Among all the moves television networks have revealed this past week, CBS has largely been absent from the equation thanks to both a mid-week upfront and making their biggest move early on with a massive renewal order. Easily the most successful of the networks, CBS still hasn’t revealed which pilots they’ll pick up (if any). However, one more renewal has finally gone through, leaving a reinvented giant to return in the fall yet again.
CBS has officially renewed Two and a Half Men for a tenth season, effective this weekend. The renewal comes after deals were made with all three major cast members Angus T. Jones, Jon Cryer, and Ashton Kutcher, along with production company Warner Brothers Television. The series is the incredible 19th renewal for CBS, who has renewed a great deal of their series, with only a few hanging in the balance including CSI: Miami,CSI: New York, Rules of Engagement, and more.
The current ninth season of Two and a Half Men is averaging 15 million viewers, which is up from last year’s final year with Charlie Sheen. Killing off the character, and yet still bringing him back as actress Kathy Bates in last week’s episode, the show has dodged a major bad publicity bullet that dealt with Sheen’s highly public scandal from early last year. Kutcher’s originally only signed on for the ninth season, and reports say that this new deal has him pegged for an additional two years. However, that time estimate has yet to be confirmed.
On top of the renewal, Deadline reports that CBS has unofficially set the pilots Elementary, Ralph Lamb, Golden Boy, Partners, Baby Big Shot, and Friend Me all to series orders. The network has yet to confirm, but multiple pilots have been reported dead as the network has passed on them, including director Nicholas Stoller’s comedy, and Martin Lawrence’s new pilot is only in a loose contention still.
Again, the network has yet to announce what series they will be picking up, but Elementary is certainly the most controversial. Originally seen as a rip-off of the BBC seriesSherlock, the pilot takes Sherlock Holmes and again fits him in a modern take within New York City. Jonny Lee Miller will be playing the famous detective, with a gender switch involving Lucy Liu playing Watson. With it’s high-profile status, especially as it was one of the most talked about pilots of the season due to the controversy, it’s easy to see why CBS is willing to pick up the series, along with it’s very dramatic premise that fits in well within the schedule’s other programs.
CBS’ upfront takes place this Wednesday afternoon, but keep it here to Durance Magazine as we bring you the latest news concerning the networks’ schedules that are set to be revealed this next week.
