CBS Fall 2024 Schedule: What You Need to Know
As the summer TV schedule winds down and paves the way for fall premieres, NFL games, and more, broadcast networks are ramping up promotions for their upcoming lineups. ABC is set to debut Kaitlin Olson’s new show, while NBC will be missing Organized Crime from its Law & Order Thursdays. CBS has revealed its plans for the latter half of 2024, and it’s surprisingly pushing most of its new scripted episodes back to October, with a specific strategy for its September programming.
Unusual Fall Schedule for CBS
Traditionally, September is the go-to month for network TV premieres. However, CBS is taking a different approach this year. The network aims to build anticipation for two of its newest series by offering sneak peeks ahead of the “official” CBS premiere week. Here’s what fans can expect in September, with pro football significantly influencing Kathy Bates’ debut as TV’s newest Matlock.
- Survivor Season 47 – Wednesday, Sept. 18 (8 p.m. ET)
- 48 Hours Season 37 – Saturday, Sept. 21 (9 p.m. ET)
- 60 Minutes Season 57 – Sunday, Sept. 22 (7 p.m. ET)
- Matlock Series Premiere Sneak Peek – Sunday, Sept. 22 (8 p.m. ET)
- The Summit Series Premiere Sneak Peek – Sunday, Sept. 29 (9 p.m. ET)
Unscripted hits like Survivor and 60 Minutes will follow their usual schedules. However, CBS has chosen to give Matlock and the competition series The Summit special spots in post-NFL time slots, which often attract higher viewership and demo ratings from football fans who don’t change the channel. This strategic move aims to boost these shows’ profiles, though it remains to be seen if delaying the rest of the schedule will be a risk. CBS dramas are typically very popular, so it’s unlikely viewers will forget about NCIS and other shows when they premiere the following month.
CBS’ Official Premiere Schedule
Interestingly, CBS will re-air both Matlock’s pilot and The Summit’s series debut in the week before the main premieres, but not attached to any football games. This all leads to a big week of new episodes:
MONDAY, OCTOBER 14
- NCIS Season 22 – 8 p.m. ET (Regular 9 p.m. ET time slot starts 10/21)
- NCIS: ORIGINS Series Premiere – 9 p.m. ET (Special two-hour debut, regular 10 p.m. ET time slot starts 10/21)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15
- FBI Season 7 – 8 p.m. ET
- FBI: International Season 4 – 9 p.m. ET
- FBI: Most Wanted Season 6 – 10 p.m. ET
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16
- Survivor (new episode) – 8 p.m. ET
- The Summit (second episode) – 9:30 p.m. ET
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17
- Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Series Premiere – 8 p.m. ET
- Ghosts Season 4 – 8:30 p.m. ET
- Matlock (second episode) – 9 p.m. ET
- Elsbeth Season 2 – 10 p.m. ET
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18
- S.W.A.T. Season 8 – 8 p.m. ET
- Fire Country Season 3 – 9 p.m. ET
- Blue Bloods Season 14 Midseason Premiere – 10 p.m.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 21
- The Neighborhood Season 7 – 8 p.m. ET
- Poppa’s House Series Premiere – 8:30 p.m. ET
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
- Tracker Season 2 – 8:30 p.m. ET
- The Equalizer Season 5 – 9:30 p.m. ET
As fans can see, CBS isn’t sticking to a single premiere week but rather spreading debuts over two weeks, combined with sneak peeks. While this scheduling might seem complicated, CBS will undoubtedly advertise heavily during NFL games and more.
Young Sheldon and Big Bang Theory fans will likely be excited for the first episode of the spinoff Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, eager to see how the new show fares with a studio audience and multi-cam filming. Additionally, viewers upset about S.W.A.T.’s initial cancellation (which was later reversed) will be eager to see Shemar Moore’s return before diving into the final Blue Bloods episodes, unless spinoff plans accelerate in the meantime.
Stay tuned for more updates and get ready for an exciting fall TV season with CBS!
