'Everwood' will be back

PASADENA, Calif. — OK, "Everwood" fans, take a deep breath — your show will be back. It hasn't been canceled. It still has the support of the people running the WB.

Really.

"Don't be disheartened," said WB Entertainment president David Janollari. "I promise you the show will be back as soon as 'Beauty and the Geek' finishes its eight-episode run."

So, we've got six more weeks of "B&G" (after tonight), then "Everwood" will return to its Thursday-at-8 p.m. time slot.

Part of the reason the made-in-Utah family drama went off the air is that repeats fare very poorly in the ratings. And it's simple math — 22 episodes comprise a full season; even if you just look at the 30-week regular season, that's eight weeks of repeats (which get killed in the ratings) or pre-emptions.

Part of it was the desire to give a promising property like "Beauty and the Geek" a strong lead-in from original episodes of "Smallville."

And, oddly, part of what played into the decision to take the show off the air was to have the show be on the air consistently. "Stopping and starting 'Everwood' has always been a little tricky. It would always take a little bit of time to gear up," said Janollari.

And it's clear that the ratings for new episodes that air after weeks of pre-emptions or repeats take a hit, because viewers get out of the habit of tuning in. "When it comes back, it will finish off its season with 13 (episodes) in a row, uninterrupted by repeats," Janollari said. "And that, we think, will actually benefit the show, and the ratings as well."

"Everwood" has fared pretty well, moving to Thursdays this season. Ratings are lower than they were on Mondays but much higher than the WB had been doing on Thursdays from 8-9 p.m.

WB execs are certainly saying the right things. "We love the show. I actually think that 'Everwood' is hitting a stride well beyond any of its previous years," Janollari said. "I think Rita Mimoun, in particular, is writing kind of compelling and complex and sexy young adult stories this year for the first time with the young ensemble."

And, while it's too early to say anything for certain about next season, barring a total collapse in the ratings, "Everwood" appears a very good bet for renewal. "We hope that it will stay on our network for years to come," Janollari said.

QUITE FRANKLY, there's another reason "Everwood" looks good for renewal. The WB is experiencing a rather disastrous season, and its midseason shows look equally disastrous. If a single one of them succeeds, that will be shocking. And, given all those other problems, "Everwood" looks like an oasis of success.