After kicking off the 2015-16 TV season with the two-hour CSI movie/finale, CBS again is opting for event programming in September. The network has slated its three-part, six-hour unscripted true-crime limited series Case Closed, revisiting the JonBenet Ramsey murder on its 20th anniversary, for the Sunday before the start of the season, the first Monday and the first Sunday of the fall season. CBS has football double headers on the two Sundays when Case Closed airs, so the event series will help the network roll out its regular Sunday lineup on Oct. 2 as scheduled, without football-related delays. On its opening night, Case Closed will face the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast on ABC.
Beyond that, CBS is sticking to its regular fall launch pattern since acquiring Thursday Night Football, with the bulk of the early fall lineup debuting during the traditional premiere week, except for the first Wednesday night of the season, which once again will be all-reality, featuring the supersized season premiere of Survivor and season finale of Big Brother.
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The Big Bang Theory will kelp launch Kevin James’ new sitcom Kevin Can Wait on Monday until Oct 17. The flagship CBS comedy then will return to its Thursday berth on Oct. 27, post-Thursday Night Football, to help launch another new comedy, The Great Indoors.
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Here is the CBS fall schedule with premiere dates:
Thursday, Sept. 15
7:30 PM, ET THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PRE-GAME SHOW
8:25 PM, ET THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (NY Jets @ Buffalo Bills)
Sunday, Sept. 18
8:30-10:30 PM CASE CLOSED (LIMITED SERIES, PART 1)
Monday, Sept. 19
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (10th Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM KEVIN CAN WAIT (SERIES DEBUT)
9:00-11:00 PM CASE CLOSED (Part 2)
Tuesday, Sept. 20
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS (14th Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM BULL (SERIES DEBUT)
10:00-11:00 PM NCIS: NEW ORLEANS (3rd Season Premiere)
Wednesday, Sept. 21
8:00-9:30 PM SURVIVOR (90-Minute 33rd Season Premiere)
9:30-11:00 PM BIG BROTHER (90-Minute Season Finale)
Friday, Sept. 23
8:00-9:00 PM MACGYVER (SERIES DEBUT)
9:00-10:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0 (7th Season Premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS (7th Season Premiere)
Saturday, Sept. 24
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS (29th Season Premiere)
Sunday, Sept. 25
7:30-8:30 PM 60 MINUTES (49th Season Premiere)
8:30-10:30 PM CASE CLOSED (Part 3)
Monday, Sept. 26
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM KEVIN CAN WAIT
9:00-11:00 PM Presidential Debate
Wednesday, Sept. 28
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR (Regular Time Period)
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS (12th Season Premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM CODE BLACK (2nd Season Premiere)
Sunday, Oct. 2
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES (8th Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM MADAM SECRETARY (3rd Season Premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY (5th Season Premiere)
Monday, Oct. 3
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM KEVIN CAN WAIT
9:00-11:00 PM SCORPION (2-Hour 3rd Season Premiere)
Monday, Oct. 10
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM KEVIN CAN WAIT
9:00-10:00 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (1-Hour 6th Season Premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM SCORPION (regular time period)
Monday, Oct. 17
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM KEVIN CAN WAIT
9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (regular time period)
9:30-10:00 PM THE ODD COUPLE (3rd Season Premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM SCORPION
Monday, Oct. 24
8:00-8:30 PM KEVIN CAN WAIT (New Time Period)
8:30-9:00 PM MAN WITH A PLAN (SERIES DEBUT)
9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS
9:30-10:00 PM THE ODD COUPLE
10:00-11:00 PM SCORPION
Thursday, Oct. 27
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (Regular Time Period)
8:30-9:00 PM THE GREAT INDOORS (SERIES DEBUT)
9:00-9:30 PM MOM (4th Season Premiere)
9:30 -10:00 PM LIFE IN PIECES (2nd Season Premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM PURE GENIUS (SERIES DEBUT)