'Mentalist' moves, 'Medium' finds home on CBS
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More than any other network, CBS is playing from a position of strength going into next season, and its fairly stable schedule for 2009-10 reflects that. The changes the network did make, though, include a couple of pretty interesting ones.
CBS, which was the only net to increase its audience this season, will have four new series on its schedule in the fall -- but five that are new to the network. In addition to the four pilots it picked up, the Eye also snagged veteran drama "Medium" from NBC. It will air on Friday nights, sandwiched between "Ghost Whisperer" and "Numb3rs."
The other big move is that of "The Mentalist," this season's most-watched new show, to 10 p.m. Thursdays. The goal, CBS scheduling maven Kelly Kahl says, is to re-establish dominance of the night by creating a "super block" with "CSI."
The move of "The Mentalist" and the cancellation of "Without a Trace" creates room for two new shows on Tuesdays. The "NCIS" spinoff, unambiguously titled "NCIS: Los Angeles," will follow its parent at 9 p.m., and "The Good Wife," a legal drama starring Julianna Margulies, airs at 10.
CBS' other new drama is the medical show "Three Rivers," headed by "Moonlight" star Alex O'Loughlin. It will air at 9 p.m. Sundays, in between "The Amazing Race" and "Cold Case," which is sliding back to 10.
The lone new comedy for the fall is Jenna Elfman's "Accidentally on Purpose," about a movie critic whose one-night stand with a younger guy results in her getting pregnant. It joins a reshuffled Monday comedy block that will have "How I Met Your Mother" leading off the night at 8 and "The Big Bang Theory" moving behind "Two and a Half Men" at 9:30.
The comedy "Rules of Engagement" will once again come off the bench at midseason, along with two more dramas: the Jerry Bruckheimer medical show "Miami Trauma" and Canadian import "The Bridge." Two unscripted shows, "Undercover Boss" and "Arranged Marriage," are also set for midseason. "Flashpoint" is still in the mix too but doesn't have a destination yet.
Related:
CBS' fall 2009 schedule grid
PICS: CBS' new shows
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| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
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8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 
ABCDancing With the Stars performance show (Sep. 24) Castle (Sep. 24) 
CBSHow I Met Your Mother (Sep. 24) Partners (Sep. 24) 2 Broke Girls (Sep. 24) Mike & Molly (Sep. 24) Hawaii Five-0 (Sep. 24) 
NBCThe Voice (Sep. 10) Revolution (Sep. 17) 
FOXBones (Sep. 17) The Mob Doctor (Sep. 17) Local Programming 
CW90210 (Oct. 8) Gossip Girl (Oct. 8) Local Programming -
8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
ABCDancing With the Stars results show (Sep. 25) Happy Endings (Oct. 23) Don't Trust the B (Oct. 23) Private Practice (Sep. 25)
CBSNCIS (Sep. 25) NCIS: Los Angeles (Sep. 25) Vegas (Sep. 25)
NBCThe Voice Go On (Sep. 11) The New Normal (Sep. 11) Parenthood (Sep. 11)
FOXRaising Hope (Oct. 2) Ben and Kate (Sep. 25) New Girl (Sep. 25) The Mindy Project (Sep. 25) Local Programming
CWHart of Dixie (Oct. 2) Emily Owens, M.D. (Oct. 16) Local Programming -
8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
ABCThe Middle (Sep. 26) Suburgatory (Oct. 17) Modern Family (Sep. 26) The Neighbors (Sep. 26) Nashville (Oct. 10)
CBSSurvivor (Sep. 19) Criminal Minds (Sep. 26) CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Sep. 26)
NBCAnimal Practice (Sep. 26) Guys with Kids (Sep. 26) Law & Order: SVU (Sep. 26) Chicago Fire (Oct. 10)
FOXThe X Factor performance show (Sep. 12) Local Programming
CWArrow (Oct. 10) Supernatural (Oct. 3) Local Programming -
8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
ABCLast Resort (Sep. 27) Grey's Anatomy (Sep. 27) Scandal (Sep. 27)
CBSBig Bang Theory (Sep. 27) Two and Half Men (Sep. 27) Person of Interest (Sep. 27) Elementary (Sep. 27)
NBC30 Rock (Oct. 4) Up All Night (Sep. 20) The Office (Sep. 20) Parks and Recreation (Sep. 20) Rock Center
FOXThe X Factor results show (Sep. 13) Glee (Sep. 13) Local Programming
CWThe Vampire Diaries (Oct. 11) Beauty and the Beast (Oct. 11) Local Programming -
8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
ABCLast Man Standing (Nov. 2)) Malibu Country (Nov. 2) Shark Tank (Sep. 14) 20/20 (Sep. 14)
CBSCSI: NY (Sep. 28) Made in Jersey (Sep. 28) Blue Bloods (Sep. 28)
NBCWhitney (Oct. 19) Community (Oct. 19) Grimm (Sep. 14) Dateline
FOXTouch (Oct. 26) Fringe (Sep. 28) Local Programming
CWAmerica's Next Top Model (Aug. 24) Nikita (Oct. 19) Local Programming -
8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
ABCSaturday Night College Football
CBSCrimetime Saturday 48 Hours: Mystery (Sep. 29)
NBCEncore Programming
FOXFOX Sports Saturday Local
CWLocal Programming -
7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
ABCAmerica's Funniest Home Videos (Oct. 7) Once Upon a Time (Sep. 30) Revenge (Sep. 30) 666 Park Avenue (Sep. 30)
CBS60 Minutes (Sep. 30) The Amazing Race (Sep. 30) The Good Wife (Sep. 30) The Mentalist (Sep. 30)
NBCFootball Night in America (Sep. 9) Sunday Night Football (Sep. 9)
FOXNFL Game The OT (NFL post-game) The Simpsons (Sep. 30) Bob's Burgers (Sep. 30) Family Guy (Sep. 30) American Dad (Sep. 30) Local Programming
CWLocal Programming
| Legend: | New Show | New Time | Returning |
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Glad to see Medium is still alive. NBC will regret letting it go. I think it will thrive on CBS.
I cannot believe CBS is dropping Without a Trace and The Unit for Medium. What a stupid move!!!
Jason Biggs anyone :(
I'm disappointed in the cancellation of Without a Trace. I enjoyed the fact that while the show always found the missing person by the end, you never knew what the status would be or what extra twist would happen. It is nice to be able to watch a show where you don't always know the ending. At least they didn't leave any open plot-lines.
I cannot believe CBS canceled "Without a Trace"! I am glad though that they have picked up "Medium".
happy to see Medium has a home, and glad to see Cold Case didn't get the ax!!
Let's hope some of those newer shows will die a quick death so we can have The Unit & Without a Trace BACK!!
I loved Medium, but I'm sure it's poor planning on CBS's part in dropping the established shows: Trace & Unit.
We'll see who wins what this fall with all these new digital TVs. The Viewers will get the last laugh.
It was dumb to cancel With A Trace! Had a lot going for it!
I'm certainly going to miss The Unit, one of the better shows for former military right-thinking males. I'm happy for The Mentalist, as Simon Baker is superb in his role.
Without a trace and The Unit were two of my favourites. You can't fill those spots.