CBS Puts Some Zing In The Fall Schedule

CBS keeps its staple shows around and throws in some diverse new series to mix things up this fall.

"Those of you who accuse CBS of being too conservative will feel differently when you see the shows we've lined up," said CBS Corporation Chief Executive Leslie Moonves. The schedule for the fall will include the returning crime dramas that the network is known for but will also feature some new shows with very different premises. "The Fall and mid-season series we have selected offer creativity and variety with great potential to excite and surprise television audiences everywhere," said Nina Tassler, CBS entertainment president.

All three CSI shows will be returning this fall in their regular time slots. CSI: Miami will be joined on Monday nights by Big Bang Theory, a comedy about two science geeks and their beautiful new neighbor. On Wednesday, Kid Nation will replace the cancelled series Jericho. The reality show follows the story of 40 kids trying to build a successful town without their parents around and will lead into the returning crime duo of Criminal Minds and CSI: New York. On Thursday, Without a Trace returns to its old time slot after CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

New CBS dramas include Cane, a show which focuses on a Cuban-American family's sugar and rum business in southern Florida. Starring Jimmy Smits, Cane will air on Tuesday nights. On Fridays, Moonlight will replace the cancelled Close To Home. The main character is a vampire who works as a private investigator and who ends up falling in love with a mortal woman. Moonlight is part of the network's attempt to draw in a larger audience from the important 18-49 demographic. Viva Laughlin, a mixture of music and mystery, follows the story of a casino owner in Nevada and will feature guest appearances from Hugh Jackman. Viva Laughlin will air on Sundays before the returning series Cold Case and Shark, which will take Without A Trace's current time slot.

In addition to the fall schedule, CBS has also announced a summer reality series and a midseason replacement. The reality show, called Power of 10, is a game with a top prize of $10 million. Hosted by Drew Carey, Power of 10 asks contestants to guess the correct answers to survey questions. Swingtown is a midseason replacement which is set in the 1970s in a Chicago suburb where open marriages and sexual experimentation are the norm.

You can find more information on CBS's fall lineup at The Futon Critic, Reuters, USA Today and Variety.

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