CBS unveils fall schedule: Ladies, laughs lead the way

CBS is opening a second night of comedies this fall and looking to boost its X-chromosome quotient with new female-driven shows like The Ex-List (pictured), starring Grey’s Anatomy’s Elizabeth Reaser. Wednesdays will feature another season of The New Adventures of Old Christine, followed by the new comedy Project Gary, a Jay Mohr starrer about a divorced dad navigating his new life as a bachelor — with kids. Rules of Engagement will move to midseason to make way for a new comedy on Mondays at 9:30 p.m. called Worst Week, about a guy (Kyle Bornheimer) who’s a magnet for trouble. New drama Eleventh Hour (about two brainiacs who investigate scientific mysteries) will take over Thursdays at 10, after CSI, while Simon Baker returns to CBS on Tuesdays at 9 in The Mentalist, a drama about a detective with a keen eye for details. The Eye will attempt to lure more female viewers on Fridays with Ex List at 9, about a gal (Reaser) who learns she has only one year to find her future husband — someone she’s already met. Without a Trace moves to Tuesdays at 10, while The Unit — which is expected to add a female character this fall — jumps over to Sundays at 10. Finally, another edition of The Amazing Race begins this fall at 8 on Sundays.

Pilot development continues at CBS (the network says it has roughly 17
projects in the works), but one has already been picked up for
midseason: a younger-skewing drama called Harper’s Island that the network describes as a cross between 10 Little Indians and Scream. Despite speculation to the contrary, CBS has no plans to rescue Back To You, the cancelled Fox comedy starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton. Also gone are Shark, Jericho, and Moonlight — which, despite published reports, is not moving to the CW — while Swingtown,
a period drama starring Grant Show debuting in June, remains the only
summer show for now, with no plans to add it to next fall. The rest of
the schedule — including the Eye’s Monday lineup of The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and Two and a Half Men and Friday’s Ghost Whisperer — remains intact.

Pilot development continues at CBS (the network says it has roughly 17projects in the works), but one has already been picked up formidseason: a younger-skewing drama called Harper’s Island that the network describes as a cross between 10 Little Indians and Scream. Despite speculation to the contrary, CBS has no plans to rescue Back To You, the cancelled Fox comedy starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton. Also gone are Shark, Jericho, and Moonlight — which, despite published reports, is not moving to the CW — while Swingtown,a period drama starring Grant Show debuting in June, remains the onlysummer show for now, with no plans to add it to next fall. The rest ofthe schedule — including the Eye’s Monday lineup of The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and Two and a Half Men and Friday’s Ghost Whisperer — remains intact.