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Broadcasting System
Fall lineup is heavy on cops and crook shows
By David Moore
Coming this fall: the Crime Broadcasting System.
CBS’s success with “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” has spurred a new primetime lineup full of detective shows.
CBS will debut five new dramas and two new comedies in its fall primetime schedule, unveiled yesterday at its upfront presentation in New York.
Of the five dramas, four of them are variants on the cop-detective show, including a spinoff called “CSI: Miami.”
CBS president and CEO Les Moonves said that while CBS will continue to focus on adults 25-54, the new batch of primetime dramas are “urban, upscale, and younger” than CBS’s usual programming.
The second-place network cleaned house in order to make room for the crime wave.
The move comes as a surprise, considering CBS's success this past season.
A total of eight shows were canceled, including “The Education of Max Bickford,” “Family Law,” “First Monday” and “The Ellen Show.”
Two on-the-bubble shows, “Touched By an Angel” and “The Agency,” were renewed, though the latter was bumped from its post-“CSI” timeslot and moved to Saturday at 10 p.m.
The comedy “Baby Bob” will return as a midseason replacement.
“Becker,” the Ted Danson comedy, was moved from its post-“Everybody Loves Raymond” timeslot to Sundays at 8:30 p.m.
“48 Hours” has been renamed “48 Hours Investigates” and given an edgier feel. But Dan Rather will not be host of the revamped program, which has been moved to Friday at 8 p.m. CBS says Rather had previously requested time off from his “48 Hours” duties to concentrate more on his work for “60 Minutes.”
Not on the schedule is a widely talked-up comedy to star Nathan Lane as a TV star who wins a seat in Congress.
In addition to adding seven new shows, CBS has jumbled its schedule considerably, with only Tuesday night remaining the same.
Wednesday night may still be a problem, says Roy Rothstein, vice president and director of national broadcast research at Zenith Media.
“They need to find shows that are compatible with ‘The Amazing Race,’” Rothstein says. “‘60 Minutes II’ is not a good lead-in for a show with younger demographics.”
If CBS is looking to cut into NBC’s lead in younger viewers, it makes sense to look to “CSI” for the blueprint. “CSI” is the fourth highest-rated program among adults 18-49 and the only other CBS program besides “Survivor” in the top 10.
The rest belong to NBC.
CBS earned big ratings for the May 9 episode of “CSI,” which introduced the cast of “CSI: Miami.” The spinoff, which stars David Caruso of “NYPD Blue” fame, inherits the 10 p.m. Monday timeslot from the canceled “Family Law.”
Wednesday night at 10 p.m. brings the only new CBS drama that isn’t about cops, “Presidio Med.” The doctor drama, set in San Francisco and starring Dana Delany (“China Beach”) and Anna Deveare Smith (“The West Wing”), is produced by “ER” veteran John Wells.
After “CSI” on Thursdays comes “Without a Trace,” which continues in much the same vein as its lead-in.
Anthony LaPaglia stars as an agent in the FBI’s Missing Persons Bureau. Moonves told advertisers the show could price competitively with the aging “ER,” but Zenith Media’s Rothstein doesn’t see it that way.
“They’ll never hold the numbers from ‘CSI’ because ‘ER’ is there, and it’s an unstoppable hit,” Rothstein says. “NBC can continue to replace the doctors and still get an audience.”
Friday night, after “48 Hours Investigates,” belongs to two new dramas.
“Hack,” starring David Morse (“The Green Mile”) and Andre Braugher (“Homicide”), is about an ex-cop turned cab driver who solves crime in his spare time.
“RHD/LA,” short for Robbery and Homicide Division of Los Angeles, stars Tom Sizemore as a member of an elite police squad. The show is produced by “Ali” director Michael Mann.
One high-profile midseason replacement is “Queens Supreme,” which stars Oliver Platt, Robert Loggia and Annabella Sciorra as judges with competitive professional relationships. The courtroom drama’s pilot was directed by Tim Robbins and Julia Roberts will executive produce.
CBS says it is still considering the drama “Lucky," produced by Sylvester Stallone, as a midseason replacement.
With its two new comedies, CBS President Moonves said the network was once again aiming for the younger crowd.
“Bram and Alice,” which will go up against “The Simpsons” on Sundays at 8, is an adult comedy about a novelist who moves in with his estranged daughter. CBS hopes it will bridge viewers from “60 Minutes” to “Becker” on Sunday evenings.
“Still Standing,” which joins CBS’ formidable Monday comedy lineup at 9:30 pm, centers around a working couple struggling to raise their three kids. It stars Mark Addy (“The Full Monty”) and Jami Gertz (“Ally McBeal”).
MONDAY
8 p.m. "King of Queens"
8:30 p.m. "Yes, Dear"
9 p.m. "Everybody Loves Raymond"
9:30 p.m. "Still Standing"*
10 p.m. "CSI: Miami"*
TUESDAY
8:00 p.m. "JAG"
9 p.m. "The Guardian"
10 p.m. "Judging Amy"
WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. "60 Minutes II"
9 p.m. "The Amazing Race"
10 p.m. "Presidio Med"*
THURSDAY
8 p.m. "Survivor"
9 p.m. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"
10 p.m. "Without a Trace"
FRIDAY
8 p.m. "48 Hours Investigates"**
9 p.m. "Hack"*
10 p.m. "RHD/LA"*
SATURDAY
8 p.m. "Touched by an Angel"
9 p.m. "The District"**
10 p.m. "The Agency"**
SUNDAY
7 p.m. "60 Minutes"
8 p.m. "Bram & Alice"*
8:30 p.m. "Becker"**
9 p.m. "CBS Sunday Movie"
* new series
** new time period
May 16, 2002 © 2002 Media Life
-David Moore is a staff writer for Media Life.
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