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CBS fall TV 2011 schedule predictions: 'Two and a Half Men' and a few new shows

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May 11, 2011 5:55 PM ET

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cbs-schedule-prediction.jpgCBS made a couple of bold scheduling moves last year by shipping "Survivor" to Wednesday nights and starting a new comedy block anchored by "The Big Bang Theory" on Thursdays.

This year? We're guessing less of that.

The biggest shakeup will come within a show when the network and Warner Bros. TV announce how they plan to reconfigure "Two and a Half Men" post-Charlie Sheen -- and with the news that the show unsuccessfully courted Hugh Grant, any such announcement is likely to be a pretty big one.

As for the schedule as a whole, CBS is once again working from a position of relative success, which means that we won't see more than a handful of new shows in the fall, and most of the newcomers will likely be protected by established lead-ins. Here's our best guess as to what CBS will unveil on Wednesday, May 19. (You can also check out our predictions for ABC's fall lineup.) New shows are in italics; all times Eastern/Pacific

Monday

8:00 "How I Met Your Mother"
8:30 "Two Broke Girls"
9:00 "Two and a Half Men"
9:30 "Mike & Molly"
10:00 "Hawaii Five-0"

The big question, of course, is what will "Two and a Half Men" look like? We hope we find out next week. If CBS is high on the revamped show, we could also see "Mike & Molly" moving up to 8:30 and giving the 9:30 spot to "Two Broke Girls," which stars Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs as the underfunded young ladies.

Tuesday

8:00 "NCIS"
9:00 "NCIS: Los Angeles"
10:00 "The Good Wife"

Not much need for a shakeup here.

Wednesday

8:00 "Survivor"
9:00 "Criminal Minds"
10:00 "Person of Interest"

"Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" has been something of a disappointment ratings-wise, but there's still a chance for it to return. "Person of Interest" (starring "Lost" alum Michael Emerson and Jim Caviezel) is a slightly different take on the network's crime-drama staple, and it sounds as though it might be a good fit coming out of the original "Criminal Minds."

Thursday

8:00 "The Big Bang Theory"
8:30 "Rules of Engagement" OR "How to Be a Gentleman"
9:00 "CSI"
10:00 "The Mentalist"

Not much change here -- "Rules" is a pretty safe bet for renewal, but we could see it getting bumped to midseason so CBS can use a "Big Bang Theory" lead-in to get eyeballs to a new comedy. One wildcard: Would CBS move the aging "CSI" to a different night in order to use "The Mentalist" as a lead-in to something new? We suggested as much last year, but while the "CSI" spinoffs each got new nights, the original stayed put.

Friday

8:00 Untitled Susannah Grant drama
9:00 "CSI" tossup - "Miami" OR "NY"
10:00 "Blue Bloods"

Our gut feeling is that only one of the "CSI" spinoffs will make it into next season. The ratings for "Miami" (12 million viewers, 2.9 in 18-49) are better than those for "NY" (10.8 million, 2.1). But "Miami" is also the older and (somewhat) more expensive show, plus "NY" gets a slight break for airing on Friday, where viewing levels are lower. At 8, the Susannah Grant show, a medical drama with an otherworldly element (Patrick Wilson plays a surgeon whose dead ex-wife teaches him lessons from beyond) feels like it fits the "Medium"/"Ghost Whisperer" mold that's done fairly well in the timeslot in recent years.

Saturday

No change -- drama repeats and "48 Hours."

Sunday

7:00 "60 Minutes"
8:00 "The Amazing Race"
9:00 "Undercover Boss"
10:00 "Rookies"

CBS is unlikely to tinker much here. "Rookies" has pretty strong word of mouth so far and is right in the CBS crime-drama wheelhouse. There's a chance the network might not want a new show on Sundays in the fall, given the way NFL overruns can bump start times. If that's the case, "Rookies" would likely work well with "Blue Bloods" on Fridays and the surviving "CSI" could take "Miami's" current spot.

Other contenders: We'd really like to see Sarah Michelle Gellar back on TV in "Ringer," but there seem to be questions about whether the pilot is too un-CBS-like. We're hoping for a midseason spot. "Hail Mary," starring Minnie Driver, is also reportedly in the mix, while the Untitled Peter Knight Comedy, which stars Gellar's former TV sister Michelle Trachtenberg, is a dark horse.

What would you like to see on CBS next season?
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 |  Comments (19)

What is CBS thinking??? Why would you put a new show on friday at 8pm when The Defenders was putting up such BIG numbers?
CBS is gonna be sorry when any new show pulls in 5.5 to 6.5 million when The Defenders can pull in 8 to 8.7 million viewers.

Justin | May 11, 2011 7:24 PM

I can't wait for the "2 1/2 men spin off to fail. CBS thinks the ratings for Monday are bad now, just wait till the Fall Season. The big impact I am sorry to say will be on "How I Met Your Mother", I don't think I have seen a show as good as this one once was FALL so HARD and so FAST. When the ratings fall to under 6 million ( they are now at 6.3 ) CBS will make next season of HIMYM it's last. But there is still hope, if CBS moves "The Big Bang Theory" back to Mondays, it could stablize the nights falling ratings and demo's. There is NO hope for the "New" 2 1/2 men, it will be lucky to make it passed 13 episodes.

Justin | May 11, 2011 7:24 PM

I'd like to see CBS shake things up a bit - try to attract younger audience. Of the 'big-4' nets, I watch CBS the least - "Grandpa's network".

Monday - HIMYM, 2 BGirls, 2.5 Men, MMolly and Five-0
Tuesday - NCIS 1 & 2 and The Rookies
Wednesday - Survivor, CMinds, Blue Bloods
Thursday - BBang, Gentleman, Mentalist, Ringer
Friday - S Grant Proj, Hail Mary, CSI NY
Sunday - 60Minutes, Reality, 9pm/CSI, 10pm/Good Wife

MidSeason - Rules Engagement, Home Game, Person Of Interest

Nero, theTV Fiddler | May 11, 2011 7:25 PM

Wait a minute. Wasn't CSI Miami the top rated Monday night show at one time? I assumed they only moved it over to Sunday JUST to make room for Hawaii Five-O. Isn't it still to top rated Sunday night show?

mikex | May 11, 2011 8:40 PM

Yes, CSI Miami is drawing good numbers (9.7 last week) in comparison to the other shows on Sunday, but all the shows on Sunday are losing viewers. It's a race to the bottom.

The question in my mind is, could Sunday night as a whole be doing better on all three of the vintage nets - CBS, ABC, NBC? Or is Sunday night doomed to look like Saturday (and now Friday nights) in the way of programming and ratings expectations?

I'm not against holding onto CSI Miami for Sunday at 9pm, and dropping CSI, but something has to give in that franchise- they need to turn a page here and move on - the program costs are high relative to the dollars they take in [based on the ratings].

CBS doesn't want to get itself into the position NBC has where they depended too much on the Law&Order franchise for too long. Now NBC is in trouble - without NFL football, they literally have no Sunday content worth watching.

I just read on another blog tonight that it appears CBS may keep all three CSI shows, but may end up asking the actors to work less episodes to save money. That may be what happens with CSI, CSI-NY and CSI Miami - the actors will work fewer episodes next season.

I'm fine with that, as long as new CBS pilots with some interesting potential are not killed off before they have a chance (shows like The Rookies and Ringer). CBS needs to make some room for next potential hit series. Check out the cast on 'The Rookies' - some interesting potential there to keep viewers tuned in.

Nero theTV Fiddler | May 11, 2011 11:28 PM

I REALLY want to see Ringer get picked up... It's been way to long since Sarah Michelle Gellar was on TV. She's such a talented actress and CBS should give it a shot!

Adam | May 12, 2011 4:19 AM

I apologize for not having anything intelligent to say: but WOW, Patrick Wilson is dreamy.

Joey B | May 12, 2011 9:58 AM

I'm pretty sure CBS will finally move The mentalist to Thursday at 9:00 and open the 10:00 slot for a new show. CSI could go back to Friday at 9:00 (it's original time slot). This would end CSI:NY.

I really hope The Defenders returns (as noted above, it got great ratings for 8:00 on Friday) but I'm not holding my breath. NBC or ABC would be smart to pick the show up instead.

Cornelius | May 12, 2011 11:04 AM

Move Hawaii Five-O away from Castle

beans | May 12, 2011 11:31 AM

As for the actors wroking less episodes on the original CSI, the only one I've ever watched as I'm not much into spin-offs,tey're already doing that. I don't think any of the main actors appeared in all 22 episodes. Marg Helgenburger was absent in 4 shows and Jorja Fox, more than that. They don't need every actor in every episode. There's enough to go around

CLASSICTVGUY | May 12, 2011 12:27 PM
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