There was a time when The CW was the go-to place for live-action DC Comics dramas. Stephen Amell's Arrow led the way along with a host of spinoffs including The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and Black Lightning.
As those shows began to draw to a close, a new, younger crop of superhero shows seemed poised to carry the torch such as Stargirl and Gotham Knights.
Today, all these shows have either concluded or been outright canceled as the network faced significant financial challenges in recent years which ultimately saw Warner Bros. and CBS sell controlling interest of the network to Nexstar Media. And with new owners comes a change in leadership and programming strategy.
Yet, there's one DC Comics adaptation that seems to be flying high in the face of adversity, Superman & Lois.
Speaking to The Wrap recently, The CW's president of entertainment Brad Schwartz explained why they're sticking with Superman & Lois.
"It was very easy to focus on those four [Superman & Lois, along with Walker, All-American, and All-American: Homecoming] as our biggest shows and best performers. And then it was also easier to have conversations with CBS and Warner about 'How can we make these shows work for everybody' because there was a successful track record," Schwartz said.
"CBS and Warner Bros. know what they make on them internationally, know what they make from their Netflix and HBO sales. We know how they do for us. They can project what a library of 60 or 70 episodes is going to make for them forever. You can put all the math together and be like, 'Is there a path for us as partners?"
So in short, it all came down to the numbers- specifically what future earnings from streaming and syndication could bring in. It seems Superman & Lois warranted another season while many other CW shows did not.
But those financial challenges are still rearing their head for Superman & Lois as several of the cast members have been demoted to either guest or recurring characters for season 4.
With Superman & Lois surviving for season 4, fans have already begun to speculate on whether the upcoming season will be its last.
Traditionally, fans could look forward to San Diego Comic-Con (which kicks off on July 20) for a big news update but the show appears to be skipping the fan convention this year.