared to be in the works for some time. "Smallville" appeared ready fly from the airwaves after this season, but the show performed well enough to earn a 10th season renewal back in March. Show had been tops in its Friday 8 p.m. timeslot with hard-to-reach men 18-34 and men 18-49.
For Welling, the word that "Smallville" will officially wrap next year comes as he's also celebrating a new project at the CW: The drama "Hellcats," which his shingle produces.
Warner Bros. TV's "Smallville" bowed in October 2001 on the WB Network, and made the transition to the CW in September 2006.
The young Superman saga was developed by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who ran the show through the 2007-08 season. Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson are executive producers, along with James Marshall, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins and Joe Davola.
Announcement will allow the CW to prep a final marketing push to send the show out. Once "Smallville" departs, "Supernatural" and "One Tree Hill" will rep the final two shows on the CW left over from the WB days.
Besides "Smallville," C-Dub has already picked up "Vampire Diaries," "Gossip Girl," "90210," "Supernatural," "One Tree Hill," Life Unexpected" and "America's Next Top Model" for another season. New shows include "Nikita" and "Hellcats."
Additionally, CW has picked up "Plain Jane" as a summer reality series.
British fashionista Louise Roe hosts the show in which Roe transforms an average woman both physically and emotionally. That person then goes out on a date with a guy that she's had a crush on. Allison Grodner, Rich Meehan and Amy Palmer are exec producers for Sony Pictures TV.
Contact Michael Schneider at
mike.schneider@variety.com