As a dedicated gamer and avid TV viewer, I’ve seen my fair share of network scheduling shenanigans over the years. But CBS’ decision to push back most of its new scripted series to October while giving special attention to “Matlock” and “The Summit” in September takes the cake.
As summer TV draws to a close and fall premieres, NFL games, and other shows take over, all broadcast networks have been intensifying their promotion efforts for upcoming lineups. ABC is introducing Kaitlin Olson’s new show, while NBC won’t be airing “Organized Crime” on Thursdays as part of “Law & Order.” Surprisingly, CBS has announced its strategy for the second half of 2024, pushing most new scripted shows back to October. The network has a particular plan for September programming.
Instead of waiting until the usual fall TV premieres in September, CBS made a surprise move by unveiling sneak peeks for two new shows earlier than planned. This strategy aims to generate excitement around “American Horror Story’s” Kathy Bates and her new role as the modern-day Matlock ahead of the official CBS premiere week. Football season significantly impacts this unexpected debut.
- Survivor Season 47 – Wednesday, Sept. 18 (8 p.m. ET)
- 48 Hours Season 37 – Saturday, Sept. 21 (9 p.m. ET)
- 60 Minutes Season 57 – Sunday, Sept. 22 (7 p.m. ET)
- Matlock Series Premiere Sneak Peek – Sunday, Sept. 22 (8 p.m.ET)
- The Summit Series Premiere Sneak Peek – Sunday, September 29 (9 p.m. ET)
In more casual terms: CBS decided to air reruns of “Matlock” and the competition show “The Summit” after NFL games, as these time slots typically draw larger audiences and better ratings due to football fans who often stay tuned rather than changing channels.
On paper, postponing the schedule is a clever idea, but it’s uncertain if this will entail taking unnecessary risks. Given that CBS dramas typically hold the throne, it’s unlikely that viewers will be so engrossed in other networks’ programs that they’ll completely forget about shows like NCIS when they return the following month.
CBS’ Official Premiere Schedule
It’s quite unexpected that CBS will broadcast the initial episodes of both “Matlock” and “The Summit” a week prior to other debuts, with no connection to any football matches. Following this, an abundance of new episodes will be released as mentioned below.
Monday, October 14
- NCIS Season 22 – 8 p.m. ET (Regular 9 p.m. ET time slot starts 10/21)
- NCIS: ORIGINS series premiere – 9 p.m. ET (Special two-hour debut, regular 10 p.m. ET time slot starts 10/21)
Tuesday, October 15
- FBI Season 7 – 8 p.m. ET
- FBI: International Season 4 – 9 p.m. ET
- FBI: Most Wanted Season 6 – 10 p.m. ET
Wednesday, October 16
- Survivor (new episode) – 8 p.m. ET
- The Summit (second episode) – 9:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, October 17
- GEORGIE & MANDY’S FIRST MARRIAGE series premiere – 8 p.m. ET
- Ghosts Season 4 – 8:30 p.m. ET
- Matlock (second episode) – 9 p..m. ET
- Elsbeth Season 2 – 10 p.m. ET
Friday, October 18
- S.W.A.T. Season 8 – 8 p.m. ET
- Fire Country Season 3 – 9 p.m. ET
- Blue Bloods Season 14 midseason premiere – 10 p.m.
Monday, October 21
- The Neighborhood Season 7 – 8 p.m. ET
- POPPA’S HOUSE series premiere – 8:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, October 27
- Tracker Season 2 – 8:30 p.m. ET
- The Equalizer Season 5 – 9:30 p.m. ET
As a long-time TV enthusiast who has gone through the labyrinth of complex television schedules, I can tell you that this year’s CBS lineup rollout feels like a challenging puzzle to piece together. Instead of a straightforward premiere week, we are dealing with two weeks filled with debuts and sneak peeks.
As a big fan of both “Young Sheldon” and “The Big Bang Theory,” I’m excitedly looking forward to the premiere of “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.” The new show’s use of a studio audience and multi-cam filming is something that “Big Bang Theory” fans, including myself, are familiar with and can’t wait to see how it plays out. And let’s not forget about those who were disappointed when “S.W.A.T.” was canceled, only to be thrilled again by Shemar Moore’s return in “Blue Bloods.” I, for one, will be tuning in before diving into the final episodes of “Blue Bloods,” hoping that spinoff plans can be expedited in the meantime.
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2024-07-16 17:40