On The Air: Katy Keene (2020)

The CW has a lot invested in Lucy Hale.

After Life Sentence bombed several months back, Hale returns, this time in the title role of the CW's latest Archie Comics adaptation, Katy Keene.

Unlike the rest of Greg Berlanti's shows for the network, Katy Keene is being shot in New York, rather than Atlanta (Black Lightning) or Vancouver, British Columbia (everything else). The reason for that is Katy's choice of careers. She wants to pursue a career in fashion, as seen in the comics, starting off as a personal shopper for Lacy's department store (a parody of Macy's, of course).

The series is set five years after the events on Riverdale, although Ashleigh Murray moves over from the Wednesday night series to reprise as singer-songwriter Josie McCoy. Some of the more familiar supporting characters from Josie & The Pussycats will turn up here, including Alex & Alexandra Cabot. If you're a Riverdale fan wondering why Ginger Lopez hadn't been used on that series, well, there's a reason for that. Seems showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa decided that Ginger would be rebooted as a male, Jorge Lopez. It happens, folks.

The vibe I get is that, career goals aside, with the series set in New York, Hale'd be better off angling for a remake of Marlo Thomas' seminal 60's sitcom, That Girl.

Here's the trailer:



The early returns on Katy Keene, which has replaced the outgoing Supernatural on Thursdays, haven't been very good, ratings wise. However, CW is committed to at least two seasons (26 episodes). It will find its audience, but on a different night.

Rating: C.