CW Updated Show Summaries - Fall 2011

Thanks to Ivan for the heads up.

Gossip Girl
Spotted: Our favorite Upper East Siders scattered around the world for one sizzling summer. If you think Manhattan had enough secrets and scandals to keep me busy, just wait until you see the souvenirs our sexy socialites have brought back home with them. Looks like gossip is global as "Gossip Girl" returns for its hotly anticipated fifth season!

Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) has spent a fabulous summer with her fiancé, Prince Louis (guest star Hugo Becker), in her future kingdom of Monaco. But when Blair returns home from the holiday, this Princess-to-be will quickly learn that planning a royal wedding can be a royal pain. And the fallout from Blair and Chuck's (Ed Westwick) heartbreaking decision to let each other go isn't making life easier.

Meanwhile, Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) scored the perfect summer job in sunny Los Angeles, working for an A-list director. Being in California has clearly allowed Serena to discover a new sense of purpose, but will the return of her cousin Charlie (Kaylee DeFer), in actuality a struggling actress Aunt Carol paid to impersonate her daughter, threaten to ruin everything? Only time will tell.

Chuck Bass and Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) enjoyed a hedonistic summer trip around the globe but, when they stop in Los Angeles to visit Serena, things quickly spin out of control. Nate falls into bed with a sexy and mysterious older woman, Diana Payne (guest star Elizabeth Hurley), who has more in store for him than he knows. And a seemingly carefree Chuck is chasing down exotic adrenaline rushes that might put his life in real danger.

After a relaxing summer in the Hamptons, Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley), has his whole world shattered when he discovers that Vanessa has gone behind his back and found an editor to anonymously publish his autobiographical novel, INSIDE. Dan's terrified of all his friends and family reading his critique of New York high society, but will he say no to the fame and fortune that comes with being a published author? It's anybody's guess.

So watch out Upper East Siders, this season nobody's safe, and everybody's going to be sorry….XOXO Gossip Girl.

Filmed in New York and based on the popular series of young-adult novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, "Gossip Girl" is from Fake Empire and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Josh Schwartz ("Chuck," "The O.C."), Stephanie Savage ("The O.C."), Leslie Morgenstein ("The Vampire Diaries"), Bob Levy ("The Vampire Diaries") and Joshua Safran.

Source: CW


90210
The fourth season of "90210" follows the group from West Beverly as they navigate life after high school. Their journey into adulthood will find them heading in different directions while trying to keep the same closeness that worked so well for them in high school.

This tight-knit circle of friends will meet new people, resulting in friendships, relationships and loyalties being tested. Some will attend college, while others will start their careers.

It's a new and different time for them, as the stakes are much higher and there is a lot more to lose. Coming from a world of glamour and privilege, with endless possibilities in front of them, anything can happen. All in all, it's just another day in the world's most famous zip code.

The series stars Shenae Grimes as Annie Wilson, Tristan Wilds as Dixon Wilson, AnnaLynne McCord as Naomi Clark, Jessica Stroup as Silver, Michael Steger as Navid Shirazi, Jessica Lowndes as Adrianna Tate-Duncan, Matt Lanter as Liam Court, Trevor Donovan as Teddy Montgomery and Gillian Zinser as Ivy. 90210 is produced by CBS Television Studios with executive producers Patti Carr ("Life Unexpected," "Private Practice") and Lara Olsen ("Life Unexpected," "Private Practice").

Source: CW


Vampire Diaries
Returning for its third season, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is the story of two vampire brothers who are obsessed with the same girl. In season one, Stefan (Paul Wesley, "Fallen") and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder, "Lost") returned to their hometown of Mystic Falls, Virginia, for very different reasons. Stefan was determined to get to know Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev, the upcoming film, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"), who bears a striking resemblance to Katherine Pierce (also played by Dobrev), the beautiful but ruthless vampire the brothers knew and loved - in 1864. Damon, on the other hand, was intent on releasing Katherine from the tomb where he believed she was trapped by a witch's spell all those years ago. In the explosive finale of season one, Elena's uncle Johnathan (guest star David Anders) set a plan in motion that resulted in Katherine's return.

In season two, Katherine's manipulations threw a wrench into the love triangle between Stefan, Elena and Damon, and the other residents of Mystic Falls were forced to choose sides as they fell victim to a new breed of danger. Stefan and Damon were later met with their greatest challenge yet - the arrivals of Elijah (guest star Daniel Gillies, "Spiderman 2") and Klaus (Joseph Morgan, "Ben-Hur"), two of the "Original" vampires. As Klaus went head-to-head with Damon and took a special interest in Stefan, he was also seemingly focused on breaking the "Sun and Moon" curse by sacrificing Elena. No matter what action the brothers took to protect Elena, Klaus would not be swayed from his mission, proving himself to be the most powerful vampire in existence. Ultimately, Klaus' sacrifice ritual proved deadly not for Elena but for her Aunt Jenna (Sara Canning, "Smallville"), whose violent death devastated both her family and her boyfriend, Alaric Saltzman (Matt Davis, "Legally Blonde").

Season three opens the door to the history of Klaus and The Original Family, as Klaus' motives for wanting Stefan on his side are finally revealed. As Stefan sinks deeper into the dark side, Damon and Elena struggle with the guilt of their growing bond, even as they work together to bring Stefan back from the edge. The ghosts from Jeremy Gilbert's (Steven R. McQueen, "Everwood") past have a powerful message they're trying to deliver to him, not to mention the impact they're having on his relationship with Bonnie Bennett (Kat Graham, "Honey 2"). After the emotional end of her relationship with Matt Donovan (Zach Roerig, "Friday Night Lights"), Caroline Forbes (Candice Accola, "Juno") grows closer to Tyler Lockwood (Michael Trevino, "Cane"), and a war erupts between their families.

Based on the series of books by L. J. Smith, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is from Bonanza Productions Inc., Outerbanks Entertainment and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Kevin Williamson ("Scream," "Dawson's Creek"), Julie Plec ("Kyle XY," "Wasteland"), Leslie Morgenstein ("Gossip Girl," "Private") and Bob Levy ("Gossip Girl," "Privileged").

Source: CW


Nikita
In the first season, we saw Nikita (Maggie Q, "Live Free or Die Hard," "Mission Impossible 3") wage a war against Division, the agency that created her. On her trail was Michael (Shane West, "ER," Once and Again"), the man who trained her, and in her corner was Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca, "Kick-Ass," "Desperate Housewives"), her partner on the inside. By the end of the first season finale, Nikita and Alex's relationship had been shattered, and Nikita and Michael's relationship was restored. This set the stage for a new, exciting spy game.

Nikita and Michael are now together - on the road and on the run, trying to right the wrongs that Division has committed over the years. This continues a personal and emotional journey of redemption for the two former assassins. Their guide on this journey is the Black Box - a hard drive that holds Division's darkest secrets and conspiracies. But every time they try to right a wrong, it sends trouble chasing after them -.trouble in the form of their former employer, Division.)

Leading the hunt for Nikita this time will be Alex, who is now pursuing her former mentor…and she knows all of Nikita's tricks. Alex has allied herself with a Division that is now under the leadership of Amanda (Melinda Clarke, "The O.C.," "The Vampire Diaries"). Alex strikes an uneasy deal with Amanda: if she helps Division find Nikita, they will give her the resources needed to kill Sergei Semak (guest star Peter Lucas, "Burn Notice"), the man who betrayed her father and took over his corporate empire – the empire Alex's father built for her.

Alex finds herself torn between her desire for vengeance and her feelings toward Nikita. And things aren't made any easier by the intrusion of Sean Pierce (guest star Dillon Casey, "The Vampire Diaries"), a former Special Forces operative who has been assigned to monitor the hunt for Nikita, and a man who believes Alex is a traitor due to her past history as a double agent. And then there is Percy (Xander Berkeley, "Kick-Ass," "24"), Division's former commander, who now languishes in a prison cell deep within the facility he used to run. As he plots his escape and revenge, it becomes clear that Alex will have a key role in his future schemes.

Another familiar face who has left Division behind is Birkhoff (Aaron Stanford, "Traveler," "X-Men: The Last Stand"). The computer genius has returned to his techno-anarchist roots, and along the way, reclaimed a hidden fortune he had built up during his hacker glory days. This makes him a valuable ally for Nikita and Michael, even though he doesn't completely embrace that role at first.

These are the new rules and realities of the world of "Nikita," and they all lead to one inescapable conclusion…the game has changed.

"Nikita" is from Warner Bros. Television in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision, with executive producers Craig Silverstein ("Bones," "K-Ville"), David Levinson ("The Commish"), Danny Cannon ("CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Chuck"), McG ("Supernatural," "Chuck," "The O.C.," "Charlie's Angels") and Peter Johnson ("Supernatural," "Chuck").

Source: CW