CBS unveiled its fall schedule Tuesday without any stop-gap programming and including a reimagined version of “The Equalizer” and a new comedy produced by perennial hitmaker Chuck Lorre.
Other than the new Lorre series “B Positive” and “The Amazing Race,” which last ran in the spring of 2019, all the series on the fall schedule aired on CBS during the 2019-20 season. CBS will return 80% of its top-rated lineup during the 2020-21 season.
There was no announcement from CBS about when its fall schedule will start. Production will begin once federal, state and local guidelines indicate it is safe to do so. The network plans to follow best practices in consultation with the unions and guilds, CBS sources indicate.
Fox last week unveiled a fall schedule reflecting the uncertainty of resumption of production because of the coronavirus outbreak, with no returning first-run live-action scripted programming and two series that previously aired on cable.
The CW announced Thursday it would delay the start of its new season until January. Its fall schedule includes four series that previously aired elsewhere.
Sources close to the matter say NBC plans on making a programming announcement in mid-June. There was no immediate response to an email sent to an ABC publicity executive asking when it plans to announce its fall schedule.
“The Equalizer” stars Oscar nominee Queen Latifah as “an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn,” according to CBS. The series star is also among the executive producers, along with Richard Lindheim, a co-creator of the original version that ran on CBS from 1985-89.
“The Equalizer” will air Sundays at 8 p.m. following “60 Minutes” in the time slot occupied the past two seasons by the canceled uplifting drama “God Friended Me.”
“B Positive” stars Thomas Middleditch as a therapist and newly divorced father who is faced with finding a kidney donor when he runs into a rough-around-the-edges woman from his past (Annaleigh Ashford) who volunteers her own.
“B Positive” will air Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. following “Young Sheldon,” television’s most-watched comedy, which is also produced by Lorre. “The Unicorn,” which aired at 8:30 p.m. Thursdays during the 2019-20 season will move to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, replacing the canceled first-season comedy, “Carol’s Second Act.”
Four of the five series that premiered last fall on CBS will return for second seasons — the comedies “Bob Loves Abishola” and “The Unicorn,” the psychological drama “Evil” and the courtroom drama “All Rise.”
“Carol’s Second Act” is the only CBS series that premiered last fall that will not return for a second season.
The crime drama “FBI: Most Wanted,” which premiered at midseason, will also return. “FBI: Most Wanted” is television’s most-watched new series while “Bob Loves Abishola” is the most-watched new comedy.
CBS also canceled the fourth-season comedy “Man With A Plan” and two series that premiered at mid-season, the comedy “Broke” and the crime drama “Tommy.”
CBS previously announced the dramas “Criminal Minds,” “Hawaii Five-0” and “Madam Secretary” would end their runs in the 2019-20 season.
The CBS fall schedule consists of 13 hours of dramas, three hours of comedies, and two hours each of alternative series, news programming and reruns.
CBS also announced “Clarice,” based on the FBI agent played by Jodie Foster in the Oscar-winning best picture, “The Silence of the Lambs,” will premiere at midseason, while the police drama “S.W.A.T.” and the alterative series “Undercover Boss” will begin their new seasons as midseason.
“Clarice” is set in 1993, six months after the events of “The Silence of the Lambs.” It is described by CBS as “deep dive into the untold personal story of brilliant and vulnerable FBI Agent Clarice Starling (Rebecca Breeds) as she returns to the field.”
Here is the CBS fall schedule:
— Monday: “The Neighborhood”; “Bob Loves Abishola”; “All Rise”; “Bull”;
— Tuesday: “NCIS”; “FBI”; “FBI: Most Wanted”;
— Wednesday: “Survivor”; “The Amazing Race”; “SEAL Team”;
— Thursday: “Young Sheldon”; “B Positive”; “Mom”; “The Unicorn”; “`Evil”;
— Friday: “MacGyver”; “Magnum P.I.”; “Blue Bloods”;
— Saturday: “Crimetime Saturday” drama reruns; “48 Hours”;
— Sunday: “60 Minutes”; “The Equalizer” “NCIS: Los Angeles”; “NCIS: New Orleans.”