CBS Announces 2017-18 Schedule; Offered ‘American Idol,’ Didn’t Want It

Jim Halterman May 17, 2017, 10:15 am

Seal Team - David Boreanaz, Neil Brown, and Max Thieriot — Skip Bolen/CBS

SEAL TEAM stars David Boreanaz (left), as Jason Hayes, in a military drama that follows the professional and personal lives of the most elite unit of Navy SEALs as they train, plan and execute the most dangerous, high stakes missions our country can ask of them. His tight-knit SEAL team includes Ray (Neil Brown Jr., center), and Clay Spenser (Max Thieriot, right).

Prior to their upfront presentation this afternoon, CBS announced their 2017-18 schedule with a press breakfast where Chairman and CEO Les Moonves and SVP, CBS Primetime Kelly Kahl answered questions about the changes and some of the network’s choices.

As for the fact that American Idol went to ABC, Moonves said CBS is okay not having it on their schedule. “We were offered American Idol at the time and we looked at it,” Moonves said. “For a couple of reasons we didn’t like it. Number one, the price is so expensive you need a 35 share to break even so that’s not going to happen…I’m not trying to knock ABC. We did look at it. We looked at it very seriously but the economically made absolutely no sense for us [but] for them it did.”

Stars Step Out for the 2017 TV Upfronts (PHOTOS)

With a two-season renewal for the long-running The Big Bang Theory, Moonves said the cast negotiations for that renewal weren’t “terribly trying.” Of the show’s future, he added, “We hope it goes on beyond that. I can’t make any promises to that…we’re really happy about [the two-year renewal]. Obviously we’re happy we have a Big Bang spin-off, which is a big part of it.”

Here’s the CBS fall schedule.

Monday:

8pm The Big Bang Theory

8:30pm Young Sheldon (special preview Sept. 25)

8:30pm 9JKL (premieres Oct. 2)

9:00pm Kevin Can Wait

9:30pm Me, Myself & I

10:00pm Scorpion

________

8pm Kevin Can Wait

8:30pm 9JKL

9:00pm Me, Myself & I (starting Oct. 30)