The CW Buys Lea Thompson Canadian Drama ‘The Spencer Sisters’ For Fall Lineup As Scripted Strategy Becomes Clearer

Peter White
·3 min read
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The CW has been busy north of the border.

The network has picked up The Spencer Sisters, a Canadian drama starring Caroline in the City star Lea Thompson and Superman & Lois’ Stacey Farber, for its fall lineup.

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It is the latest Canadian series that it has acquired, this time from eOne, as the Nexstar-owned company’s scripted strategy becomes a little clearer.

The Spencer Sisters, which aired its first 10-part earlier this year on CTV (see trailer below), follows a mother and daughter duo who team up to start a private detective agency. It pairs mystery novelist Victoria Spencer (Thompson) and her daughter Darby Spencer (Farber) who are mistaken as sisters as they tackle puzzling cases.

RELATED: ‘Run The Burbs’, ‘Moonshine’, ‘Bump’ Season 2 Among Additions To The CW’s Summer Programming Slate

It also stars Thomas Antony Olajide, Edward Ruttle, Husein Madhavji, Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves, Rodrigo Massa, Kaitlyn Leeb and Adam Hurtig.

The Spencer Sisters is produced by eOne and Buffalo Gal Pictures and was created by Alan McCullough (Rookie Blue). McCullough serves as co-showrunner with Jenn Engels (Sort Of) and the pair exec produce alongside Jocelyn Hamilton and Tecca Crosby from eOne and Phyllis Laing and Jennifer Beasley for Buffalo Gal Pictures. The deal was brokered by Dan Loewy, EVP, Sales, Americas and ANZ, International Distribution, eOne.

The show is the first scripted series to be officially added to its fall lineup, which is expected to be announced during the Upfronts next week. Last month, the network picked up CTV and Fremantle series Sullivan’s Crossing starring Chad Michael Murray, Morgan Kohan and Scott Patterson, which is also expected to air in the fall.

Previously, the network revealed that a third season of FBoy Island would also air in the fall.

RELATED: ‘Walker’ Renewed For Season 4 By The CW, Kicking Off Network’s Upfront Decisions On Scripted Slate

It comes as The CW has a raft of international scripted series airing over the summer. British supernatural drama series The Rising and Australian surfer drama Barons are launching later this month, it picked up Canadian comedy Son of a Critch, from an exec producer of Schitt’s Creek, to air later this summer along with Canadian family comedy Run The Burbs and dramedy Moonshine.

Earlier this week, The CW renewed Walker for a fourth season, but canceled Walker: Independence. It also has All American returning, which came as part of the Nexstar deal, and has decisions to make on shows such as All American: Homecoming and Superman & Lois.

“The Spencer Sisters is a charming new drama series led by the unforgettable Lea Thompson and rising star Stacey Farber,” said Brad Schwartz, President of Entertainment, The CW Network. “We are thrilled to welcome this dynamic pair to The CW this fall in an entertaining procedural that will appeal to multiple generations of amateur sleuths.”

“It’s beyond fun to be half of The Spencer Sisters,” said Lea Thompson. “My major focus lately has been directing, but this show was just too delicious to pass up. A lighthearted mother-daughter mystery series with an outrageously delightful character and the chance to work with the luminescent Stacey Farber. Not to mention, it’s exciting to be part of the new reimagined CW.”

“We’re delighted to expand upon our long-standing relationship with The CW Network, which has and continues to be a terrific partner and the perfect U.S. home for The Spencer Sisters to U.S. audiences,” added Stuart Baxter, President, International Distribution, eOne.

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