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« Roush Dispatch
CBS: Some Things Old, Something New
Anthony LaPaglia in Without a Trace by Mitch Haddad/CBS
In years past, CBS's stability (which you've gotta know the other networks covet) has often been criticized as complacency, especially in these last few years of wall-to-wall crime dramas. Zzzzzz. That's about to change, with a fall lineup of new, intriguing high concepts that could open some eyes where the Eye net is concerned and give CBS the one thing it most desperately desires: Buzz. Let's hope some of the new stuff sticks.
There is reason to be skeptical. The few shows from last season that went particularly "off brand" didn't last, most notably the serialized crime caper Smith (gone in three weeks) and the apocalyptic Jericho (canned after one season, which ended in a hail of bullets between warring towns, leaving fans on edge and up in arms themselves). The nagging question is if CBS will truly give its offbeat new lineup a chance to distinguish itself or instead will fall back on the tried and true that works so well for a network known for its satisfying, crowd-pleasing mainstream hits. (Just look at Tuesdays at 10 pm/ET this year: Two quick fades in Smith and 3 LBS — also three weeks and out — after which, for the majority of the season, this hour of prime time real estate was turned over to replays of CBS's endless string of procedurals.)
Before I take a quick look at the night-by-night rundown, a few observations.
Seems smart to put The Amazing Race on the back burner for midseason. With the gimmicky "family" and "all-star" cycles, this most-honored of all reality-competition shows was beginning to look a bit played out. Less is more. CBS should make this show feel like an event, and the best way to do that is not to schedule it season-round. Leave us wanting more, and maybe more will come.
Moving Without a Trace back to its old Thursday slot: Good idea. This season, it helped establish CBS's new Sunday strategy of a crime block to counter ABC's popular soaps. Now it can go back where it truly belongs, restoring some luster and stability to the toughest, most competitive night of the week. (And selfishly, I've had nothing to enjoy watching Thursdays at 10 pm/ET since ABC yanked Men in Trees from the lineup. It'll be good to have Trace once again behind CSI.)
And a big whew for CBS's midseason renewal of The New Adventures of Old Christine. Love that show, and was worried that the mystifying success of the mediocre Rules of Engagement (which returns in that coveted catbird seat between Two and a Half Men and CSI: Miami) would spell its doom.
Some early thoughts on the new CBS lineup, night by night:
Monday: Once again, stability rules, with only one new comedy in the mix: The Big Bang Theory, yet another twist on geek chic (see NBC's Chuck). As expected, The Class didn't graduate to a sophomore season. (The only way this or Christine would have returned in the fall is if CBS had tried to open a second comedy front during the week, which would have been a long shot at best.) I'm glad the rumors swirling around How I Met Your Mother's return were unfounded. The way this season ended, with Ted's love life once again wide open, it needed this third season (and probably more). This is still going to be a powerful night for CBS.
Tuesday: More stability, with NCIS and The Unit returning to lead in to what has to be seen as a risk: Cane, a Cuban-American family drama led by Jimmy Smits. This is one of TV's most endangered genres, and while it adds instant diversity to CBS's lineup, I worry that if it's too earnest, it won't last. As well as CBS does in the first two hours on Tuesdays, it has struggled in the 10 pm/ET time period ever since cutting the old-skewing Judging Amy loose. Can Smits & Co. do serious damage against Law & Order: SVUand Boston Legal? The storytelling is going to have to be pretty potent to break through.
Wednesday: Replacing Jericho (I'm already wading through the angry mail on that snub) is the sort of reality show that may actually live up to that overused label of "social experiment." Kid Nation transplants 40 kids into a New Mexico ghost town and asks them to start a society from scratch. Sounds intriguing, but also sounds like something you'd more likely see on cable or PBS. Rounding out the night: the usual procedural grind of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY. This looks like CBS's easiest line-up to avoid, especially given how aggressively ABC and NBC are going after the night.
Thursday: Back to normal. Survivor, CSI and Without a Trace. Good times.
Friday: CBS hopes to capitalize on the otherwordly appeal of Ghost Whisperer by replacing the conventional Close to Home with the vampire-detective saga Moonlight. (Hope it's better than Lifetime's dreary Blood Ties, which wouldn't be hard.) I like the idea, but worry that if it doesn't fly right off the bat (sorry), Moonlight could go the way of Threshold a few seasons ago and be gone by year's end. Numbers will ensure that CBS ends the night on a high note. Again, CBS is using solid tentpoles to try to create a new, outside-the-box franchise we might actually buzz about.
Saturday: The dead zone.
Sunday: The biggest risk of the season so far (with the possible exception of ABC's adorable Pushing Daisies) is Viva Laughlin, a drama-with-music based on a British concept (seen on BBC America as Viva Blackpool!). This heightened melodrama, using pop songs and choreographed flights of fancy to underscore the action, sounds on paper like the next Cop Rock, but could be something truly special. CBS is going to have to patient with this one — unless, of course, it takes everyone by surprise. Wouldn't that be nice? Otherwise, it's same old same old, with 60 Minutes on one side and the crime duo of Cold Case and a transplanted Shark on the other.
Finally, one show that didn't make the fall lineup but is on hold for midseason is a pet project of CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler (who first mentioned this to me last December at a holiday party). Swingtown is an ensemble drama set in the '70s that looks at the shifting sexual and social mores of the time. Sounds a little bit nostalgic, a little bit FX. Once again, CBS is going out on a limb to do something different. I applaud the daring and hope the execution of these shows live up to their ambition. And if that happens, I hope the audience will respond and reward CBS for not playing it safe for a change. Otherwise, I fear CBS will start shopping around for a new CSI locale.
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May 16, 2007 1:18 PM
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Matt - While watching the forgetable season finale of CSI: Miami they ventured off into a serial murder that started in Boston. I had a brief moment of anxiety thinking that this was the start of a new CSI: Boston. Thank god this wasn't the case!
In my opinion Jericho could have been so much better than either of the CSI spinoffs if only given a chance! It does bring back terrible memories of the abandonment of Threshold!
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May 16, 2007 1:39 PM
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I can't believe what they're replacing Jericho with. Horrible move, in my opinion.
(Since I'm against it, that probably means Kid Nation will end up being some massive hit.) 
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May 16, 2007 2:38 PM
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On a different note, Babylon Fields sounded interesting. I'm sorry that didn't make the cut.
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May 16, 2007 2:41 PM
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Viva Laughlin really does sound like the worst idea ever.
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May 16, 2007 2:48 PM
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As somebody highly interested in social psychology, I am kind of intrigued by Kid Nation. If done on PBS, I think it would be a well-executed show that people could study and learn from. However, I am worried how it might be commercialized or compromised being on CBS (or any other network). We will have to see.
Thanks for the coverage!!
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May 16, 2007 2:51 PM
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While I love The Amazing Race, I am glad they will only do one a year. They can put more time and effort into casting and challenges. The casting this season was pretty slap-dash and the challenges weren't, well, challenging enough IMO.
I think they should do the same with Survivor. Both shows could be much more buzzworthy if they happened once a year.
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May 16, 2007 4:02 PM
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Can someone please explain this whole drama-with-music thing?
Will there be up and coming artists performing weekly, or will it be like a WB show with music played over the action?
I'm so confused.
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May 16, 2007 4:48 PM
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I enjoyed "Viva Blackpool" on BBCA and will check out "Viva Laughlin" but I will not be surprised if it disappears quickly. It does not strike me as something that would appeal to the masses. I would also check out "Moonlight" because I am a sucker for vampire stories (no pun intended.) And, Matt, while usually I do agree with your critiques, I do like Lifetime's "Blood Ties". The scripts, while uneven, have begun to show some improvement and there is strong chemistry among the very attractive cast members.
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May 16, 2007 4:57 PM
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I'll not be watching anything on CBS
They have lost a household of viewers here.
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May 16, 2007 5:18 PM
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Here is the address for CBS television
CBS Television Network
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
ATTN: Kelly Kahl
The idea here is to get her attention in as unique a way as possible. It may cost a couple of dollars, but if we all sent her a small bag of nuts, like you would buy in a vending machine with the word "JERICHO" written on the outside in magic marker it would get their attention. After all, 7million bags of peanuts is a lot of NUTS!!
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May 16, 2007 5:36 PM
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That's entertaining-maybe us CJ fans should try that with the NO BODY CARES network! Good luck!
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May 16, 2007 5:47 PM
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I absolutely love the idea of sending CBS bags of nuts. I wonder how we could get other fans of Jericho to do this as well. It would be incredible.
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May 16, 2007 6:06 PM
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Yeah make sure you send those letters 3000 miles from their destination.
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May 16, 2007 6:13 PM
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Thanks for the info Matt, but none of the new sound interesting to me. I liked my old Wed. night of Jericho, Criminal Minds, CSI NY with Numb3rs on Fri.
So I guess I'll find something else to do or watch.
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May 16, 2007 6:14 PM
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