CBS announced their Fall 2008 TV Schedule today and it returns many shows, but only one that premiered last season. They have five new shows debuting in the fall and one waiting in the wings until midseason.
You can see the full primetime schedule, new and returning midseason series and cancellations below. Bold Italic denotes new show.
CBS Fall 2008 Primetime TV Schedule
Sunday
60 Minutes
The Amazing Race - They will have two editions of this competition series, one will play this fall and then again in the winter/spring.
Cold Case
The Unit - New night and time. Glad to see it got another season.
Monday
The Big Bang Theory - This is the only CBS show that debuted last fall to make it to a second season.
How I Met Your Mother - Still don’t understand why this was ever mentioned as a bubble show, but am really glad to see it back nonetheless.
Two and a Half Men
Worst Week - From the press release: “A comedy about Sam Briggs, an entertainment magazine editor who will do anything to please his girlfriend’s parents … but instead becomes a one-man wrecking crew whenever he’s around them. Sam (Kyle Bornheimer, Jericho) and his girlfriend, Melanie Clayton (Erinn Hayes, Kitchen Confidential), have only one hurdle left to clear as they start their life together: breaking the news to Mel’s conservative parents that they have a wedding in the works and a baby on the way. Dick (Kurtwood Smith, That ’70s Show), a stern Judge, and his wife Angela (Nancy Lenehan, My Name is Earl), are protective of their daughter, and are really trying to let go of the anger they feel toward Sam … after all, disaster follows whenever he visits their house. But despite his best efforts, every time Sam takes one positive step forward in winning over his future in-laws, he inevitably takes two crushing steps back. But with support and love from Melanie who stands up for him despite his knack for making himself look bad, Sam will hopefully charm his way into her family. Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein (30 Rock) directed the pilot. Matt Tarses (Scrubs) and Jimmy Mulville (Whose Line Is It Anyway?) are the executive producers for Universal Media Studios and CBS Paramount Network Television.”
CSI: Miami
Tuesday
NCIS
The Mentalist - Sounds like an unfunny(dramatic) version of Psych. From the press release: ” stars Golden Globe Award nominee Simon Baker (The Devil Wears Prada) as Patrick Jane, a detective and independent consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who has a remarkable track record for solving serious crimes by using his razor sharp skills of observation. Within the Bureau, Jane is notorious for his blatant lack of protocol and his semi-celebrity past as a psychic medium, whose paranormal abilities he now admits he feigned. Jane’s role in cracking a series of tough high-profile cases is greatly valued by his fellow agents. However, no-nonsense Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney, Prison Break) openly resists having Jane in her unit and alternates between reluctantly acknowledging Jane’s usefulness and blasting him for his theatrics, narcissism and dangerous lack of boundaries. Lisbon’s team includes agents Kimball Cho (Tim Kang, Rambo), Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman, The Nine), and rookie member Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti, The O.C.), who all think Jane’s a loose cannon but admire his charm and knack for clearing cases. Bruno Heller (creator of Rome) is creator/executive producer, and Emmy Award winner David Nutter (Band of Brothers) is the executive producer for Warner Bros. Television.”
Without a Trace - It will be interesting to see what this solid performer can do with the CBS Tuesday Death Slot. It does make for a nice capper to a three hour block of crimetime procedurals on the night.
Wednesday
The New Adventures of Old Christine - CBS, for the first time, actually ordered a full 22-episodes of this show. Hopefully, it will continue to do well now that it has left the cushy post Two and a Half Men timeslot for lead off duties on Wednesdays.
Project Gary - Sound like it will make a good pairing with Old Christine. From the press release: “Stars Jay Mohr (Ghost Whisperer) and Paula Marshall (Nip/Tuck) in a comedy about Gary Barnes, a recently single painting contractor, and his controlling ex-wife, Allison, who face post-divorce mayhem after 15 years of marriage as they each embark on new relationships. He’s the fun parent and she’s the strict one. Together, they share custody of their two children - Louise (Laura Marano, Without a Trace), a politically correct and environmentally conscious 11-year-old, and Tom (Ryan Malgarini, How to Eat Fried Worms), their socially awkward 14-year-old son who is nervous around girls. Charming and acerbic, Gary hasn’t dated since the split, but finally connects with Vanessa (Jaime King, The Class), a single mother whose condo he was hired to paint. He dreads telling Allison about Vanessa because it doesn’t adhere to her belief in their marriage counselor’s book, ‘Rules for the Perfect Divorce.’ However, when Allison tells him that she’s engaged to their shrink, all bets are off and Gary decides it’s time to move forward. Now, in pursuit of post-marriage happiness, Gary must juggle his eclectic world of an ex-wife, their two kids, their shrink and his gorgeous new girlfriend. Ed Yeager (Still Standing) and Ric Swartzlander (8 Simple Rules) are the executive producers for ABC Studios and CBS Paramount Network Television.”
Criminal Minds
CSI: NY
Thursday
Survivor
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Eleventh Hour - From the press release: “From acclaimed producer Jerry Bruckheimer follows Dr. Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell, The Illusionist), a brilliant biophysicist and special science advisor to the government, as he investigates scientific crises and oddities. His jurisdiction is absolute and Hood is dogged in his pursuit of those who would abuse and misuse scientific discoveries and breakthroughs for their own gain. His passion and crusade is to protect the substance of science from those with nefarious motives. He is called in at the eleventh hour and he represents the last line of defense. Based on the British miniseries by acclaimed science-fiction writer Stephen Gallagher, the series is executive produced by Bruckheimer (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Pirates of the Caribbean), Jonathan Littman (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Cold Case), Danny Cannon (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami), Cyrus Voris (Bulletproof Monk), Ethan Reiff (Sleeper Cell), Mick Davis (Wake of Death), and Paul Buccieri (Fashion House) for Jerry Bruckheimer Television in association with Warner Bros. Television.”
Friday
Ghost Whisperer
The Ex List - From the press release: “Is a comedic drama about Bella Bloom (Elizabeth Reaser, Grey’s Anatomy) - a single, 30-something, successful business owner who is surprised to learn from a psychic that she’s already dated her future husband AND there’s a catch: if she doesn’t find him in the next year, she’ll remain alone forever. During a bachelorette party for her sister, Daphne (Rachel Boston, American Dreams), Bella learns from the psychic she must revisit her past relationships and sort through the mistakes to find her soul mate. Skeptical, Bella begins to analyze every past liaison and failed romance with her close circle of friends, Augie (Adam Rothenberg, Mad Money), an endearing guy who has listened to Bella’s love woes since college, Vivian (Alex Breckenridge, Dirt), Augie’s long-term girlfriend, and Cyrus (Amir Talai, Campus Ladies), who’s chronically unemployed and full of wry observations. Once Bella witnesses proof of the psychic’s other predictions, her cynicism disappears and she begins her search. Along her trip down break-up lane, Bella is determined to remain optimistic and receptive, believing that when destiny reopens doors to the past, every relationship can matter in the future. Diane Ruggiero (Veronica Mars) and Jonathan Levin (Charmed) are executive producers for Twentieth Century Fox Television.”
Numb3rs
Saturday
Crimetime Drama Rerun
Crimetime Drama Rerun
48 Hours Mystery
CBS Shows - Retuning at Midseason
Coming back, but not until later are: Rules of Engagement
CBS Shows - New for Midseason
Debuting in late Fall or early 2009 is Harper’s Island, which according to the press release “is a murder mystery that unfolds as friends and family attend week-long festivities at a destination wedding on a secluded and picturesque island off the coast of Seattle, infamous for a homicidal maniac’s rampage seven years ago.”
CBS Shows - Cancelled/Not Returning
They have said goodbye to: Cane, Jericho, Kid Nation, Moonlight, Power of 10, Secret Talents of the Stars, Shark, Viva Laughlin, and Welcome to the Captain.
TVaholic’s Take on the CBS Fall 2008 TV Schedule
Was surprised that they cancelled Moonlight and the replacement, The Ex List, sounds kind of dumb. CBS does have something each night that interests me, which isn’t necessarily the case on the other networks right now. There are 12 returning shows that I will continue to watch and four of the five new shows actually sound interesting.
CBS seems to have grouped their new and returning shows together well. You have the Monday night comedy block and CSI: Miami, which produces its own kind of humor, not necessarily of the intentional variety. Then you get the new Tuesday night lineup of all crime procedurals. Next, on Wednesday you have the pairing of Old Christine, about divorced parents, and the new Project Gary, about divorced parents, followed by two crime procedurals. On Thursday, the pairing of the science heavy CSI with the even more science heavy sounding Eleventh Hour seems like a nice fit. Even the terrible sounding The Ex List, looks like it might be a good pairing with the terrible Ghost Whisperer.
Overall, the schedule actually looks pretty solid.
How about you? What do you like about CBS’ Fall 2008 Schedule? What don’t you like? What shows do you wish they hadn’t cancelled? Let us know in the comments.
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Tonight, ABC has the two-hour 18th season finale of America’s Funniest Home Videos and CBS has the third and fourth season finales, respectively, of Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs and the series finale of Moonlight.
Tonight, CBS has the eighth season finale of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and the sixth season finale of Without a Trace, The CW has the seventh season finale of Smallville and the third season finale of Supernatural, FOX has the spring finale of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, it will return in June, and the first season finale of Don’t Forget the Lyrics, and NBC has the one-hour third season finale of My Name Is Earl, the one-hour fourth season finale of The Office and the 14th season finale of ER.
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