Minimal Changes As Network Hopes For Summer Production Restart – Deadline

Some other 12 months, CBS’ 2020-21 schedule can be thought-about very conservative, with three nights left intact and the opposite three present process solely minor adjustments, together with including two new sequence, drama The Equalizer starring Queen Latifah and Chuck Lorre comedy B Positive, and holding S.W.A.T. for midseason.

However within the 12 months of COVID-19, this might be thought-about a dangerous schedule, as all leisure sequence in CBS’ fall lineup, apart from The Wonderful Race installment already within the can, are but to be filmed with restart of Hollywood manufacturing nonetheless in limbo. CBS’ fall schedule is in stark distinction with the opposite two broadcast lineups introduced to date, as each Fox and the CW relied predominantly on already produced content material, together with acquisitions, for fall, pushing the launch of their common rosters to January and past.

“We don’t view this schedule as dangerous, we view this schedule as very sturdy and really confirmed,” CBS Leisure President Kelly Kahl instructed Deadline. “When it comes to manufacturing, we’d say ‘fall’ with quotes; I don’t know if all the pieces would begin the third week of September. But we’re very hopeful that we’d get into manufacturing sooner or later this summer time, and we might have nearly all of our lineup for the autumn.”

Right here is CBS’ schedule, adopted by extra perception into what the community’s fall could appear to be and attainable contingency plans, in addition to descriptions of CBS’ three new sequence picked up to date. (The Silence of the Lambs sequel Clarice is held for midseason). You may as well watch CBS’ stars unveiling the schedule in a video above:

CBS FALL 2020-21 SCHEDULE
(New applications in UPPER CASE)

MONDAY
8-8:30 PM — The Neighborhood
8:30-9 PM — Bob ♥ Abishola
9-10 PM — All Rise
10-11 PM — Bull

TUESDAY
8-9 PM — NCIS
9-10 PM — FBI
10-11 PM — FBI: Most Wished

WEDNESDAY
8-9 PM — Survivor
9-10 PM — The Wonderful Race
10-11 PM — SEAL Workforce

THURSDAY
8-8:30 PM — Younger Sheldon
8:30-9 PM — B POSITIVE (N)
9-9:30 PM — Mother
9:30-10 PM — The Unicorn
10-11 PM — Evil

FRIDAY
8-9 PM — MacGyver
9-10 PM — Magnum P.I.
10-11 PM — Blue Bloods

SATURDAY
8-9 PM — Crimetime Saturday
9-10 PM — Crimetime Saturday
10-11 PM — 48 Hours

SUNDAY
7-Eight PM — 60 Minutes
8-9 PM — THE EQUALIZER
9-10 PM — NCIS: Los Angeles
10-11 PM — NCIS: New Orleans

“I believe the primary factor is unbelievable stability,” Kahl stated of CBS’ 2020-21 schedule, whose solely strikes embody The Equalizer changing canceled God Friended Me on Sunday; Lorre and Marco Pennette’s B Constructive getting the hammock 8:30 PM slot between Lorre’s two Thursday sequence, Younger Sheldon and Mother, with The Unicorn transferring to 9:30 PM; and Wednesday reverting to the late spring 2018-19 lineup of Survivor, The Wonderful Race and SEAL Workforce, quickly displacing S.W.A.T.

“Our Monday evening, our Tuesday evening, Wednesday evening, Friday evening, Sunday evening are solely down single digits (in complete viewers this season), which on this atmosphere is fairly good,” Kahl stated concerning the rationale behind the only a few adjustments. “The most important factor we needed to take care of was merely the lack of The Massive Bang Principle, which was a tough present to interchange, however the remainder of the lineup carried out extremely effectively and is extremely resilient.”

The departure of Massive Bang made for steeper year-over-year viewership declines on Thursday, so “making an attempt to strengthen Thursday once more this 12 months, that may be a precedence for us,” Kahl stated.

He instructed that the autumn 2020 rollout could also be fluid however expressed confidence that, with some changes, together with attainable shorter fall runs, CBS’ leisure applications may ship originals within the fourth quarter.

“I believe it’s unrealistic to suppose that there will likely be one week when all the pieces impulsively is prepared, and I don’t suppose that it additionally must be the case,” Kahl stated. “Even when exhibits begin (manufacturing) slightly later in the summertime than common, it doesn’t imply that the entire schedule is pushed again by that very same period of time. Exhibits can flip round fairly shortly. What it would imply is, as a substitute of 10 episodes within the fourth quarter, you get 8, however exhibits can definitely make late September, October launch assuming that they get into manufacturing sooner or later even later in the summertime.”

The published networks’ fall 2020 schedule already was anticipated to be disrupted. “Being a presidential election 12 months, there are a variety of breaks constructed into the schedule for election evening, for debates. That will  give these exhibits some break, it’s not like they should come on the air and essentially be on 10 weeks in a row,” Kahl stated. “We’re hopeful we are able to get into manufacturing, and we’re hopeful we are able to put this fall schedule on the air fairly near as is.”

If that doesn’t occur as hoped, the CBS has backup plans.

“We have now a variety of choices at our disposal and, for the reason that merger, we now have much more choices at our disposal,” Kahl stated. “At any time when we are able to get our exhibits collectively main as much as that, we aren’t going to be airing a check sample.”

CBS is at the moment mining the library of latest company sibling Paramount Photos for blockbusters to anchor its just lately resurrected Sunday film evening, which has accomplished effectively for the community.

Moreover, CBS is but to schedule Season 2 of summer time journey drama sequence Blood & Treasure, with Kahl indicating that it may be held as contingency for fall. “We’re merely holding our choices open,” he stated, not elaborating whether or not acquisitions of international English-language sequence can also be on the desk.

Additionally offering flexibility later within the season will likely be S.W.A.T., the one returning CBS sequence to not land on the autumn schedule.

“It’s a confirmed present. By means of the years, we now have at all times loved having a steady, confirmed performer on our bench, and S.W.A.T. falls into that class,” Kahl stated. “I do know we are able to name on it anyplace we would want it, and it’ll come and do an excellent job.”

The 2019-20 season marked the top of a number of long-running CBS drama sequence, together with Legal Minds, Hawaii 5-0 and Madam Secretary. Due to the uncertainty surrounding Hollywood manufacturing, the community brass are nowhere close to discussing attainable endgames for any veteran sequence subsequent season, Kahl stated.

“Step One is, let’s get again into manufacturing after which we’ll consider all this stuff,” he stated.

The 2019-20 season was additionally marked by stable new sequence launches with 5 out of CBS’ eight freshman scripted sequence making it to Season 2. Kahl is assured the 2020-21 lineup will carry out as effectively.

“I believe subsequent 12 months you will notice a robust, profitable schedule once more, I believe advertisers will take a look at this and go, we all know what this schedule does and it’s a really interesting schedule for us,” he stated.

CBS is unveiling its 2020-21 schedule to advertisers in a video upfront presentation this afternoon. Extra new sequence for midseason would probably be added later this summer time because the community makes more decisions on its 2020 pilots, grounded by the pandemic.

NEW SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

COMEDY

B POSITIVE — B POSITIVE is from award-winning govt producer, author and creator Chuck Lorre and Marco Pennette, and stars Emmy Award nominee Thomas Middleditch (“Silicon Valley”) and Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford (“Masters of Intercourse”). The comedy revolves round Drew (Middleditch), a therapist and newly divorced dad who’s confronted with discovering a kidney donor when he runs into Gina (Ashford), a rough-around-the-edges girl from his previous who volunteers her personal. Collectively, they kind an unlikely and life-affirming friendship as they start a journey that can perpetually influence each of their lives. Chuck Lorre and Marco Pennette are govt producers for Warner Bros. Tv and Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. James Burrows directed the pilot from a script by Pennette.

B POSITIVE stars Thomas Middleditch as Drew, Annaleigh Ashford as Gina, Kether Donohue as Leanne, Sara Rue as Julia and Kamryn Kunody as Maddie.

DRAMA

THE EQUALIZER —THE EQUALIZER is a reimagining of the traditional sequence starring Academy Award nominee and multi-hyphenate Queen Latifah (“Chicago,” “Bessie”) as Robyn McCall, an enigmatic girl with a mysterious background who makes use of her intensive abilities to assist these with nowhere else to show. McCall presents to most as a mean single mother who’s quietly elevating her teenage daughter. However to a trusted few, she is The Equalizer – an nameless guardian angel and defender of the downtrodden, who’s additionally dogged in her pursuit of private redemption. Andrew Marlowe, Terri Miller, Dana Owens (Queen Latifah), John Davis, John Fox, Debra Martin Chase, Richard Lindheim (co-creator of the unique “Equalizer” TV sequence that ran on CBS for 4 seasons), Shakim Compere and Liz Friedlander (pilot solely) are govt producers for Common Tv, a division of NBCUniversal Content material Studios, in affiliation with CBS Tv Studios. Friedlander will direct the pilot episode from a script by Marlowe and Miller.

THE EQUALIZER stars Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, Chris Noth as William Bishop, Lorraine Toussaint as Viola “Aunt Vi” Lascombe, Tory Kittles as Marcus Dante, Liza Lapira as Melody Zhao and Laya DeLeon Hayes as Delilah.

MIDSEASON

CLARICE — CLARICE, from acclaimed govt producers Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet, and starring Rebecca Breeds (“Fairly Little Liars”) within the title position, is a deep dive into the untold private story of FBI Agent Clarice Starling as she returns to the sphere in 1993, six months after the occasions of “The Silence of the Lambs.” Sensible and weak, Clarice’s bravery provides her an internal gentle that pulls monsters and madmen to her. Nevertheless, her complicated psychological make-up that comes from a difficult childhood empowers her to start to search out her voice whereas working in a person’s world, in addition to escape the household secrets and techniques which have haunted her all through her life. Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet, Elizabeth J.B. Klaviter and Heather Kadin are govt producers for MGM Tv and CBS Tv Studios in affiliation with Secret Hideout. Aaron Baiers is a co-executive producer. Maja Vrvilo will direct the pilot episode from a script by Lumet and Kurtzman.

CLARICE stars Rebecca Breeds as Clarice Starling, Kal Penn as Emin Grigoriyan, Nick Sandow as Murray Clarke, Lucca de Oliveira as Tomas Esquivel, Michael Cudlitz as Paul Krendler and Devyn A. Tyler as Ardelia Mapp.