Jesus Christ, networks! There are other days in the week than Thursday, though you wouldn't know it by the upfront presentations of fall schedules: first, Fox moved Fringe into the insane gauntlet of Thursdays at 9pm, and now CBS is following suit, moving freshman hit The Mentalist into Thursdays at 10pm. Is it a good move?
Though it may be hell on people's DVRs, there's a certain canny defensiveness about the relocation. CSI's been slipping since William Petersen left, and the network believes it can help stem the loss by scheduling The Mentalist as its lead-out. With Thursday ad rates so high, the network clearly believes that night is its priority (and the new Jay Leno Show should provide CBS with a strong opening in that 10pm timeslot).
In other news, CBS canceled Without a Trace and The Unit, picked up Three Rivers, Accidentally on Purpose, The Good Wife, and spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles, and rescued Medium from an uncaring NBC.
The fall schedule is as follows, with new shows bolded:
MONDAY
8 p.m. How I Met Your Mother
8:30 p.m. Accidentally on Purpose
9 p.m. Two and A Half Men
9:30 p.m. The Big Bang Theory
10 p.m. CSI: Miami
TUESDAY
8 p.m. NCIS
9 p.m. NCIS: Los Angeles
10 p.m. The Good Wife
WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. The New Adventures of Old Christine
8:30 p.m. Gary Unmarried
9 p.m. Criminal Minds
10 p.m. CSI: NY
THURSDAY
8 p.m. Survivor: Samoa
9 p.m. CSI
10 p.m. The Mentalist
FRIDAY
8 p.m. Ghost Whisperer
9 p.m. Medium
10 p.m. Numb3rs
SATURDAY
8 p.m. Crimetime Saturday
9 p.m. Crimetime Saturday
10 p.m. 48 Hours Mystery
SUNDAY
7 p.m. 60 Minutes
8 p.m. The Amazing Race
9 p.m. Three Rivers
10 p.m. Cold Case
ยท CBS announces fall schedule: 'The Mentalist' jumps to Thursdays [EW]