This is my final post on what the networks should do - looking at CBS. Next week, I will make my official predictions on what they WILL do with the same schedule (NBC Monday/FOX Tuesday/ABC Wednesday/CBS Thursday). The following week is the Upfronts so I'll have analysis on the new schedules. Of course, this is in addition to the regular Rundowns and Ratings Recap. As I mentioned with ABC, FOX, and NBC, these are not predictions - more of a combination of dream schedule and what I think would be smart moves. CBS has a wealth of dramas and is in the best position to take another stab at Saturday. Unfortunately their pilots sound the weakest and certainly the least interesting of the big four networks.
MONDAY
8:00 How I Met Your Mother
8:30 Mike & Molly
9:00 Two and a Half Men
9:30 HOME GAME
10:00 Hawaii Five-0
CBS has some interesting things to think about on Monday. Mike & Molly has been successful enough but it's never going to be a runaway hit. Because of that, I think it needs to slide up an hour where it would make a nice hour with How I Met Your Mother. Two and a Half Men will come back in some way and I think it will do alright and very strong at first. I would try to launch a new comedy after it and Home Game sounds the most intriguing and most compatible. Hawaii Five-0 is steady enough for 10pm.
TUESDAY
8:00 NCIS
9:00 HAIL MARY
10:00 The Good Wife
I wrestled with this night for awhile and initially had NCIS: Los Angeles sliding back to 10pm which could still be a good idea. But if NBC does move Parenthood as I think they should, then I think The Good Wife can survive. Look at what it did this past Tuesday. I would launch the new Minnie Driver show at 9pm which has the crime dramedy element of NCIS and a strong female lead like Wife, making a nice bridge between the two shows.
WEDNESDAY
8:00 Survivor
9:00 Criminal Minds
10:00 PERSON OF INTEREST
Survivor has been great for CBS Wednesday and certainly needs to continue to air there. I would use Criminal Minds as a lead-in for the most intense new drama (and most intriguing pilot premise) Person of Interest. CBS still hasn't found that perfect match for Criminal Minds, this could have a shot.
THURSDAY
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
8:30 UNTITLED PETER KNIGHT COMEDY
9:00 RINGER
10:00 The Mentalist
Thursday is another interesting night. Many think CBS should move The Mentalist until 9pm but I don't think they should. They have arguably the most successful 10pm drama on any network so they shouldn't move it and risk hurting the 10pm hour. Despite the temptation to move The Big Bang Theory back to Monday, I say they should leave it on Thursday where it has been a strong anchor, particularly in the fall. I would follow that with a new comedy again and the Peter Knight comedy sounds compatible. I would move CSI though as the aging drama is getting weaker and weaker in the demo. In its place, I would launch the highly anticipated Sarah Michelle Gellar drama Ringer which should get a solid sampling with a great 9pm timeslot.
FRIDAY
8:00 Undercover Boss
9:00 CSI
10:00 Blue Bloods
8pm was interesting here because none of their dramas outside of the NCIS shows really feel like 8pm dramas. I originally thought Undercover Boss should be held for midseason but maybe it would do better in a low pressure timeslot as it has been fading badly recently. I would move CSI back to its original timeslot where it should do as good or better than CSI: NY has done this season. Blue Bloods has stabilized a tough time period and should remain.
SATURDAY
8:00 48 Hours Mystery
9:00 CSI: NY
10:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
CBS should try Saturdays once more. With so many dramas, it's worth a shot. I would use two decently rated shows that are expendable if the lineup doesn't work. But neither show is 8pm worthy so I would slide up 48 Hours Mystery and just give it a try. Why not? If it doesn't work, cancel these shows because they might get cancelled anyway if CBS doesn't try Saturday. If it does work, CBS might have a shot to do something in the coming years with Saturday. I really don't think they will do this, but I didn't think they'd move Big Bang to Thursdays and Survivor to Wednesdays this year even though I wanted them to, so who knows.
SUNDAY
7:00 60 Minutes
8:00 The Amazing Race
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles
10:00 CSI: Miami
In some ways, NCIS: Los Angeles was the odd show out when I was doing this schedule but the more I though about it, the more it makes sense. CSI: Miami was a lonely island on Sundays as far as crime dramas go and it's hard to launch a new one in the fall with football messing up the schedule. NCIS: Los Angeles is ready to stand on its own and it could do well in this slot.
MIDSEASON: Rules of Engagement, Mad Love, UNTITLED MEDICAL DRAMA (THE DOCTOR), UNTITLED SUSANNAH GRANT PROJECT, VINCE UNCENSORED, THE ASSISTANTS
I think CBS needs to stockpile comedies just in case Two and a Half Men flames out. Rules of Engagement has warranted a renewal. Mad Love hasn't but maybe could be successful in the right environment and I'd keep it just to have reserves. If things work out in the fall, this can be dumped somewhere if it's just a half season order. As far as the new shows, none of them sound that great but better than the other titles I passed on. The medical drama could be compatible with The Good Wife and the comedies would fit in well enough on Mondays or Thursdays. I hope CBS's development surprises me because right now it seems like a big yawn with NBC, ABC, and FOX all having really promising titles, particularly in the drama department.
CANCELLED: The Defenders, Live to Dance, $#*! My Dad Says, Chaos, Medium
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