CBS picked up Pittsburgh-set "Three Rivers," slotting it for 9 p.m. Sunday. The network canceled "The Unit," "Without a Trace," "Worst Week" and "Eleventh Hour."
"The Mentalist" moves to 10 p.m. Thursday. CBS picks up "Medium."
More on "Three Rivers" in tomorrow's Post-Gazette.
Here's the CBS release, including a description of "Three Rivers" (scroll down):
CBS ANNOUNCES 2009-2010 PRIMETIME
SCHEDULE
America's #1 Network
Adds Four New Series to Top-Rated Lineup
CBS, the
only major broadcast network to grow its audience in all key ratings measures
this season, announced today the addition of four new series to strengthen its
already top rated primetime lineup for the Fall 2009-2010 season.
The new
series include three dramas and one comedy. Chris O'Donnell and LL COOL J star in NCIS:
LOS ANGELES, a spinoff from the hit drama NCIS; THE GOOD WIFE stars Emmy® Award
winner Julianna Margulies in a legal drama
about a steadfast wife and mother who boldly returns to work as a lawyer when
her husband is imprisoned for a high profile political scandal; THREE RIVERS, a
medical drama that stars Alex O'Loughlin
as the head of a renowned transplant surgery team, and ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE stars Golden Globe
Award winner Jenna Elfman in an ensemble comedy about a successful, single
journalist who accidentally gets pregnant by a much younger man.
The freshmen series will join 18 returning series on the
current CBS schedule.
CBS will
return the season's #1 drama/scripted program - CSI; #1 comedy - TWO AND A HALF MEN; #1 new series - THE MENTALIST and the #1
news magazine - 60 MINUTES, along with two franchise reality series - SURVIVOR
and the six-time Emmy Award winner THE AMAZING RACE.
The other
returning series include: THE BIG BANG THEORY, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, CSI:
MIAMI,
NCIS, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD
CHRISTINE; GARY UNMARRIED, CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI: NY, GHOST WHISPERER, NUMB3RS, 48 HOURS MYSTERY and COLD CASE.
Ordered for
midseason is a new fast-paced medical drama, MIAMI TRAUMA, from executive
producer Jerry Bruckheimer; the new police drama THE BRIDGE; the returning
comedy RULES OF ENGAGEMENT; and the new alternative series ARRANGED MARRIAGE and
UNDERCOVER BOSS.
On the
strength of its scripted series, and the success of its two reality franchises,
CBS will win the 2008-2009 television season in viewers, its sixth victory in
the past seven years, and in adults 25-54 (projected tie with Fox). CBS is the
ONLY network to post ratings gains over the last season in all key measures:
+12% in viewers, + 3% in adults 18-49, and +8% in adults 25-54.
This top-rated schedule will serve
as the springboard to introduce four new series - all of which have established
franchises as a lead-in.
The
2009-2010 schedule:
On Mondays
at 8:00 PM, the critically acclaimed ensemble comedy HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER opens
the night and serves as a strong lead-in for the new comedy ACCIDENTALLY ON
PURPOSE at 8:30 PM. From 9:00-10:00 PM, television's top comedy TWO AND A HALF
MEN and the genius comedy THE BIG BANG THEORY form a power comedy hour. CSI:
MIAMI, a
perennial time period winner, completes the night at 10:00 PM.
On
Tuesdays, NCIS kicks off the night at 8:00 PM, providing a seamless lead-in for
its spin off NCIS: LOS ANGELES at 9:00 PM, followed by new legal drama THE GOOD
WIFE at 10:00 PM.
Wednesday
returns intact with the comedy block THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE and
GARY UNMARRIED from 8:00-9:00 PM, as well as the crime drama tandem of CRIMINAL
MINDS and CSI: NY from 9:00-11:00 PM.
On
Thursdays at 8:00 PM, SURVIVOR returns to the time period it has won every year
since 2004. And from 9:00-11:00 PM, CBS is pairing
television's #1 drama, CSI, with television's #1 new series, THE MENTALIST.
On Friday,
CBS plans to add the popular drama series MEDIUM at 9:00 PM, starring Emmy Award
winner Patricia Arquette, to its top-rated Friday night lineup, forming a
hauntingly compatible two-hour block with GHOST WHISPERER at 8:00 PM. NUMB3RS caps the night at 10:00 PM.
The
Saturday night lineup remains intact, anchored by the night's highest-rated
show, 48 HOURS MYSTERY.
As always,
60 MINUTES kicks off Sundays at 7:00 PM, followed by the six-time Emmy Award
winning reality series THE AMAZING RACE at 8:00 PM, which leads into the new
medical drama THREE RIVERS at 9:00 PM. The crime drama COLD CASE anchors at
10:00 PM.
The new
DRAMAS:
NCIS: LOS
ANGELES is a drama about the high stakes world of undercover surveillance at the
Office of Special Projects (OSP), a division of NCIS that is charged with
apprehending dangerous and elusive criminals that pose a threat to the nation's
security. By assuming false identities
and utilizing the most advanced technology, this team of highly trained agents
goes deep undercover, putting their lives on the line in the field to bring down
their targets. Special Agent "G" Callen
(Chris O'Donnell) is a chameleon who transforms himself into whomever he needs
to be to infiltrate the criminal underworld.
His partner is Special Agent Sam Hanna (LL COOL J), a former U.S. Navy
SEAL who has seen action in both Afghanistan and Iraq,
and a surveillance expert who uses state of the art monitoring equipment to look
out for those in the field and feed them crucial information. Both Callen and Hanna report to Special Agent
Lara Macy (Louise Lombard), the OSP team leader responsible for directing the
operations and making life-or-death decisions.
Assisting the team is Special Agent Kensi Lo (Daniela Ruah), the
exceptionally bright daughter of a slain Marine who lives for the adrenalin rush
that comes with undercover work, and Operational Psychologist Nate Getz (Peter
Cambor), adept at getting into anybody's head, profiling the target and
monitoring agents' states of mind before, during and after missions. Armed with the latest in high tech gear and
sent regularly into life-threatening situations, this tight-knit team relies on
each other to do what is necessary to protect national interests. Shane Brennan ("NCIS") is the executive
producer for CBS Television Studios.
THE GOOD
WIFE is a drama starring Emmy Award
winner Julianna Margulies as a wife and mother who must assume full
responsibility for her family and re-enter the workforce after her husband's
very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail. Pushing aside the betrayal and crushing
public humiliation caused by her husband Peter (Chris Noth), Alicia Florrick
(Margulies) starts over by pursuing her original career as a defense
attorney. As a junior associate at a
prestigious Chicago law firm, she joins her longtime
friend, former law school classmate and firm partner Will Gardner (Josh
Charles), who is interested to see how Alicia will perform after 13 years out of
the courtroom. Alicia is grateful the firm's top litigator, Diane Lockhart
(Christine Baranski), offers to mentor her but discovers the offer has
conditions and realizes she's going to need to succeed on her own merit. Alicia's main competition among the firm's
20-something new recruits is Cary (Matt Czuchry), a recent Harvard grad who is
affable on the surface, but will use any means to ensure that he, not Alicia,
secures the one full-time associate position that's available. Fortunately, Alicia finds an ally in Kalinda
(Archie Panjabi), the firm's tough in-house investigator. Gaining confidence every day, Alicia
transforms herself from embarrassed politician's scorned wife to resilient
career woman, especially for the sake of providing a stable home for her
children, 14-year-old Zach (Graham Phillips) and 13-year-old Grace (Makenzie
Vega). For the first time in years,
Alicia trades in her identity as the "good wife" and takes charge of her own
destiny. Tony Scott, Ridley Scott,
Robert King, Michelle King, Dee Johnson and David Zucker are the executive
producers for CBS Television Studios.
THREE RIVERS is a medical drama that goes inside the
emotionally complex lives of organ donors, the recipients and the surgeons at
the preeminent
transplant hospital in the country where every
moment counts. However, dealing with
donor families in their darkest hour and managing the fears and concerns of
apprehensive recipients takes much more than just a sharp scalpel. Leading the elite team is Dr. Andy Yablonski
(Alex O'Loughlin, pictured above), the highly-skilled workaholic lead organ transplant surgeon,
whose good-natured personality and sarcastic wit makes him popular with his
patients and colleagues. His colleagues include Dr. Miranda Foster (Katherine
Moennig), a surgical fellow with a rebellious streak and fiery temper who
strives to live up to her deceased father's excellent surgical reputation; Dr.
David Lee (Daniel Henney), a womanizing surgical resident who's broken as many
hearts as he's replaced; Ryan Abbott (Christopher J. Hanke), the inexperienced
new transplant coordinator who arranges the intricately choreographed process of
quickly and carefully transporting organs from donor to patient; Dr. Sophia
Jordan (Julia Ormond), the head of surgery and a dedicated medical professional;
and Pam Acosta (Justina Machado), Andy's no-nonsense operating assistant and
best friend. In this high stakes arena,
in which every case is a race against the clock, these tenacious surgeons and
medical professionals are the last hope for their patients. Carol Barbee, Curtis Hanson and Carol Fenelon
are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.
The new
COMEDY:
ACCIDENTALLY
ON PURPOSE is a comedy starring Golden Globe Award winner Jenna Elfman as
Billie, a single woman who finds herself "accidentally" pregnant after a
one-night stand with a much younger guy, and decides to keep the baby... and the
guy. A newspaper film critic, Billie is
barely surviving a humiliating breakup with her charming boss, James (Grant
Show), who's still trying to resume their relationship. Suddenly expecting a child with her "boy
toy," Zack (Jon Foster), Billie and Zack make an arrangement: to live together
platonically. Billie's party girl best friend Olivia (Ashley Jensen), and Abby
(Lennon Parham), her conventional, younger married sister, eagerly look forward
to the new addition and offer their own brands of advice and encouragement. But when Zack and his freeloading friends,
including Davis (Nicolas Wright), start to turn her place into a frat house,
Billie isn't sure if she's living with a boyfriend, a roommate, or if she just
has another child to raise. Lloyd Braun,
Gail Berman, Gene Stein and Claudia Lonow are the executive producers for CBS
Television Studios. Pamela Fryman
directed the pilot.
The new
MIDSEASON DRAMAS:
THE BRIDGE
is a drama about a tough and dedicated police officer who is voted to become the
police union's dynamic leader. To serve
the public as well as his 8,000 fellow officers, charismatic Frank Leo (Aaron
Douglas) battles criminals on the street, corruption in the ranks and his own
bosses. On the force is his able partner
and confidante Tommy Dunn (Paul Popowich), who rides with Frank across the
bridge that spans the divide between the rich and the poor in the area they
patrol; Staff Sergeant Bernie Kantor (Frank Cassini), a voice of reason and
moral sounding board; Jill (Inga Cadranel), a detective with a lot of attitude
who is moving up the ranks; Billy (Theresa Joy), a young female cop who is
determined to prove herself to the guys; and Ed Wycoff (Michael Murphy), the
shrewd Chief of Police. Abby St. James
(Ona Grauer) is a sharp prosecutor who begins working with the police union, and
shares a mutual attraction with Frank.
In his new position, Frank Leo takes on the politically-motivated
department brass... and makes many powerful enemies in the process. Craig Bromell, Adam J. Shully, Laszlo Barna,
Alan Di Fiore and Robert Wertheimer are executive producers for E1
Entertainment, 990 Multi Media Entertainment Company and Jonsworth Productions
in association with CTV and CBS Television Studios.
MIAMI TRAUMA
is about a team of expert surgeons who work at one of the premiere trauma
facilities in the country, where only patients with life threatening injuries
are treated. Dr. Matthew Proctor (Jeremy
Northam) is new to the trauma team, after a tour of duty in a MASH unit during
the Gulf war. Dr. Eva Zambrano (Lana
Parrilla) is a workaholic surgeon who is more comfortable in her scrubs than she
is out in the real world. Dr.
Christopher Deleo, "Dr. C.," is a playboy who thrives on the high-stakes of
trauma medicine and is, by his own description, a genius redneck. Dr. Serena Warren (Elisabeth Harnois) is
fresh out of medical school, and head nurse Tuck Brody (Omar Gooding) keeps the
doctors on track and the patients' families updated in this chaotic corner of
the medical profession. Together, this
team of doctors excels in the "golden hour," the 60 minutes after being
critically injured, when a patient's
life hangs in the balance. Jerry
Bruckheimer, Jeffrey Lieber and Jonathan Littman are executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Bonanza Productions
Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution.
The new
MIDSEASON ALTERNATIVE series:
ARRANGED
MARRIAGE is a series that brings the tradition of arranged marriages, which is
still practiced successfully by many cultures throughout the world, to the
U.S., where it is virtually an
inconceivable option for most single Americans.
Three adults who are anxious to get married, but who have been
unsuccessful in their own search for a mate, choose a life-altering path. They rely on their closest family and
friends, those who love and know them best, to choose someone for them to marry
based on shared goals, values, experiences and the commitment to make it
work. The series intimately documents
these three arranged marriages, starting with the first meetings of the families
and the wedding day; and then follows the couple through the day-to-day joys,
challenges, and emotional tumult that results from their arranged union. Emmy Award nominees Jane Lipsitz and Dan
Cutforth are executive producers for Magical Elves Inc.
UNDERCOVER
BOSS is a new reality series that follows high level corporate executives as
they slip anonymously into the lowest level jobs within their companies. Once undercover, they'll get their hands
dirty with the rank and file, find out what their employees REALLY think of them
and discover how smoothly their companies are REALLY run. In the process, these senior executives learn
about themselves, the perception of their company and the spirit of their work
force. Stephen Lambert is the executive
producer for Studio Lambert, Ltd.
Following is the 2009-2010 CBS
Television Network primetime schedule:
CBS TELEVISON NETWORK
2009-2010 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)
MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (NT)
8:30-9:00 PM ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE (N)
9:00-9:30 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN
9:30-10:00 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: MIAMI
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES (N)
10:00-11:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE (N)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD
CHRISTINE
8:30-9:00 PM GARY UNMARRIED
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: NY
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST (NT)
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM GHOST WHISPERER
9:00-10:00 PM MEDIUM
10:00-11:00 PM NUMB3RS
SATURDAY
8:00-9:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY
SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM THREE RIVERS (N)
10:00-11:00 PM COLD CASE (NT)
Posted
May 20 2009, 06:08 AM
by
Rob Owen