CBS unveiled today its new 2013-2014 schedule, featuring eight new series – five comedies and three dramas – to build on the strength of America’s top-rated network. Five of the new series will premiere in the fall and three at mid-season. CBS will finish the current season as the top-rated network in viewers for the 10th time in 11 seasons, #1 in the adults 25-54 demographic and #1 in adults 18-49 for the first time since the 1991-1992 season.
For next fall, the Network is increasing its comedy lineup with four new comedies, expanding its comedy block on Thursdays from 8:00-10:00 PM and creating an encore hour for comedy broadcasts on Saturdays.
The new comedies are THE CRAZY ONES, a single-camera comedy from executive producer David E. Kelley starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar; THE MILLERS, a multi-generational family comedy from executive producer Greg Garcia starring Will Arnett, Margo Martindale, Beau Bridges and JB Smoove; MOM, an edgy family comedy from executive producer Chuck Lorre starring Anna Faris and Allison Janney; and WE ARE MEN, an ensemble single-camera comedy starring Tony Shalhoub, Kal Penn, Chris Smith and Jerry O’Connell.
Two new dramas have been scheduled for Mondays at 10:00 PM. HOSTAGES, the serialized suspense thriller from executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer starring Toni Collette and Dylan McDermott, premieres in the fall, building to a season finale in January. Soon after, INTELLIGENCE, a high-octane action drama starring Josh Holloway, Marg Helgenberger and Meghan Ory, moves into the time period for the remainder of the season.
The freshman series will be joined by 20 returning shows including NCIS, the season’s most watched show; THE BIG BANG THEORY, the season’s #1 comedy in viewers and demos; 60 MINUTES, the season’s #1 news magazine; and ELEMENTARY, the season’s #1 new drama.
The other returning series include: HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, 2 BROKE GIRLS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, PERSON OF INTEREST, SURVIVOR, CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, TWO AND A HALF MEN, UNDERCOVER BOSS, HAWAII FIVE-0, BLUE BLOODS, 48 HOURS, THE AMAZING RACE, THE GOOD WIFE and THE MENTALIST.
In addition, the proven hit returning comedy MIKE & MOLLY, starring Academy Award nominee Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell; the new steamy legal drama RECKLESS; and the new romantic comedy FRIENDS WITH BETTER LIVES are set for mid-season.
The new 2013-2014 schedule is:
On Monday, the veteran comedy HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER begins its climactic final season at 8:00 PM, providing a strong lead-in for the new single-camera ensemble comedy WE ARE MEN at 8:30 PM. The top-rated comedy of the night, 2 BROKE GIRLS, is at 9:00 PM, seamlessly leading into the new Chuck Lorre comedy MOM at 9:30 PM. At 10:00 PM, HOSTAGES will launch in the fall, building to a season finale in January. Soon after, INTELLIGENCE will take over the time period for the season.
On Tuesdays, CBS makes a key scheduling move at 10:00 PM, creating a powerhouse lineup in which the three top-rated dramas on television now air on the same night. The most-watched series on television, NCIS, returns at 8:00 PM, followed by the #2-rated drama NCIS: LOS ANGELES at 9:00 PM. The #3-rated drama and fastest-growing series, PERSON OF INTEREST, caps the night at 10:00 PM.
On Wednesday, CBS’s strong lineup returns with the popular reality series SURVIVOR kicking off the night at 8:00 PM. The highest-rated drama of the night, CRIMINAL MINDS, returns at 9:00 PM, followed by the time-period-winning CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION at 10:00 PM.
On Thursday, CBS is expanding its comedy lineup from 8:00-10:00 PM. The #1-rated comedy, THE BIG BANG THEORY, returns at 8:00 PM, giving a powerful lead-in to the new Will Arnett comedy THE MILLERS. THE CRAZY ONES, featuring the return to series television of the legendary Robin Williams, opens the new comedy hour at 9:00 PM, followed by the return of the #2-rated comedy on TV, TWO AND A HALF MEN, at 9:30 PM. The #1-rated new drama, ELEMENTARY, caps the night at 10:00 PM.
On Friday, CBS moves an established drama to the middle of the lineup to strengthen a winning night. At 8:00 PM, the Emmy Award-winning and time period leader UNDERCOVER BOSS returns. The popular drama HAWAII FIVE-0 establishes a new beachhead at 9:00 PM, leading perfectly into BLUE BLOODS, the top-rated series of the night, at 10:00 PM.
On Saturdays, CBS has another hour of comedy. COMEDYTIME will feature encore broadcasts of the Network’s hit comedies at 8:00 PM, followed by the popular CRIMETIME programming at 9:00 PM, and the night’s top-rated broadcast 48 HOURS at 10:00 PM.
On Sunday, CBS’s critically acclaimed lineup returns intact with the top-rated, award-winning news magazine 60 MINUTES at 7:00 PM, followed by Emmy Award winner THE AMAZING RACE at 8:00 PM, the critical favorite THE GOOD WIFE at 9:00 PM and THE MENTALIST at 10:00 PM.
(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)
Mondays
8 p.m. “How I Met Your Mother”
8:30 p.m. “We Are Men”
9 p.m. “2 Broke Girls”
9:30 p.m. “Mom”
10 p.m. Hostages (15 episodes into January) /”Intelligence” (start of 2014)
Tuesdays
8 p.m. “NCIS”
9 p.m. “NCIS: Los Angeles”
10 p.m. “Person of Interest”
Wednesdays
8 p.m. “Survivor”
9 p.m. “Criminal Minds”
10 p.m. “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”
Thursdays
8 p.m. “The Big Bang Theory”
8:30 p.m. “The Millers”
9 p.m. “The Crazy Ones”
9:30 p.m. “Two and a Half Men”
10 p.m. “Elementary”
Fridays
8 p.m. “Undercover Boss”
9 p.m. “Hawaii Five-O”
10 p.m. “Blue Bloods”
Saturdays
8 p.m. Comedytime Saturday
9 p.m. Crimetime Saturday
10 p.m. “48 Hours”
Sundays
8 p.m. “The Amazing Race”
9 p.m. “The Good Wife”
10 p.m. “The Mentalist” with “Mike & Molly” coming back midseason.
Tell us: What do you think about the upcoming CBS lineup?
