CBS has become the latest network to concede that its fall 2020 schedule will not look anything like normal.
The network has unveiled premiere dates for September and October, none of which include the originals it touted in its previous schedule announcement just over three months ago.
Instead, CBS has thrown the first season of “Star Trek: Discovery” and the fourth season of “One Day At a Time” into the broadcast mixer for the first time.
In addition, “Big Brother” and “Love Island,” which began their seasons later than usual, will now be extended further into the fall, airing multiple nights a week to help plug the scripted content gap.
The network has also acquired Lionsgate TV and Spectrum Original series “Manhunt: Deadly Games,” and is set to air it on Monday nights after “Love Island.” This represents the second broadcast acquisition of a Spectrum show, after Fox snagged “LA’s Finest” and programmed it for this coming fall.
CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl had previously said he was “hopeful” that original series such as Chuck Lorre comedy “B Positive” and “The Equalizer” reboot with Queen Latifah would start shooting this summer, and that “most if not all” of the network’s new and returning shows would be ready “at some point in the fall.” However, this latest announcement indicates CBS is now looking at later in the year.
“This is hardly a traditional fall season, but we are prepared with a strong slate of original content while our regular scripted series begin production,” said Kahl in a new statement. “Based on our current timeline, we hope to start rolling out our previously announced fall series as they become available in November.”
Fox and the CW had already announced acquisition, unscripted and animation-heavy schedules for the fall, while NBC and ABC are still counting on the return of their biggest scripted franchises. Whether their eventual fall schedule will look remotely similar to their planned one remains to be seen.
While this marks the first time that an entire season of “Star Trek: Discovery” has aired on broadcast, CBS did air the first couple episodes of the show back in 2017 to get viewers excited for its CBS All Access debut.
As for “One Day at a Time,” this continues the show’s wild ride, which has taken it from streaming (Netflix) to cable (Pop TV) and now to broadcast.
CBS scheduling “ODAAT” season 4 in fact comes as part of the original Pop pick-up deal from June last year. The series was always scheduled to hit broadcast following its run on Pop. CBS was of course home to the original “One Day at a Time” series, which aired on the network over 40 years ago.
Take a look at the full list of CBS fall premiere dates below:
Wednesday Sept. 9
8 p.m. to 9 p.m. – BIG BROTHER
9 – 10 p.m. LOVE ISLAND
10 – 11 p.m. 48 HOURS: SUSPICION (Special Wednesday Edition)
Saturday Sept. 12
9 – 10 p.m. LOVE ISLAND: MORE TO LOVE
10 – 11 p.m. 48 HOURS (34th Season Premiere)
Sunday Sept. 20
7 – 8 p.m. 60 MINUTES (53rd Season Premiere)
8 – 9 p.m. BIG BROTHER
9 – 10 p.m. LOVE ISLAND
Monday Sept. 21
9 – 10 p.m. LOVE ISLAND
10 – 11 p.m. MANHUNT: DEADLY GAMES (Broadcast Premiere)
Thursday Sept. 24
8 – 9 p.m. BIG BROTHER
9 – 10 p.m. LOVE ISLAND
10 – 11 p.m. STAR TREK: DISCOVERY (Season 1)
Friday Sept. 25
8 – 9 p.m. THE GREATEST #ATHOME VIDEOS
9 – 10 p.m. LOVE ISLAND
Tuesday Sept. 29
8 – 9 p.m. LOVE ISLAND (2nd Season Finale)
Friday Oct. 2
8 – 9 p.m. THE GREATEST #ATHOME VIDEOS
9 – 10 p.m. UNDERCOVER BOSS (10th Season Premiere)
Monday Oct. 12
9 – 10 p.m. ONE DAY AT A TIME (Season 4 Broadcast Premiere)
10 – 11 p.m. MANHUNT: DEADLY GAMES
Tuesday Oct. 13
10 – 11 p.m. THE FBI DECLASSIFIED (Season Premiere)
Wednesday Oct. 14
8 – 9 p.m. BIG BROTHER
9 – 10 p.m. THE AMAZING RACE (32nd Season Premiere)
Wednesday Oct. 28
8 – 9 p.m. THE AMAZING RACE
9 – 11 p.m. BIG BROTHER (22nd Season Finale)