CBS to Add 'Big Bang Theory' Prequel, Seven Other Series to TV Lineup
18 May 2017 - 3:05AM
Dow Jones News
By Joe Flint
CBS is adding eight new television series -- including a prequel
to "The Big Bang Theory," its biggest comedy hit -- to its 2017-18
prime-time lineup.
Although CBS is wrapping up a season in which it will finish
first in viewers for the ninth year in a row, the network still
faces challenges. Excluding sports, the audience for its prime-time
entertainment programming is down 8%, to 9.3 million, this season
compared with last season, according to Nielsen.
In addition, the network's ratings among 18-49 year olds, which
is coveted by advertisers, was off 16%, and it trails both Comcast
Corp.'s NBC and Walt Disney Co.'s ABC in that category.
CBS Corp. Chief Executive Leslie Moonves said Wednesday, in
advance of the network's upfront presentation to unveil the new
lineup to advertisers, that the network continues to have the
most-watched comedy in "The Big Bang Theory" and most-watched drama
in "NCIS." The broadcaster also had the most popular new comedy in
"Kevin Can Wait" and drama in "Bull," Mr. Moonves said.
"A pretty good statistic," he said.
Both CBS's late-night show, "The Late Show with Stephen
Colbert," and its morning news program, "CBS This Morning," are
enjoying improved ratings thanks to increased interest in political
news and Mr. Colbert's searing critiques of U.S. President Donald
Trump. Those shows will help the network take a bigger share of
advertising dollars, Mr. Moonves said.
"There is a lot more demand for Colbert and 'CBS This Morning'
than there ever has been before," Mr. Moonves said. Mr. Colbert in
particular "has been killing it night after night," the CBS chief
executive said. In recent months, "The Late Show with Stephen
Colbert" has surpassed NBC's "Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" in
viewers, although the latter is still clinging to its lead in the
18-49 demographic.
In the fall, CBS will debut three comedies and three dramas. The
network's biggest bet is "Young Sheldon," about the childhood
Sheldon Cooper, one of the lead characters on "The Big Bang
Theory."
Other comedies include "9JKL," which stars Mark Feuerstein as an
actor who returns to New York and ends up living on the same floor
of an apartment building with his parents, played by Linda Lavin
and Elliott Gould. The third comedy is "Me, Myself & I," which
tells the story of one man as a teen, an adult and a senior citizen
and stars Bobby Moynihan, of NBC's "Saturday Night Live," and John
Larroquette.
CBS is sticking with its tried-and-true action formula for two
of its three new dramas. "SEAL Team" is about the elite U.S. Navy
SEAL unit and "S.W.A.T." -- inspired by the 1970s series of the
same name -- is about the Los Angeles Police Department's famed
tactical unit. The third drama, "Wisdom of the Crowd," stars Jeremy
Piven as a tech innovator who creates a crowdsourcing app to help
solve crimes.
The network has an additional new drama and comedy for spring
and is also bringing back 23 shows, including the political drama
"Madam Secretary" and the comedy "Superior Donuts."
Write to Joe Flint at joe.flint@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 17, 2017 12:50 ET (16:50 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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