CBS Slates Celebrity ‘Big Brother’ Against Winter Olympics, Sets ‘Instinct’ & ‘Living Biblically’ Premiere Dates
As expected when back in September CBS announced a first celebrity edition of Big Brother for the winter, the network is using the summer staple as counter programming to NBC’s 2018 Winter Olympics. In 2018, we may see the biggest ever push against the Olympics by other networks, who usually throw in the towel by switching to repeats during the top sporting event, with ABC also plotting an all-star edition of The Bachelor.
CBS — which also has set post-Olympics premiere dates for new crime drama Instinct and comedy Living Biblically, the latter reverting to its original title from the most recent moniker By the Book — is going all out with four nights a week of Big Brother airing against the Olympics, including a two-hour edition facing the opening ceremony on Feb. 9. Big Brother will get a jump on the marquee sports competition by launching two days earlier, on Feb. 7.
In addition to a three-week, limited-run celebrity Big Brother, with Julie Chen on board to host. CBS also will air a new installment of its popular reality completion series The Amazing Race against the Olympics. It debuts Jan. 3.
CBS’ new series Living Biblically and Instinct‘s scheduling is based on attrition, with the two taking over the spots of the new series that did not get full-season orders. Living Biblically, starring Jay R. Ferguson as Chip Curry, a modern-day man at a crossroads in his life who decides to live strictly in accordance with the Bible, will replace 9JKL, which received a three-episode back order, in the Monday 9:30 PM slot, starting Feb. 26. Instinct, starring Alan Cumming as Dr. Dylan Reinhart, a gifted author, university professor and former CIA operative who is lured back to his old life, will debut March 11 in the Sunday 8 PM slot soon-to-be vacated by the Jeremy Piven starrer Wisdom of the Crowd, which did not get a back order.
CBS also has set a Feb. 28 return date for Survivor, while delaying scheduling decisions on Elementary, whose order was just upped to 21 episodes, Code Black and Undercover Boss. The earliest they could launch is late spring, likely stretching into summer.
CBS’ WINTER 2018 SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Jan. 3
8-9 PM — THE AMAZING RACE (30th Season Premiere)
9-10 PM — SEAL TEAM
10-11 PM — CRIMINAL MINDS
Wednesday, Jan. 24
8-10 PM — THE AMAZING RACE (2-Hour Episode)
10-11 PM — CRIMINAL MINDS
Wednesday, Feb. 7
8-9 PM — BIG BROTHER (Celebrity Edition Premiere)
9-11 PM — THE AMAZING RACE (2-Hour Episode)
Thursday, Feb. 8
8-9 PM — BIG BROTHER
Friday, Feb. 9
8-10 PM — BIG BROTHER (2-Hour Episode)
Sunday, Feb. 11
8-9 PM — BIG BROTHER
Monday, Feb. 12
8-9 PM — BIG BROTHER
Wednesday, Feb. 14
8-9 PM — BIG BROTHER
9-11 PM — THE AMAZING RACE (2-Hour Episode)
Friday, Feb. 16
8-10 PM — BIG BROTHER (2-Hour Episode)
Sunday, Feb. 18
8-9 PM — BIG BROTHER
Monday, Feb. 19
8-9 PM — BIG BROTHER
Wednesday, Feb. 21
8-9 PM — BIG BROTHER
9-11 PM –THE AMAZING RACE (Season Finale)
Friday, Feb. 23
8-10 PM — BIG BROTHER (2-Hour Episode)
Saturday, Feb. 24
8-9 PM — BIG BROTHER
Sunday, Feb. 25
8-10 PM — BIG BROTHER (Celebrity Edition Finale)
Monday, Feb. 26
8-8:30 PM — KEVIN CAN WAIT
8:30-9 PM — MAN WITH A PLAN
9-9:30 PM — SUPERIOR DONUTS
9:30-10 PM — LIVING BIBLICALLY (Series Premiere)
10-11 PM — SCORPION
Wednesday, Feb. 28
8-10 PM — SURVIVOR (2-Hour Season Premiere)
10-11 PM — SEAL TEAM
Wednesday, March 7
8-9 PM — SURVIVOR (Time Period Premiere)
9-10 PM — SEAL TEAM
10-11 PM — CRIMINAL MINDS
Sunday, Effective March 11
8-9 PM — INSTINCT (Series Premiere)
9-10 PM — NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10-11 PM — MADAM SECRETARY
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