April 26, 2011

The CW announced today the renewal of The Vampire Diaries for a third season to air in the Fall. The pickup comes alongside renewals of four other series for the network's 2011-2012 season: Gossip Girl, 90210, America's Next Top Model, and Supernatural.

The Vampire Diaries has been a hit for the network since its debut in 2009. So far this season - its second - the series continues to be the most-watched show on The CW with an average 4.0 million weekly viewers. It is also tops among its target demographic of women aged 18-34.

Notably absent from today's announcement are mentions of two freshman series on the network: Hellcats and Nikita. There has not been any word yet on the future of either show, but back in February Nikita co-star Melinda Clarke called its chances for a second season 'very likely'. Hellcats may not be as forturnate, as the series has struggled somewhat during its first season.

(Source: The CW)