The Librarians Are Returning To TNT — After Leaving The CW

Earlier this year we heard TNT’s series The Librarians was coming back — kind of. It would have a completely new cast, save a few cameos from Christian Kane. It would technically be a different series — the subtitle is “The Next Chapter.” And it wouldn’t be on TNT. The CW, despite being the cheapest skates on the block right now, would be running the first season of the show right after Superman And Lois.

That’s was was initially announced, anyway. But The CW revealed an updated fall schedule last week where The Librarians: The Next Chapter had been removed, replaced by some reality show I’ve already forgotten the name of. The press asked what had happened to it and CW clammed up. Now we know: TNT announced today they’ve re-acquired the show….AND they’ve greenlit a second season!

The move comes as a total shock after TNT and similar Turner cable networks seemed to be abandoning scripted TV altogether, settling into a rut of endless reruns. What made them change their minds? Perhaps losing the rights to the NBA.

Dean Devlin, creator of The Librarians and head of Electric Entertainment, told Deadline despite what some might initially assume, the switch was more a case of TNT really wanting the show than CW getting buyer’s remorse. “It all started with a phone call I had with Sam Linsky at TNT,” Devlin said. “He’s been with the show from the very, very beginning in 2004 and I said it was very odd to be working on The Librarians without working with him. He said they were all really jealous about the show.”

“Then about five or six weeks ago, he called and said, ‘Do you think there’s any chance you could move the show from The CW to us, and I said, ‘I don’t know but that seems kind of amazing if that could happen’. I had a phenomenal conversation with the people at The CW, it took a little gymnastics, but they were really supportive. They understood that the idea of bringing the show home was an amazing opportunity.”

The first season of The Librarians: The Next Chapter is now in post-production and will premiere on TNT sometime in 2025.