For decades, Drew Barrymore has been known to the public as the former child star who shot to fame through her roles in E.T. and the adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter before going on to star in other hit classics like Scream and Charlie’s Angels. Over the last few years, however, she’s also made a name for herself as a TV talk show host. The Drew Barrymore Show has amassed solid viewership since it launched in syndication in 2020, which is likely why the show has been renewed for a third season. This comes with a major change, though.
CBS Media Ventures handed The Drew Barrymore Show its renewal and is now changing up the program’s formatting. The show, which currently airs in an hour-long format, will now be produced as two-half hour episodes. According to THR, said installments could be aired back-to-back or could even run during completely different periods of time. It’s an interesting creative change and, in a statement to the trade, CBS Media Ventures president Steve LoCascio explained that it was necessary for the company’s continued collaboration with its TV affiliate partners:
Stations have always had a finite amount of shelf space, so we’re evolving the syndication model to meet the needs of our partners. We could not be happier to continue our relationship with CBS Stations and our other station partners to deliver more of The Drew Barrymore Show through this innovative new idea. From Drew’s unique take on everyday news to headline-generating celebrity interviews to lifestyle how-tos, Drew is a force of nature who has brought a fresh, optimistic viewpoint to daytime television. We love having her as part of the CBS family.
On that note, the talk show will also expand its horizons when it comes to the syndication of its third season. The trade also reports that the series will be carried by station groups from CBS, Nexstar, Gray, Tegna, Scripps, Weigel and Sinclair during the 2022-2023 television season. Drew Barrymore seems excited about what’s to come, as evidenced by her own statement:
I am honored and grateful but I also want to take this show higher and continue to innovate and be a game-changer in the daytime space. Rising to the occasion of finding people in the diverse way they watch is what I want to challenge myself with. Our show wants to be a bright spot not a blind spot and we just want to make people feel good. And I thank all the people who helped us get here.
At this point, one can only speculate as to how this structural change will affect viewership. Per THR, The Drew Barrymore Show has drawn around 740,000 daily viewers per episode, which is lower than the millions of viewers raked in by fellow programs like The Kelly Clarkson Show and Dr. Phil. Despite this, the series is also said to have seen growth. The report mentions that there was an 11 percent increase in the first-quarter audience last year.
In just a few years, the program has also produced its share of memorable moments. One of these was Drew Barrymore’s adorable chat with Keanu Reeves, which went viral. The host also shared a Scream secret with Courteney Cox during an interview earlier this year. And of course, there’s the hilarious moment Barrymore called out Dakota Johnson for her infamous Ellen interview.
There’s sure to be no shortage of other notable moments when the TV show returns for its third season. It'll be interesting to see what lies ahead, in terms of both guest stars and the new format.
The Drew Barrymore show airs weekdays in syndication, so check your local listings. You can also take a look at CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule for info on what’s heading to the small screen this year. And if you’re simply a fan of the host, you can also stream a number of Barrymore’s movies.
