CBS lays out a tight fall premiere schedule

By Rick Porter

June 24, 2009 1:46 PM

CBS will take the concept of "premiere week" very seriously this fall, launching nearly its entire lineup the week of Sept. 21.

The only outliers on the Eye's launch schedule are "Survivor: Samoa," which will debut Thursday, Sept. 17, and the new medical drama "Three Rivers," with star Alex O'Loughlin, which will premiere Sunday, Oct. 4. The rest of the schedule, including three other new shows and the CBS premiere of "Medium," will all roll out the week after the Emmy Awards (which CBS is broadcasting this year).

The compact premiere schedule is pretty much par for the course with CBS, which hasn't messed much with the way it rolls out its shows in the past few years.

Highlights among the premieres include a reshuffled comedy lineup on Monday, Sept. 21 that has "How I Met Your Mother" at 8 p.m. and "The Big Bang Theory" at 9:30; the premiere of "NCIS: Los Angeles" following its parent show on Tuesday, Sept. 22; and "The Mentalist" settling into its Thursday-night home after "CSI" on Sept. 24.

"The Amazing Race" will get a two-hour premiere on Sunday, Sept. 27, which accounts for the delay in the "Three Rivers" premiere.

Here's the full rundown (all times Eastern):

Thursday, Sept. 17

8 p.m. "Survivor: Samoa"

Monday, Sept. 21

8 p.m. "How I Met Your Mother"
8:30 p.m. "Accidentally on Purpose"
9 p.m. "Two and a Half Men"
9:30 p.m. "The Big Bang Theory"
10 p.m. "CSI: Miami"

Tuesday, Sept. 22

8 p.m. "NCIS"
9 p.m. "NCIS: Los Angeles"
10 p.m. "The Good Wife"

Wednesday, Sept. 23

8 p.m. "The New Adventures of Old Christine"
8:30 p.m. "Gary Unmarried"
9 p.m. "Criminal Minds"
10 p.m. "CSI: NY"

Thursday, Sept. 24

9 p.m. "CSI"
10 p.m. "The Mentalist"

Friday, Sept. 25

8 p.m. "Ghost Whisperer"
9 p.m. "Medium"
10 p.m. "Numb3rs"

Saturday, Sept. 26

10 p.m. "48 Hours Mystery"

Sunday, Sept. 27

7 p.m. "60 Minutes"
8 p.m. "The Amazing Race" (two hours)
10 p.m. "Cold Case"

Sunday, Oct. 4

9 p.m. "Three Rivers"

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in CBS, Fall TV Preview, TV News

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| Comments (10)

10 Comments

I look forward to seeing mega-talented ALEX O'LOUGHLIN again regularly on TV in THREE RIVERS!

Sabine Atkins | June 24, 2009 6:14 PM

I cant wait for how i met your mother

Smitty | June 24, 2009 6:46 PM

Where is Jerico?

meow | June 25, 2009 6:59 AM

Why is Big Bang Theory being moved to 9:30 after 2-1/2 Men (or lately, 1-1/4 Men as it has lost a lot)? The move would indicate they want to make the BBT racy, which, if true, will likely not work.

Of course the other question is how do they move a raunchy show like How I... to 8:00? Someone at CBS has a screw loose.

Dave,

dave | June 25, 2009 9:58 AM

Hopefully Medium with do well on Friday nights with GW and Numbers. Medium is such a great show, I'm glad CBS picked it up.

Susan | June 25, 2009 11:33 AM

I can't wait for Alex O'Loughlin in "Three Rivers."

Bianca33 | June 25, 2009 11:44 AM

10/4 can't come soon enough. Go Alex!

Lorie | June 25, 2009 12:39 PM

i agree susan

claire | June 25, 2009 9:45 PM

I wonder if alex 'O loughlin of the new CBS series Three Rivers is considered to be the next McDreamy.