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As part of a year-round strategy of more original programming and fewer repeats, CBS announced the season premiere dates of The Mentalist and Undercover Boss. Both programs will bridge the time periods between the fall finales and the spring premieres of Survivor and The Amazing Race. The seventh and final season of The Mentalist will premiere Sunday, Nov. 30 at approx. 9:30PM ET/9:00PM PT, where it will air new episodes for five weeks through December. When The Good Wife returns on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 9:00PM ET/PT, The Mentalist will shift to its regular Wednesday at 8:00PM ET/PT time slot on Jan. 7. The series will conclude with a special two-hour finale on Wednesday, Feb. 18 beginning at 8:00PM ET/PT. Like The Good Wife, new drama Madam Secretary will also return Sunday, Jan. 4 at 8:00PM ET/PT. As for Undercover Boss, the sixth season will begin with three special Sunday broadcasts, Dec. 14 at 8:00PM ET/PT and Dec. 21 & 28 at 8:30PM ET/8:00PM PT. On Jan. 2, it will move to its regular Friday at 8:00PM ET/PT time period thru Feb. 20. And finally, the spring cycles of Survivor (30th edition) and The Amazing Race will both premiere on Wednesday, Feb. 25, each with a special 90-minute episode from 8:00-9:30PM ET/PT and 9:30-11:00PM ET/PT, respectively. The Amazing Race will then move to its regular time period on Friday, Feb. 27 at 8:00PM ET/PT).

TV Land announced that season four of the network's hit sitcom The Soul Man, starring Cedric "The Entertainer" and Niecy Nash, will be helmed by Bill Martin and Mike Schiff, who hail from the hit comedies 3rd Rock From The Sun and Grounded for Life. Also new for the upcoming season of The Soul Man is the return of the lively and lovely comedienne Sherri Shepherd, who is back for 10 of the season's 12 episodes as Nikki, Boyce Ballentine's (Cedric) unpredictable cousin. Nikki, who was last seen hawking sex toys to the elder ladies of Boyce and Lolli's (Nash) church, always has some new business that’s causing trouble and wreaking havoc in the Ballentines' lives. The Soul Man is set to return to TV Land in 2015. The Soul Man follows R&B super-star-turned minister Reverend Boyce "The Voice" Ballentine after he relocated from Las Vegas to St. Louis with his wife Lolli. While they're always adjusting to their new modest life, they have plenty of obstacles in their way, including Boyce’s brother Stamps (Wesley Jonathan), who is only just beginning to grow up and get his own place...finally.