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5/14: CBS’s new fall lineup includes more comedy, the CW cobbles its lineup, too
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Comedy has been in retreat for years. Each network has reserved just one night for sitcoms this past season.
But CBS, which has the top-ranked sitcom “Two & a Half Men,” added a Wednesday block of sitcoms on top of Monday night.
“We’ve been looking to expand our comedy lineup, and we now have the depth and development to make the move,” said Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment in a press release. “Monday is already television’s signature night for comedy and we think we can make the case that CBS is the signature network for comedy overall.”
Eighteen existing shows survive for the fall: the three CSI shows, “60 Minutes,” “Survivor,” “Amazing Race,” “NCIS,” “The Unit,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “Numb3rs,” “Criminal Minds,” “Without a Trace,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Two & a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “48 Hours Mystery,.” “Rules of Engagement” comes back midseason.
“The Unit” gets moved to 10 p.m. Sundays while “Without a Trace” gets the dreaded 10 p.m. Tuesday slot, a place that has been the death of many recent CBS dramas. This is the third time “Trace” has moved in three seasons but it still pulls in solid numbers.
CBS is adding three new dramas, two new comedies, no new reality shows. It’s mostly steady as it goes for a network that, like the others, is seeking some fresh blood as most of its hits are starting to feel a bit arthritic.
CBS has been using the 9:30 p.m. Monday slot to launch new sitcoms and the network will place “Worst Week” there. Its description of the show’s premise:”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.”
On Wednesday, Jay Mohr (now on “Ghost Whisperer”) gets his own sitcom called “Project Gary.” It will open at 8:30 p.m. after “New Adventures of Old Christine.” Here’s the CBS spin: “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.” They have two kids so this isn’t exactly like “Old Christine,” just complementary.
CBS’s new ••”The Mentalist”** takes the Tuesday 9 p.m. slot reserved last fall for “The Unit.” Golden Globe Award nominee Simon Baker (“The Devil Wears Prada”) plays 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. (Monk would be proud!)
Jerry Bruckheimer’s “The Eleventh Hour” gets the 10 p.m. Thursday slot against the aging “E.R” and the new ABC show “Life on Mars.” Dr. Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell, “The Illusionist”) plays a brilliant biophysicist and special science advisor to the government, as he investigates scientific crises and oddities. (This would seem to be work well after “CSI.”)
Finally, the show that takes over for “Moonlight” on Fridays at 9 p.m. is “The Ex List.” This has the silliest premise and implies “dramedy:” Bella Bloom (Elizabeth Reaser, “Grey’s Anatomy”) is 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.
And given that the CW has become increasingly irrelevant, here’s a very brief summary of its 2008-09 schedule, featuring two new dramas, one new reality show and zero new comedies.
The Monday night combo of its buzzworthy (if not ratings-worthy) “Gossip Girl” and “One Tree Hill” remains.
Tuesdays features the remake of “Beverly Hills 90210” followed by another show about rich people, “Surviving the Filthy Rich,” starring JoAnna Garcia (“Reba”) as the live-in tutor to wild and wealthy teenage twin sisters in Palm Beach.
Wednesday is reality night with aging “America’s Next Top Model” and a new series “Stylista” in which 11 fashion enthusiasts view for a job at a fashion mag. (Bye, bye for now, “Beauty & the Geek” and anything to do with the Pussycat Dolls.)
Thursday is still “Smallville” and “Supernatural,” though midseason, “Reaper” will take over for the presumably retiring “Smallville.”
Friday night, now that “Smackdown!” has moved to MyNetwork, the remnants of the comedy block from Sunday will air at 8: “Everybody Hates Chris” and “The Game,” followed by a repeat of “Next Top Model.”
The CW has sold off its Sunday night time slots to an advertising company. We don’t know what they will conjure up. “Aliens in America” and “Life is Wild” didn’t make the cut either while “Girlfriends” retires after eight seasons.
Comments
By Deirdre
May 14, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
The only good thing about The Ex List is that it means Elisabeth Reasor is toast on Grey’s Anatomy. I hate that character!
By Trion
May 15, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this
What? No “Moonlight”? Oh no!!! I’ll miss the heck outa Sylvia Myles!!!
By Cheri
May 16, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
Shame on cbs not to renew MOONLIGHT!!! Maybe there is hope to see Mick on the SCI FI channel. I will not watch MOONLIGHT’s replacement show!