Monday will now be home to two comedies and two dramas — and execs revealed that their revived Candice Bergen sitcom, airing alongside ‘Mom,’ will focus on a cable news morning show wars.
Announcing its fall lineup Wednesday morning, its first without at least some Thursday Night Football in a few years, CBS is keeping things pretty much the same on the nights that have been working and making some big changes to its troubled Monday.
The biggest news of all might be that Murphy Brown will land on the schedule sooner than some expected. The 13-episode order of the revival, which has even more excitement around it since the success of ABC’s Roseanne, is slotted for Thursday nights — airing at 9:30 p.m. after Mom, a full hour after The Big Bang Theory.
Programming SVP Thom Sherman offered up some details about the new Murphy Brown during a breakfast with press. The returning characters, who anchored news magazine FYI in the original, now have a morning cable news show called Murphy in the Morning. The twist is that Candice Bergen’s character’s son is on a rival morning show. When asked if it was a Fox & Friends/Morning Joe situation, CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl agreed that it was a good comparison. “We’re extremely hopeful,” Kahl said when asked if Rosenne’s success on ABC had raised ratings expectations. “We’d love to get Roseanne numbers. I’m not sure we’re going to get Rosanne numbers.”
The rest of the changes are much more subtle and precise. Wednesday and Friday see no changes at all, and Tuesday’s only change is the addition of freshman FBI as the beneficiary of NCIS‘ enduring and formidable lead-in. Murphy Brown is Thursday’s lone change, subbing in for Life in Pieces — now held for midseason. On Sundays, the revolving drama door at 8 p.m. gets freshman God Friended Me before returning NCIS: Los Angeles and Madam Secretary.
Though the actual changes are minor, it’s worth noting that CBS is among the most aggressive networks to run new programming this upfronts week. The fall will bring six new series, including Murphy Brown — only technically a returning show.
Monday
8–8:30 p.m. — The Neighborhood
8:30–9 p.m. — Happy Together
9–10 p.m. — Magnum P.I.
10–11 p.m. — Bull
Tuesday
8–9 p.m. — NCIS
9–10 p.m. — FBI
10–11 p.m — NCIS: New Orleans
Wednesday
8–9 p.m. — Survivor
9–10 p.m. — SEAL Team
10–11 p.m — Criminal Minds
Thursday
8–8:30 p.m. — The Big Bang Theory
8:30–9 p.m. — Young Sheldon
9–9:30 p.m. — Mom
9:30–10 p.m. — Murphy Brown
10–11 p.m. — SWAT
Friday
8–9 p.m. — MacGyver
9–10 p.m. — Hawaii Five-0
10–11 p.m — Blue Bloods
Saturday
8–9 p.m. — Crimetime Saturday
9–10 p.m. — Crimetime Saturday
10–11 p.m — 48 Hours
Sunday
7–8 p.m. — 60 Minutes
8–9 p.m. — God Friended Me
9–10 p.m. — NCIS: Los Angeles
10–11 p.m. — Madam Secretary
Keep track of all the renewals, cancellations and new show orders with THR’s scorecards for ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW and with all the latest pilot pickups and passes with our handy guide. For complete coverage, bookmark THR.com/upfronts.
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