MIDSEASON/OTHER THOUGHTS
SHILO: The trades have been reporting that CBS wants to pick up 3-5 new comedies, so if they put on three new comedies in the fall like I’m suggesting, they’ll order at least one for midseason. That might end up being something like Superior Donuts, which sounds like a decent partner for 2 Broke Girls; Girls has performed more than well enough for a fall slot, but it’s been deprioritized so much by CBS that, with Mike & Molly gone, it feels like this will be its turn to act as CBS’s Rules of Engagement. The Odd Couple, meanwhile, has a puncher’s chance at renewal, but again, I can’t see it being anything more than a fill-in at this point. And with 2 Broke Girls likely acting as that type of show, will CBS renew The Odd Couple and have two shows with similar functions?
In this version of CBS’s schedule, one of approximately 283 variations that I tried, Supergirl would be a midseason show that gets a limited episode order (13-15) and airs repeat free. I don’t know if it performed well enough to keep its Monday slot and there are no other fall slots that make sense, as the show isn’t for 10:00, isn’t enough of a priority to disrupt other nights (e.g. Wednesday, where it would make sense as a Survivor companion), and would cause flow problems in what nights that are feasible places for it to air (e.g. Sunday, where it wouldn’t get the direct football lead-in and would air between 60 Minutes and Madam Secretary). It might end up on spring Mondays if the single cams hold and air mostly without repeat because otherwise, I think it has a hard time making it to the schedule.
Otherwise, I think CBS will pick up Training Day and maybe one of Drew or MacGyver, though I wonder how many of their intellectual property-based dramas they’ll go with after the underperformance of Rush Hour.
CRAIG: I’ve realized after a few days of doing these that I usually discuss my midseason thoughts in the individual day sections. Really, though, the only thing I’m thinking about regarding midseason is Supergirl, if it doesn’t get a fall launch. I think they’d actually do well with a shorter season, but again, I’d pray that a midseason launch wouldn’t have erratic scheduling.
I could see a show like Superior Donuts at midseason, too. There are a lot of options for CBS, really.
Another random thought: Could Madam Secretary become Madam President after November? Heh heh.
