Entertainment

CHUCK BASS BETS HIS ASCOT ON THE CW

To help entice the advertisers in the audience at its upfront presentation today, the CW called in a favor from its newest partner, Bass Industries.

Speaking at the WaMu Theater at MSG, louche “Gossip Girl” bad boy Chuck Bass (played by Ed Westwick) explained what convinced him to “insert [his] considerable… capital” into the network and mentioned that the CW created “TV to talk about – but most of it works just as well with the sound off.”

Bass also got in a dig about easy target rival network NBC. “These are turbulent times, missteps are unacceptable, mistakes unforgivable. Even broadcast networks aren’t safe from this downturn,” Bass said, pausing before adding “enough about NBC.”

He wrapped up his upfront-opening remarks by saying that “The CW is a must-buy. I’ll bet my Ascot on it.”

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The network also showcased clips from its three upcoming fall dramas. “Melrose Place,” starring Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Katie Cassidy, has somehow managed to one-up the scandal of the original, thanks to a new sexy finish. It will – natch – follow “90210” on Tuesday nights.

Behind-the-scenes modeling series “A Beautiful Life” will be a natural fit after “America’s Next Top Model” on Wednesdays, while “The Vampire Diaries” – heavily borrowing from the atmosphere of the “Twilight” movie – will lead in to “Supernatural” on Thursdays. (“Gossip Girl” and “One Tree Hill” remain on Mondays, while “Smallville” moves to Fridays.)

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The CW announced one mid-season replacement series, “Parental Discretion Advised,” a drama about a teen girl who tracks down her biological parents played by Kerr Smith and Shiri Appleby.

Judging from the clips shown, this series is most reminiscent of what the WB used to put out in terms of both style and sentiment. No surprise, considering Smith and Appleby starred in original WB series “Dawson’s Creek” and “Roswell.”