CBS unveils new 2015-16 season schedule
CBS announces seven new series – five for fall
CBS announced its new 2015-16 season lineup for next season, with the network renewing 22 programs and bringing on seven new series – five of which will debut in the fall.
Here’s the night-by-night throwdown:
– Monday: Once again, Thursday Night Football is forcing some temporary changes, with The Big Bang Theory moving to this night paired with a new sitcom – a single-camera entry titled Life In Pieces, which seems to be a ripoff of Modern Family. And no wonder: the principals who were involved in Family are also involved in this show. Coincidence?
Rounding out Monday is returning dramas Scorpion and NCIS: Los Angeles.
Big Bang and Life both head to Thursday once TNF wraps, and replacing the duo is the much talked about sci-fi drama Supergirl, based on the DC Comics character. Supergirl is going head-to-head with another DC Comics property, Gotham on Fox.
When Supergirl launches – and with comedies Mike & Molly, 2 Broke Girls, and Odd Couple on the bench for midseason, it would mark the first time since 1949 CBS would not have a comedy on its Monday schedule (and is only the third drama in the 8/7 c Monday slot since then – the last was Scarecrow & Mrs. King in 1985.) In fact, it marks the first time NONE of the broadcast networks has a sitcom on Monday night in primetime – a disturbing precedent.
– Following high-rated dramas NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans on Tuesdays is Limitless, which is – you guessed it – another drama involving the FBI.
– Following Survivor and Criminal Minds on Wednesdays is new medical drama Code Block, which CBS hopes becomes its first medical drama hit since Chicago Hope.
– After football exits Thursdays, Big Bang and Life takes over the first hour of prime-time, followed by the return of Mom and another single-cam comedy Angel From Hell, with Jane Lynch and Maggie Lawson. Elementary remains put.
– Weekend viewing: Fridays remains unchanged with Amazing Race, Hawaii Five-O, and Blue Bloods, and Saturdays has two hours of reruns and 48 Hours Mystery. Sundays remains unchanged, with the exception of CSI: Cyber subbing in for sister show CSI, which will produce a two-hour TV movie to wrap the show after fifteen seasons.
– In addition to the three sitcoms mentioned above, Undercover Boss and Person Of Interest are being held for midseason, plus two new dramas: Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, and an action hour based on the movie Rush Hour, which was actually a comedy when it was released theatrically.
– Finally, Stephen Colbert’s new late-night show premieres September 8.
To see CBS’ new 2015-16 schedule and a complete description of all the new shows, click here.
Analysis: CBS’ schedule is stable for the most part, but much like ABC’s – it could face ratings declines. CBS is oh so lucky to get the Super Bowl and its possible one of the two new midseason entries could get that magical post-game slot. Or not.
Known for being the superhero network in the late 1970’s, with Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, and a bad Spider-Man series, CBS is trying again with Supergirl, its first superhero entry since the original Flash during the 1990-91 season. The trailer looks slick and well-produced – but can it beat Gotham, a fellow DC comics property?
The rest of CBS’ new shows – forget about it. Oddly, CBS went back into the single-cam sitcom and nabbed not one but two shows. Remember The Crazy Ones and Bad Teacher? And yet another Criminal Minds spinoff. The first one didn’t work, so why should this one?
Limitless and Code Black could work, but both better hold a significant part of their respective lead-in, or its lights out.
CBS is still “America’s Most Watched Network”. But by how big of a margin?