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CBS plans Super Bowl halftime and... what comes on after the game
by Allison Waldman, posted Nov 13th 2009 1:09PM
"Did you hear who's going to play during the Super Bowl halftime show?""No, who?"
"That's what I just said. Who."
"No, seriously. Which is the band that's going to appear?"
"It's Who."
"I'm not talking proper English. Which band will be on CBS's halftime show on February 7 at Landshark Stadium in Miami?"
"The Who -- you know, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend. 'Tommy, can you hear me?'"
"Oh! Why didn't you just say that!"
Okay, I couldn't resist the nod to Abbott and Costello's Who's On First. But the fact is that Sports Illustrated has spread the word that The Who will star in the Super Bowl big, overblown half-time pageant. This follows the safe pattern the NFL has been employing since the Janet Jackson-Justin Timberlake costume malfunction; that is, stick with classic rock stars who are guaranteed to do their hits and not disrobe. That's why we've had Prince, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and now The Who. All superstar acts, no controversy.
That's the lead story, but after the game is just as big a story for television fans. The post-Super Bowl timeslot is a showcase for the network presenting the game. What will CBS do with that cushy slot? James Hibberd's The Live Feed offered a few possibilities -- The Mentalist, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Big Bang Theory, and Survivor.
The Mentalist and The Big Bang Theory are already in solid positions on CBS, already doing very well in the ratings and they're probably not in need of a boost.
Survivor was a surprise choice to me, but CBS has used this same position for past Survivor editions.
The show I suspect CBS will pick is NCIS: Los Angeles. It's not what I would choose to promote, but CBS will.
Here's why: CBS is looking for the next big show to anchor a night. They'll want to expose NCIS: LA to wider audience than it gets after NCIS on Tuesday nights, about twice the 20 million NCIS typically draws.
The Mentalist has already succeeded in moving and held its own -- from Tuesday (post NCIS) to Thursday at 10 p.m. The Big Bang is already earmarked to take over Two and a Half Men's spot in a year or so, and it's already a breakout hit. It doesn't need the big exposure. As for Survivor, it is an established franchise that will not draw that many more non-watchers in a sampling spot like post-Super Bowl because the series is on the downswing of its popularity, not on the upswing.
What do you think?
| The Mentalist | |
|---|---|
| NCIS: Los Angeles | |
| The Big Bang Theory | |
| Survivor |
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