ViacomCBS Merger Offers Broadcast Net More Off-Bench Options If COVID-19 Shutdown Hits Fall Schedule, ‘Blood & Treasure’ Remains In Backup

Peter White
·2 min read

Click here to read the full article.

Fox, NBC and The CW have all turned to acquisitions, both international series and less watched U.S. shows, to fill gaps caused by the COVID-19 production shutdown.

CBS has not yet gone down the route of picking up any third-party series but Entertainment President Kelly Kahl told Deadline that it is keeping its options open.

More from Deadline

He said that the recent merger between Viacom and CBS has widened these options as well, with the possibility of taking a show from the cable side of the business to plug any gaps caused by the global pandemic.

“We have many options, you’ve seen how we’ve been able to be nimble over the last few weeks. We have a lot of options at our disposal and since the merger, we’ve got even more options, so whenever we can get our shows together, leading up to that, we’re not going to be airing a test pattern on any nights,” he said.

The second season of Blood & Treasure remains one of these options. The show, which debuted in May 2019, was picked up for a second season last year from CBS TV Studios and Propagate.

Starring Matt Barr and Sofia Pernas, Blood & Treasure is a globe-trotting action-adventure drama about a brilliant antiquities expert and a cunning art thief who team up to catch a ruthless terrorist who funds his attacks through stolen treasure.

Whether Blood & Treasure could come off the bench and fill any gaps of CBS’ fall schedule, which includes The Equalizer on Sunday nights, remains to be seen. But Kahl added, “We’re keeping our options open.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.