March 11, 2017 - 14:48 AMT
“The 100” postapocalyptic series gets 5th season renewal at The CW

The CW is showing faith in another midseason series.

The younger-skewing network has handed out an early season-five renewal for The 100, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. (An episode count has yet to be determined.)

The early pickup comes more than a month after the new season of the Jason Rothenberg-produced postapocalyptic series debuted. Through five episodes, The 100 is a strong performer on digital and delayed viewing, posting a 70 percent increase among total viewers, 73 percent uptick among adults 18-34 and an 86 percent jump among adults 18-49 with seven days of delayed viewing.

The series, from CBS Television Studios, Warner Bros. Television and Alloy Entertainment, has become a critical favorite at The CW. The pickup marks the network's second midseason series to score an early renewal, joining Greg Berlanti and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's Riverdale.

All told, The CW has now renewed nine shows for the 2017-2018 broadcast season. Remaining on the bubble are fellow midseason entry iZombie, The Vampire Diaries spinoff The Originals and rookies Frequency and No Tomorrow. The latter two are not expected to return after becoming the network's first freshman series not to score full-season pickups. Meanwhile, CW president Mark Pedowitz is optimistic that The Originals will return for another season, with a decision on that show and iZombie expected to come closer to May's upfront presentation to Madison Avenue ad buyers. (The Vampire Diaries ends its run tonight, and Reign will wrap up later this month.)

On Rothenberg's part, he also has Searchers, the Berlanti-produced action-adventure pilot in the works for The CW this season.