SitcomsOnline.com 2012-13 Upfront Preview: CBS; TV Land Unveils New Logo

Thursday, May 10, 2012

SitcomsOnline.com 2012-13 Upfront Preview: CBS; TV Land Unveils New Logo

Upfront preview week continues today with CBS. Speculation is that CBS will turn the one-hour comedy block on Thursday to two-hours. Will it happen? Not much else is going on with CBS other than that, so let's get right to it.
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com CBS 2012-13 preview:

New Series Already Picked-Up: None.
Already Renewed Returning Series: 2 Broke Girls, The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Mike & Molly, NCIS, NCIS: LA, The Mentalist, Person of Interest, The Good Wife, 60 Minutes, Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds, CSI, Hawaii Five-0, Undercover Boss, 48 Hours Mystery, & Survivor.
Likely Returning Series: CSI: NY, Rules of Engagement and Two and a Half Men.
Likely To Be Canceled or Already Canceled: How To Be A Gentleman, NYC 22, Unforgettable, A Gifted Man, Rob, CSI: Miami.
Likely New Series Pick-Ups: Untitled Ralph Lamb Project (drama for fall), Elementary (drama for fall), Oh F****, It's You (sitcom for fall), Super Fun Night (sitcom for fall), Trooper (drama for mid-season), and Partners (sitcom for mid-season).

OUR FALL 2012 PREDICTION:

Mondays
8:00PM How I Met Your Mother
8:30PM Mike & Molly
9:00PM 2 Broke Girls
9:30PM Super Fun Night (NEW!)
10:00PM Hawaii Five-0

Tuesdays
8:00PM NCIS
9:00PM Ralph Lamb (NEW!)
10:00PM NCIS: Los Angeles

Wednesdays
8:00PM Survivor
9:00PM Criminal Minds
10:00PM CSI

Thursdays
8:00PM Two and a Half Men
8:30PM Rules of Engagement
9:00PM The Big Bang Theory
9:30PM Oh F***, It's You (NEW!)
10:00PM Person of Interest

Fridays
8:00PM Undercover Boss
9:00PM Elementary (NEW!)

10:00PM Blue Bloods

Saturdays
8:00PM Crime Repeats
9:00PM Crime Repeats
10:00PM 48 Hours Mystery

Sundays
7:00PM 60 Minutes
8:00PM The Amazing Race
9:00PM The Mentalist
10:00PM The Good Wife

Comments: CBS is pretty steady and saw a nice increase, thanks to syndication, for The Big Bang Theory this past season. With the increase, CBS now has a chance to grow the comedy block on Thursday even more and expand to two-hours. This will make them younger on the night for sure. On CBS Mondays, How I Met Your Mother will continue to lead off the night but at 8:30pm possibly Mike & Molly could be moved there. I think 2 Broke Girls is possibly ready to anchor Monday nights, so I think they will move it to 9pm! As a result, Two and a Half Men is on the move and it will another night, but more on that below. 2 Broke Girls could lead into something new like Super Fun Night which seems like a good fit at 9:30pm. At 10pm, Hawaii Five-0 will return in this hour.
As for Tuesday, veteran NCIS will of course remain at 8. However, I think the 9pm hour will be different this time, with NCIS: LA moving to 10pm, so the new drama Untitled Ralph Lamb Project could be sandwiched in between at 9pm. Dennis Quaid stars in a nice all-star cast that also features James Russo, Michael Chiklis, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Unforgettable is too low in 18-49 to come back. For Wednesdays, CBS will likely remain with Survivor leading into Criminal Minds at 9pm. At 10pm, CSI has done solid, so I think it will remain here. Wednesdays is probably the only night CBS remains exactly the same. It's not great ratings, but consistent and good.
CBS Thursdays I think will now have Two and a Half Men leading off, at a new night and time! At 8:30pm, Rules of Engagement will likely be for fall because I don't think the series has any more mid-season options. So I think they will bring it back one final time. A new comedy like Partners will be ready to take over by January. CBS will likely expand its comedies into the 9pm hour, as The Big Bang Theory will anchor the night at 9pm. A new comedy would be ideal at 9:30pm, with either Partners or Oh F****, It's You the best options. I think they go with the latter. The Mentalist is probably on the move to another night, so I think Person of Interest will move from 9 to 10pm. Mid-season sitcom Rob has about no chance of returning.
Fridays will probably start off with Undercover Boss at 8pm, as it has done solid this season in this slot. At 9pm, CSI: NY should be benched for mid-season so they can try a new drama. Perhaps the Sherlock Holmes drama Elementary? Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu star. Blue Bloods should remain at 10pm.
Saturdays would still have crime repeats and 48 Hours Mystery at 10pm. No surprises here I think. I don't think they try new episodes of comedies at 8pm again, as it never planned out last season. And as for Sundays, CBS reality series Amazing Race at 8pm should remain out of 60 Minutes. Perhaps at 9pm they can move The Mentalist to this night to try and jump start The Good Wife, which will be needed to move to 10pm. CSI: Miami will likely not return I think, as it's not really needed nor does it do too well now. No chance NYC 22 returns.
CBS should have new comedies at 9:30pm on Mondays and Thursdays for sure. Thursdays at 8:30pm is another option, but I think they will wait until January for that time period. They should go with their three best multi-camera pilots in these slots. Whatever works best out of Men, Bang and Broke. The dramas look a bit more unique than usual for CBS in Ralph Lamb's project and Elementary. Will they skew young though? One of the CSI spin-offs will be dead, so another drama in mid-season could help, like Trooper. Anyway, last season at this time we were all glued in the Charlie Sheen saga, so it is not as active for CBS this year. Maybe their Thursday two-hour comedy block announcement will change that. I think they do it.

Remember, next Wednesday (May 16) is the actual date when we will find out CBS's plans for the 2012-13 season. So, come on back next Wednesday and we will let you know the details and you can see how much we were right (or wrong). Stay tuned tomorrow for our last preview, a preview on The CW's upfront.
Discuss your thoughts on our prediction and feel free to make suggestions of your own!

CBS

For the first time since the launch of the network 16 years ago in 1996, TV Land has unveiled a new and re-imagined logo plus re-designed on-air packaging and graphics. Gone is the logo with a classic TV screen and retro style. Instead, as of yesterday (Wednesday, May 9), viewers are seeing a fresh mark with a nod to the channel's roots, a change that reflects the evolution of the network itself. No longer a channel made up of shows strictly from yesteryear, TV Land is now finding success using a combination of programming including new original series, sitcoms of the recent past and, of course, classic TV.
And as we announced many times, in another network first, TV Land is adding a second night of original sitcoms to the schedule. This summer, the network will air three original comedies beginning Wednesday, June 20. In the channel's regular Wednesday night originals block from 10-11pm ET/PT, The Soul Man, starring Cedric The Entertainer and Niecy Nash, will debut the first of its 12 episode run, followed by the second season premiere of The Exes, starring Donald Faison, Wayne Knight, David Alan Basche, Kelly Stables and Kristen Johnston, which will also air for 12 episodes. Then, beginning Tuesday, June 26, TV Land will begin the 10-episode second season of Retired at 35, starring George Segal, Jessica Walter, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Johnathan McClain and Josh McDermitt at 10pm ET/PT alongside a repeat of hit series Hot in Cleveland starring Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Betty White.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, June 29

The Conners - "Patriarchs and Goddesses" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Darlene continues to navigate her breakup with Ben, and when she and Becky head to the movies and see Ben on a date, Darlene can’t stop herself from interfering and making everyone uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Dan offers to talk with Aldo’s dad, Jesse (Joe Walsh), when he doesn’t approve of Harris and Aldo’s relationship.

The Goldbergs - "The William Penn Years" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Never a sports enthusiast, Adam finds himself in a pickle with his peers when he’s recruited to film his high school’s highly awaited last football game of the year and fails to capture his team’s winning touchdown. Meanwhile, Beverly discovers her neighbor Arnie Wolfy (Dan Lauria) is moving and she’s determined to buy his spacious home and move the family in. Murray’s long-standing and unresolved conflict with Arnie challenges Beverly’s plans, but the family comes to appreciate home is where the heart is.

Abbott Elementary - "Student Transfer" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After a negative teacher review, Janine gets a confidence boost when a student gets transferred from Melissa’s class into hers, but it turns out the student proves to be too much to handle. While trying to forge a friendship with an uninterested Gregory, it is revealed that Jacob is constantly getting roasted by his students. The two bond after Gregory unintentionally gives Jacob the idea to incorporate the roasts in an educational way.

Home Economics - "Box of King-Size Candy Bars, $48.99)" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Trick or treat is not the only question on the Hayworths’ minds as they debate the best neighborhood for a spooktacular Halloween. Meanwhile, Connor navigates sharing the holiday with his ex-wife, Emily.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 27)

Wednesday, June 29

Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Steve Carell (Space Force/The Office/Come to Papa/Watching Ellie) - Watch Steve on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Minnie Driver (Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Garcelle Beauvais (The Jamie Foxx Show) - Garcelle is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 3:30am on Bravo.
Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) - Simu chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Sophia Bush (Partners) - Sophia will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Raven-Symoné (Raven's Home/That's So Raven/Hangin' with Mr. Cooper/The Cosby Show) - Raven-Symoné appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Ed Helms (The Office) and Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat) - Ed and Randall are guests on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Chelsa Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Luis) - Charlie will be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Ron Howard (Arrested Development/Happy Days/The Andy Griffith Show) and Clint Howard (Gung Ho) - Ron and Clint are guests on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Kym Whitley (Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) and Finesse Mitchell (Outmatched/A.N.T. Farm) - Kym and Finesse guest co-host a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Wendi McLendon-Covey (The Goldbergs/Rules of Engagement/Reno 911!) - Wendi is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Joey King (Bent) - Joey appears on E!'s Daily Pop at 11am.
Mira Sorvino (Shining Vale) - Mira talks about the film Most Guys Are Losers on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Michelle Buteau (Enlisted/China, IL) - Michelle will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Kim talks about Netflix's The Upshaws on Access Daily, so check your local listings.