Five WB Network Hidden Gems

 

January 11th marks 30 years since the WB network was founded.

Before merging with UPN to create the CW, the WB network built it's foundation on youth oriented dramas. For every 7th Heaven, Wayans Brothers, Steve Harvey Show, Dawson's Creek, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and One Tree Hill there were several dramas and comedies that aired on the network over the years, no one gave a chance. 

5. Do Over

Do Over was a 2002 comedy that took advantage of one of my favorite subjects time travel. It follows Joel Larsen a 30-something who experiences a defibrillator shock and wakes up as his teenage self in 1981, complete with his memories from the past 20 some odd years. He does with anyone with the knowledge of the future would do in the past, do things differently to change the course of his life. Each episode featured a point where using his knowledge he changed something about his life. It only lasted for 11 episodes with 4 episodes going unaired. It was a lot funnier and smarter than it had a chance to be, and was very underrated.

4. For Your Love

Technically For Your Love isn't a WB original, it premiered on NBC in 1998. After 11 episodes it was cancelled, and the WB network picked it up that fall. It achieved great success on the WB running for four seasons on the network. It follows three groups of friends who are all couples and them navigating life and relationships as people do. It was a dry situation comedy, but it was funny and looking at life now as a 30 something. Very very relatable, it is a hidden gem and its a shame it is not available to stream anywhere. 

3. Birds Of Prey

Birds Of Prey debuted in the fall of 2002, although Smallville was a hit on the WB at the time. This show just may have been ahead of its time. In a time the city has been dubbed New Gotham City, the city is left without a protector. In come's Diana Gordon and Selina Kyle's daughter Helena, who take the mantle of Oracle and Huntress respectively. Rounding out the trio is Dinah Redmon also known as Black Canary, who is the catalyst in the series for metahumans. Metahumans are born with super powers and no two metahumans have the same power.

Along with a GCPD detective Jesse Reese and reliable Alfred Pennyworth they work to take down  new age criminals of Gotham City. And the criminal mastermind Dr. Harleen Quinzel who is in the shadows but responsible for most of the crime in the city. The show added new crinkles to the Batman lore which maybe why it wasn't accepted along with additional sci-fi elements. It debuted a good 10 years before Arrow and The Arrowverse took over the network and should be given move credit.

Birds Of Prey is currently available on Tubi.

2. Jack & Bobby

Jack & Bobby was a interesting show in concept, retelling the story of a future U.S. president and his brother both named after members of the Kennedy family. It debuted in the fall of 2004 right before the presidential election that year. The series used interviews conducted by members of the future presidents Cabinet in the form of a documentary, and how their formative years framed their presidency years later.  The show also focused on their single mother Grace a college professor who navigates life while maintaining a steady hand over her son's lives.

The premise while not entirely unique had so much potential. It's a shame it only lasted one season before being cancelled. If given a chance it would have been a future WB classic.

1. Grosse Pointe

This comedy is one that definitely was ahead of it's time, created by Darren Star who created shows like Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place and Sex In The City. The show is full of meta humor before that was honestly a thing. It followed the cast of a fictional soap opera called Grosse Pointe and the misadventures of love, fame, and dealing with management navigating life. With many jokes and scenes based on Beverly Hills 90210, and the drama that occurred behind the scenes of that TV show. It may have been too behind the scenes for most people which likely contributed to it not gaining a following.

Legend has it TV producer Aaron Spelling was pissed about a character loosley based on his daughter Tori and called the network about it. Some changes were made after that, which also likely did not help the show gain traction. However it was still a gem, and besides the jokes and the plot it also had a very catchy theme song performed by one Tom Jones