The CW has ordered eight episodes of a brand new reality series from the duo behind America’s Next Top Model and a trio of producers behind Project Runway.  Described as The Devil Wears Prada meets The Assistant, the show is a competition about aspirants looking to become assistant editors at a fashion magazine.  Fashionista hopefuls will have to prove they have a sense of style and savvy, all the things needed to make it in the fashion world.  In each episode, there will be an individual challenge and a team editorial challenge—with groups submitting a page for “The Book,” a mock edition of the magazine.  The losing team’s page will end up in the trash, and one of its members will be eliminated.  Producers are in negotiation with a leading fashion magazine to host the contestants and help judge the challenges.  The overall winner will land a job in the fashion industry.  Though still untitled, the series will begin production in April for a TV launch in late spring or summer, and is viewed as a potential companion piece for The CW’s #1 show, Top Model, which returns with Cycle 10 on Feb. 20.  The Devil Wears Prada, incidentally, was the 2006 Oscar-nominated film, starring Meryl Streep as a ruthless NYC fashion magazine editor and Anne Hathaway as her put-upon assistant.

January is the month when we’re bombarded with entertainment awards too numerous to mention. Often, they go to the same cast of characters—whichever show Hollywood deems hot and trendy at the moment. For a more accurate reflection of what viewers are passionate about, however, the recent E!Online poll is worth noting. It asked website visitors which series they’d like to see more coverage on, and two CW dramas swept up nearly 60% of the votes. Supernatural (29%) and One Tree Hill (28%) dominated to such an extent, they were eventually removed from the ballot to give other shows a fighting chance. Not just here in Cleveland, but across the nation, those serials have a loyal, vocal fanbase. Nominations were also announced for the 39th annual NAACP Image Awards, and, as usual, The CW leads the pack with 18 nods, more than all four of the other networks combined. Girlfriends and Everybody Hates Chris picked up seven apiece in comedy categories, and America’s Next Top Model is also vying for the Outstanding Reality Series title. Finally, TV Guide polled its readers to find the “Most Heartwarming Series” of all-time, and Gilmore Girls topped the list. It was “can’t miss” viewing for me, for sure, but was it more heartwarming than, say, Little House on the Prairie, which nearly always left an embarrassing lump in the throat? Your thoughts?

The CW has released group and individual photos of the new contestants for reality competitions America’s Next Top Model and Pussycat Dolls present: Girlicious. Naturally I took a quick glance over each set and was immediately struck by one thing: the PCD girls are hotter. I realize Tyra Banks and the modeling industry are always hunting for unique looks to hang designer clothes on, and that doesn’t always translate to “cute.” Whereas, the PCD show will be creating a brand new three-member singing group, Girlicious, which has to connect with a wide audience in concerts—and also sell a lot of CDs. It’s amazing how a simple smile can somehow make the PCD girls more relatable. Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the Top Models will take some amazing camera shots. But there will also be a lot of guys nodding at the musical mantra of the original Pussycat Dolls, “Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?”

Click here to see Pussycat Dolls present: Girlicious photo gallery

Click here to see America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 10 photo gallery

The CW has wasted no time in prepping fresh entertainment for the coming months.  In fact, the start dates for three popular competition series are fast approaching.  Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious debuts Mon., Feb. 18; America’s Next Top Model, cycle 10, premieres Wed., Feb. 20; and Beauty & The Geek, round 5, kicks off Tue., March 11.  There’s quite a bit of schedule revamping, with comedies shifting to Sunday and Gossip Girl to Monday, so just click here for an easy rundown.  Also, Tyra Banks has already begun scouting for her next group of chic model wannabes.  Amazingly, Cycle 11 will air this fall—so if you’re between 18-27 years old, at least 5-foot-7, and…well, gorgeous, check out these Casting Call details to see if there’s a runway and a quirky panel of judges in your future.  Remember, Czech supermodel Paulina Porizkova joins the cast in place of Twiggy for this go-round.   The Pussycat Dolls show will be assembling an entirely new girl group.  And what twists await our innocent Geeks?  Only Ashton Kutcher knows for sure…

It wasn’t a good night to be blonde on The CW, as Saleisha edged out fair-haired beauties Chantal and Jenah to become America’s Next Top Model.  While some judges wondered if Saleisha’s girl-next-door looks would translate to high-fashion, her fierce leaping photo at the Great Wall of China was hailed as the best shot of this season’s competition, and she worked the exotic runway last night like a confident pro.  Earlier, the three finalists filmed another commercial—and proved, once again, that “modeling” and “acting” are two different beasts.  Their struggles when the camera began to roll was painful to see…”take 19, take 20.”  A teleprompter would really help.  Jenah was axed at the first panel session, when Nigel said her performance seemed to be making fun of the product.  The other two girls also took parting shots at Jenah when they were asked who was least-qualified to win.  All three finalists take excellent pictures, but Saleisha has the complete package and was a great choice.

Meanwhile, on the series premiere of Crowned, two of the cockiest and most-unsociable teams were facing elimination, with the Blonde Bombshells—thinking they were goners—instructed to “de-sash” the Reigning A’s.  It was a wildly amusing debut, as moms and daughters chose their team names, then made rather odd first impressions on the judges, who are bitingly-honest in their critiques.  Carson Kressley said the Bombshells’ enormous hats made them look like Amish hookers…and well, you can imagine his reaction to one pair calling themselves “Silent But Deadly.”  Many of the teams have legit reasons for needing the $100,000 prize (husband was killed in a helicopter crash, kidney transplant, lost their home, etc.), and they don’t care who they step on to win it.  It’s a delicious blend of Mean Girls and Clueless!  After only one episode, I suspect this could be my favorite reality show ever.

America voted, and Buckeye babe Jasmine and her Boston partner Dave were awarded the $250,000 Grand Prize last night on Beauty & The Geek.  The season finale was taped with a rowdy studio audience, reuniting each of the ten teams for some behind-the-scenes Q & A.  Some of the guys, like Luke and Josh, are reveling in their newfound confidence, dating up to three girls a week!  Hollie, the professional “Betty Boop,” was inspired to boost her brainpower by enrolling in college.  We also met the mother of ultra-nerd Joshua, and the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.  Jasmine (the nanny we crowned “funniest airhead ever” at the start of the competition) looked smokin’, and says she can now move out of her mom’s basement; while Dave may have to spend some of his loot on lattes and lobster, after his friends started a funny online matchmaking site for their LARP-ing pal, DateDavid.org.  The finale also brought out that creepy tarantula and tried again to get petrified Jasmine to touch it (what’s the point, here?) as it scurried across Dave’s back.  Dude, give me a rolled-up magazine and that thing is history.  As for the runner-up team, Nicole heads back to her music and Sam returns to his party-boy haunts…but with or without TV flame Rebecca?  Many recognized Sam Horrigan as the former child actor who’s had a few notable roles over the past 14 years (Little Giants, Grace Under Fire).  He appears in the upcoming flick Bar Starz.

Tonight, America’s Next Top Model will reveal its Final Three, giving the boot to either Bianca, Saleisha, Chantal or Jenah.  Tyra says Chantal reminds her of Cheryl Tiegs—not a bad comparison, but is her sunny look versatile enough?  Jenah must not have watched last season, because she repeated the error of joking around with Nigel…not a good idea.  I’d wager she gets the Chinese gong tonight.  Bianca and Saleisha were in my original final three picks, but I now think Saleisha has the looks and personality to win it all.

Underdog couple—and just plain nice people—Shay and Josh were evicted this week on Beauty & The Geek, but not before some creepy moments.  The beauties’ challenge was something more akin to Fear Factor, forcing Sam and the girls to carry seven panic-inducing creatures to their correct cages (labeled in Latin), including 4-foot snakes, scorpions and tarantulas!  Shay was scared to death, and Jasmine cried, unable to complete the task.  Frankly, I would’ve refused and just taken my chances in the Elimination Room.  Now we’re left with three teams—Dave and Buckeye-gal Jasmine being my clear-cut favorites.  William and Jen despise each other, while odd couple Sam and Nicole are the most-formidable.  I got an inside tip that there’s a game-changing twist ahead that will help determine the eventual winner!  Stay tuned…Meanwhile, Ambreal’s unexpected reprieve lasted just one week, and she bid adieu last night on Top Model.  The remaining six are psyched to be jetting to Shanghai, China for their next stage.  Even Tyra has never been to the socialist country, home to roughly one-fifth of the world’s population!  The nation is a divergent mix of sights, ranging from an almost Jetsons-like cosmopolitan district…to the ancient city shrines and Great Wall; so these episodes should be very intriguing.  Among the final six contestants, Bianca, Heather and Saleisha appear to stand out.  Your thoughts? 

Among all networks, The CW may be the most equipped to endure the current work-stoppage by film and TV writers. Everybody Hates Chris began taping early this year due to its young star’s growth spurt, and they’ve completed all 22 episodes. The other Monday comedies are also far ahead in production, says Variety, and new sitcom Eight Days a Week—with Justin Hartley, Mario Lopez and Christina Milian—has 13 episodes ready for midseason. On the drama side, One Tree Hill has a good portion of its 22 episodes (or scripts) ready to roll in January; Smallville will have seven new stories to air after tomorrow night; and Supernatural has four more in the can—with another five scripts ready to shoot, according to the LA Times. Gossip Girl producer Josh Schwartz says the hit soap has five fresh hours completed, following tonight’s jaw-dropper, while Friday Night SmackDown is new every week and not affected by the writers strike. Where The CW is especially strong, however, is in popular reality series…five, to be exact. New cycles of Top Model and Beauty & The Geek are in the works, along with season two of Pussycat Dolls, in which they’ll be assembling a brand new group. The mother-daughter beauty pageant show, Crowned, looks hilarious (click here for a preview); and you can scroll down a bit to read about Farmer Wants a Wife—a must-see for NE Ohio cowpokes. Nobody likes a strike, especially the talented folks carrying picket signs in freezing temperatures, but we’ll get thru it on-air…hopefully without missing a beat.

For those who can’t get enough TV spoilers, here are a few plot previews and guest-stars we’ll see over the next few weeks on The CW.  America’s Next Top Model will fly the girls to China and also to Mexico, where they’ll star in a music video with Enrique Iglesias.  The Nate/Blair fiasco is about to explode on Gossip Girl, which may pale in comparison to the revealing Thanksgiving episode!  Clark meets his Kryptonian mother—played by big-screen Supergirl Helen Slater—on Smallville.  Mercedes McNab (Harmony on Buffy and Angel) will guest-star on both Reaper and Supernatural.  And in the casting coup of the year, Melinda Clarke (The O.C.’s Julie Cooper) is the devil’s girlfriend on Reaper!  Erykah Badu, Eva Marcelle and Lil’ Kim visit the Monday comedies, while Justin and Raja outdo themselves with an outrageous school prank on Aliens in America.  Even the animals are turning up the heat on Life is Wild, where a hippo chases two stars up a tree, and an elephant falls in love with a giraffe.  Sweet.  And trust me, that’s just a small sampling of what’s to come.  Stay tuned…

Beauty & The Geek’s John revealed he’s had the same floppy-bangs haircut since 4th grade, which only goes to show, folks: find a good stylist. His makeover on Tuesday’s episode was so striking, he easily won the Prom King challenge because none of the high school kids voting could believe he was a “geek.” Shay is such a sweetheart, I was sad she didn’t get asked to the Prom—but thrilled that she won the teaching challenge, where her beauty cohorts unfortunately proved to be dumber than 3rd graders. Other thoughts: Jesse looks terrible as a blonde, and William’s new red hair doesn’t cut it…a fact that his surly partner, Jen, pointed out. Will David ever act upon his feelings for Nicole? And how’d you like Jasmine’s dinosaur drawings depicting herbivores (“We’ll call him Herby.”) and carnivores (“And we’ll call him Meaty.”)?

Meanwhile, over in Top Model fantasyland, the funniest moment of the night was Ebony trying to convey “sorrow” while being held by a figure skater. She’s also afraid to flash her gummy smile, which could be a real problem in this industry. Someone needs to stick a sock in screaming Lisa, who took the best gargoyle pose photo, but whined about jealousy in the house. In the end, perky Janet was sent home, allowing plus-sizer Sarah to stay, despite a horrendous shoot in which, according to Nigel, “she missed the whole point entirely.”