Forget “CSI” or “Two and a Half Men.” “Without a Trace” may be the MVP of CBS’s schedule. It’s certainly the network’s most versatile program.
“Trace,” which airs its sixth-season finale tonight at 10 p.m., is on its way to yet another timeslot, CBS announced yesterday, its fourth slot in three years. All of the schedule changes have been shrewdly calculated as part of CBS’s greater strategy.
“Trace” spent its first four years behind “CSI” Thursdays at 10. Two years ago, when the network decided to abandon its “Sunday Night Movie” and attempt to skew younger on the night, it moved “Trace” to the 10 p.m. slot, where it boosted the network’s Sunday adults 18-49 average.
But last year, “Trace” was called back to Thursdays after CBS surrendered its 18-49 lead on the night to ABC.
Next year, “Trace” will switch nights again, to Tuesday, where it will patch the most gaping hole in CBS’s schedule, the 10 p.m. timeslot. More than a half-dozen new shows have funneled through that spot over the past three years, all of them flops.
“Trace” will not be a flop, though its ratings have certainly slipped after all the timeslot changes. This year it’s averaging a 3.5 18-49 rating, down 13 percent from last year’s 4.0 rating. The show had been winning its timeslot with originals until ABC’s “Lost” relocated to 10 p.m. three weeks ago.
Next season, in its new timeslot, “Trace” will face another solid 10 p.m. drama, NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” along with ABC’s “Eli Stone,” which isn’t likely to provide much competition.
“SVU” has dominated Tuesdays at 10 since moving there several years ago, but like “Trace” its ratings have slipped over the past year. Their timeslot battle could be one of the more interesting of the fall season.
|
A look at this week’s top TV draws
|
|
THURSDAY, MAY 15
|
|
Time
|
Network
|
Program
|
Description
|
|
7 a.m.
|
NBC
|
“Today” (N)
|
Angelina Jolie, Jack Black and Candace Cameron all guest.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
CW
|
“Smallville” (D)
|
Season finale. Brainiac brings Lex to the Fortress to face Clark.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
NBC
|
“My Name is Earl” (C)
|
Season finale. Earl looks for relationship advice from his friends. Good luck with that.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“CSI” (D)
|
Season finale. Warrick is accused of murdering a mobster.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
ABC
|
“Grey’s Anatomy” (D)
|
Alex finds out the truth about Rebecca.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
NBC
|
“The Office” (C)
|
Season finale. Toby leaves the company, then his replacement shows up and is hazed.
|
|
10 p.m.
|
ABC
|
“Lost” (D)
|
A battle between the survivors and the freighter group begins.
|
|
FRIDAY, MAY 16
|
|
Time
|
Network
|
Program
|
Description
|
|
7 a.m.
|
NBC
|
“Today” (N)
|
Blast from the past: New Kids on the Block guest.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“Ghost Whisperer” (D)
|
Season finale. Melinda finds out why her father disappeared and why her mom kept it from her.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
ESPN
|
“NBA Basketball” (S)
|
Either a late conference semifinal game or an early conference finals matchup.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“Moonlight” (D)
|
Season finale. Mick and Josef try to protect the identities of other vampires in the area.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
CMT
|
“Mobile Home Disaster” (R)
|
Series premiere. Can be described as “Extreme Makeover: Mobile Home Edition.”
|
|
10 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“Numb3rs” (D)
|
Season finale. The team faces a crisis, but Megan leaves regardless.
|
|
SATURDAY, MAY 17
|
|
Time
|
Network
|
Program
|
Description
|
|
1:30 p.m.
|
NBC
|
“NHL Hockey” (S)
|
A Stanley Cup playoffs conference final game.
|
|
3 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“PGA Golf” (S)
|
Third round of the AT&T Classic from Duluth, Ga.
|
|
3:30 p.m.
|
Fox
|
“Major League Baseball” (S)
|
It’s Brewers-BoSox, Dodgers-Angels or Indians-Reds.
|
|
4:30 p.m.
|
NBC
|
“Horse Racing” (S)
|
The second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
Fox
|
“Cops” (R)
|
A much-loved “Stupid Criminals” edition.
|
|
11:30 p.m.
|
NBC
|
“Saturday Night Live” (C)
|
Season finale. Steve Carrell hosts, Usher performs.
|
|
SUNDAY, MAY 18
|
|
Time
|
Network
|
Program
|
Description
|
|
3 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“PGA Golf” (S)
|
Coverage of the final round of the AT&T Classic, won last year by Zach Johnson.
|
|
7 p.m.
|
ABC
|
“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (R)
|
Season finale. Two-hour season-ender has Ty and Co. head to New Orleans to help with Katrina rebuilding.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“Academy of Country Music Awards” (A)
|
The 43rd annual event, hosted this year by Reba McEntire.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
CW
|
“The Game” (C)
|
Season finale. Derwin and Jerome get into a fight over Melanie.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
ABC
|
“Desperate Housewives” (D)
|
Season finale. Lynette is accused of child abuse and a round of death threats trouble Wisteria Lane.
|
|
10 p.m.
|
E!
|
“Keeping Up with the Kardashians” (R)
|
The girls travel to New Orleans for a charity pool tournament.
|
|
10 p.m.
|
VH1
|
“Viva Hollywood!” (R)
|
Daisy Fuentes teach the contestants how to be seductive.
|
|
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.
|
