2012 Fantasy Schedule: CBS

Monday

8:00 - How I Met Your Mother
8:30 - My Idiotic Twenties (NEW)
9:00 - Two and a Half Men
9:30 - Mike & Molly
10:00 - Hawaii Five-0

CBS's Monday lineup is stable as is, but with 2 Broke Girls being such a big hit, I think they'll want to move it to anchor a second comedy hour on Thursday night. That leaves a space open for a new comedy. CBS has been slow to add a single-camera comedy to its lineup, but word is that Nick Stoller's new pilot is strong and would pair well with How I Met Your Mother.

Tuesday

8:00 - NCIS
9:00 - Elementary (NEW)
10:00 - NCIS: LA

NCIS: LA has had the benefit of its parent show's lead-in for three years now; after some strong recent ratings (especially one with a Hawaii Five-0 crossover) I think it should have to stand on its own. Elementary is one of CBS's strongest-looking pilots of the year, and it has the procedural element standard of CBS's Tuesday lineup.

Wednesday

8:00 - Survivor
9:00 - Criminal Minds
10:00 - CSI

No changes here.

Thursday

8:00 - The Big Bang Theory
8:30 - Over & Out (NEW)
9:00 - 2 Broke Girls
9:30 - Partners (NEW)
10:00 - Person of Interest

Martin Lawrence is still (inexplicably) a draw for audiences, so I think it's a safe bet that his new series Over & Out gets picked up. Kohan & Mutchnik's new pilot Partners is getting strong early reviews; it could also be easily paired with The Big Bang Theory to maximize its exposure, though I don't know how much of an audience the two shows would share. Person of Interest has shown itself to be a strong performer, and I think it could do even better (creatively) in the 10:00 hour when shows generally are darker and more adult in nature.

Friday

8:00 - Ralph Lamb (NEW)
9:00 - The Mentalist
10:00 - Blue Bloods

CBS tried The Mentalist out on Friday night earlier this year, and it garnered strong results: it was the evening's highest-rated show. With its Thursday night ratings slipping, Friday would be a good fit. While I'm not fond of the idea of debuting another new show on Friday after the extremely lackluster performance this year of A Gifted Man, I don't think CBS has much choice. Ralph Lamb has an all-star cast in Michael Chiklis and Dennis Quaid, so if anything has a chance of success on the evening it's this pilot.

Sunday

8:00 - The Amazing Race
9:00 - The Good Wife
10:00 - CSI: Miami

I don't think CSI: Miami will get a full season order, but it would be silly of CBS to try to debut a new show on Sunday night with all of the football overrun that happens; as a result, the 10:00 show often gets pushed back a half-hour or so. So I think CSI: Miami will be on the fall schedule (especially considering the lucrative syndication deal it landed with AMC last year) but something new will take over in the spring. Of every night on CBS's schedule, I think Sunday nights are their most vulnerable... but I also don't see that changing this year.

Midseason

I can see CBS ordering just one more each of dramas and comedies. My guesses would be Widow Detective as the drama (it's the most generic-looking, so I'd be stupid to think it wouldn't get a pick-up... this is CBS, after all) and Oh F*ck, It's You as the comedy. I also think Rules of Engagement, the ultimate utility player, will get a shortened order as schedule spackling and a potential replacement for any comedy bombs.

Bottom Line Predictions

New Series - Elementary, Ralph Lamb, Widow Detective, My Idiotic Twenties, Partners, Over & Out, Oh Fuck It's You
Canceled Series - Unforgettable, A Gifted Man, CSI: NY, NYC 22, How to Be a Gentleman, Rob

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