CBS Fall Schedule Aims for More Laughs, More Women

With a focus on comedy and a goal to reach more women, CBS will introduce five new series this fall -- sitcoms Worst Week and Project Gary; and dramas The Mentalist, Eleventh Hour and The Ex List. Only wasteland Saturday will remain unchanged, while three returning series -- Without a Trace, The New Adventures of Old Christine and The Unit will move to new evenings. Without a Trace will air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. out of psychic-driven The Mentalist; The New Adventures of Old Christine (a 22-episode order) will anchor Wednesday, leading into Project Gary at 8:30 p.m.; and The Unit will close the week Sundays at 10 p.m. out of Cold Case. Keep in mind that CBS has not had success with any comedies in the Wednesday 8 p.m. hour since The Nanny, and that was 10 years ago. Upcoming on CBS in midseason is murder mystery Harper's Island, and the return of sitcom Rules of Engagement. Fans of The Amazing Race meanwhile, will be pleased to know that two editions have been ordered for 2008-09. Not returning on Eye network are dramas Cane, Jericho, Shark and Moonlight, and the non-scripted Kids Nation. Here is CBS' fall 2008 prime-time schedule with the five new shows capped with an asterisk next to it, followed by the new program descriptions: Monday 8:00 p.m. The Big Bang Theory 8:30 p.m. How I Met Your Mother 9:00 p.m. Two and a Half Men 9:30 p.m.*WORST WEEK10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami Tuesday 8:00 p.m. NCIS 9:00 p.m.*THE MENTALIST10:00 p.m. Without a Trace (new day) Wednesday 8:00 p.m. The New Adventures of Old Christine (new day and time) 8:30 p.m.*PROJECT GARY 9:00 p.m. Criminal Minds10:00 p.m. CSI: NY Thursday 8:00 p.m. Survivor 9:00 p.m. CSI10:00 p.m.*ELEVENTH HOUR Friday 8:00 p.m. Ghost Whisperer 9:00 p.m. *THE EX LIST10:00 p.m. Numb3rs Saturday 8:00 p.m. Crimetime Saturday 9:00 p.m. Crimetime Saturday10:00 p.m. 48 Hours Mystery Sunday 7:00 p.m. 60 Minutes 8:00 p.m. The Amazing Race 9:00 p.m. Cold Case10:00 p.m. The Unit (new day and time) New Program Descriptions Comedies Project GaryA recently single painting contractor (Jay Mohr) and his controlling ex-wife (Paula Marshall) face post-divorce mayhem after 15 years of marriage as they embark on new relationships. Worst WeekBased on the British limited run series, the focus of this single camera comedy is on a young couple's hellish period before they officially start life together as a married couple. Kyle Bornheimer, Erinn Hayes, Nancy Lenehan, Jay Maolone and Kurtwood Smith star. ---------- Dramas Eleventh HourA professor who is an advisor to a government scientific agency partners with a government operative to troubleshoot any problems or threats to a specific scientific endeavor. Rufus Swell and Marley Shelton star. Jerry Bruckheimer is one of the executive producers. The Ex ListAfter a psychic tells a woman she has already met the man she is going to marry, she begins to track down each and every man she has ever dated. The cast includes Elizabeth Reaser, Rachel Boston, Alexandra Breckenridge, Adam Rothenberg and Amir Talai. Harper's Island (midseason)An Agatha Christie-like murder mystery begins to unveil in this interactive drama after a group of friends meet on an island off the Seattle coast for a wedding. The cast includes Elaine Cassidy, Ryan Merriman and Samantha Noble. The MentalistA man with psychic abilities (former The Guardian star Simon Baker) works as an independent contractor for the police. Tim Kang, Amanda Righetti, Shaun Toub, Robin Tunney and Owain Yeoman also star.

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CBS Fall Schedule Aims for More Laughs, More Women

Marc Berman

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