Where FOX is the 18-49 demo winner over CBS, the Eye is still the most watched network on television, thanks to beasts like The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, The Mentalist, Criminal Minds, and the NCIS and CSI franchises. But its comedy successes are sneakily taking pieces of FOX’s demo, with The Big Bang Theory going toe-to-toe with American Idol and besting the show numerous times in the season, proving that as Idol goes on, it’s becoming more and more vulnerable.
So amidst a largely unchained format—unlike big moves made by FOX, ABC, and NBC—CBS only makes one play: moving its two biggest demo performers together and putting them directly in Idol’s pathway. Come next January, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Big Bang and Men put the largest dent in the Idol fanbase yet. We talk through each of their nights below, preceding video previews of each new series:
Mondays 8pm – How I Met Your Mother 8:30pm – Partners (new series) 9pm – 2 Broke Girls 9:30pm – Mike & Molly 10pm – Hawaii Five-0
It’s not broken, so why fix it? Monday nights are a strong showing here, with trustworthy How I Met Your Mother (4.1 season demo average, 9.7 million viewers), Mike & Molly (3.8 demo, 11.5 million viewers) and new series 2 Broke Girls (4.3 demo, 11.3 million viewers). In that company, it’s hard to imagine Partners performing poorly. Even if The Voice returns in the fall with another season, the advantage might not be in NBC’s favor with these four shows coming out of the fall gate.
Tuesdays 8pm – NCIS 9pm – NCIS: Los Angeles 10pm – Vegas (new series)
You may point the finger at NCIS’ demos being beatable (the original hit a 3.8 while Los Angeles scored a 3.2), but with the millions of people tuning in regardless (NCIS averages a staggering 19.3 million viewers, and Los Angeles follows with 15.6). They’re two of CBS’ hottest properties that show no signs of slowing down, and Los Angeles shouldn’t fall victim to—in fact, may even be boosted by—NBC, FOX, and ABC’s sudden rush to fill the 9pm slot with comedies. It’ll be interesting to see if Vegas can keep up with its hugely successful lead-ins.
CBS isn’t stellar on Wednesdays, but it’s still a space for three of the network’s most dependable and longest-running series. Wednesday is unfussy schedule-wide, so things for these series should fare just fine.
Thursdays 8pm – The Big Bang Theory 8:30pm – Two and a Half Men 9pm – Person of Interest 10pm – Elementary (new series)
That Two and a Half Men move poses major trouble for fall X Factor and spring Idol results shows. Where Big Bang was considerably picking away at Idol’s results demo this past spring, a rejuvenated X Factor with Britney Spears and Demi Lovato still has to worry about Jim Parsons, and adding the Eye’s biggest demo-performer of the year behind it shows confidence for CBS and danger for FOX.
Fridays 8pm – CSI: NY 9pm – Made in Jersey (new series) 10pm – Blue Bloods
Keeping CSI:NY on Fridays and moving it up to 8pm is sensible, as it’s currently the network’s lowest performing scripted show in the demo, but it also shows how little faith the network has in Made in Jersey by starting it on Fridays right out of the gate. Blue Bloods isn't a factor in much of anything here, but we're interested in seeing how Jersey fares.
Sundays 8pm – The Amazing Race 9pm – The Good Wife 10pm – The Mentalist
Again, CBS is going the tried-and-true route here, but where numbers might get interesting is how struggling Good Wife (only 2.0 in the demo last season) will hold up against robust Revenge moving into the same timeslot.
Previews
Elementary (Thursdays at 10pm)
Made in Jersey (Fridays at 9pm)
Partners (Mondays at 8:30pm)
Vegas (Tuesdays at 10pm)
Thoughts on the new shows? Let us know in the comments.
Emily Cheever:
Oh my goodness i'm so mad at Elementary. They basically take what is already a stellar neo-Sherlock series (Sherlock on BBC) and ruin it with cheaper characters and gimmicks.
May 17, 2012
Jonah Gardner:
Vegas seems like it would be a great FX or AMC show, but I wonder how it will fit on CBS?
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