CBS Unveils Fall 2023 Schedule That Doesn’t Factor In Strike Impact: 90-Minute ‘Survivor’ & ‘Amazing Race’, Newbies ‘Matlock’ & ‘Elsbeth’
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In May 2020, CBS announced what then-CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl called “‘fall’ schedule with quotes,” featuring the shows they wanted without knowing when each would be ready amid the pandemic-related global production shutdown.
Three years later, CBS is taking a similar approach with its fall 2023 schedule, the first for Amy Reisenbach as the new Entertainment President, which also is what the network brass hope to launch in the fall but may not be able to amid a writers strike. In typical CBS fashion, it bets on stability, featuring very few changes, with five of the seven nightly lineups remaining virtually intact as the network is closing in on its 15th consecutive season as the most watched broadcast network. (That includes supersized, 90-minute episodes of reality veterans Survivor and The Amazing Race, which will have Wednesday night to themselves in a long-rumored move.)
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None of the scripted series on the schedule would be ready to premiere in September if the current writers work stoppage goes on for a couple of months. CBS is working on backup schedules and contingencies that involve a mix of fresh (mostly reality) programming and some targeted repeats. Here is the network’s ideal-case-scenario “fall” lineup, followed by a brief analysis and descriptions of CBS’ new series for next season.
CBS FALL 2023 SCHEDULE
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET/PT
MONDAY
8-8:30 pm — The Neighborhood
8:30-9 pm — Bob Hearts Abishola
9-10 pm — NCIS
10-11 pm — NCIS: Hawai’i
TUESDAY
8-9 pm — FBI
9-10 pm — FBI: International
10-11 pm — FBI Most Wanted
WEDNESDAY
8-9:30 pm — Survivor
9:30-11 pm — The Amazing Race
THURSDAY
8-8:30 pm — Young Sheldon
8:30-9 pm — Ghosts
9-10 pm — So Help Me Todd
10-11 pm — ELSBETH
FRIDAY
8-9 pm — S.W.A.T.
9-10 pm — Fire Country
10-11 pm — Blue Bloods
SATURDAY
8-10 pm — CBS Encores
10-11 pm — 48 Hours
SUNDAY
7-8 pm — 60 Minutes
8-9 pm — MATLOCK
9-10 pm — The Equalizer
10-11 pm — CSI: Vegas
CBS plans to add two new series in the fall, dramas Matlock, a reboot of the classic series starring Kathy Bates, and The Good Wife offshoot procedural Elsbeth headlined by Carrie Preston.
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At 74, Bates may be the oldest woman to lead a new network drama series. It makes sense to use older-skewing and widely watched 60 Minutes as a lead-in. CBS is setting up a lineup of drama procedurals with strong female leads on Sunday in the fall, with Matlock followed by The Equalizer and CSI: Vegas, which is relocating from Thursday.
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Meanwhile, CBS is doing something unusual with Elsbeth, launching it not behind a well established, long-running hit, which has been the network’s MO, but behind freshman So Help Me Todd, which will be returning for a second season in the Thursday 9 PM slot.
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I hear this came out of everyone commenting after screenings and testing of Elsbeth how well it would go with So Help Me Todd. The two shows have very similar sensibilities.
As for supersizing Survivor and The Amazing Race, CBS did it to strengthen the night in a move reminiscent of NBC’s supersizing of its signature Thursday comedies almost two decades ago. The venerable reality titles have been the main attraction on Wednesday, and both have always had extra footage left on the cutting room floor, with deleted scenes features scoring with fans.
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CBS considered a couple of different scenarios for the Friday 8 PM slot before un-canceling S.W.A.T., which will remain in the time period for its 13-episode seventh and final season.
On the bench for midseason is new Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. comedy series Poppa’s House. I hear it would likely air Mondays, succeeding Bob ❤️ Abishola, which, as Deadline reported, received a 13-episode oder. Also set for a midseason debut is the new Justin Hartley drama series Tracker, which will premiere after the Super Bowl. It’s regular time slot is TBD.
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Here are descriptions of CBS’ new series.
NEW FALL DRAMA SERIES
ELSBETH
ELSBETH stars Carrie Preston (THE GOOD WIFE) as Elsbeth Tascioni, an astute but unconventional attorney who, after her successful career in Chicago, utilizes her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner brilliant criminals alongside the NYPD. Based on the character featured in THE GOOD WIFE and THE GOOD FIGHT. ELSBETH stars Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni, Wendell Pierce as Captain C.W. Wagner and Carra Patterson as Officer Kaya Blanke. Robert King, Michelle King, Liz Glotzer and Jonathan Tolins are executive producers. Tolins will serve as showrunner. Robert King directed the pilot from a script he wrote with Michelle King. The series is produced by CBS Studios.
MATLOCK
MATLOCK stars Kathy Bates as the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline “Matty” Matlock, who achieved success in her younger years, and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within. Inspired by the classic television series of the same name. MATLOCK stars Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, Skye P. Marshall as Olympia, Jason Ritter as Julian, David Del Rio as Billy and Leah Lewis as Sarah. Bates, Jennie Snyder Urman, Joanna Klein, Eric Christian Olsen and John Will are executive producers. Kat Coiro directed the pilot from a script written by Urman. The series is produced by CBS Studios.
TRACKER (Premieres after the Super Bowl 2024)
TRACKER stars Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, a lone-wolf survivalist who roams the country as a “reward seeker,” using his expert tracking skills to help private citizens and law enforcement solve all manner of mysteries while contending with his own fractured family. The series is based on the bestselling novel The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver. TRACKER stars Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, Fiona Rene as Reenie, Robin Weigert as Teddi, Abby McEnany as Velma and Eric Graise as Bobby. Hartley, Ken Olin, Ben Winters, Hilary Weisman Graham and Jeffrey Deaver are executive producers. Olin directed the pilot from a script written by Winters. The series is produced by Twentieth Television.
NEW COMEDY (FOR MIDSEASON)
POPPA’S HOUSE
POPPA’S HOUSE, starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., features Wayans as legendary talk radio host and happily divorced “Poppa” who has his point of view challenged at work when a new female co-host (Essence Atkins) is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son (Damon Wayans Jr.), a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband. POPPA’S HOUSE stars Damon Wayans as Poppa, Damon Wayans Jr. as Damon, Essence Atkins as Ivy and Tetona Jackson as Nina. Wayans and Kevin Hench are executive producers. Andy Ackerman directed the pilot from a script written by Hench and Wayans. The series is produced by CBS Studios.
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