New Series Breakdown: CBS

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The Fall TV Season presentations for all the new network shows take place this week with the fourth announced yesterday. Here's a full breakdown of which concepts have made the final list over on CBS.

 

The Eye continued its reign as the #1-rated network this past season. Its procedurals (NCIS, CSI, Criminal Minds, Mentalist) dominate the marketplace, about half its sitcoms (The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men) are strong performers, and though it only launched four shows last Fall it turned two of them (Good Wife, NCIS: LA) into major hits.

 

The network isn't resting on its laurels though as this year it launches three dramas and two comedies in the Fall, and the high-profile "Criminal Minds" spin-off mid-season. As a result some long running dramas like "Cold Case," "Ghost Whisperer" and "Numb3rs" along with its more recent and lesser performing sitcoms have all been given the axe.

 

There's also been some time slot changes, most visibly both the "CSI" spin-offs which move to Friday and Sunday to help shore up the network's lesser performing nights. "Survivor" is being shifted to Wednesdays, while "The Big Bang Theory" is going to Thursday.

 

A few notable pilots didn't make the final cut and won't be seen. These include the Brett Ratner-produced "Chaos" about rogue spies who combat bureaucratic gridlock; the Josh Schwartz-produced newlyweds comedy "Hitched"; the ATF agent balancing work and family drama "The Line"; the Las Vegas-set buddy cop drama "The Odds"; the Gail Lerner-produced comedy about a book editor entitled "Open Books"; the all-star adult quintuplets drama "The Quinn-tuplets"; the high school football coach comedy "Team Spitz"; the young New Yorkers looking for love comedy "True Love"; and a John Wells-produced roaming medical team drama.

 

Onto the new shows and they are:

 

 

Blue Bloods

(Police Drama, Fridays 10pm)

Follows a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) is the New York Chief of Police and patriarch of the Reagan brood, which he heads as diplomatically as he does the force, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry (Len Cariou), during his stint as Chief.

 

A source of pride and concern for Frank is his eldest son Danny (Donnie Wahlberg), a seasoned detective, family man and Iraqi War vet who on occasion uses dubious tactics to solve cases. The sole Reagan woman in the family, Erin (Bridget Moynahan), is a N.Y. Assistant D.A. and newly single parent, who also serves as the legal compass for her siblings and father.

 

Jamie (Will Estes) is the youngest Reagan, fresh out of Harvard Law and the family's "golden boy." However, unable to deny the family tradition, Jamie decided to give up a lucrative future in law and is now a newly minted cop, a career change seemingly supported by his beautiful girlfriend, Sydney Davenport (Dylan Moore), a first year lawyer.

 

Jamie's life takes an abrupt turn, however, when he's asked to become part of a clandestine police investigation even his father knows nothing about, and one that could impact the family's legacy.

 

 

The Defenders

(Legal Dramedy, Wednesdays 10pm)

Leading the Las Vegas law firm of Morelli & Kaczmarek are Nick Morelli (Belushi), an earnest, hard-charging attorney who represents his clients to the best of his ability, and his partner, Pete Kaczmarek (O'Connell), whose passion for the law is matched only by his love of fast cars, beautiful women and expensive clothes.

 

Joining them in their growing law practice is Lisa Tyler (Jurnee Smollett), an enthusiastic young attorney looking to put her exotic dancing days behind her; and their young assistant, Sophie (Tanya Fischer), a spunky and sweet ingenue who is eager to please her bosses.

 

While Pete is busy cruising the Vegas Strip for his latest romantic conquest, Nick is focused on repairing his fractured marriage to his estranged wife, Jessica (Gillian Vigman), while remaining present in the life of their young son.

 

 

Hawaii Five-O

(Action/Drama, Mondays 10pm)

A contemporary take on the classic series. Detective Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin), a decorated Naval officer turned cop, returns to Oahu to investigate his father's murder and stays after Hawaii's governor persuades him to head up the new team: his rules, her backing, no red tape and full blanket immunity to hunt down the biggest "game" in town.

 

Joining McGarrett is Detective Danny "Danno" Williams (Scott Caan), a newly relocated ex-New Jersey cop who prefers skyscrapers to the coastline but is committed to keeping the Islands safe for his 8-year-old daughter; and Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), an ex-Honolulu Police Detective wrongly accused of corruption and relegated to a federal security patrol, who is also a former protege of McGarrett's father.

 

Chin's cousin, Kono (Grace Park), is a beautiful and fearless native, fresh out of the academy and eager to establish herself among the department's elite. McGarrett vows to bring closure to his father's case while the state's brash new FIVE-0 unit, who may spar and jest among themselves, is determined to eliminate the seedy elements from the 50th state.

 

 

Mike and Molly

(Comedy, Mondays 9:30pm)

Officer Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell) is a good-hearted cop who sincerely wants to lose weight. Mike's partner, Officer Carl McMillan (Reno Wilson), is a thin, fast-talking wise-guy, who despite his teasing encourages Mike on his road to slimness and romance.

 

While speaking at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting, Mike meets Molly Flynn (Melissa McCarthy), an instantly likeable fourth-grade teacher with a healthy sense of humor about her curves. For Molly, focusing on smart choices isn't easy because she lives with her sexy older sister, Victoria (Katy Mixon), and their mother, Joyce (Swoosie Kurtz), both of whom flaunt their healthy appetites and slender figures.

 

Mike also faces temptation at the diner he and Carl frequent, where they've become friends with the Senegalese waiter, Samuel (Nyambi Nyambi), who finds trying to eat less a foreign concept. For Mike and Molly, thanks to their mutual love of pie and the desire to resist it, finding each other may have been worth the "weight."

 

Chuck Lorre ("Two and a Half Men," and "The Big Bang Theory") produces.

 

 

$#*! My Dad Says

(Comedy, Thursdays 8:30pm)

Ed Goodson (William Shatner) is a forthright and opinionated dad who relishes expressing his unsolicited and often wildly politically incorrect observations to anyone within earshot. Nobody is immune from Ed's rants, including his sons, Henry, a struggling writer-turned-unpaid blogger; and Vince (Will Sasso), the meek half of his husband/wife real estate duo with domineering Kathleen (Nicole Sullivan).

 

When Henry finds he can no longer afford to pay rent to his pretty roommate -- and secret admirer -- Sam (Stephanie Lemelin), Ed reveals a soft spot and invites Henry to move in with him.

 

Henry agrees, knowing that the verbal assault will not abate and now there will be no escape. Describing their father/son relationship is tricky - but Ed will easily come up with a few choice words. David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are producers.

 

 

Untitled Criminal Minds Spin-Off

(Drama, Mid-Season)

Forest Whitaker stars in the drama about an elite team of agents within the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit who use unconventional methods of investigation and aggressive tactics to capture the nation's most nefarious criminals. Unit chief Special Agent Sam Cooper (Whitaker) is a mentally and physically fierce natural leader who is not afraid to put his career on the line in order to stand by his convictions.

 

Cooper strives to avoid political bureaucracy and has handpicked an eclectic group of profilers to work outside the confines of Quantico: Former British Special Forces soldier Mick Rawson (Matt Ryan), confident and handsome, works as a highly-skilled marksman with an undiluted eye for rooting out evil; John "Prophet" Sims (Michael Kelly), a former convict with a street-smart edge and a calm, Zen-like presence, who is determined to make amends for past sins; and Gina LaSalle (Beau Garrett), an attractive, tough agent armed with a cunning sense of perception.

 

This exceptional group of FBI operatives is strong in their beliefs and steadfast in their mission to bring the country's most dangerous criminals to justice.

 

MONDAY

8pm: "How I Met Your Mother"

8:30pm: "Rules of Engagement"

9pm: "Two and a Half Men"

9:30pm: "Mike and Molly"

10pm: "Hawaii Five-O"

 

TUESDAY

8pm: "N.C.I.S."

9pm: "N.C.I.S.: Los Angeles"

10pm: "The Good Wife"

 

WEDNESDAY

8pm: "Survivor"

9pm: "Criminal Minds"

10pm: "The Defenders"

 

THURSDAY

8pm: "The Big Bang Theory"

8:30pm: "$#*! My Dad Says"

9pm: "C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation"

10pm: "The Mentalist"

 

FRIDAY

8pm: "Medium"

9pm: "CSI: NY"

10pm: "Blue Bloods"

 

SATURDAY

8pm: "Crime Time Saturday"

10pm: "48 Hours: Mystery"

 

SUNDAY

7pm: "60 Minutes"

8pm: "The Amazing Race"

9pm: "Undercover Boss"

10pm: "CSI: Miami"

 

Renewals include "48 Hours: Mystery," "60 Minutes," "The Amazing Race," "The Big Bang Theory," "Criminal Minds," "C.S.I.," "C.S.I.: Miami," "C.S.I.: NY," "The Good Wife," "How I Met Your Mother," "Medium," "The Mentalist," "N.C.I.S.," "N.C.I.S.: Los Angeles," "Rules of Engagement," "Survivor," "Two and a Half Men," "Undercover Boss."

 

Cancellations include "Accidentally on Purpose," " As the World Turns," "Cold Case," "Gary Unmarried," "Ghost Whisperer," "Miami Medical," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "Numb3rs," "Rules of Engagement," "Three Rivers".