CBS Upfront/General News and Discussion: 2019-20

[Pavan]

Blog story: http://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2019/0...-schedule.html

MONDAY

8:00-8:30 PM
THE NEIGHBORHOOD

8:30-9:00 PM
BOB ♥ ABISHOLA (N)

9:00-10:00 PM
ALL RISE (N)

10:00-11:00 PM
BULL

TUESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM
NCIS

9:00-10:00 PM
FBI

10:00-11:00 PM
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS

WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM
SURVIVOR

9:00-10:00 PM
SEAL TEAM

10:00-11:00 PM
S.W.A.T. (NTP)

THURSDAY

8:00-8:30 PM
YOUNG SHELDON (NTP)

8:30-9:00 PM
THE UNICORN (N)

9:00-9:30 PM
MOM

9:30-10:00 PM
CAROL’S SECOND ACT (N)

10:00-11:00 PM
EVIL (N)

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM
HAWAII FIVE-0 (NTP)

9:00-10:00 PM
MAGNUM P.I. (NTP)

10:00-11:00 PM
BLUE BLOODS

SATURDAY

8:00-9:00 PM
CRIMETIME SATURDAY

9:00-10:00 PM
CRIMETIME SATURDAY

10:00-11:00 PM
48 HOURS

SUNDAY

7:00-8:00 PM
60 MINUTES

8:00-9:00 PM
GOD FRIENDED ME

9:00-10:00 PM
NCIS: LOS ANGELES

10:00-11:00 PM
MADAM SECRETARY


CBS UNVEILS 2019-2020 PRIMETIME LINEUP; 8 NEW SERIES JOIN 24 RETURNING SHOWS

New Fall Schedule Features CBS’ Traditional Strength and Stability with

Big New Show Additions on Monday and Thursday

The New Fall Series Are the Comedies BOB ♥ ABISHOLA, CAROL’S SECOND ACT and THE UNICORN, and the Dramas ALL RISE and EVIL

2019-2020 Programming Strategy Will Roll Out New Series and Returning Hits Throughout the Year, Including the New Dramas FBI: MOST WANTED and TOMMY, Starring Edie Falco, and the New Comedy BROKE

New Series Hail from Acclaimed Producers Michelle and Robert King, Chuck Lorre, Jennie Snyder Urman and Dick Wolf

CBS to Finish #1 for the 11th Straight Season

CBS today unveiled its new year-round 2019-2020 primetime programming lineup featuring four new comedies, four new dramas and 24 returning series.

The five new shows for fall include three comedies: BOB ♥ ABISHOLA from award-winning executive producer, writer and creator Chuck Lorre, starring Billy Gardell and Folake Olowofoyeku; CAROL’S SECOND ACT, starring three-time Emmy Award winner Patricia Heaton; and THE UNICORN, starring Walton Goggins. The two dramas are EVIL, a psychological mystery from acclaimed producers Michelle and Robert King, starring Katja Herbers and Mike Colter; and the courthouse ensemble ALL RISE.

The new shows debuting later in the season include the dramas FBI: MOST WANTED from producer Dick Wolf, starring Julian McMahon; and TOMMY starring Emmy Award winner Edie Falco; as well as the comedy BROKE, from producer Jennie Snyder Urman, starring Jaime Camil and Pauley Perrette. Returning favorites include BIG BROTHER, CRIMINAL MINDS, MACGYVER, MAN WITH A PLAN, THE AMAZING RACE and UNDERCOVER BOSS.

“Our new lineup features both classic CBS shows and genres that viewers love, as well as some new series that push the boundaries of what you might expect from us,” said Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment. “We are also saving some very strong series for the second part of the year as part of a strategy to roll out new and returning series throughout the season.”

“This is a slate of new shows with thought-provoking stories, culturally relevant themes and tremendous casts, from award-winning producers and writers,” said Thom Sherman, Senior Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Entertainment. “We are also building on the diverse series we launched last season with more leading roles for women and more inclusive storytelling across all of our new comedies and dramas.”

America’s Most Watched Network’s new fall schedule features traditional strength and stability with big new show additions on Monday and Thursday.

MONDAYS – Two established hits bracket an exciting new comedy and drama. THE NEIGHBORHOOD once again starts off the night at 8:00 PM, a Top 10 comedy that improved its time period by +6% in viewers. It provides a potent and compatible launch pad for the new comedy BOB ♥ ABISHOLA from award-winning producer Chuck Lorre, followed by the new courthouse drama ALL RISE. BULL closes the night at 10:00 PM, where it improved its time period by +33% in viewers.

TUESDAYS – Tuesday’s dominant lineup remains intact. NCIS, the #1 drama on television for nine of the last 10 seasons, opens the night at 8:00 PM, where it delivers 16 million viewers each week. At 9:00 PM, the #1 new series on television, FBI returns for its sophomore season, followed by time-period winner NCIS: NEW ORLEANS, starring Scott Bakula at 10:00 PM, capping the evening of top-rated dramas.

WEDNESDAYS – Wednesday’s winning schedule adds an established hit drama. SURVIVOR again starts off the night at 8:00 PM, where it’s the #1 broadcast in key demos in the hour. The third season of SEAL TEAM, starring David Boreanaz, returns at 9:00 PM, and provides a powerful pairing with the hit drama S.W.A.T., starring Shemar Moore, which moves to 10:00 PM on its new day to close out the night.

THURSDAYS – Thursday’s schedule adds two new comedies plus an exciting new drama. YOUNG SHELDON, television’s #2 comedy, takes the 8:00 PM mantle, giving a dominant lead-in for the new comedy THE UNICORN starring Walton Goggins at 8:30 PM. Next, at 9:00 PM is television’s #3 comedy and time-period winner, MOM, starring Anna Faris and Emmy and Academy Award winner Allison Janney, providing a perfect pairing with CAROL’S SECOND ACT starring Patricia Heaton at 9:30 PM. At 10:00 PM, award-winning producers Michelle and Robert King bring EVIL, a new psychological mystery to CBS.

FRIDAYS – CBS’ most dominant night adds a hit drama to create a tropical duo. HAWAII FIVE-0 slides to 8:00 PM to open the night, leading into its Hawaiian neighbor MAGNUM P.I. at 9:00 PM, which improved its Monday time period this season by +35% in viewers. Next, Top 10 hit BLUE BLOODS returns for its 10th season at 10:00 PM, to cap one of television’s strongest nights.

SATURDAYS – CBS’ Saturday night lineup features CRIMETIME SATURDAY, encore broadcasts of the Network’s popular dramas at 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM, followed by 48 HOURS, Saturday’s #1 non-sports series, at 10:00 PM.

SUNDAYS – CBS’ winning night returns intact. 60 MINUTES, television’s most acclaimed news program for five decades, returns at 7:00 PM, providing a powerful lead-in for the three top scripted broadcasts of the night. GOD FRIENDED ME, which reached 60 million viewers this past year, returns at 8:00 PM, followed by Sunday’s highest-rated broadcast drama, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, at 9:00 PM and MADAM SECRETARY starring Téa Leoni at 10:00 PM, to close out the signature night.

THE NEW FALL DRAMAS

ALL RISE (Monday, 9:00-10:00 PM)

ALL RISE is a courthouse drama that follows the chaotic, hopeful and sometimes absurd lives of its judges, prosecutors and public defenders, as they work with bailiffs, clerks and cops to get justice for the people of Los Angeles amidst a flawed legal process. Among them is newly appointed Judge Lola Carmichael (Simone Missick), a highly regarded and impressive deputy district attorney who doesn’t intend to sit back on the bench in her new role, but instead leans in, immediately pushing the boundaries and challenging the expectations of what a judge can be. Greg Spottiswood, Len Goldstein and Emmy Award winner Michael M. Robin are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television. Robin directed the pilot from a script by Spottiswood.

ALL RISE stars Simone Missick as Lola Carmichael, Wilson Bethel as Mark Callan, Marg Helgenberger as Judith Benner, Jessica Camacho as Emily Lopez, J. Alex Brinson as Luke Watkins, Lindsay Mendez as Sara Pratt and Ruthie Ann Miles as Sherri Kanski.

EVIL (Thursday, 10:00-11:00 PM)

EVIL is a psychological mystery that examines the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion. The series focuses on a skeptical female psychologist who joins a priest-in-training and a carpenter as they investigate the Church’s backlog of unexplained mysteries, including supposed miracles, demonic possessions and hauntings. Their job is to assess if there is a logical explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work. Michelle King, Robert King and Liz Glotzer are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Robert King directed the pilot.

EVIL stars Katja Herbers as Kristen Bouchard, Mike Colter as David Acosta, Aasif Mandvi as Ben Shroff, Michael Emerson as Leland Townsend, Brooklyn Shuck as Lynn Bouchard, Skylar Gray as Lila Bouchard, Maddy Crocco as Lexis Bouchard and Dalya Knapp as Laura Bouchard.

THE NEW FALL COMEDIES

BOB ♥ ABISHOLA (Monday, 8:30-9:00 PM)

From award-winning creator, executive producer and writer Chuck Lorre, BOB ♥ ABISHOLA is a love story about a middle-aged compression sock businessman from Detroit who unexpectedly falls for his cardiac nurse, a Nigerian immigrant, while recovering from a heart attack and sets his sights on winning her over. Undaunted by Abishola’s (Folake Olowofoyeku) lack of initial interest or the vast differences in their backgrounds, Bob (Billy Gardell) is determined to win Abishola’s heart, in this comedic examination of immigrant life in America. Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky, Al Higgins and Beth McCarthy-Miller (pilot only) are executive producers for Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. McCarthy-Miller directed the pilot from a script by Lorre, Gorodetsky, Higgins and Gina Yashere.

BOB ♥ ABISHOLA stars Billy Gardell as Bob, Folake Olowofoyeku as Abishola, Christine Ebersole as Dottie, Matt Jones as Douglas, Maribeth Monroe as Christine, Vernee Watson as Gloria, Shola Adewusi as Auntie Olu, Barry Shabaka Henley as Uncle Tunde and Travis Wolfe Jr. as Dele.

CAROL’S SECOND ACT (Thursday, 9:30-10:00 PM)

Emmy Award winner Patricia Heaton stars in CAROL’S SECOND ACT, a comedy about a woman who embarks on a unique second act after raising her children, getting divorced and retiring from teaching: pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. At age 50, Carol is a medical intern and must sink or swim with peers who are half her age. It’s her enthusiasm, perspective and yes, even her age, that may be exactly what will make her second act a great success. Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins; Patricia Heaton, Adam Griffin, David Hunt and Rebecca Stay (Four Boys Entertainment); Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor (Kapital Entertainment); and Pamela Fryman (pilot only) are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Fryman directed the pilot from a script by Halpern and Haskins.

CAROL’S SECOND ACT stars Patricia Heaton as Carol Kenney, Kyle MacLachlan as Dr. Frost, Ito Aghayere as Dr. Maya Jacobs, Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Daniel and Sabrina Jalees as Lexie. Lucas Neff guest stars as Caleb.

THE UNICORN (Thursday, 8:30-9:00 PM)

THE UNICORN is a single-camera comedy about a tight-knit group of best friends and family who helps Wade (Walton Goggins) embrace his “new normal” in the wake of the loss of his wife one year ago. As a sometimes ill-equipped but always devoted single parent to his two adolescent daughters, he is taking the major step of dating again. To Wade’s amazement, he’s a hot commodity with women, and his friends explain that he’s the perfect single guy – a “unicorn”: employed, attractive, and with a proven track record of commitment. With his daughters and best friends rooting him on and hoping he’ll find happiness again, Wade and his healing heart are ready to try life… and love… again. Bill Martin, Mike Schiff, Aaron Kaplan, Dana Honor, Wendi Trilling, Peyton Reed, and John Hamburg (pilot only) are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Hamburg directed the pilot from a script by Martin and Schiff.

THE UNICORN stars Walton Goggins as Wade, Rob Corddry as Forrest, Michaela Watkins as Delia, Omar Benson Miller as Ben, Maya Lynne Robinson as Michelle, Ruby Jay as Grace, and Makenzie Moss as Natalie.

NEW SERIES FOR POST-FALL

FBI: MOST WANTED

From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf and the team behind FBI and the “Law & Order” franchise, FBI: MOST WANTED is a high-stakes drama that focuses on the Fugitive Task Force, which relentlessly tracks and captures the notorious criminals on the Bureau’s Most Wanted list. Seasoned agent Jess LaCroix (Julian McMahon) oversees the highly skilled team that functions as a mobile undercover unit that is always out in the field, pursuing those who are most desperate to elude justice. Dick Wolf, René Balcer, Arthur W. Forney and Peter Jankowski are executive producers for Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television in association with CBS Television Studios. Fred Berner directed the pilot from a script by Balcer.

FBI: MOST WANTED stars Julian McMahon as Jess LaCroix, Alana De La Garza as Isobel Castille, Keisha Castle-Hughes as Hana Gibson, Kellan Lutz as Crosby, Roxy Sternberg as Sheryll Barnes and Nathaniel Arcand as Clinton Skye.

TOMMY

Multiple Emmy Award winner Edie Falco stars in TOMMY as a former high-ranking NYPD officer who becomes the first female Chief of Police for Los Angeles. A true blue New Yorker, Abigail “Tommy” Thomas (Falco) uses her unflinching honesty and hardball tactics to keep social, political and national security issues from hindering effective law enforcement in the Southland. Equal parts political, procedural and family drama, TOMMY comes from Paul Attanasio, the creator of the acclaimed series BULL, “House M.D.” and “Homicide: Life on the Street.” Paul Attanasio, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey and Kate Dennis (pilot only) are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Kate Dennis directed the pilot from a script by Attanasio.

TOMMY stars Edie Falco as Abigail “Tommy” Thomas, Michael Chernus as Ken Rosey, Adelaide Clemens as Blake Sullivan, David Fierro as Buddy Boyardi, Russell G. Jones as Aurelius Looper, Olivia Lucy Phillip as Kate Jones, and Joseph Lyle Taylor as Treat Dudik.

BROKE

Jaime Camil and Pauley Perrette star in BROKE, a comedy about Jackie (Perrette), a single suburban mother who’s shocked when her estranged sister, Elizabeth (Natasha Leggero), her sister’s outrageously wealthy, big-hearted husband, Javier (Camil), and Javier’s fiercely loyal assistant/driver/friend, Luis (Izzy Diaz), land on her doorstep in need of a place to live after the couple’s money dries up. Though class differences may separate the women, and the size of the house and the number of people living in it will test the limits of family ties, the familial bond of sisterhood might be the catalyst they need to restore their relationship. Emmy Award winner Alex Herschlag (“Will & Grace,” “Modern Family”), Jennie Snyder Urman (“Jane the Virgin”), Joanna Klein, Ben Silverman, Jaime Camil, Guillermo Restrepo, Gonzalo Cilley and Maria Lucia Hernandez are executive producers for CBS Television Studio/Sutton Street Prods./Propagate, with creative partners RCN TV and Resonant TV. Victor Gonzalez directed the pilot from a script by Herschlag.

BROKE stars Jaime Camil as Javier, Pauley Perrette as Jackie, Natasha Leggero as Elizabeth, Izzy Diaz as Luis and Antonio Corbo as Sammy.

[icecream]

Disappointed FBI: Most Wanted won't be on the fall schedule, I would have liked watching it after NCIS and FBI on Tuesdays. I am glad Blue Bloods is staying on Fridays where it has always been, the Peter Lenkov fans at TV by the Numbers wanted all his refakes taking over the night and sending BB to Sundays. Risky airing back-to-back new shows on two different nights, with three new shows total Thursday. I will of course watch Carol's Second Act, but what a waste of the Young Sheldon lead-in on The Unicorn.

[Mr. Television]

I used to love the upfronts. I never heard of 90% of these shows. lol

[TMC]

CBS presented a very promising upfront lineup, but its "#CBSSeesHer" initiative seemed ironic after its defense of Bull's renewal

CBS spent the first five minutes of its upfronts presentation talking about empowering women on and off camera with the #CBSSeesHer hashtag. But it looked out of place presenting that hashtag hours after CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl defended renewing Bull following the Michael Weatherly sexual harassment scandal. "However things were handled in the past, they're not being handled that way now," Kahl said. There was a lot of ignoring and misdirection with regards to CBS' sexual harassment problems, said Daniel Fienberg. And yet, CBS presented new shows that "looked generally more consistent and promising than anything else we've seen this week, judging only by trailers."

[icecream]

CBS fall premiere dates

https://tvline.com/2019/06/13/cbs-pr...young-sheldon/

[TMC]

CBS wants to "crack the code" of offering "cost-effective" original programming for Saturday nights

CBS' Saturday lineup currently consists of two hours of reruns followed by 48 Hours at 10 p.m. “Saturday night is a unique issue; there is lower viewership on Saturday but it is a little bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, if you don’t put great shows on, no one is going to come," CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl said at the TV press tour.

[icecream]

Originally Posted by TMC

CBS wants to "crack the code" of offering "cost-effective" original programming for Saturday nights

CBS' Saturday lineup currently consists of two hours of reruns followed by 48 Hours at 10 p.m. “Saturday night is a unique issue; there is lower viewership on Saturday but it is a little bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, if you don’t put great shows on, no one is going to come," CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl said at the TV press tour.

Too bad CBS didn't think like this last year. I would have gladly taken a 5th season of Scorpion that was sent to Saturdays over outright cancellation.

[TMC]

Premiere week winners and losers: All the new shows are "losers," and so are Thursday comedies

As Variety notes, last week saw historically low live+same day ratings for new shows across the four major networks. Fox's Prodigal Son was the top new show in the demo, but even its debut wasn't impressive. Meanwhile, comedies on Thursday night struggled following The Big Bang Theory's exit, including spinoff Young Sheldon. Meanwhile, Grey's Anatomy emerged as a winner with its Season 16 premiere, the top scripted show of Thursday night.

[James28]

Evil gets a renewal for the 2020-21 season. Evil is another series on U.S. broadcast TV that will only work 13-episode seasons, and its first season finale will air on January 30, 2020.

Also, All Rise, Bob Hearts Abishola, Carol's Second Act, and The Unicorn have all received full-season orders (which usually means 20-plus episodes). Deadline stated that the four shows will get at least five additional episodes (For example, it's believed that Bob Hearts Abishola is getting a back-nine order to match up with Chuck Lorre's other CBS serieses). If all four of AR, BHA, CSA and Unicorn were given 22 episodes each, this could be bad news for Man with a Plan and Broke.

https://deadline.com/2019/10/evil-re...on-1202766547/

[James28]

CBS Midseason Schedule Announced Last Monday (November 11)

* The 15th and final season of Criminal Minds will air from January 8 to February 19. Six of the 10 episodes will air on Wednesdays at 9, and the other four will air on Wednesday at 10. There will be a two-hour season premiere, and a two-hour series finale. SEAL Team will return to the Wednesday lineup with a two-hour episode on February 26.

* Undercover Boss will air in the Wednesday-at-8 timeslot from January 8 to February 5, being used as a bridge program between the two cycles of Survivor. The next cycle of Survivor (its 40th season and 20th year) will debut with a special two-hour edition on February 12, and will settle into its regular Wednesday-at-8 time period on February 19.

* FBI: Most Wanted, upon its premiere on January 7, will be slotted on Tuesdays at 10 pm (after the mothership FBI series), and NCIS: New Orleans will relocate to Sundays at 10 starting February 16. The series finale of Madam Secretary will air in mid-December.

* Tommy, the new cop drama starring Edie Falco, premieres February 6 and will take over the Thursday-at-10 time period from Evil (which will only work 13-episode runs and has already been renewed for a second season).

* Starting February 7, CBS will revert to the Friday lineup of 2016-2019, with the 2016 version of MacGyver being slotted on 8 pm and Hawaii Five-0 bumped back to 9 pm. The 2018 version of Magnum PI will return with the remainder of its episodes after MacGyver 2016 finishes its season... which will likely occur after the current regular broadcast-TV season has ended. CBS recently ordered nine more episodes of MacGyver 2016's fourth season, bringing it to a full-season of 22 episodes. Both of these Peter Lenkov reboots will obviously end up spilling into the Summer.

https://deadline.com/2019/11/cbs-win...te-1202782646/

[icecream]

Originally Posted by James28

If all four of AR, BHA, CSA and Unicorn were given 22 episodes each, this could be bad news for Man with a Plan and Broke.

Carol's Second Act and The Unicorn only got 18 episodes. The others were 22.

[James28]

^^Where did you hear about All Rise getting 22 episodes? Also, I know we still have Man with a Plan and Broke still to be scheduled, but one of The Unicorn and Carol's Second Act has to get an extension to 20 eps, and I initially thought it would be CSA. Just 18 eps for your first year is not going to be good for an eventual syndication package, as I learned after the cancellation of Speechless on ABC Network last Spring (that one has 18 episodes in its second year).

[icecream]

I am part of the TV by the Numbers boards thru Disqus, and All Rise was said by many there to be a full 22. It came as a surprise as most thought it would be capped at 13, but as someone who likes All Rise I am glad it got 22. I like Carol's Second Act, and would want more than 18 as well. But I think if it would have gotten 20, that would have been instead of the 18 they decided on. Man With a Plan and Broke will probably air on Thursdays when Carol and The Unicorn finish. The Unicorn was a dumb pickup totally incompatible with Young Sheldon or really any of the CBS comedies, and shouldn't have gotten that prime spot in the first place. And with Young Sheldon getting stronger from the start of the season, Unicorn's mediocre demo retention drags down the rest of the night.

[James28]

I'm not happy about Bob Hearts Abishola being the one to get 22 episodes while the others get 18 because CBS could have Man with a Plan air after The Neighborhood again this Spring, plus I don't see how Bob Hearts Abishola is going to realistically have a long run. Just doesn't feel the same with The Big Bang Theory being gone from new episodes.

I don't really like the post-TBBT CBS comedy division. None of their in-house-produced sitcoms are any good, and I don't even watch Mom live anymore. Next season of Mom will probably be its last one because of what we saw with TBBT (the announcement of TBBT ending last year was a complete surprise). I did get into Carol's Second Act to a degree, but I am planning to quit watching it soon (I watched CSA's fifth episode on the CBS website last Thursday). I wish a Howard, Bernadette, and Raj spin-off of TBBT had been ordered to series instead. CBS needs to stop picking-up new series from Warner Bros. TV entirely and focus on getting better in-house-produced comedies than the ones they have right now.

The only broadcast-TV comedies I watch right now are on NBC (Hint: One of them is Brooklyn Nina-Nine).

[icecream]

I wouldn't consider TBBT ending after 12 seasons a surprise, just getting to 12 is an accomplishment very few sitcoms have achieved. And TBBT got final season billing all year, not like some long running shows such as The Jeffersons that didn't find out they were cancelled until after the finale had aired. 12 full seasons is a long time for anyone to be with one show continuously. Jim Parsons was burned out and just didn't want to continue, and Sheldon was too important to the show for Chuck Lorre to continue without him. It also sounded like Johnny Galecki was burned out, he doesn't want to return to The Conners full time now that he is free to.