CBS’ Fall Schedule: 4 Hours of Comedy, ‘MacGyver’ Opening Friday, ‘NCIS: LA’ Moves to Sunday

Broadcast’s most stable schedule revealed its annual touch-ups on Wednesday morning. The last of the Big Four networks to publicly solidify its fall lineup, CBS revealed that it’s actually shaking things up quite a bit.

A duo of two-hour comedy blocks will air on Monday and Thursday, with The Big Bang Theory being used to launch both Kevin Can Wait and The Great Indoors. With a slightly different football schedule this season — the network splits Thursday Night rights with the NFL Network and NBC — the second comedy block will launch at the end of October.

Monday sees some of the most change. With Big Bang pinch-hitting until the NFL is off the lineup, it will open the night before Kevin Can Wait, Two Broke Girls, The Odd Couple and Scorpion. The latter moves into the 10 p.m. slot, as NCIS: Los Angeles heads off to Sunday. When Big Bang moves back to its Thursday roost, Kevin Can Wait will move to 8 p.m. and lead into fellow freshman Man With a Plan.

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Changes on Tuesday are modest, and natural considering the star of its new entry. NCIS vet Michael Weatherly will get an intro from his former series when his new vehicle, Bull, launches at 9 p.m. That shifts NCIS: New Orleans to 10 p.m. Survivor, Criminal Minds and Code Black maintain their slots from last fall, making Wednesday the only night not to see any change for CBS.

When Thursday Night Football wraps for the network, Big Bang will intro The Great Indoors (9:30 p.m.), Mom, Life in Pieces and new medical drama Pure Genius. (Historically, the 10 p.m. Thursday slot set the high bar for medical dramas. E.R. was a ratings juggernaut for NBC in the same hour for over a decade.)

Friday sees some new scripted blood, a rare move for CBS. The reboot of MacGyver will open the night, while Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods stay put. Sunday’s shifts are similarly minor, with NCIS: Los Angeles moving into Madam Secretary‘s slot and pushing the drama into The Good Wife‘s old slot.

On deck for midseason are Katherine Heigl drama Doubt, Training Day, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Undercover Boss and Amazing Race.

CBS’ Complete 2016-17 Fall Schedule
new shows in bold
*New time slot

Monday
8 p.m. — The Big Bang Theory/Kevin Can Wait
8:30 p.m. — Kevin Can Wait/Man With the Plan (October)
9 p.m. — 2 Broke Girls*
9:30 p.m. — The Odd Couple*
10 p.m.  — Scorpion*

Tuesday
8 p.m. — NCIS
9 p.m. — Bull
10 p.m. — NCIS: New Orleans*

Wednesday
8 p.m. — Survivor
9 p.m.  — Criminal Minds
10 p.m.  — Code Black

Thursday (through Oct. 20)
8 p.m. — Thursday Night Football

Thursday (starting Oct. 27)
8 p.m. — The Big Bang Theory
8:30 p.m. — The Great Indoors
9 p.m. — Mom
9:30 p.m. — Life in Pieces*
10 p.m. — Pure Genius

Friday
8 p.m. — MacGyver
9 p.m. — Hawaii Five-0
10 p.m. — Blue Bloods

Saturday
8 p.m. — Crimetime Saturday
 
Sunday
7 p.m.  — 60 Minutes
8 p.m. — NCIS: Los Angeles*
9 p.m. — Madam Secretary*
10 p.m — Elementary

Keep up with all the renewals, cancellations and new series pickups with THR’s handy scorecard and follow the pilot crop status here. For full Upfronts 2016 coverage, go to THR.com/upfronts.