CBS Adds Good Wife Spinoff, Matlock Reboot to Strike-Threatened Fall Lineup

The drama this year isn’t just contained to CBS’ fall lineup.

Despite the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, which could ultimately delay production many scripted programs for weeks or months, the network was confident enough to announce its fall schedule on Wednesday—whether those programs ultimately debut in the fall or not.

The highlights of the broadcaster’s 2023-24 strike-contingent primetime programming include three new dramas, one new comedy, special event programming and 22 returning series. Additionally, Super Bowl 58 will air on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, live on CBS and Paramount+ from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., with Justin Hartley’s new series, Tracker, getting the coveted post-Super Bowl slot.

CBS usually unveils its fall schedule during upfront week, hours ahead of its Carnegie Hall presentation, but this year, parent company Paramount opted to exit upfront week and hold more intimate dinners with clients and partners instead. After wrapping those New York upfront dinners in late April, Paramount ad sales chief John Halley told Adweek the company is “not going back” to upfront week.

Besides the new schedule, CBS is also announcing that the network is continuing its streak as the most-watched primetime broadcaster for the 2022-23 year, getting the honor for the 15th consecutive season and tying broadcast television’s longest winning streak on record, also held by CBS from 1955-1970.

The network is currently averaging 5.97 million viewers, which is more than half a million viewers ahead of NBC (5.39 million) in second place, according to Nielsen’s most current ratings through Sunday, April 30.

Though CBS claimed the most average viewers once again, the number is below last year’s total of 6.26 million.

“CBS programming across entertainment, news and sports continues to appeal to audiences on all platforms, including Paramount+, the fastest-growing streaming service in the U.S.,” said George Cheeks, president and chief executive officer of CBS, in a statement. “It all starts with a winning broadcast network that has an undeniable track record for nurturing long-running franchises and launching new hits every year.”

Only minor schedule tweaks

With its latest win in mind, CBS is taking an “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to its latest schedule.

Mondays remain intact with returns for The Neighborhood, Bob Hearts Abishola, NCIS and NCIS: Hawaii closing out the night. Likewise, Tuesday will continue its FBI-filled schedule.

Wednesday slightly changes, with Survivor and The Amazing Race expanding to 90 minutes each.

Thursday was the big story at CBS’ last fall schedule announcement, with only two comedies appearing on the day for the first time in a decade. This time around, the broadcaster will continue that strategy, with Young Sheldon and Ghosts starting the night. So Help Me Todd returns after the comedies, this time accompanied by new drama Elsbeth.

Elsbeth, a spinoff of The Good Wife and The Good Fight focusing on Carrie Preston’s Elsbeth Tascioni, has the unconventional attorney take on mastermind criminals alongside the NYPD and Captain C.W. Wagner (Wendell Pierce).

Again, Friday and Saturday remain the same, with Friday featuring S.W.A.T., Fire Country and Blue Bloods and Saturday having series encores before 48 Hours hits the air at 10 p.m.

Then, following 60 Minutes on Sunday, CBS’ reimagined Matlock, starring Emmy and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, will showcase a septuagenarian deciding to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm. The Equalizer and CSI: Vegas then close out the week, though the latter won’t air until later in the year due to afternoon NFL broadcasts.

In addition to Hartley’s Tracker premiering after the Super Bowl, new comedy Poppa’s House, starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. Wayans, will join the schedule midseason. The show features Wayans as a legendary talk radio host and happily divorced “Poppa,” who has his point of view challenged by a new female co-host (Essence Atkins) and finds himself still parenting his adult son (Wayans Jr.).

“Along with our outstanding team at the network, I am incredibly excited to introduce four new series with big-name talent portraying distinct, bold, engaging characters,” Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, said in a statement. “These new shows from marquee auspices capture everything our viewers love about a CBS series – unique personalities, suspenseful drama, intrigue, high stakes and relatable laugh-out-loud comedy with heart and humor. The new additions to our lineup are a stellar complement to our winning slate of returning series, and we are confident they will resonate with our viewers on broadcast and streaming platforms.” 

CBS’ programming is also set to feature tentpole events, including the Tony Awards, the Grammy Awards, the CMT Music Awards and the Kennedy Center Honors. In addition, viewers can expect plenty of sports offerings in the form of the NFL, including Wild Card, Divisional playoff games and the AFC Championship; NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship in March; the Masters Tournament in April; the PGA Championship in May; and the UEFA Champions League Final in June.

CBS Fall 2023-24 Schedule

(New programs in ALL CAPS; times are ET)

MONDAY
8-8:30 p.m. — The Neighborhood
8:30-9 p.m. — Bob Hearts Abishola
9-10 p.m. — NCIS
10-11 p.m. — NCIS: Hawai’i

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. — FBI
9-10 p.m. — FBI: International
10-11 p.m. — FBI: Most Wanted

WEDNESDAY
8-9:30 p.m. — Survivor
9:30-11 p.m. — The Amazing Race

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. — Young Sheldon
8:30-9 p.m. — Ghosts
9-10 p.m. — So Help Me Todd
10-11 p.m. — ELSBETH

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. — S.W.A.T.
9-10 p.m. — Fire Country
10-11 p.m. — Blue Bloods

SATURDAY
8-10 p.m. — Saturday Encores
10-11 p.m. — 48 Hours

SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. — 60 Minutes
8-9 p.m. — MATLOCK
9-10 p.m. — The Equalizer
10-11 p.m. — CSI: Vegas (later in the year)

MIDSEASON 
POPPA’S HOUSE