Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS
This morning at the Television Critics Association (TCA) summer press tour, Nina Tassler, Chairman of CBS Entertainment outlined the network’s hopes for fall 2015. CBS’ family of networks also includes Showtime and The CW, but most of Tassler’s presentation highlighted the 5 freshman series on CBS.
Tassler offered a single thought on each show’s appeal:
Code Black– We were looking for something with “the urgency of ER.”
Limitless– “What would you if you could use 100% of your mind?”
Angel From Hell– “Jane Lynch perfectly embodies this role.”
Life in Pieces – We quickly were able to assemble an outstanding cast based on the spec script.
Supergirl– “Well, she had us at ‘Hello.’”
Tassler offered that every new show will receive strong support from an established lead-in and football on Sunday and Thursday.
Tassler also shared that the network’s comedy hit, The Big Bang Theory will premiere on Mondays and will move to Thursdays in November, after the conclusion of NFL Thursday Night Football.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a CBS panel without talking about the CSI franchise. She calls the Sept 27 series finale, “a very satisfying ending.”
On the latenight front, Tassler marveled that the network will have completely reimagined its nighttime lineup in a 9-month span when The Late Show with Stephen Colbert premieres. “He is a creative force and brings non-stop creative energy and intelligence to everything he does.”
Photo: Art Streiber/CBS
She also crowed that in his 4 months on the air, James Corden “has emerged as a fresh new voice in late night.” And announced that Corden and his show will go on a “Mini-road trip” to Santa Monica and broadcast from YouTube Space LA on Aug 21.
She also talked about how CBS’ shows all have strong broadcast ratings, but they’re also proud of the numbers of people watching on demand, downloading from iTunes, and enjoying from their DVRs, adding millions of additional viewers each week. “We want to be wherever people want to watch.”
“If the programs have rich characters and engaging storylines, people want to watch.”
Things got a little awkward when Tassler was asked about the ending of Season 6 of The Good Wife, where Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi had to be CGI’d into a scene together. The two actresses, who are rumored to be feuding, hadn’t shared a scene together since Season 4, and Panjabi has since left the show, but Tassler confirm on-set tension and stood by the show’s producers- Michelle and Robert King and their creative process.
She also hinted that in the superhero realm, they are doing promotional crossovers with Supergirl, Arrow and The Flash, but nothing as far as character/ plot storylines have been planned … yet.
All images © CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
