.jpeg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1100&h=618&dpr=1.5)
It turns out that three times was the charm when it came to the number of seasons of Batwoman on The CW. While the people behind the series were hoping that the show would get green-lit for a fourth season at least, the Batwoman showrunner confirmed the superhero drama had been officially canceled, and Legends of Tomorrow met the same fate.
Batwoman has certainly had a turbulent time on the CW since it was first launched. The series actually changed lead actresses after Ruby Rose, who put on the wig and cowl in the first season, moved on. While there was some concern that her departure would mean the end of the show before its time was really up, showrunners decided to recast the character with Javicia Leslie and carry on. But it appears the CW program has now officially hit the end of the road.
Series head Caroline Dries announced the news on Friday, apparently not long after she was told by network bigwigs that the series had been canceled. Dries said in a tweet that she was "bummed, but full of gratitude" that she was allowed to make as many episodes of the program as she did. She also went out of her way to thank all the people who had put so much work into making Batwoman. While Batwoman ended season 3 by hinting at a new villain's arrival, Dries has said that the finale could serve as a satisfying conclusion to the overall story. However, Legends of Tomorrow ended with the team being arrested for their 'crimes,' and co-showrunner Keto Shimizu confirmed there won't be an eighth season to resolve the matter.
The cancellations come just a month after Batwoman wrapped up season 3, so at the very least, those associated with the series weren't left hanging about their fate for very long. The announcement also comes amid talk that The CW's parent companies are thinking about selling off the network. That talk had previously started some rumors that a couple of the DC-centric shows could be canceled. It now appears that Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman might be the first victims of the potential sale.
The writing may have been on the wall for the Leslie-led show considering that the CW gave early renewals to all of All American, The Flash, Kung Fu, Nancy Drew, Riverdale, Superman and Lois, and Walker. It was those renewal announcements, paired with no such extension for Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman, that had people talking about the potential end of the superhero shows.
The CW still has to make announcements on plenty of shows on the network that are still awaiting their fate. Stargirl, The 4400 and Legacies might be three of the biggest name shows. At the time of this writing, The CW is still exploring whether to move forward with Gotham Knights.
Batwoman is also available on HBO Max while Legends of Tomorrow can be streamed on Netflix.