CBS Renews Big Bang and Others, But No Mick or Mother (Yet)
CBS has announced it will be renewing The Big Bang Theory for another season, along with 10 others — albeit with a couple of conspicuous absences. Missing from the list, for the moment, are the newbie Moonlight, Rules of Engagement and The New Adventures of Old Christine.
Joining the flood of announcements from the ‘nets on what’s next, CBS added to the rush with its list. The shows that did get a thumbs-up include Cold Case, Criminal Minds, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Ghost Whisperer, NCIS, Numbers, Two and a Half Men and Without a Trace. The 11 renewals are on top of returning faves (and previously announced) Survivor and the Amazing Race.
In addition to all the great renewal news, CBS also issued a chart of when they’re airing new eps of old faves. In the meantime, I’m relishing the open renewal floodgates. — Anna Dimond
CBS’ Post-Strike Plans Features Lotsa Laughs
Ausiello Report
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A rather nifty, Ausiello-ish chart sent out by CBS details its ideal plan for producing new episodes of strike-stricken series.
Monday sitcoms How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men are each returning with nine new eppys on March 17. (Rules of Engagement doesn’t return until April 14, with a half-dozen.)
On March 24, CSI: Miami airs the first of eight new shows, while CSI: NY returns April 2 with seven, and CSI original flavor resurfaces April 3 with six.
Cold Case returns March 30 with five episodes, Criminal Minds kicks off seven new ones on April 2, and Trace is back on April 3 with six.
On April 4, both Ghost Whisperer and Numbers fans get the first of six, while Moonlighters are getting four new episodes starting April 11. NCIS is back April 8 with seven, and Shark‘s got four to unfurl at a to-be-determined date.
Of course, for Mike’s terrifically comprehensive roundup of what’s returning when and with how many, visit TVGuide.com/ShowStatus
Spoiler Junkie 