CW's 'Reaper' will return earlier than expected

The second season of the supernatural drama will return March 3, a couple of weeks sooner than originally announced.

The network is also swapping "Reaper" with its previously announced lead-in, "90210."

The move puts "Reaper" at 8 p.m. Tuesdays followed by "90210," a shake-up that protects the teen soap from Fox's "American Idol." "Reaper" will still air its 13 episodes straight, through without repeats as originally planned.

To make way for "Reaper," the CW also advanced its first-season finale date for "Privileged." The show will conclude Feb. 24, having aired fewer repeats than originally planned. The network has not yet decided whether the drama will return next season.

"90210" has been wrestling with "Idol" in recent weeks. Yet it and "Privileged" enjoy the highest percentage of DVR gains among any show on any network.

The changes are part of a modest midseason schedule makeover the network is set to announce Tuesday.