CBS has announced another wave of return dates for some of its most beloved scripted series.
The Eye network announced Monday that MacGyver, Magnum P.I., and Blue Bloods will return to the air Friday, December 4.
MacGyver Season 5 will be airing in the 8:00-9:00 PM slot, while Magnum P.I. Season 3 will air in the 9:00-10:00 PM slot, and Blue Bloods will remain in the 10:00-11:00 PM time period.
The trio of dramas join the previously announced upcoming season premieres of NCIS, The Neighborhood, Bob ♥ Abishola, All Rise, FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, S.W.A.T., The Unicorn, SEAL Team, and BULL, as well as 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, The Amazing Race, Young Sheldon, B Positive, Mom, NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans, which have already debuted.
It's been a long time coming for CBS to regain some semblance of normalcy following the COVID-19-induced production shutdowns that brought much of its series to a halt.
While the network typically launches its fall line-up during the third week of September, CBS has opted for a staggered approach this time to accommodate the production demands of shows that returned to work late, and are still coming to terms with the wealth of safety protocols in place.
What has become clear is that the longer than usual hiatus between seasons of shows has largely resulted in diminished returns in the ratings department.
Season to date, Young Sheldon is the worst affected, shedding 33% of its demo tally season-to-season.
Mom, sans Anna Faris, has also taken a considerable hit, slumping almost 25% in the demo.
The good news is that the trio of Friday shows tend to be stable for CBS, but time will tell whether viewers have changed their habits, or if they will return to watch these shows in their droves.
What does seem clear, however, is that on-demand and DVR ratings will be more crucial than ever in determining the success or failure of these shows.
CBS joins ABC and NBC in getting back to a business as usual schedule, while FOX and The CW are gearing up to bring back the bulk of their shows in early 2021.
CBS has yet to schedule fall dramas Evil Season 2 and the Queen Latifah-led Equalizer reboot.
What are your thoughts on these premiere dates?
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