The upcoming fourth season of CW's 'Beauty and the Beast' starring Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan is going to conclude. The drama is based on the 1980s CBS series of the same name. It was launched during the 2012-13 broadcast season and aired in the fall until its third season. It was moved to summer as part of the network's bid to increase original scripted fare during the period with little viewership.
Brad Kern, the series showrunner who joined in season two, was handed an early season four renewal four months ahead of season 3 debut.
Premiere date for season four is expected in 2016 in either midseason or in summer again.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, CW president Mark Pedowitz told reporters at TCA in August "I truly like it as a summer series." "It gives us original programming. One of our stated goals for the network was to have year-round programming. We're doing more and more of this, and having Beauty and the Beast gives us some scripted programming for summer. We are developing other things at this point for next summer. So I plan to keep it there."
"Beauty and the Beast" series was created by Sherri Cooper-Landsman and Jennifer Levin based on Ron Koslow's 1987 CBS series, which starred Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman. Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan star in this version as an NYPD officer and a former soldier who became romantically involved as Kristin investigates the murder of her mother.
Variety News said the series has never been much of a ratings performer which averaged 0.6 rating in 18-49 and 1.6 million total viewers in "live plus same day" estimates for its premiere season in 2012-13. According to Nielsen, Season 3 which was premiered in June averaged a 0.23 in the demo and nearly 900,000 same-day total viewers.
The 13-episode of the fourth season of "Beauty and the Beast" is wrapping production next month and expected to air sometime in midseason or summer 2016.
