Here's my final day of what I think the networks should do! Next week, I will make my official predictions for fall schedules so check back!!
The most interesting aspect of the CBS lineup is the fact that football will air on Thursdays until the end of October. CBS has already said that The Big Bang Theory will air on Mondays for awhile but I don't think they should shake things up too much beyond that. They don't do it to the extent that ABC does but they need to let some shows fly on their own so new shows can have better timeslots and therefore a better chance for success.
Past Years: 2013 2012 2011
MONDAYS
8:00 2 Broke Girls
8:30 Mom
9:00 (Sep) The Big Bang Theory/(Nov) Mike & Molly
9:30 THE ODD COUPLE
10:00 NCIS: Los Angeles
2 Broke Girls has performed admirably at 8pm so far this spring so I think it may be OK as an anchor in the fall and could be paired with Mom. That would allow CBS to put The Big Bang Theory at 9pm as a lead-in to a new sitcom and Mike & Molly can return in November as it did this year. I think that makes the most sense for the Monday sitcom lineup instead of Big Bang at 8pm or holding off a different show. For the new entry, I would NOT do How I Met Your Dad. That seems like it has Joey or That 80s Show written all over it, though I suspect it will get a pick-up. I would like to see CBS try the new reboot of The Odd Couple starring Matthew Perry. 10pm was not kind to new shows Hostages and Intelligence this year. I think CBS is much better off with a veteran show here and their best option in my opinion is NCIS: Los Angeles. It's time for that show to break free from the mothership after five years.
TUESDAYS
8:00 NCIS
9:00 NCIS: NEW ORLEANS
10:00 Person of Interest
I have been advocating for it is years but it is well past time for CBS to open up the 9pm hour on Tuesdays and move NCIS: Los Angeles elsewhere. That will allow NCIS to be a lead-in to a new show and still keep Person of Interest at 10pm so it doesn't have to move two years in a row. CBS has two drama spinoffs in development: NCIS: New Orleans and CSI: Cyber. I think the safer and better bet is NCIS: New Orleans because CSI: Cyber sounds like a stretch. I think airing it at 9pm could give CBS another success story in the procedural/NCIS wheelhouse.
WEDNESDAYS
8:00 Survivor
9:00 Criminal Minds
10:00 UNTITLED KEVIN WILLIAMSON
I think it's time to shake up Wednesday a little bit. One option is for Criminal Minds to move but I think the better idea is for the much older CSI to head elsewhere. In its place, I would air the new Kevin Williamson drama. With a creepy concept (no surprise since it's a Williamson show), it seems like it might be a good fit with TV's creepiest procedural.
THURSDAYS
(Sep) 8:00 NFL Thursday Night Football
(Nov)
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
8:30 UNTITLED JIM GAFFIGAN
9:00 Two and a Half Men
9:30 The Millers
10:00 Elementary
We know football is going to be airing for the first two months. When it returns, I would keep a lot of the current lineup in tact. The Big Bang Theory should air at 8pm and yet another new show should be able to get good vibes from the lead-in. I think the new Jim Gaffigan comedy could be a good bet. I would keep Two and a Half Men at 9pm because it's done well since moving back there in February. At 9:30pm, it'll be sink or swim time for The Millers. Either it can hold on well or it'll fall apart but CBS needs to know if it has a long term player or just a show that benefited from its lead-in. Elementary should stay at 10pm because it'd be hard to throw something new against Scandal.
FRIDAYS
8:00 Hawaii Five-0
9:00 CSI
10:00 Blue Bloods
The addition of Hawaii Five-0 to Friday nights turned out to be a pretty good move for CBS but I would move it to 8pm so CSI can return to its original timeslot. After 14 years, I think it's time for CSI to start looking at wrapping things up and maybe two years on Friday would suffice. Who knows, it might do better in a low pressure timeslot as it did when it first moved to Wednesday 10pm from Thursday 9pm. Blue Bloods should stay at 10pm.
SATURDAYS
8:00 Drama Encores
10:00 48 Hours
As usual.
SUNDAYS
7:00 60 Minutes
8:00 The Amazing Race
9:00 MADAM SECRETARY
10:00 The Good Wife
I think it's time for The Good Wife to move to 10pm. It did better when it was delayed because of football anyway so it's time for the drama to move if/when The Mentalist is cancelled. I would air Madam Secretary starring Tea Leoni at 9pm and then Sundays can be the home of female-driven upscale dramas. It's hard to launch a new show on Sundays because of the football overruns but they'd have more luck at 9pm than 10pm because we saw how often The Mentalist started close to or past 11pm.
MIDSEASON: BATTLE CREEK, THE MCCARTHYS, MORE TIME WITH FAMILY, Undercover Boss
CBS doesn't need to have a lot on deck for midseason. Other potential midseason shows could be Friends with Better Lives or Bad Teacher if they hold up OK. I would also take chances with some new comedies in case one of the newbies or The Millers flame out. Undercover Boss is always a good utility player while Battle Creek has already been picked up and can replace a failed drama or be used in a limited run capacity.
CANCELLED/ENDED: Bad Teacher, The Crazy Ones, Friends with Better Lives, Hostages, How I Met Your Mother, Intelligence, The Mentalist, We Are Men
As already stated, let's see how week two of Bad Teacher does because it could get renewed if it surprises.
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