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This article is about the TV series. You may be looking for the aspiring fashion designer of the same name.

Katy Keene is a television series on The CW. The series is an offshoot of the CW's Riverdale, a series based in the same universe, that centers around a group of teenagers (Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, and Veronica Lodge) living in a town of the same name. On May 7, 2019, the CW announced that Katy Keene had been ordered to series.[1]

It premiered on Thursday, February 6, 2020, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.[2]

On July 2, 2020, the network announced that the series was cancelled and would not be returning for a second season. [3] While they did actively look for a new home for the spin-off series, they were ultimately unsucessful.

Premise[]

A Riverdale spinoff, KATY KEENE follows the lives and loves of four iconic Archie Comics characters — including fashion legend-to-be Katy Keene — as they chase their twenty-something dreams in New York City. This musical dramedy chronicles the origins and struggles of four aspiring artists trying to make it on Broadway, on the runway and in the recording studio.[4]

Synopsis[]

A RIVERDALE spinoff, KATY KEENE follows the lives and loves of four iconic Archie Comics characters — fashion legend-to-be Katy Keene (Lucy Hale), singer/songwriter Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray), performer Jorge Lopez/Ginger (Jonny Beauchamp), and “It Girl” Pepper Smith (Julia Chan) — as they chase their twenty-something dreams in New York City…together. Katy designs clothes for anyone she can, including her friend and roommate Josie, whose singing talent catches the attention of Alexander Cabot (Lucien Laviscount), a CEO who hopes to reboot the record label division of his father’s corporate empire. But Alexander’s dream of signing Josie to a recording contract meets resistance from Cabot Media’s powerful senior vice president Alexandra (Camille Hyde), who also happens to be his twin sister. Josie and Katy’s roommate Jorge works at his family’s bodega and has his eye on Broadway, but after a series of rejections, he hopes to take his drag performance career as Ginger to the next level. The mysterious Pepper Smith plans to open her own version of Andy Warhol’s Factory. She has the connections, but no one seems to know where she got her money — or if she really has any at all. Katy struggles to manage the pressures of her day job at Lacy’s Department Store and her very demanding boss, Gloria (Katherine LaNasa), who is a legendary personal shopper. But Katy has the support of her longtime boyfriend, KO Kelly (Zane Holtz), who has his own dream of becoming a professional boxer. As these aspiring artists take on the runway, the recording studio, Broadway, and the NYC social scene, they will find more than just a career in the big city — they’ll find long-lasting friendship. Executive produced by Greg Berlanti (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Supergirl,” “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (“Supergirl,” “Glee”), Michael Grassi (“Riverdale,” “Supergirl”), Sarah Schechter (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Supergirl,” “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”) and Jon Goldwater (Archie Comics Publisher & CEO), KATY KEENE is from Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios.[5]

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Crew[]

Writers[]

Directors[]

Producers[]

Character Descriptions[]

  • Katy Keene: Bold, big hearted and independent, Katy Keene is a twenty-something New Yorker who aspires to be a fashion designer. When she's not working as a personal shopper at a luxury department store, she's navigating friendship and dating in the big city.[6]
  • KO Kelly: A boxer with two goals in life: to fight a welterweight championship in Madison Square Garden and to marry his longtime girlfriend, Katy Keene. Born and raised in Queens, Ko is a humble, protective, salt-of-the-earth guy who makes ends meet as a personal trainer and a bouncer.[7]
  • Gloria Grandbilt: A legendary personal shopper at the luxury department store Lacy's, which caters to the rich and famous. Always impeccably dressed and the queen of her domain, she demands a level of excellence from her "girls," young assistants that few can provide.[7]
  • Alexandra Cabot: A powerful, savvy and chic New York socialite who is an SVP at her father's company. Both respected and feared, Alexandra is competitive with her brother, who has a very different vision for the record label.[8]
  • Alexander Cabot: The CEO of his father's company who dreams of rebooting its dormant record label division, which attracts him to Josie. He's cut from a different cloth than his billionaire family, as he'd rather take the subway and listen to vinyl, and he secretly DJs at a dive club.[8]
  • Jorge/Ginger Lopez: By day, Jorge works at his family's bodega. By night, his drag alter ego Ginger bartends and performs at a local club. Jorge always has aspired to be a Broadway performer, but he's now looking to take his drag career to the next level.[10]
  • Pepper Smith: A New York City "It Girl" who is at the epicenter of all things trendy. As the funny, magnetic life of the party, she dreams of opening her very own version of Andy Warhol's Factory. But behind all the outrageous noise, no one quite knows where she gets all her money — or if she even has any.[10]

Development[]

On August 6, 2018, network president Mark Pedowitz made the announcement at the Television Critics Association summer press tour.

Although the series "will be very different from Riverdale", both network president Mark Pedowitz and Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, hope to present it as a companion series for a possible slot in the 2019-2020 television season.

While they have confirmed the series, Aguirre-Sacasa, who also oversees Netflix's supernatural drama Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, declined to reveal whether the series would consist of characters previously introduced during Riverdale's two prior seasons.[11]

On January 23, 2019, the CW announced that Katy Keene had received a pilot order. Katy Keene, centered around Veronica’s cousin and her friends in New York City, is the second Riverdale spinoff. The First, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, started on the CW before moving to Netflix where it has been a breakout hit.[4]

Casting for the roles went underway and the pilot shoot in March 2019, in New York.[9]

The series takes places years after Riverdale High School and there will not be a crossover episode to introduce the Archie universe character.[12]

It was later announced on May 7, 2019, that the CW had ordered Katy Keene to series.[1]

The CW has ordered 13 more scripts of "Katy Keene" a month ahead of its series premiere on Feb. 6.[13]

However due to the COVID 19 pandemic and lockdown, it was reported that the series wouldn't return for a second season.

Trivia[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Katy Keene, Nancy Drew Both Land Series Orders at The CW - TVLine
  2. The CW Sets Midseason Premiere Dates: ‘Katy Keene’, Return Of ‘DC’s Legends’, ‘Roswell, New Mexico’, ‘Supernatural’ Moves To Monday - Deadline
  3. ‘Katy Keene’ Canceled By the CW After One Season; ‘Riverdale’ Spinoff Series To Look For New Home - Deadline
  4. 4.0 4.1 ‘Riverdale’ & ‘Jane’ Spinoffs, ‘Nancy Drew’ & ‘The Lost Boys’ Get the CW Pilot Orders - Deadline
  5. THE CW ANNOUNCES ITS NEW FALL SCHEDULE FOR 2019-2020 SEASON - The CW Press Site
  6. 6.0 6.1 Lucy Hale to Star in Riverdale Spinoff Pilot as Fashionista Katy Keene - TVLine
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 ‘Katy Keene’ CW Pilot Adds Zane Holtz And Katherine LaNasa - Deadline
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 ‘Katy Keene’: Camille Hyde & Lucien Laviscount Join The CW’s ‘Riverdale’ Spinoff Pilot - Deadline
  9. 9.0 9.1 Riverdale: Meet musical spin-off Katy Keene’s characters EXCLUSIVE - Season Zero
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 ‘Katy Keene’: Jonny Beauchamp & Julia Chan To Star In CW’s ‘Riverdale’ Spinoff - Deadline
  11. 'Riverdale' Spinoff Is in the Works at The CW, But It'll Be 'Very Different' - Entertainment Tonight
  12. Don’t Expect A ‘Riverdale’ Crossover Episode To Introduce CW Archie Spinoff ‘Katy Keene’: Here’s Why – TCA - Deadline
  13. The CW Renews 'Batwoman,' 'Riverdale,' 11 Other Series for 2020-2021 Season - Variety
  14. ‘Katy Keene’: EP Michael Grassi Confirms ‘Riverdale’ Crossover Plans – TCA
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