Although chances are that not all of these will go to series, the CW has an impressive list of genre shows at the pilot stage, ready for the 2012/13 season. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the CW’s development head Thom Sherman promised that “the overall quality is as high or higher than we’ve ever had.”

Shows include their update of Beauty and the Beast, although fans of the original may be surprised by Sherman’s comment that “The beast in this case, he does have some beast-like qualities, but he doesn’t look like a beast 24/7. He ‘beasts out,’ as we say,” suggesting similarities with the classic TV version of The Incredible Hulk. Sherman notes that “it’s more about a young woman’s search for love in today’s society,” although the Beast will still be stepping in to help her from the shadows, as before.

Time travel features in Joey Dakota, in which a film maker travels back in time and meets the tragic rockstar subject of her latest documentary — and wants to find a way to prevent his death. “It’s romantic, sexy and funny and there’s also a murder mystery — and there’s time travel,” Sherman comments, noting that there will be musical elements to the series.

The Selection, based on a novel series by Kiera Cass, has been described as The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor, as a prince searches for his new queen in a post-world war dystopian society. “Our goal is for the quality to be like a show you’d see on a premium cable network,” Sherman says.

Arrow, based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, “doesn’t have any superpowers, he’s a very grounded character like a Jason Bourne — we use the term ‘Rambo,’” Sherman notes. Stephen Arnell will play Oliver Queen in a show that won’t be as “comic-booky” as Smallville. Blue Bloods‘ David Ramsey has joined the series playing new character John Diggle, a former soldier now working as a bodyguard for hire.

Farscape creator Rockne S. O’Bannon’s Cult is “a twisted and sophisticated story,” according to Sherman. Deadline recently reported that Jessica Lucas has been cast as the leading character, a production assistant who starts investigating the fans who may be re-enacting crimes from the show on which she works. O’Bannon noted on his Facebook page that he was “stoked” at the casting.

The CW also has Shelter, produced by J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk, as well as the Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries and medical drama First Cut under consideration, so the odds of all of the genre shows making it to series are quite low.