The 10 Best CW Shows of All Time

After more than 10 years of The CW, we're honoring the shows* that made the network what it is today (and gave us some of our favorite TV moments).

*Although many of these shows began on The WB, to be included they had to air at least one season on The CW.

There's a reason Supernatural is the longest-running show in CW and WB history. The story of the Winchesters and their quest to save the world by killing supernatural creatures is never predictable, whether the guys are meeting God's sister or Sam's childhood imaginary friend. There are no boundaries in terms of the stories the show can tell, and neither the threat of death nor the thought of a fourth wall is going to slow it down. So long as the Winchesters are together and a good (classic rock) song is on the radio, we're along for the ride. —Samantha Highfill

All hail Kristen Bell, whose sharp and vulnerable performance and impressive handling of the show’s snappy dialogue carried us through some of the show’s weaker seasons. We’ll always love the show’s exemplary first season, which seamlessly juggled interesting cases of the week, the twist-filled season-long mystery of Lily Kane’s murder, and our heroine’s attempts to work through a traumatic experience. —Chancellor Agard

Sure, Gilmore Girls technically only aired its seventh (and worst) season on The CW, but all that matters is that the show makes the cut. And where Lorelai and Rory lead, we will always follow ... with coffee in hand. Let's be honest: If the upcoming Netflix revival doesn't demonstrate the indelible mark left on television by the fast-talking, pop culture-obsessed world of Stars Hollow, nothing will. —Samantha Highfill

Following a pre-Superman Clark Kent, Smallville found a new way into one of the most famous superheroes of all time by making him relatable to the young audience who'd be tuning in — Kal-El may have the power to fly, but he was dealing with the same coming-of-age issues, like navigating his first crush on Lana Lang. Smallville also launched in the wake of 9/11, a tough feat that many thought would lead to its early demise, but 10 seasons later, Smallville survived a network change (it originally aired on WB) and several different time slots, becoming the forerunner for just about every superhero show currently on the air. —Natalie Abrams

Not only did The Vampire Diaries introduce viewers to one of the most-debated love triangles of all-time — are you Team Stefan or Team Damon? — but the show's premiere in 2009 helped launch The CW as we know it today. The Vampire Diaries' rabid fanbase played a crucial role in the network's success, and its sophisticated storytelling (and heart-stopping twists) is the reason it's lasted for eight years. —Samantha Highfill

Before The CW went full genre with superheroes and vampires, there was Gossip Girl, the intoxicating teenage drama about rich kids scheming on the Upper East Side. You know you love that addictive first season, which introduced us to the ever-quotable Blair Waldorf. (It’s best if we ignore the series-ending Gossip Girl reveal). —Chancellor Agard

Flagship series Arrow kicked off The CW's new superhero craze by staying grounded. But a year later, Arrow ushered in the introduction of Barry Allen and the world of metahumans, providing the audience with a chance to ease into the idea of parallel universes and time travel. While Oliver Queen was your typical brooding hero, Barry Allen brought a comedic touch that made life-or-death stakes actually fun. Like the flagship, The Flash found the perfect balance of comic book mythos for the die hards without alienating non-comic book fans, creating a perfect formula for success. —Natalie Abrams

Don’t judge a book (or TV show) by its title. That’s the lesson we learned with this beautiful gem of a show that justifiably won The CW its first major award (2015 Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy went to Gina Rodriguez). The show’s premise is ridiculous and shouldn’t work, but it does because the writers find the heart and humor in the telenovela tropes its parodying. (Also, it doesn’t hurt that it has an awesome narrator in Anthony Mendez). —Chancellor Agard

What started as a show about teenagers’ messy lives eventually morphed into a show about adults’ messy lives — the good (star-crossed lovers Lucas and Peyton getting married!), the bad (Nathan’s accident!) and the ugly (basically everything relating to Dan). Its nine-season run allowed its characters to grow, and its ridiculous plotlines gave it a soap opera feel that prevented it from ever getting too heavy — after all, this is a show in which a dog gobbled up what was supposed to be one character’s new heart. The dreamy cast — Chad Michael Murray as tortured writer Lucas, Sophia Bush as popular and savvy Brooke, and Hilarie Burton as cool-but-troubled Peyton — didn’t hurt, either. —Ariana Bacle

When Tyra Banks launched her reality competition on UPN, she introduced the world to “smizing,” “H2T,” “booty tooching,” and so much more. As host and head judge, Banks trained hundreds of young wannabe models in an effort to find the best throughout the show’s 22 seasons… excuse me, cycles. By cycle 7, when it moved to The CW, the show was already a household name. Although Banks’ multiple personalities sometimes dominated — remember Pot Ledom? — America’s Next Top Model was always about the contestants, and Banks took pride in pushing the boundaries of what a model should look like. Although the series will now live on through VH1 and host Rita Ora, the original series run’s message of inclusion and empowerment is what makes it a CW legacy. —Dalene Rovenstine