With all the comedy pilots CBS is ordering, it's likely they're considering adding another comedy block to the schedule. The question is what night. What night do you think it belongs on and should any shows from Monday (Big Bang Theory, How I Meet Your Mother, 2.5 Men, New Adventures of Old Christine, Rules of Engagement) be transplanted to help establish it?
Well, Wednesday at 8 hasn't really worked well. The last time that slot worked for comedies was back when King of Queens and Becker were paired.
I think CBS should try an hour on Sunday, or perhaps an hour on Friday. And I would move Rules of Engagement and Christine, and if they tank, then try the new pilots. This proves what really can last on it's own, rather than the Men lead in.
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I'm for moving move Rules of Engagement and Christine to a new slot too. The 1st 3 comedies seem to be doing great on their own and the 2.5 Men slot could be used to launch their most promising sitcom or How I Meet Your Mother could be send their and the new show could be put in between The Big Bang Theory and 2.5 Men.
I think that Firdays would be a good spot. Bump Ghost Whisper and Moonlight back an hour each and use the first for comedies. Numbers could then be moved somewhere else. Maybe Wednesdays or Sundays?
Also with moving things, I think Without a Trace should take over the "cursed" Judging Amy slot on Tuesdays 10/9c and CBS's most promising pilot (possibly LL Cool Jay's The Man) could take the post CSI Thursday slot.
It is probably a given that CBS will debut at least one new comedy on Monday nights with either "The New Adventures of Old Christine" or "Rules of Engagement" (or both) moving to new nights. (TV Guide seems to think that only one of the two comedies - but not both - will be back.)
The next question is whether CBS wants to go with another two-hour block or simply a one-hour block. Unfortunately, CBS has had difficulty launching comedies on any night other than Mondays...
TUESDAY: The net last aired a sitcom on this night in the fall was way back in 1984 ("AfterM*A*S*H" and "E/R"). Launching a comedy block at 8:00 p.m. would allow "NCIS" to move to 9:00 p.m. and provide a stronger lead-in to whatever series CBS launches at 10:00 p.m. (However, those new comedies would have to face "American Idol" in January.)
WEDNESDAY: CBS has tried and failed on multiple occasions to launch a comedy block on this night, most recently in 2005-06 when four comedies failed during the season ("Still Standing", "Yes, Dear", "Courting Alex", and "Out of Practice"). Will CBS try and make another trip to the well by going with two comedies (perhaps the established "Christine" and "Rules of Engagement") on this night?
THURSDAY: Another night typically devoid of laughs for CBS. The last time a comedy aired here was briefly in 1990 when the long-forgotten "Doctor, Doctor" aired at 9:30 p.m. (after the hour-long "Flash" which started strangely at 8:30 p.m.). To find another Thursday comedy on CBS, you have to go back to 1970 when "Family Affair" aired on the night. Although it may be daring and bold and thinking out of the box to move "Survivor" and launch two comedies on Thursday, CBS is not likely to mess with its Thursday success.
FRIDAY: Another night that CBS has tried and failed to launch comedies on. The last attempt ("The Ellen Show" and "Danny") quickly proved not to be up to the task. Remember CBS's attempt to duplicate ABC's TGIF success in 1997-98 by stealing long running ABC series "Family Matters" and "Step by Step"? A continuation of NBC's defunct "Golden Girls", "Golden Palace" also failed to ignite interest on this night in the early 1990s. With Friday largely successful, CBS would not be wise to break up the dramas for any comedies.
SUNDAY: Once the home of hits like "All in the Family", "The Jeffersons", and "One Day at a Time", CBS has largely not played Sunday for laughs over the past decade. The last comedies to air on the night were "Becker", and the short-lived "Bram & Alice" and "My Big Fat Greek Life" in 2002-03. You need to go back to 1995 to find another Sunday comedy - when CBS tried and failed with the high profile "Cybill".
For me, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Sunday would be the most logical days to launch a comedy block - however, I would only launch two comedies instead of creating a separate two-hour block such as on Mondays. Football would play havoc with the Sunday comedies in the fall, but CBS could elect to pre-empt one of the two sitcoms in order to keep the rest of the night largely on time. If CBS plays it safe, as it likely will, expect another attempt to establish a comedy footing on Wednesdays.
Originally posted by Justin: Question, what happened to Shark?
It's been replaced with reruns of Showtime's Dexter due to the strike, but it's supposed to be back following Cold Case soon.
"Shark" will air its final episodes of the season (or series?) on Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. beginning later this month when "Big Brother 9" wraps up its first - and likely last - winter edition.
As Obveeus has noted along with others, I'm guessing this swap of HIMYM and BBT was done in order to determine BBT's strength and ability to lead off the night (which it clearly can). Now HIMYM can be moved to Wednesday to lead off that night. King of Queens was successful on Wednesdays when it aired there at 9pm, however, the much weaker Still Standing and Yes Dear, which CBS never really liked, never had a shot at 8pm with zilch promotion. HIMYM could really fix the Wed. 8pm problem and a simple pairing with Christine (which has done well behind HIMYM before) would work well in my opinion. This would allow for Rules to move to Monday at 8:30 and prove itself and for a new comedy to go post-2.5 Men. Another new comedy (or two) could be available at midseason.
Originally posted by Justin: Well, I think your Friday is ideal, and would probably work.
CBS should try either NUMB3RS in the Tuesday 10pm slot, or on Sunday at 10.
Debuting shows after CSI: has been successful in the past, so I would give it a try.
Question, what happened to Shark?
Moving CSI away from the Thursday at 10pm would mean CBS would need to take a huge risk in losing ratings to ABC's hit Grey's/Lost.
CBS should either put a hr block of Comedy on either Wednesdays or Thursdays at 8pm. I can't see another Comedy hr out of the 8pm zone, unless CBS stars developing a Dramedy. Which I don't see happening since CBS is just barely shaking off the Crime label with developing sci-fi dramas.
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I have been harking for a 2 hour comedy block on Sundays (8-10) for a few months now. I think it could work with moving 3 of the 5 existing comedies to the night, leaving 2 for Mondays, along with 2 new shows.
Plus, you could wait until January to debut the 4th sunday comedy and just use repeats as filler on Off weeks for CBS NFL Doubleheaders.
If CBS were to do a Friday comedy block, it would almost need to be TGIF-ish in tone. But has got to be better than the Mego and other crap they had on that night 10-15 years ago.
Originally posted by TV-aholic: I have been harking for a 2 hour comedy block on Sundays (8-10) for a few months now. I think it could work with moving 3 of the 5 existing comedies to the night, leaving 2 for Mondays, along with 2 new shows.
Plus, you could wait until January to debut the 4th sunday comedy and just use repeats as filler on Off weeks for CBS NFL Doubleheaders.
If CBS were to do a Friday comedy block, it would almost need to be TGIF-ish in tone. But has got to be better than the Mego and other crap they had on that night 10-15 years ago.
Hey! Family Matters and Step by Step weren't crap. They were just past their prime and everyone knows moving a show in like season 10, when fans have moved on spells disaster. Of course, ABC hasn't learned from that so we'll be getting another season of Scubs this fall.
A lot of the scheduling next season will depend on the quality of the pilots. My best recommendation for Fall 2008 is:
Monday
8:00 Rules of Engagement 8:30 Big Bang Theory 9:00 Oldyweds NEW or Worst Week NEW (which ever one tests the best) 9:30 Two and A Half Men 10:00 CSI Miami
Tuesday
8:00 NCIS 9:00 Exit 19 NEW 10:00 Numbers
Wednesday
8:00 How I Met Your Mother 8:30 New Adventures of Old Christine 9:00 Criminal Minds 10:00 CSI: NY
Thursday
8:00 Survivor 9:00 CSI 10:00 Without A Trace
Friday
8:00 Ghost Whisperer 9:00 The Mentalist NEW 10:00 The Unit
Saturday
Crimetime/48 hours/specials/repeats/filler
Sunday
8:00 Amazing Race 9:00 Cold Case 10:00 The Tower NEW
Mid-Season: Shark, Moonlight, Price Is Right, Harper's Island, Oldyweds or Worst Week (which ever one didn't make it to the fall schedule)
