CBS unveils 2022-2023 primetime lineup
(CBS News & Stations) – CBS announced its 2022-2023 primetime programming lineup of CBS Originals, featuring four new dramas, one alternative series, special event programming and 18 returning series. For 2021-2022, the Network finished #1 for the 14th straight season, winning 19 of the past 20 seasons.
The four new series for fall are the dramas "East New York" starring Amanda Warren as the newly promoted boss of the 74th Precinct located on the edge of Brooklyn; "Fire Country", from Jerry Bruckheimer and inspired by series star Max Thieriot's (SEAL Team) experiences growing up in Northern California fire country; humorous legal drama "So Help Me Todd," starring Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden as a meticulous successful attorney and Skylar Astin as her aimless private detective son she hires to work for her law firm and the reality romance adventure "The Real Love Boat," inspired by the classic hit scripted series "The Love Boat."
The fall schedule of CBS Original series also includes the return of #1 broadcast series "NCIS," #1 comedy "Young Sheldon," #1 new series and comedy "Ghosts," #1 new drama "NCIS: Hawai'i" and #1 news program "60 Minutes."
The new series debuting later in the season is the drama "True Lies," inspired by James Cameron's hit action/comedy film of the same name.
"CBS had another incredible season. In addition to repeating as America's most-watched network, we launched several breakout hits, not to mention winning and improving many time periods across our schedule," said Kelly Kahl, president of CBS Entertainment. "For the new season, we once again looked for ways to strengthen our position with new, compelling series, scheduling them strategically to guarantee sampling and maximize consistency and flow. We believe these great new shows, returning hits and our robust slate of event programming positions us for another winning year."
In addition to CBS' new and returning top series, its year-round schedule of original programming also features annual marquee events, including the GRAMMY Awards, the CMT Music Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, the Tony Awards, NFL playoffs in January and NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in March, among other special event programming.
Upcoming previously announced alternative series include "Superfan," a musical spectacle disguised as a game show; "Lingo," a word-twisting, fast-thinking game show executive-produced and hosted by Emmy Award winner RuPaul Charles; "Tough As Nails;" and "Secret Celebrity Renovation."
Also, CBS will ring in the holidays with three original movies: "When Christmas Was Young," executive-produced by award-winning musician Sheryl Crow; "Fit For Christmas," starring The Talk's Amanda Kloots, who will also executive-produce; and "Must Love Christmas," from prolific holiday film writer and producer Mark Amato.
CBS' new fall schedule features perennial strength and stability of returning hits, and all new series supported by established lead-ins. All new and returning series will stream live and on demand on Paramount+*.
MONDAY – Monday's winning slate returns intact with TV's #2 comedy block of "The Neighborhood" and Bob ♥ Abishola opening the night from 8:00-9:00 PM. At 9:00 PM, "NCIS," the #1 broadcast series for the 12th time in 13 seasons, returns for season 20, leading into #1 new drama "NCIS: Hawai'i" at 10:00 PM to close the night of top-rated programming.
TUESDAY – FBI Tuesday returns with the #1 lineup of the night! FBI, television's #2 drama, returns at 8:00 PM, flowing into #2 new drama and time-period winner "FBI: International" at 9:00 PM. Top 10 broadcast series "FBI: Most Wanted" remains in its time-period-winning 10:00 PM slot, bookending a formidable night of compelling, heroic storytelling.
WEDNESDAY – Two iconic reality series lead into a new unscripted romance adventure competition inspired by "The Love Boat." The groundbreaking hit series "Survivor," hosted by Jeff Probst, kicks off the night at 8:00 PM. At 9:00 PM, the globe-trotting, Emmy Award-winning "The Amazing Race" hosted by Phil Keoghan returns, leading into the new romance adventure competition "The Real Love Boat" at 10:00 PM. Set aboard a luxury cruise ship in the Mediterranean, the show caps an exhilarating night of unscripted television.
THURSDAY – Thursday's #1 scripted schedule kicks off the night with a "power hour" of comedy and adds a humorous new drama, followed by "CSI: Vegas," "Young Sheldon," television's #1 comedy, again anchors the night at 8:00 PM, leading into the critically acclaimed, #1 new comedy/series and breakout hit "Ghosts" in its new time slot at 8:30 PM. These top comedies form a powerful launch pad for a witty new drama, "So Help Me Todd," at 9:00 PM, starring Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin as an attorney and private detective team who are also mother and son. At 10:00 PM, the second season of "CSI: Vegas," the sequel to the Network's global hit "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," moves to its new night after improving its time period in viewers this season by double-digit percentage points, to cap the evening.
FRIDAY – CBS' most dominant night adds a "hot" new drama from Jerry Bruckheimer. Time period winner "S.W.A.T." returns to its 8:00 PM slot, providing a seamless transition from crime fighters to firefighters at 9:00 PM with new heart-pounding drama "Fire Country," starring SEAL Team's Max Thieriot as a convict in a prison release firefighting program assigned to his hometown where his troubles began. At 10:00 PM, Friday's #1 program and time period winner for 12 years, "Blue Bloods" starring Tom Selleck, closes out one of television's strongest nights.
SATURDAY – CBS' Saturday night lineup features encore broadcasts of the Network's popular dramas at 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM, followed at 10:00 PM by the true crime docuseries "48 Hours," Saturday's #1 non-sports primetime series for 16 consecutive seasons.
SUNDAY – A gritty new police drama debuts between two established crime-fighting hits. CBS' Sunday night has been #1 for the last 14 seasons with regularly scheduled non-sports programming. "60 Minutes," television's acclaimed #1 news program, returns at 7:00 PM. At 8:00 PM, Sunday's #1 scripted series and television's top show among African American viewers, "The Equalizer" starring Queen Latifah, returns, providing a dominant lead-in for the edgy, adrenaline-fueled new drama "East New York" at 9:00 PM, about the squad of the 74th Precinct who will not only serve their community, but also become part of it. At 10:00 PM, hit drama "NCIS: Los Angeles" moves into its new time period when it returns for its 14th season to cap the night.
THE NEW FALL DRAMAS:
SO HELP ME TODD (Thursday, 9:00-10:00 PM)
SO HELP ME TODD stars Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin as razor-sharp, meticulous attorney Margaret Wright (Harden) and Todd (Astin), her talented but scruffy, aimless son whom she hires as her law firm's in-house investigator. As the black sheep of the well-heeled Wright family, Todd is a laid-back, quick-thinking, excellent former private detective who fell on hard times after his flexible interpretation of the law got his license revoked. Margaret's penchant for excellence and strict adherence to the law is at complete odds with Todd's scrappy methods of finding his way through sticky situations: by the seat of his wrinkled pants. When Todd inadvertently teams with his mother on a case, she's surprised to find herself duly impressed by – and proud of – his crafty ability to sleuth out information with his charm and his wide-ranging tech savvy. At last, Margaret sees a way to put her son on a "suitable" path to living an adult, financially solvent life she approves of, and she asks him to join her firm. Todd agrees, since it means getting his license back and once again doing the job he excels at and loves. Mother and son working together is a big first step toward mending their fragile, dysfunctional relationship, and they may even come away with a better understanding of each other at this pivotal point in their lives. But whether Todd and Margaret will be able to accept each other for who they are is another case entirely.
FIRE COUNTRY (Friday, 9:00-10:00 PM)
FIRE COUNTRY stars Max Thieriot (SEAL TEAM) as Bode Donovan, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining an unconventional prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It's a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began. Five years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he's back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire. Inspired by series star Max Thieriot's experiences growing up in Northern California fire country.
EAST NEW YORK (Sunday, 9:00-10:00 PM)
From executive producers of "NYPD Blue," EAST NEW YORK stars Amanda Warren as Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood, the newly promoted boss of the 74th Precinct, in East New York – a working-class neighborhood on the edge of Brooklyn in the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification. With family ties to the area, Haywood is determined to deploy creative methods to protect her beloved community with the help of her officers and detectives. But first, she has the daunting task of getting them on board, as some are skeptical of her promotion, and others resist the changes she is desperate to make. Her team includes her mentor, shrewd veteran two-star Chief John Suarez (Emmy Award winner Jimmy Smits); Marvin Sandeford (Tony Award winner and current nominee Ruben Santiago-Hudson), a highly respected training officer and expert on the neighborhood; Tommy Killian (Kevin Rankin), a detective with some old-school approaches to policing; Capt. Stan Yenko (Richard Kind), Haywood's gregarious and efficient right hand; Crystal Morales (Elizabeth Rodriguez), an intuitive detective who can't be intimidated; Andre Bentley (Lavel Schley), a trainee from an upper middle-class background; and ambitious patrol officer Brandy Quinlan (Olivia Luccardi), the sole volunteer to live in a local housing project as part of Haywood's plan to bridge the gap between police and community. Regina Haywood has a vision: she and the squad of the 74th Precinct will not only serve their community – they'll also become part of it.
NEW UNSCRIPTED SERIES FOR FALL
THE REAL LOVE BOAT (Wednesday, 10:00-11:00 PM)
The new reality romance adventure THE REAL LOVE BOAT, inspired by the classic hit scripted series "The Love Boat," sets sail on Princess Cruises in 2022. THE REAL LOVE BOAT brings singles together to travel the Mediterranean on a luxury cruise ship while looking for love. Destination dates, challenges and surprise singles will test the couples' compatibility and chemistry. Like the beloved original scripted series, the indispensable crew members, including "captain" and "cruise director," who will be selected from actual Princess crew members, will play pivotal roles in the matchmaking and navigation of the romantic (and sometimes turbulent) waters ahead. After almost a month at sea, only one winning couple will make it to the final port and take home a cash prize plus a once-in-a-lifetime trip courtesy of Princess Cruises, the series' exclusive cruise line partner.
THE REAL LOVE BOAT is produced by Eureka Productions in association with Buster Productions. Executive producers are Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin and Wes Dening for Eureka, and Jay Bienstock.
NEW DRAMA FOR MID-SEASON:
TRUE LIES
TRUE LIES, inspired by James Cameron's hit action/comedy film of the same name, follows Harry (Steve Howey), a first-class international spy for U.S. intelligence agency Omega Sector, and his wife, Helen (Ginger Gonzaga), a language professor bored with her daily routine, who makes the shocking discovery that her seemingly ordinary husband is leading an extraordinary double life. With the secret out, Omega recruits Helen, who impresses everyone with her formidable skills (thanks to Tae Bo and yoga), and she joins Harry and his team of top-notch operatives, embarking on covert missions around the globe and an exhilarating life of danger and adventure. The renewed bond between them adds much-needed sizzle to the Taskers' emotionally distant marriage and upends the top-secret world of Omega Sector. But, as Harry says, if you're going to save the world, you might as well do it for the ones you love.
**Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service as well as on demand. Essential-tier subscribers will have access to on-demand the day after the episode airs.
