Last year, media people criticized CBS for being too conservative with its new fall schedule in making very few changes and offering a small number of new shows, none particularly impressive.
It seems the network heard those complaints, and its fall schedule, released this morning, reflects that.
After months of insisting that it wanted to become the big-buzz network, CBS is making several bold moves and rolling out six new series that are much different from the crime dramas and family sitcoms that have dominated the network for years.
The most notable move may be in returning “Without a Trace” to Thursday night. The network had moved it to Sunday last year, and the result was double-digit declines that left it behind ABC.
Five new shows made the fall schedule, one more than last year. And the network has changes on every night of the week, a big departure from the minimal and cautious changes of the past few years.
Speaking of the new schedule, CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler said in a statement: “We approached our development this year with a specific goal in mind - to be daring and different.”
The network needed to do something. This season CBS’s adults 18-49 rating fell 3 percent compared with last year, despite carrying the Super Bowl this year.
Thursday night has the most notable change, with “Trace” moving to 10 p.m.
This year there was no dominant show in the timeslot, with NBC’s “ER” slipping from last year, ABC airing five different shows there thus far, and CBS’s “Shark” doing well among total viewers but only so-so among 18-49s.
ABC has a new show airing in the timeslot as well, which could make it vulnerable against “Trace.” Still, “Trace” did not perform as well as it did last year when it aired its season finale as a special last Thursday.
CBS’s other notable scheduling move is putting “Cane,” the steamy drama about a rum runner played by Jimmy Smits, in the Tuesday 10 p.m. slot, where the network hasn’t had a solid show in two years.
“Cane” has gotten more buzz than any of CBS’s other pilots, and many thought it would get the valuable post-“CSI” slot on Thursday that “Trace” is returning to.
But by putting a big-buzz drama in its most problematic spot, where reruns have aired most of this year, CBS seems to be acknowledging media people’s concerns about being overly cautious.
Other new dramas include Hugh Jackman’s musical gambling romp “Viva Laughlin” and “Moonlight,” about a modern-day vampire.
The lone new sitcom, “The Big Bang Theory,” focuses on hot young singles instead of the family model that has been successful for CBS in the past.
“Theory” airs after “How I Met Your Mother” in the 8 p.m. hour Monday, followed by “Two and a Half Men” and “Rules of Engagement” at 9 and “CSI: Miami” at 10.
The first two hours Tuesday also remain the same, with “NCIS” and “The Unit,” followed by “Cane.”
“Kid Nation,” a new reality show in which children attempt to build a town, leads off Wednesday at 8, followed by “Criminal Minds” and “CSI: NY,” both holdovers.
Thursday features “Survivor,” “CSI” and “Trace,” while Friday gets a new look with “Moonlight” replacing “Close to Home” at 9 p.m. “Ghost Whisperer” remains at 8 and “Numb3rs” stays at 10.
Saturdays will be crime repeats. Sunday gets the most changes, with “60 Minutes” leading into “Laughlin” at 8 p.m. “Cold Case” stays at 9, followed by “Shark” at 10.
CBS canceled “The Class” and “Jericho,” two first-year shows, as well as “Close to Home.”
“The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “The Amazing Race” and the new drama “Swingtown” will debut at midseason.
|
CBS 2007-’08 fall schedule
New shows in bold
Moved shows in italic
|
|
MONDAY |
|
8 p.m. |
8:30 p.m. |
9 p.m. |
9:30 p.m. |
10 p.m. |
|
How I Met Your Mother (R) |
The Big Bang Theory (C) |
Two and a Half Men (C) |
Rules of Engagement (C) |
CSI: Miami (D) |
|
TUESDAY |
|
8 p.m. |
9 p.m. |
10 p.m. |
|
NCIS (D) |
The Unit (D) |
Cane (D) |
|
|
WEDNESDAY |
|
8 p.m. |
9 p.m. |
10 p.m. |
|
Kid Nation (R) |
Criminal Minds (D) |
CSI: NY (D) |
|
|
THURSDAY |
|
8 p.m. |
9 p.m. |
10 p.m. |
|
Survivor (R) |
CSI (D) |
Without a Trace (D) |
|
|
FRIDAY |
|
8 p.m. |
9 p.m. |
10 p.m. |
|
Ghost Whisperer (D) |
Moonlight (D) |
Numb3rs (D) |
|
|
SATURDAY |
|
8 p.m. |
9 p.m. |
10 p.m. |
|
Crimetime dramas (D) |
Crimetime dramas (D) |
Crimetime dramas (D) |
|
|
SUNDAY |
|
7 p.m. |
8 p.m. |
9 p.m. |
10 p.m. |
|
60 Minutes (N) |
Viva Laughlin (D) |
Cold Case (D) |
Shark (D) |
|
C = comedy, D = drama, M = movie, N = Newsmagazine, R = reality; S = sports.
Source: CBS
|
