With Productions in Limbo, Networks Start Replacing Originals With Repeats

Matt Webb Mitovich
·2 min read

And so it begins. With production on some 100 TV shows now halted (out of an abundance of caution over the coronavirus pandemic), the networks are starting to tweak upcoming scheduling to make the very most of what they’ve got.

The CW is first to change things up, replacing a first-run episode of Legends of Tomorrow on Tuesday, March 24, with the Marie Antoinette-themed “A Head of Her Time” (which first aired Feb. 18). In the originally scheduled Legends episode, “Zari, Not Zari,” Sara, Constantine and Charlie find themselves in British Columbia searching for another piece of the Loom — but apparently running into a version of Supernatural‘s Baby, instead.

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Then on Tuesday, March 31, fresh episodes of both The Flash and Legends will be replaced with repeats.

The Flash that week was to debut “So Long and Goodnight,” in which Black Hole hires Rag Doll to kill Joe, and Iris becomes suspicious of Eva; instead, “Grodd Friended Me” will get a second showing. Legends, meanwhile, was to hold “The Great British Fake Off,” in which Charlie notices something might not be right with a recently wounded Sara; instead, viewers will get a “Mortal Khanbat” Encore encore.

As previously reported, dozens upon dozens of network, cable and streaming shows have shut down production for at least the next couple of weeks. Some may eventually resume production on their current runs once given the green light, while others will call it a day and as a result come up an episode or two short. As such, schedulers would be prudent to slot in an extra rerun or two to help bridge any gaps.

Or in the case of Legends, which had already wrapped production on Season 5, pushing its finale back a week or two effectively extends the run of its eventual time slot successor.

And this Thursday’s fresh Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 10/9c) is being bumped by NBC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT: CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

Launch Gallery: Coronavirus Interrupts TV: Which Seasons Will Be Shortened?

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