CBS likes to play by the rules, and Nielsen says that the 2011-2012 season stars on Monday, September 19. As a result almost all of CBS’ Fall 2011 premiere dates take place during the Nielsen-recommended premiere week.
As has frequently been the case, CBS’ lone series to get off to an early start is “Survivor,” which will launch its 23rd installment on Wednesday, September 14.
Waiting for after Premiere Week are comedies “Mike & Molly” and “How To Be a Gentleman,” which will air their first episodes on Monday, September 26 and Thursday, September 29, respectively.
Otherwise, you pretty much know when your CBS favorites are returning.
“Our playbook is pretty consistent: wherever and whenever possible we use established successful series to introduce new shows,” explains Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President, CBS Primetime, in the network’s release. “We’ve also asked a couple of our strongest series to work overtime during premiere week in order to support the new series and bolster our performance.”
Kahl is referring to “How I Met Your Mother,” which will air two episodes leading into the Ashton Kutcher premiere of “Two and a Half Men,” which will boost a special out-of-slot premiere for “2 Broke Girls” at 9:30 on Monday, September 19. Later in the week, CBS will air two episodes of “The Big Bang Theory” as lead-in for the series launch of “Person of Interest.”
In terms of notable CBS scheduling movies, the “CSI” mothership gets its Wednesday premiere on September 21, “Rules of Engagement” brings original comedy to Saturday on September 24 and “The Good Wife” tests Sunday waters for the first time on September 25.
Here are the CBS premiere dates in handy list format:
Wednesday, Sept. 14
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC (23rd edition premiere)
Monday, Sept. 19
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (7th season premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (S)
9:00-9:30 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (9th season premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (series debut)
10:00-11:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0 (2nd season premiere)
Tuesday, Sept. 20
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS (9th season premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES (3rd season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM UNFORGETTABLE (series debut)
Wednesday, Sept. 21
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS (7th season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (12th season premiere)
Thursday, Sept. 22
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (5th season premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (S)
9:00-10:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST (series debut)
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST (4th season premiere)
Friday, Sept. 23
8:00-9:00 PM A GIFTED MAN (series debut)
9:00-10:00 PM CSI: NY (8th season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS (2nd season premiere)
Saturday, Sept. 24
8:00-8:30 PM RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (6th season premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY (season premiere)
Sunday, Sept. 25
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES (44th season premiere)
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE (19th edition premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE (3rd season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: MIAMI (10th season premiere)
Monday, Sept. 26
8:30-9:00 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (time period premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM MIKE & MOLLY (2nd season premiere)
Thursday, Sept. 29
8:30-9:00 PM HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN (series debut)