Upfronts: Predicting CBS' schedule

CBS believes it has found an opening in the comedy space, adding a new night of half-hours and broadening out its laffer roster.

Eye surprised some -- even inside Warner Bros. TV -- by ordering a full 22-episode season of "The New Adventures of Old Christine," a show that the network had appeared to have soured on not too long ago. But the laffer could suddenly play a major role in opening up Wednesday night, perhaps alongside either fellow Monday refugee "Rules of Engagement" or newcomer "Project Gary." (A "Christine"/"Gary" matchup would work well, as both shows deal with recent divorcees looking to reinvent their lives.)

On Mondays, net will likely bow newcomer "Worst Week" at 9:30 p.m., in the plum spot behind "Two and a Half Men." Eye execs are said to be extremely pleased with how "Worst Week" turned out. But even more interestingly, the show is single camera -- a departure for the net, which has mostly stuck with multi-cam laffers (to great success).

But with the other nets fairly limited in the kind of comedy they do, CBS believes it has an opening to capitalize on its Monday success by taking several more shots.

Meanwhile, another sweet slot in CBS' sked, Thursdays at 10 p.m., is likely to go to the new Jerry Bruckheimer thriller "Eleventh Hour." Eye has had success in the past with a "Bruckheimer into Bruckheimer" strategy, and may want to employ it again here.

Other holes in the sked include Tuesday at 10 p.m., where proven player "Without a Trace" can slide right in. Also, on Sundays, "Cold Case" is expected to move up to 10 p.m., leaving the 9 p.m. spot open (for "The Ex-List"?)

Frosh entries include dramas "Eleventh Hour," "The Mentalist" and "The Ex-List." Comedies are "Worst Week" and "Project Gary." Gone are "Cane," "Jericho," "Kid Nation," "Moonlight," "Shark," "Viva Laughlin" and "Welcome to the Captain."

Here's a stab in the dark at what a CBS schedule might look like Wednesday morning:

Mondays

8 – "Big Bang Theory"

8:30 – "How I Met Your Mother"

9 – "Two and a Half Men"

9:30 – "Worst Week" (new show)

10 – "CSI: Miami"

Tuesdays

8 – "NCIS"

9 – "The Unit"

10 – "Without A Trace"

Wednesdays

8 – "New Adventures of Old Christine"

8:30 – "Rules of Engagement" or "Project Gary" (new show)

9 – "Criminal Minds"

10 – "CSI: NY"

Thursdays

8 – "Survivor"

9 – "CSI"

10 – “11th Hour” (new show)

Fridays

8 – "Ghost Whisperer"

9 – "The Mentalist" (new show)

10 – "Numb3rs"

Saturdays

8, 9 - Drama repeats

10 - "48 Hours Mystery"

Sundays

7- "60 Minutes"

8 – "The Amazing Race"

9 – “The Ex-List” (new show)

10 – "Cold Case"

-- Michael Schneider