Today it is CBS's turn to step up to the plate and unveil their new fall schedule. Will it be heavy on the sci-fi, like NBC, will it repurpose car insurance commercials, like ABC, or will they finally bite the bullet and go all CSI all the time?
Actually, none of the above. This year CBS will go conservative, because their ratings are good enough that they can, and only introduce five new shows.
On the bench for the time being will be reality stalwart The Amazing Race and The New Adventures of Old Christine. Both are currently scheduled to return at some point during the season, but come September they'll be shelved until they're needed. Completely gone is the relatively successful Close to Home and back leading off the 8:00 on Monday time slot is How I Met Your Mother.
Without further ado, and with new shows in bold, here is CBS's fall schedule:
|
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 7:00 | 60 Minutes | ||||||
| 7:30 | |||||||
| 8:00 | Viva Laughlin | How I Met Your Mother | NCIS | Kid Nation | Survivor | Ghost Whisperer | Drama Repeats |
| 8:30 | The Big Bang Theory | ||||||
| 9:00 | Cold Case | Two and a Half Men | The Unit | Criminal Minds | CSI | Moonlight | |
| 9:30 | Rules of Engagement | ||||||
| 10:00 | Shark | CSI: Miami | Cane | CSI: NY | Without a Trace | Numb3rs | 48 Hours: Mystery |
| 10:30 |
There it is, one new comedy, The Big Bang Theory; three new dramas, Cane, Moonlight, and Viva Laughlin; and one new reality show, Kid Nation. Easy as pie.
The Big Bang Theory comes from Two and a Half Men producer Chuck Lorre and focuses on über-nerdy friends who, amazingly, have no problem conversing about the most in-depth scientific issues, but can't talk to women. Well, fish out of water-style, a sexy new single neighbor moves in and the nerds are speechless. Hilarity will ensue.
The reality show, Kid Nation, gives 40 kids 40 days to build a new city in the ghost town of Bonanza City, New Mexico. The kids are between ages 8 and 15 and will be there, sans adults, trying to create a new Old West town. Unlike most reality shows, no one gets voted out of the town but anyone may leave voluntarily. I'm very curious as to how many times producers and/or cameramen had to step in and stop fights or fix problems (not that we'll ever know or be told that such a thing occurred).
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
So long as they keep How I Met Your Mother on the air, I'm happy. Season two just ended with "It's going to be Legen -- wait for it"
I'm waiting for the opening of season three, so Barney can say "-- dary!"
Some of the new shows sound interesting, so they won't last. The Big Bang Theory sounds dreadful, so it might.
2 - Hi there
YOU DIDN'T MENTION HOW JERICHO GOT CANNED!!!!
CBS allowed Jericho to end with a cliffhanger finale, but now has been cannned! This is ridiculous!
3 - Hi there
I like Shark at 10pm on Sunday. This is the old Practice timeslot and is good for 100% legal/courtroom dramas.
4 - TV and Film Guy
Jericho's numbers are way, way down from it's fall numbers, there really was no surprise in its permanent disappearance.
5 - TV and Film Guy
But, yes, it got canned.
6 - Tyler
"Completely gone is the relatively successful Close to Home"
...and JERICHO, sorry you are so ignorant to miss this cancellation too.
7 - TV and Film Guy
Tyler,
You are right that I didn't mention that Jericho, beloved by its few fans, got cancelled. Close to Home garnered far better numbers than Jericho, and unlike the latter, Close to Home's numbers didn't suffer a slide for the entire second half of the season.
Personally, I never thought Jericho was a good show, so I can't say that I'm distressed by its trip to oblivion.
8 - Tyler
You should be upset that networks allow shows like Jericho to end their season with a cliffhanger season finale only to, a week later, turn it into a series finale.
Out of principal, you should be outraged when a show has a cliffhanger finale and is not allowed to resolve the cliffhanger.
9 - Tyler
There is a good argument that CBS screwed over Jericho by introducing a hiatus.
The ratings were good until Jericho went "on leave" and came back against American Idol.
You can't blame Jericho's producers there, but rather CBS.
They should have just aired all Jericho eps continuously without a hiatus.
Then I suspect we would be seeing a renewal for season 2.
10 - TV and Film Guy
Why should I be outraged at cliffhanger endings? The world is not wrapped up neatly in a bow for one and all, why should TV be different?
11 - Tyler
Cliffhanger endings for shows returning is one thing, but cliffhanger ending that will never be resolved? Come on now.
And what say you about how CBS killed Jericho with it's stupid hiatus?????
12 - TV and Film Guy
I don't know that Jericho would have survived better against Idol had it not gone away for a few months. It's possible it wouldn't have lost as big a percentage of viewers, but I don't know that.
And, life is full of cliffhangers where you never see the ending. Why not have that for a TV show too.
13 - J.J. Hunsecker
Tyler, many people missed the show, so you can't blame TVFG for missing the cancellation. After all, many TV viewers won't miss it.
You should also blame the people that gave up on the show. If the audience hadn't left, the show would be returning.
You also appear ignorant of how TV works. The producers on broadcast television make the shows months in advance before they know if they are going to be picked up. Blame the writers and producers for creating a cliffhanger on a show that lost its audience not the executives.