CBS Reveals Fall 2015 Schedule: Supergirl to Mondays Later in Fall; Sets 2-Hour Exit for CSI

CBS unveiled its fall 2015 schedule this morning, marked mostly by stability with a few key moves.

The network’s most anticipated new drama, Supergirl, will air on Mondays at 8/7c later in the fall, but first, The Big Bang Theory will launch there, along with new show Life in Pieces. When Thursday Night Football ends, Big Bang and Life in Pieces move to Thursday, leaving room for Supergirl. (CBS employed the same strategy with Big Bang last year, when it also briefly returned to Mondays during football.)

CBS will also use hits NCIS: New Orleans and Criminal Minds to launch two new 10/9c dramas: Limitless on Tuesdays and Code Black on Wednesdays. That means CSI: Cyber is moving to Sunday.

As for the fate of CSI, the show will retire with an “epic 2-hour finale” to start the season in fall. Original stars WIlliam Petersen and Marg Helgenberger will join the finale. Star Ted Danson will move to CSI: Cyber and star opposite Patricia Arquette. The CSI finale will “likely” air the first Sunday of the new TV season (September 27).

Several hits remain on the bench, such as Person of Interest. Like other networks, CBS will offer more of a year-round schedule this year, saving several shows for midseason. That means fewer repeats.

This schedule is “why CBS is going to kill again next year,” says CBS CEO Leslie Moonves, who was also eager to “bust that myth” that he runs an old-skewing network. CBS has more shows in the top 20 ranker for adults 18-49 than the other networks, he notes. “The idea of the old fogie network should be put away forever.”

Adds Moonves: “We’re pretty confident going into the season.” He also dismisses reports that network TV is “bleeding,” noting that ABC, CBS and The CW are up. “Advertising is not being taken away from us. Our network is not bleeding, nor is network television.”

Moonves also noted that CBS is bringing back five new shows from last season. “Yes, we’re going to retire a couple of shows but this is a very young schedule.”

Later today, new Late Show host Stephen Colbert will be introduced at CBS’ upfront presentation at Carnegie Hall. “People will get a taste of why we’re so excited by that,” Moonves said.

CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler said she looked for “noisy new shows” to match big events like the Super Bowl and Colbert’s launch next season.

As for CSI’s exit, Tassler called it a “historic series finale.” CBS senior executive vice president Kelly Kahl stressed the schedule’s stability.

Here’s CBS’ fall 2015 lineup:

MONDAY: 8/7c Bang Theory ; 8:30/7:30c Life in Pieces (NEW COMEDY); 9/8c Scorpion; 10/9c NCIS: Los Angeles

MONDAY (Later Fall): 8/7c Supergirl (NEW DRAMA); 9/8c Scorpion; 10/9c NCIS: Los Angeles

TUESDAY: 8/7c NCIS; 9/8c NCIS: New Orleans; 10/9c Limitless (NEW DRAMA)

WEDNESDAY: 8/7c Survivor; 9/8c Criminal Minds; 10/9c Code Black (NEW DRAMA)

THURSDAY: 8/7c Thursday Night Football

THURSDAY (Later Fall, after football): 8/7c The Big Bang Theory; 8:30/7:30 Life in Pieces (NEW COMEDY); 9/8c Mom; 9:30/8:30 Angel from Hell (NEW COMEDY); 10/9c Elementary

FRIDAY: 8/7c The Amazing Race; 9/8c Hawaii Five-0; 10/9c Blue Bloods

SATURDAY: 8/7c Drama repeats; 10/9c 48 Hours

SUNDAY: 7/6c 60 Minutes; 8/7c Madam Secretary; 9/8c The Good Wife; 10/9c CSI: Cyber