2020-21 Drama Scorecard (2/1-2/13) -- Black Lightning Strikes a 4th Time in Its Final Season


 Lots of apologies are in place for missing last week's entry.  However, let's enjoy the windfall of 3 new entries into the scorecard.  Superbowl LV allowed Queen Latifah's The Equalizer to enjoy a strong (albeit historically weak post-Superbowl) debut.  It shall of course slide in upcoming weeks but is now down for the count.  Black Lightning also made a sturdy debut for its penultimate season and gives CW something new to write home about after a trying season.  A pity Black Lightning could not hang around for another season but CW viewers need to ask themselves a valued question.  Would they rather mourn Black Lightning leaving them too soon, or overstay their welcome and lose the freshness that made Black Lightning special?

As for CBS' grim entry of Clarice, it may perhaps be a fluke due to Superbowl advertisement and a comedy windfall.  However, it like Equalizer has reinvigorated a tired lineup of CBS franchise procedurals that spawns off shows in all-too-familiar premises.  Clarice is dark and icky, a custom CBS welcomed last year when Evil entered the Thursday 10:00 timeslot.  Perhaps a little ickiness is what the network needs as it seemed to have produced stronger results than the oh-too-predictable SWAT gave them in prior years.

Surprise.  CW renewed a shitload of shows, again.  Does this represent they are lazy, or are avoiding the politics of finding their next "hit?"  Most networks are after shocking viewers to get them to invest and in recent seasons have failed too many times to count.  CW takes a differing approach and instead gives their viewers shows they cannot wait for to return.  If one cannot shock or surprise, why not give something viewers long await?  The lowest-rated network knows they will never be able to topple the Nielsen system but succeed by exploring new avenues and moving past an outdated Nielsen system.  Only two shows stand as needing a renewal status, and is anyone sweating?  CW commits to year-round scheduling so there's plenty of space and opportunity.

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