ninatassler

CBS announced its plans for the 2008-2009 season today. For the most part, things are staying the same, but there are two new sitcoms and four hour dramas planned. Here are the highlights:

Returning: The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Rules of Engagement, The Unit, Cold Case, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, The Ghost Whisperer, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, NCIS, 60 Minutes, Without A Trace, Survivor, The Amazing Race

Out: Shark, Moonlight, Cane, Kid Nation, Power of 10, Secret Talents of the Stars, Viva Laughlin, Welcome to the Captain

New: The Worst Week, Project Gary, The Ex List, Eleventh Hour, The Mentalist

Mid-season: Harper's Island, Rules of Engagement

Schedule and detailed descriptions of the new shows coming soon, after the jump.

She's trying one more time. That'll make it three attempts, but who's counting. Three attempts since the new century, that is. Anyway, the point is that Geena Davis's new police drama, Exit 19, has been greenlighted by CBS. The Oscar-winning actress (for The Accidental Tourist), is going from playing the first female president on Commander in Chief, to an eccentric New York homicide detective who's also raising two kids -- sans spouse -- in suburban Long Island.

Full disclosure: as a former CBS page, I always have a soft spot for the Eye network's TCA day.

Whenever I see the CBS pages at the press tour in their bright red sports coats, I always think -- why couldn't we have had sharp navy blue ones like the NBC ushers?

Today's lineup includes an executive session with CBS president Nina Tassler. While she may not have to answer the question about the finale of The Sopranos (that round-up inquiry has faded from sessions) she won't likely get off the hook completely. Usually, one journalist asks her about bringing back Joan of Arcadia.

Well, I posted information on the campaign to keep Traveler on the air, as well as the send-in project to get Katharine McPhee back into the good graces of American Idol next season, so why the hell not post information on a new petition. I mean, its summer . . . what else to I have to do anyway?

Today's campaign is to renew the CBS comedy The Class. According to the campaign's very plain and easy-to-read website most people have been mailing in erasers and/or Moroccan Chicken recipes to CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler and Executive VP of Programming Kelly Kahl. They have also been sending in packs of Skittles because of a line mentioned by one of the characters ('I ate so many Skittles I peed the rainbow').

After hearing the pleas of millions of wasted nuts, CBS is bringing Jericho back for at least 7 episodes. But CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler has a request for fans: if you really want the show to get picked up for more episodes, don't time-shift it.

Right now, the networks are still trying to get a handle on how many people record their shows to watch later, watch online, or download episodes from iTunes and other services. And they're still trying to figure out how to bill advertisers for the eyeballs of people who don't watch in prime time.

All of you Jericho fans out there writing letters, sending emails, and signing petitions can give yourself a pat on the back. The show hasn't been brought back from cancellation yet, but getting the President of CBS Entertainment to post an update is no small feat.

That President, Nina Tassler, posted an update to all of the fans on the Jericho Wiki over the weekend. You can read the full statement at the CBS site. In a nutshell, she says it was a hard decision, thanks the fans for their support, and teases that in the coming weeks they hope to develop a way to provide closure to the Jericho story.

That's the sticky wicket right there. "Develop" seems to imply the possibility of a tv movie, or maybe even a mini-series, to wrap things up. But we have been down this road before, where the closure came in the form of notes from the producers regarding what was planned. I think a movie or mini-series could work really well. There is already a built in audience, and it couldn't do any worse than whatever touchy-feely Hallmark movie event starring Valerie Bertinelli is already on the drawing board. Obviously, bringing the series back is the main goal for the fans, but what would you settle for?

[ thanks Jonathon ]