CBS Announces Return Dates For Series
February 13, 2008

Now that the strike is coming to a merciful end, the networks are announcing what will come back and when and CBS is the first big hitter up with a schedule for its post-strike lineup. The network plans to bring back nearly all of its scripted series, while some other networks are rumored to be considering shuttering a few shows until the fall. Zap2It reports that CBS will gradually rebuild its lineup, starting with their hit comedies, which are the easiest to put back into quick production. On Monday, March 17th, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and Two and a Half Men will all return to the air and the dramas will slowly follow over the next three weeks with the first returning one being another Monday hit, CSI: Miami, on March 24th.

All of the CBS shows will return with at least four new episodes and the Monday comedies will actually produces as many as nine episodes (except for the 9:30pm EST slot, which will be filled with four episodes of Rules of Engagement after The New Adventures of Old Christine finishes its run at the end of March). CSI: Miami will return for eight new shows as well with NCIS and Criminal Minds coming back for seven episodes a piece.

An interesting dilemma for CBS is the placement of Big Brother 9, which has to air three nights a week but could be in trouble with all of these new shows debuting. The Unit usually airs in the slot currently occupied by Big Brother 9 but there's no word yet on whether or not that show will finish out the season that went on hiatus in December. Shark will return with four episodes but there's no date yet and the as-yet-unaired new show Swingtown will go back into production as well, probably for about four episodes.

Recap of shows, dates, and episodes to be produced for this season, courtesy of Zap2It, with Shark's 4-episode run still unscheduled and no word yet on The Unit or possible production again on Jericho:

Monday, March 17th
9 Episodes - How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and Two and a Half Men

Monday, March 24th
8 Episodes - CSI: Miami

Sunday, March 30th
5 Episodes - Cold Case

Wednesday, April 2nd
7 Episodes - Criminal Minds and CSI: New York

Thursday, April 3rd
6 Episodes - CSI and Without a Trace

Friday, April 4th
6 Episodes - Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs

Tuesday, April 8th
7 Episodes - NCIS

Friday, April 11th
4 Episodes - Moonlight

Monday, April 14th
4 Episodes - Rules of Engagement

Recent TV News
The CW Six
Rock Star 3
Jericho