The CW Orders ‘Charmed,’ ‘Roswell,’ ‘Legacies’ & Two Additional Dramas

The CW today announced five new dramas joining its lineup for the 2018-2019 season: reboots Charmed and Roswell, Greg Berlanti football drama All American, Corinne Kingsbury’s In the Dark, and Julie Plec’s Vampire Diaries/The Originals spinoff Legacies.

Roswell, New Mexico, from The Originals’ Carina Adly MacKenzie and directed by Julie Plec, is based on the original Roswell High book series by Melinda Metz, originally adapted for Jason Katims’ WB/UPN series from 1999-2002.

The re-imagined series follows an adult Liz Ortecho, a jaded biomedical researcher and daughter of undocumented immigrants, who reluctantly returns to her tourist-trap hometown of Roswell, New Mexico. Liz discovers a shocking truth about her teenage crush who is now a police officer: he’s an alien who has kept his unearthly abilities hidden his entire life. She protects his secret as the two reconnect and begin to investigate his origins, but when a violent attack and long-standing government cover-up point to a greater alien presence on Earth, the politics of fear and hatred threaten to expose him and destroy their deepening romance.

After two previous attempts, the Charmed reboot, from Jane the Virgin’s Jennie Snyder Urman, finally lands a home. Written by Jessica O’Toole and Amy Rardin, the new Charmed  is a diverse, “fierce” and “feminist” drama following three sisters — Macy, Mel and Maggie — who, after the death of their mother, discover they are three of the most powerful witches of all time. Soon this powerful threesome must stand together to fight the everyday and supernatural battles that all modern witches must face: from vanquishing powerful demons to toppling the patriarchy. Urman executive produces the series with Brad Silberling, Ben Silverman and Carter Covington.

The original series ran from 1998-2006 on The WB and starred Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, and later Rose McGowan.

All American, from Greg Berlanti, tells the story of a rising high school football player from South L.A. who is recruited to play for Beverly Hills High. The wins, losses and struggles of two families from vastly different worlds — Crenshaw and Beverly Hills — begin to collide in this drama inspired by the life of pro football player Spencer Paysinger. Berlanti will executive produce with April Blair (who also wrote the script), and Sarah Schechter.

Julie Plec’s Legacies continues the tradition of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, following the next generation of supernatural beings at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. Klaus Mikaelson’s daughter, 17-year-old Hope Mikaelson; Alaric Saltzman’s twins, Lizzie and Josie Saltzman; and other young adults come of age in the most unconventional way possible, nurtured to be their best selves…in spite of their worst impulses. Will these young witches, vampires and werewolves become the heroes they want to be — or the villains they were born to be? Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo executive produce with Plec.

Kingsberry’s In The Dark follows a flawed and irreverent blind woman who is the only “witness” to the murder of her drug-dealing friend. After the police dismiss her story, she sets out with her dog, Pretzel, to find the killer while also managing her colorful dating life and the job she hates at the guide dog school owned by her overprotective parents. The series is executive produced by Ben Stiller, Jackie Cohn, Nicky Weinstock, Emily Fox (Red Hour Films).