TV Upfronts ’15-16: CBS

TV Upfronts ’15-16: CBS

UPFRONTS

 

CBS

I don’t know what it is, but I have an aversion to giving a shit about anything on CBS.   However, it’s clear that they are doing all the right things as they are going to finish an extremely close second in the 18-49 and win the total viewers crown for what feels like the thousandth time.  They know that crime franchises will keep spinning off for the foreseable future, so as long as CSI, NCIS, or Criminal Minds has a spinoff coming down the pike they’ll be ok.  They got boned pretty bad last year in the comedy department (RIP The Millers), but Chuck Lorre is singlehandedly keeping the lights on in that department.  The Good Wife does not do well at all, but it’s CBS’ lone shot at critical praise, so they have to keep it on.  That said, it was a pretty good year for them, and they have quietly gotten a lot younger, so this should lead to some sustained success.  Oh yea, they still have Thursday Night Football, AND the Super Bowl this year…

Canceled Shows: The Millers, The McCarthys, Battle Creek, Stalker, The Mentalist, CSI (TV Movie as a wrap up)

New Shows: Angel From Hell, Life In Pieces, Code Black, Limitless, Supergirl, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Rush Hour

Nothing they are adding is remotely interesting sounding to me, but what the hell do I know?  They are playing it very safe in many senses.  One, is that they are keeping their premiere lineup devoid of risk.  The Big Bang Theory starts on Mondays followed by Life in Pieces before shifting to Thursdays after football.  It worked well last year, so why not again?  Another safe play is waiting until Thursday Night Football ends to premiere the bulk of their new shows.  This ensures them a monster platform to promote, and it helps shows run without interruption.  The last bit of safety play is having half of their new shows come from existing properties.  They are getting two shows based off of popular movies, a show based off of a popular DC character, and a brand extension for Criminal Minds.  It doesn’t get safer than that

What is going to work: Its always hard to tell with the eye, but if I was betting, I’d bet on Angel from Hell, Limitless, and Criminal Minds. Why?  Because people inexplicably like Jane Lynch and if Mom can get to season three, this can.  Because Limitless as a tv show sounds like a hybrid of Elementary and Scorpion. Because people like Criminal Minds. A LOT.

What isn’t going to work: Life In Pieces, Supergirl, Rush Hour.  Because LIP sounds like something ABC tried a few seasons back.  Because Supergirl sounds like it doesn’t quite fit CBS and it’s going up against Gotham.  Because Rush Hour was a tired premise by the sequel, and CBS already tried this years ago with that spin-off of Walker, Texas Ranger with Arsenio Hall and Sammo Hung.

About Russ Stevens

Russ Stevens is an editor and writer at Rookerville and a guidance counselor at Nyack HS. He mostly writes about either loving or hating things. In his spare time, he performs Improv comedy with his troupe Priest and The Beekeeper and is a co-producer of their monthly variety show Pig Pile. He loves all the New York sports teams that are historically bad, and he hates lateness more than anything in the world.

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