Sunday, 28 April 2024

Super Bowl could be the biggest hit on CBS fall schedule

CBS has landed Super Bowl LVIII to air on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, taking place at the home of the Las Vegas Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium in Sin City.

Chances are that the Raiders won’t be taking the field on that day, even though that would be nice.

The primetime lineup for the fall season will feature three new dramas, one new comedy, and 22 returning shows, illustrating that CBS usually has a lot of stability in its programming.

That means that Tuesday night still belongs to the FBI with its top-rated lineup. The eight o’clock hour opens with “FBI,” which is followed by “FBI: International” and the night closes out its block of heroic storytelling with “FBI: Most Wanted.”

New drama “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.

After leaving her successful legal career in the Windy City to tackle a new investigative role in New York City, Elsbeth finds herself jockeying with the toast of the NYPD, Captain C.W. Wagner (Wendell Pierce).

Working alongside Elsbeth is Officer Kaya Blanke (Carra Patterson), a stoic and ethical officer who quickly develops and appreciation for Elsbeth’s insightful and offbeat ways.

Based on the character featured in “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight,” the new series “Elsbeth” will take the ten o’clock slot on Thursday nights.

What’s old is new again, and that’s the case of the classic television series “Matlock,” but Andy Griffith’s criminal defense attorney will just be a memory, while the new series of the same name takes a gender twist.

The new “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.

Matty is assigned to Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice. Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Jason Ritter), the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.

As Matty endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world, she works alongside the firm’s younger associates – the charismatic Billy (David Del Rio) and the uber ambitious Sarah (Leah Lewis).

Premiering in the highly coveted post-Super Bowl time slot on that February Sunday night, the drama “Tracker” stars Justin Hartley as lone-wolf survivalist Colter Shaw, who roams the country as a “reward seeker.”

Using his expert tracking skills to help private citizens and law enforcement to solve all manner of mysteries, Hartley must also contend with his own fractured family.

The mid-season will bring new comedy “Poppa’s House,” starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., which features the senior Wayans as legendary talk show host and happily divorced “Poppa” who has his point of view challenged at work.

The trials for the radio host come when a new female co-host (Essence Atkins) is hired, and at home where he finds himself parenting his adult son (Damon Wayans Jr.), a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband.

CBS dominates Friday nights with the return of “S.W.A.T.” at 8:00 p.m., followed by what the network bills as its number one new series and number one streaming series, “Fire Country,” starring Max Thierot as a young convict hoping for redemption volunteering for Cal Fire.

The big kahuna for Friday night remains “Blue Bloods,” entering its 14th season, with Tom Selleck as head of the Reagan family and police commissioner for the City of New York. At an age when most people are retired, Selleck keeps going strong with no end in sight.

Wednesday night brings two iconic reality series expanding to 90 minutes each to deliver a full night of adventure and challenges. The globe-trotting “The Amazing Race” hosted by Phil Keoghan fills the slot ending at 11:00 p.m.

The groundbreaking broadcast hit and most-watched reality show on Paramount+, “Survivor,” on the air since the turn of the century and hosted by Jeff Probst, kicks off Wednesday night at 8 p.m.

Thursday night remains for comedy with “Young Sheldon” anchoring the evening at 8:00 p.m., leading into “Ghosts” which is followed by the witty drama “So Help Me Todd” starring Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin.

Stability is the key for CBS as it finishes the 2022-2023 season as “America’s Most-Watched Network” in primetime for the 15th consecutive season, tying broadcast television’s longest winning streak on record, also held by CBS from 1955 to 1970.

A caveat for all stories about network television scripted programs is the wild card of a writers’ strike dragging on for a few months. CBS, like everyone else, will have to scramble for contingencies in the event of no deal.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

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