TCA Winter Press Tour: CBS

From:thefutoncritic.com
Date:January 19, 2004
By The Futon Critic Staff

CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- The Television Critics Association
concluded its winter press tour this weekend in which the various
broadcast and cable networks talked about their upcoming plans to the
nation's top critics and entertainment reporters.

Here's a breakdown of the highlights of CBS' presentation. (Several
official press releases are expected to be issued later today.)

-- Four of CBS' freshman class got official pick-ups for the 2004-05
season: "Joan of Arcadia," "Navy N.C.I.S.," "Two and a Half Men"
and "Cold Case." The Eye also renewed "Survivor" for two additional
seasons (its ninth and tenth) taking it through May 2005.

-- CBS also set premiere dates for its two midseason entries: the
futuristic legal drama "Century City" will premiere Tuesday, March 16
at 9:00/8:00c where it will pre-empt "The Guardian" for six weeks and
the long-delayed comedy "The Stones" will take over the Wednesday,
9:30/8:30c slot following "King of Queens" beginning March 17.

-- "Helter Skelter," the network's three-hour updated take on the
Charles Manson murders, is set to air Sunday, May 16 at 8:00/7:00c.

-- CBS Chairman and CEO Leslie Moonves made it clear he
wants "Everybody Loves Raymond" to return despite star Ray Romano's
rumblings otherwise. "[It] could go either way," he told
reporters, "[Romano and co-creator Phil Rosenthal] feel that they
have done eight years and done it all. Money is not the issue. They
are all very rich and could get even richer. The rest of the cast is
dying to come back."

-- "C.S.I.: New York" is officially a go for fall 2004 as an upcoming
episode of "C.S.I.: Miami" will be used to set up the third tentpole
of the franchise. Moonves mentioned New Orleans, San Francisco and
Chicago were among the frontrunners but New York "became the front-
runner fairly early." Casting is underway on the project.

-- With all of its early pick-ups, Moonves says development for fall
2004 will be fairly tight. "To get on the schedule next season, [a
show] is going to have to be damn good." In addition to its three-
hour commitment to the "C.S.I." franchise, "Without a
Trace," "J.A.G.," "The District," "Judging Amy," "The
Guardian," "King of Queens," "Yes, Dear," "Still Standing," "48
Hours," the two "60 Minutes" editions and its Sunday movie are all
expected to return, leaving barely four hours on its schedule to fill
depending upon how the rest of its current and midseason schedule
fares.

-- Unlike fellow broadcasters NBC and FOX, CBS says it won't be
pushing for a year-round programming slate. Eye executives also
mentioned the network has renewed the Kennedy Center Honors through
2008 and the Tony Awards through 2009. Bob Barker will also return
for the 33rd season of its veteran game show "The Price is Right."