Earlier this month, MyNetworkTV assured World Wrestling Entertainment fans that SmackDown would survive a restructuring of the channel’s business model, a shift from the traditional broadcast template to a hybrid that more closely resembles a cable network, only with broadcast affiliates.

While MyNetwork plans to shrink its broadcasting day, paring its weekly programming load down to 10 hours from an even dozen—Saturday is being returned to its 180 affiliates—SmackDown will remain in place, serving as the channel’s beefy saviour in transitionary and recessionary times.

At present, SmackDown will stand as the lone original series on the MyNetwork schedule when the fall season begins, as the bulk of the current lineup will be stripped out and replaced with syndicated fare like NBC Universal’s Law and Order: Criminal Intent.