CBS' new fall schedule; 'Mentalist' after 'CSI'; picks up 'Medium' for Fridays

By James Hibberd and Nellie Andreeva

Stability-embracing broadcaster CBS will make a few strategic moves next fall, including relocating its breakout hit "The Mentalist," shaking up its Monday comedy block and picking up "Medium" from rival NBC.

CBS is shifting "The Mentalist" to Thursdays at 10 p.m., giving the show a "CSI" lead in. Network executives told reporters Wednesday morning that the move is part of a strategy to take advantage of NBC pulling its scripted shows from the hour.

"We think the 10 p.m. change is huge," said CBS Corp. president and CEO Les Moonves. "There will be more share available at 10 p.m. for those of us who put on great dramas.”

Regarding the "Mentalist" switch, CBS scheduling chief Kelly Kahl said, “We saw an opportunity to take a strong show and make it a stronger show."

As expected, a day after its cancellation by NBC, the CBS TV Studios-produced drama "Medium" landed on the CBS schedule, sandwiched between paranormal drama "Ghost Whisperer" and crime drama "Numbers" on Friday.

“If 'Ghost Whisperer' and 'Numbers' had an offspring, it would be 'Medium,'” entertainment president Nina Tassler said of the Patricia Arquette starrer, a crime procedural with paranormal elements.

On Tuesdays, the network will pair "NCIS" with the "NCIS" spinoff, which will be called "NCIS: Los Angeles," following the lead of city-based spinoff titles established by "CSI." The positioning places the spinoff in the time period that successfully launched "The Mentalist" this season.

"It's the same brand of humor its the same sensibility," said Tassler of the "NCIS" spinoff compared to the original. "It's got a built-in audience."

While Kahl pointed out that "NCIS: Los Angeles" will be the only scripted series in its time period.

"If you don't want to watch reality, we're the only game in town there," Kahl said.

At 10 p.m. Tuesdays, CBS will air the Julianna Margulies legal drama "The Good Wife."

CBS is going with a Chuck Lorre hour on Monday. After experimenting with putting “Big Bang” following “Two and a Half Men” this past season, the network is making a “Big Bang" shift to 9:30 p.m. permanent, leaving “How I Met Your Mother” to open the night, leading into new comedy “Accidentally on Purpose.”

"We’re trying to take ['Big Bang'] from a Top 20 show to a Top 10 show," Kahl said. "We feel confident we can blow this show up."

Medical show "Three Rivers," with former "Moonlight" star Alex O'Loughlin, will run at 9 p.m. Sundays, with "Cold Case" shifted to 10 p.m.

The network’s other new medical drama, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced “Miami Trauma,” will launch in midseason.

The only broadcast network to grow this season, CBS canceled veteran shows "Without a Trace" and "The Unit." The cancellations were reflective of CBS' overall strength this season; both shows were fairly  solid performers that CBS' rivals would likely have found some way to keep.

CBS renewed bubble shows "Cold Case" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine," the latter after ABC offered to take the show off the network's hands should CBS refuse a pick up.

“We want to continue to get younger we think the schedule reflects that” Tassler said, referring to actors such as L.L. Cool J in the "NCIS" spinoff. ”You’re going to see a really nice balance between new faces and existing stars.”

The network's other new medical drama, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced "Miami Trauma," will launch in midseason. Also slotted for midseason are Canadian drama "The Bridge" and unscripted series "Arranged Marriage" and "Undercover Boss." 

Here's the lineups announced for next fall.

New shows in RED

Returning shows in BLACK

Returning shows in new time periods in BLUE

Slots with two series titles = "Fall Show / Midseason Show"

SUNDAY 8-9 9-10 10-11 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition   Desperate Housewives   Brothers & Sisters Amazing Race Three Rivers   Cold Case   Football Night in America   Sunday Night Football   Simpsons   Cleveland (watch clips) / Sons of Tucson (watch clips) Family Guy   American Dad / Cleveland (watch clips)   No programming

MONDAY 8-9   9-10 10-11 Dancing With the Stars   Castle How I Met Your Mother Accidentally on Purpose Two and a Half Men   Big Bang Theory CSI: Miami   Heroes / Chuck Trauma / Day One Jay Leno Show House Lie to Me / 24 No programming Gossip Girl   One Tree Hill No programming

TUESDAY 8-9   9-10 10-11 Shark Tank   Dancing With the Stars (results)   The Forgotten (watch clips) NCIS   NCIS: Los Angeles   The Good Wife   Biggest Loser   Jay Leno Show   So You Think You Can Dance / American Idol / Past Life (watch clips) No programming 90210   Melrose Place   No programming

WEDNESDAY 8-9   9-10 10-11 Hank (watch clips) The Middle (watch clips) Modern Family (watch clips) Cougar Town (watch clips) Eastwick (watch clips) New Adventures of Old Christine Gary Unmarried Criminal Minds   CSI: NY   Parenthood / Mercy Law & Order: SVU Jay Leno Show   So You Think You Can Dance (results) / Idol Glee / Human Target (watch clips) No programming America's Next Top Model  Beautiful Life   No programming

THURSDAY 8-9 9-10 10-11   Flash Forward Grey's Anatomy Private Practice Survivor CSI: Crime Scene  Investigation The Mentalist SNL special (Community) Parks and Recreation The Office Community (30 Rock) Jay Leno Show Bones Fringe No programming Vampire Diaries Supernatural No programming

FRIDAY 8-9   9-10 10-11 Supernanny Ugly Betty 20/20 Ghost Whisperer Medium Numbers Law & Order Southland Jay Leno Show Brothers (watch clips) 'Til Death  Dollhouse No programming Smallville America's Next Top Model (encore) No programming