CBS is on a good run, being the most watched network for the last five years, but they have taken a bit of heat for the formulaic way they have gone about doing it. Not arguing with success, the whole family of CSIs, and their crime based cousins, will be back, but the network is trying to branch out with some edgier programming. Most notably, Swingtown, Viva Laughlin, and Moonlight.Returning: The Amazing Race, Cold Case, 60 Minutes, How I Met Your Mother, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, CSI: Miami, NCIS, The Unit, Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, Survivor, CSI, Shark, Without A Trace, Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs, 48 Hours Mystery.
New: Viva Laughlin, Swingtown, Moonlight, Cane, Big Bang Theory, Power of 10, Kid Nation
Out: King of Queens, Jericho, The Class, Close To Home
Moving: Without A Trace moves back to Thursday at 10. Shark heads to Sunday at 10.
The New Shows:
Kid Nation: A reality show from the producers of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. 40 kids, ages 8 to 15 were put in the abandoned town of Bonanza City, New Mexico. Over the course of 40 days the children build a society, electing leaders, passing laws, establishing an economy, etc. Expect lots of warm and fuzzy EM:HE style moments.
Swingtown: An ensemble period drama set during the sexual liberation of the 1970s. Look to see open marriages, key parties, a 10PM time slot, and protests from various family values and religious groups. Grant Show (Melrose Place), Jack Davenport (Coupling, the good one from the UK), Josh Hopkins (Brothers & Sisters), Lana Parrilla (Windfall), Miriam Shor (Big Day), and Molly Parker (Deadwood) star. A good cast and an edgy premise make it worth a look.
Viva Laughlin: Lloyd Owen (Monarch of the Glen) stars as Ripley Holden. The show is a musical drama about Ripley and his family as they attempt to run a casino in Laughlin, NV. It's based on the BBC show, Blackpool, but just how much the two will have in common remains to be seen. Among the cast you will find Madchen Amick (Freddie), Patrick Fabian (Veronica Mars), Melanie Griffith (Twins), and Hugh Jackman, who also produces the show.
Moonlight: Formerly known as Twilight, this one centers on a private investigator/vampire. Yes, stodgy old CBS is making a vampire P.I. show. Alex O'Loughlin stars as the vampire investigator and the story will revolve around his struggles with immortality, feuds with adversaries in the vampire world, and a romance with a mortal. Along for the ride are Amber Valetta (Transporter 2), Rade Serbedzija (24), Shannon Lucio (The O.C.), and James Black (All Of Us).
Cane: Jimmy Smits (West Wing) stars in this drama about a Cuban-American family that "explores the American dream, past, present, and future." The story follows two rival families that have built an empire in the sugar and rum industries. Smits will be joined by Hector Elizondo (Chicago Hope) and Rita Moreno.
Big Bang Theory: From Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre, this one follows two theoretical physicists who meet a sexy new neighbor that teaches them about life from a new perspective. Johnny Galecki (Roseanne), Jim Parsons (Judging Amy), and Kelly Cuoco (Eight Simple Rules) star. It sounds like an updated Weird Science to me, but the update is by Chuck Lorre, so it will be worth a look.
Power of 10: CBS isn't immune to the new game show craze, and this is their entry. Hosted by Drew Carey, the show will have contestants guessing the results of public surveys for a chance to win up to $10 million. It's like Family Feud, without the family, and if the recent trend in game shows is any indication, a whole lot of stalling before getting to "survey says." The show is set for a summer release.
Here is the fall lineup for CBS. All days and times subject to change, of course.
Monday:
8pm: How I Met Your Mother
8:30: Big Bang Theory
9pm: Two And A Half Men
9:30: Rules Of Engagement
10pm: CSI: Miami
Tuesday:
8pm: NCIS
9pm: The Unit
10pm: Cane
Wednesday:
8pm: Kid Nation
9pm: Criminal Minds
10pm: CSI: NY
Thursday:
8pm: Survivor
9pm: CSI
10pm: Without A Trace
Friday:
8pm: Ghost Whisperer
9pm: Moonlight
10pm: Numb3rs
Saturday:
8pm: Repeats
9pm: Repeats
10pm: Repeats
Sunday:
7pm: 60 Minutes8pm: Viva Laughlin
9pm: Cold Case
10pm: Shark
Set for mid season: Swingtown, The New Adventures of Old Christine, The Amazing Race
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TV Squad previews CBS's new shows
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
5-16-2007 @ 10:53AM
Erik said...
I'm just happy to see that "How I Met Your Mother" is back. Today is a good day.
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5-16-2007 @ 10:55AM
Bishop said...
I have some weird kid show taking over Jericho....I hate CBS.
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5-16-2007 @ 10:57AM
Hank said...
NOOOO!!!! Not JERICHO!!!!!
Just give me one episode where we find out about who was responsible for the bombs, PLEASE!
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5-16-2007 @ 11:04AM
Jennifer said...
I am really happy to see HIMYM is returning. But I guess thats the only show on CBS I will still be watching. No Jericho - ridiculous. I will also miss the Class.
Another Reality show zzzzzz, another game show zzzzzzz. Vampire PI??? Ji8mmy Smits zzzzzzz, Swingtown may be the only new show worth a chance to see and thats only because of Jack Davenport.
Overall the upfronts this year pretty much suck. I will be watching less TV come fall 08 thats for sure.
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5-16-2007 @ 11:08AM
Jason said...
No more Jericho?!
That's exactly why TV shows should not end their seasons with cliffhangers...
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5-16-2007 @ 11:10AM
Jason said...
Between Jericho and other shows in the past that ended their season on a cliffhanger without being renewed (Carnivale, Joan of Arcadia, and many others), it's enough to make me wait until the season of a show is over and watch it on DVD once I know if its coming back or not.
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5-16-2007 @ 11:10AM
Chester said...
To quote Johnny Rotten on their last gig "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?"
I feel this way with Jericho...and all the other serial related tv shows that get you hooked and then canceled.
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5-16-2007 @ 11:12AM
Caz said...
Seriously, WTF! Jericho is being axed after having its season finale end on a cliffhanger?! Don't even get me started on the shows that they want to take up instead of Jericho. Anyone with half a brain could see that with a new night and new season Jericho could really take off! The Idiots at CBS need to rethink their strategy and BRING BACK JERICHO!
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5-16-2007 @ 11:16AM
automag5 said...
What?!? Jericho is out? Seriously, that's not a misprint?
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5-16-2007 @ 11:20AM
Trav47 said...
I echo what Jason wrote- it's better these days to just let the season pass and then buy the DVD. I know a ton of people doing that now. A few friends didn't watch Friday Night Lights this year because they were afraid they'd get into it and it would be cancelled. They figured they'd just rent the DVD set to catch up.
And networks are wondering where Tv viewers are going........
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5-16-2007 @ 11:20AM
Scruffy said...
Ummm.....didn't Joss Whedon already do this?
Moonlight: Formerly known as Twilight, this one centers on a private investigator/vampire. Yes, stodgy old CBS is making a vampire P.I. show. Alex O'Loughlin stars as the vampire investigator and the story will revolve around his struggles with immortality, feuds with adversaries in the vampire world, and a romance with a mortal. Along for the ride are Amber Valetta (Transporter 2), Rade Serbedzija (24), Shannon Lucio (The O.C.), and James Black (All Of Us).
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5-16-2007 @ 11:23AM
Akbar Fazil said...
I too am thrilled to see HIMYM will be coming back. Just makes me wonder if the rumor of the bar set already being torn down is true what direction the show will be heading in next year.
Moonlight? Isn't that the plot of Forever Knight?
I will check out Swingtown for Jack Davenport but dont expect the show to make it. At least not on CBS
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5-16-2007 @ 11:23AM
PatriotsFan said...
I was just talking to my wife last week about how Jericho was the best new show this year and one of my favorites overall in the past few years. I can not believe it's not coming back...especially when looking over the garbage that's replacing it that will get cancelled mid-season.
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5-16-2007 @ 11:28AM
automag5 said...
@6 I know what you mean. It seems like too big a risk nowadays to invest time in a promising show only to have it prematurely cancelled. Networks don't understand the concept of building an audience nowadays, they only want instant hits like Heroes. Well guess what, Heroes-like success is very very rare. Not only has this news left me without a single show on CBS worth tuning in for, but also made me weary of straying outside of shows that are already established hits. What's the point?
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5-16-2007 @ 11:30AM
summer said...
I'm kinda bummed that The Class is out.
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5-16-2007 @ 11:30AM
DougE said...
CBS blew all of Jericho's momentum w/ their stupid 'extended christmas hiatus'. Jericho was the one CBS show I actually made time to watch when it came on rather than just TiVoing it.
What parent in their right mind is going to send their 8 yr old kid to camp for 40 days? Supposedly the kids can go home whenever they want, so I give it 2 weeks before more than 50% of the whiny brats want to go home.
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5-16-2007 @ 11:31AM
Nathan said...
Insane, Jericho was a great show. There were so many great things that could have happen with that show. Thats its, I am not watching anymore new show.
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5-16-2007 @ 11:32AM
Rogphi said...
Im Ecstatic about How I met your mother, but I am very disappointed about The class. I must admit I was half expecting it. I still cant believe people actually watch "old Christine".
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5-16-2007 @ 11:35AM
Chris J said...
Here's hoping some other network will pick up Jericho and run it in a similar fashion to 24 (i.e. no breaks during the season).
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5-16-2007 @ 11:36AM
Bas said...
It's too bad about Jericho - but I'm sure we won't hear CBS acknowledge that the lower ratings for it this spring were their own fault for pulling it from the schedule for so many weeks.
To #12 - I thought I was the only geek to watch "Forever Knight!"
Rules of Engagement is coming back?? I guess since the other network is finally taking off According to Jim, there must be some sort of network law that says there must be at least one horrible, canned "marriage" comedy on every season.
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