Back in January we learned that Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar was planning a return to TV this Fall in a new CBS series titled Ringer. In March, we saw photos of SMG on the set of Ringer filming the pilot episode. Late yesterday, it was reported that CBS has decided to pass the show to its sister network The CW instead. That means that SMG‘s new series will air on The CW … which originally was The WB … and that was the network that originally aired Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It looks like SMG is retuning to her TV home, y’all.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is returning to primetime as her CBS pilot Ringer is being picked up to series. But in a surprising twist, the series is going NOT to CBS but to its sibling CW. With its serialized nature and young skew, Ringer is probably better suited for the CW. It brings back Gellar to the network that replaced the WB and UPN, the two weblets that aired her breakout series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It also gives CW a major star that has huge following in the network’s 18-34 demographic. The acquisition marks a pretty inventive first programming move by new CW president Mark Pedowitz, who was brought in to shake things up at the network. CW is now working with the producers to make the economics of the transition work. CW has explored taking over CBS projects before, including pilot Ultra and series Moonlighting though neither of those happened. Ringer, from ABC Studios and CBS TV Studios, centers on Bridget (Gellar), a troubled young woman on the run from the mob who hides out by inhabiting the life of her wealthy twin sister, Siobhan, until she learns that her twin’s life has a bounty on it as well.

UPDATE: I hear ABC Studios, which co-produced the pilot for Ringer with CBS Studios, is pulling out, citing that it cannot produce a series for the economics of the CW. This is ironic, as CW’s new president Mark Pedowitz is the former head of ABC Studios. Under him, ABC Studios produced the CW series Reaper.

While I am a bit concerned about ABC pulling out of producing the series, I think the show should still make it to air this Fall. Until I hear otherwise, I will HAPPILY look forward to Ringer on The CW this Fall. I have missed having SMG on TV for a very long time … I hope not only that Ringer is a huge success for the network but that SMG really loves doing the show … because I really want to count on watching her on TV for YEARS to come :D Overall this is very good news … I love that Ringer will air on The CW (which essentially is The WB). Having SMG back on The CW just feels so right. I can’t wait for Fall!!

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