Farewell to yet another long-running show: After 15 seasons, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” will officially end in September with a two-hour special, CBS announced while unveiling its new fall schedule.
“We’re a little misty-eyed about this one,” CBS Entertainment chairman Nina Tassler said at a press conference on Wednesday morning. “A series that’s so important to this network and one of the longest-running series in the history of television will be retiring.”
“CSI,” the groundbreaking crime-solving procedural that helped turn around CBS’ fortunes by becoming a monster hit in 2000, is one of the network’s most lucrative properties. And although spinoffs “CSI: Miami” and “CSI: New York” ended awhile ago, the newest iteration (“CSI: Cyber” starring Patricia Arquette) still lives on. Plus, it gets a new cast member: Ted Danson, brought on to replace Laurence Fishburne on the mothership “CSI” four years ago, transfers to “Cyber” in the fall.
Meanwhile, the two-hour “CSI” series finale on Sunday, Sept. 27, will be “epic,” Tassler promised, and feature appearances by original stars William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger.
Speaking of “Cyber,” that series moves to Sundays at 10 p.m., replacing the regular “CSI” in its timeslot after “Madam Secretary” and “The Good Wife.” That’s the only timeslot change on CBS’ schedule, which stays pretty much the same, as per usual.
Taking a page from last year, “The Big Bang Theory” moves to Monday night at 8 p.m. while CBS airs Thursday night football games until Oct. 29. At that point, the hit sitcom goes back to Thursday night. The lucky show getting the post-“Big Bang” spot? That’s “Life in Pieces,” a new comedy starring Dianne Wiest and James Brolin as the parents of a large dysfunctional family.
When those comedies head to Thursday, CBS will use Monday nights to debut the highly anticipated “Supergirl,” which stars Melissa Benoist (“Glee”) in the title role. Executives gushed about the show and seemed offended when one reporter wondered about scheduling it opposite Fox’s “Gotham,” the comic book series that also airs on Monday night. “That’s not a superhero show,” Tassler replied of the competition.
Tuesdays still have a double dose of “NCIS” with the original and New Orleans spinoff, followed by new drama “Limitless.” If you’re thinking that sounds like a 2011 Bradley Cooper movie, you are 100 percent correct! Cooper is an executive producer on the TV adaptation, which features Jake McDorman (“Greek,” “Manhattan Love Story”) as a guy who gets brain-boosting powers when he takes a certain drug. Naturally, the FBI wants in on this action. Cooper also signed on as a recurring guest star; he’ll play a big-shot senator who also takes the drug.
Wednesdays will have “Survivor” and “Criminal Minds” leading into debut medical drama “Code Black,” a very stressful-sounding show about a chaotic Los Angeles emergency room that gets more cases than it can handle. At least they have Marcia Gay Harden to run the ER, playing a successful surgeon known for high-risk procedures.
Things get a bit lighter on Thursdays: Sandwiched between the returning “Mom” and “Elementary” is “Angel From Hell.” The premise: What if you got a guardian angel who was also a day-drinking lunatic? Jane Lynch plays the angel while Maggie Lawson (“Psych”) stars as the deeply suspicious recipient.
Fridays and Sundays remain the same (the full schedule is below), while shows held for midseason include “Person of Interest,” “The Odd Couple,” “Mike & Molly,” “2 Broke Girls” and “Undercover Boss.”
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FALL 2015 PRIME-TIME LINEUP ON CBS
MONDAY
8 p.m. The Big Bang Theory/Supergirl (moves after Thursday night football)
8:30 p.m. Life in Pieces
9 p.m. Scorpion
10 p.m. NCIS: Los Angeles
TUESDAY
8 p.m. NCIS
9 p.m. NCIS: New Orleans
10 p.m. Limitless
WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. Survivor
9 p.m. Criminal Minds
10 p.m. Code Black
THURSDAY (after Thursday Night Football, which runs Sept. 17 — Oct. 29)
8 p.m. The Big Bang Theory
8:30 p.m. Life in Pieces
9 p.m. Mom
9:30 p.m. Angel from Hell
10 p.m. Elementary
FRIDAY
8 p.m. The Amazing Race
9 p.m. Hawaii Five-0
10 p.m. Blue Bloods
SUNDAY
7 p.m. 6o Minutes
8 p.m. Madam Secretary
9 p.m. The Good Wife
10 p.m. CSI: Cyber (new time slot)