The CW has finalized a deal to bring two classic board games and a new spin on a familiar famous detective to the network. Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble have been given the green light, as well as a different type of game afoot with the original drama Sherlock & Daughter.
Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble come to The CW through Hasbro Entertainment and Lionsgate Alternative Television producing. The game shows will debut in the prime time slot, but the network hasn’t disclosed when audiences can start playing along at home nor revealed who will host.
The CW has added a mix of unscripted programs to its lineup this year, as such shows tend to be less costly to produce. The network halted productions for several shows during last year’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, prompting the company to reevaluate its lineup if filming didn’t resume.
However, even with Hollywood back in full force, The CW is losing a few popular series after this season, such as Superman & Lois, with more on the cutting board. Walker was renewed for only 13 episodes for its fourth and possibly last season, as was All American: Homecoming. The network aims to cut operational costs under the new owner, Nexstar Media Group. The CW made a name for itself with superheroes and their arch nemesis but is branching out to include a broader reaching schedule of programs, including Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble.
The game shows are a “reimagining” of the classic board games from the last century. Trivial Pursuit places players on a giant version of the traditional game board. Contestants must answer questions from different categories to win wedges and beat the other players to the center of the board. The victor goes on the race against the clock to win the jackpot. The show is produced by Hasbro Entertainment, The CW, and Lionsgate Alternative Television.
Scrabble is a fast-paced rendition of the popular board game. Contestants, or “wordsmiths” as The CW calls them, play word-based games to get points and add words to a massive Scrabble board. The show is also produced by Hasbro, The CW, and Lionsgate Alternative Television, as well as Mattel Television Studios.
In addition to the unscripted fare, The CW has also picked up the mystery thriller Sherlock & Daughter, which brings a new twist to the century-old tale. As Sherlock tries to keep his friends safe while investigating a case, he meets a young American named Amelia, who may be his daughter, quite a perplexing situation for the lifelong bachelor. Starring David Thewlis (Harry Potter, Fargo) and Blu Hunt (The Originals, The New Mutants), the two team up to solve her mother’s murder and figure out the parental lineage.
The CW had a soft launch of its free streaming service last week, with more channels to come.