No idea how budgets actually work, but one thing I seem to understand is this:
The networks (The CW in this case) do not pay the budget. They pay a license fee.
Not sure how much that is, but the numbers I heard imply, that the fee is usally half of the shows budget or less. The rest of the money comes from (international) syndication, homevideo sales, etc. (no idea how pilots factor into this)
But since the networks pay such a huge chunk, they also have a say in scripts, etc.
So what does that mean for our discussion? Not much I guess, but that the networks don't directly have to worry about budgets, or how to split them.
If I would have to bet, I would bet on The CW paying the same per episode, no matter if it is 13, 22 or 23.
And now I am waiting for someone to explain to me, how I am all wrong
Why do you think they would have stretch?