‘Big Bang Theory’ spinoff to debut on CBS in fall
“Young Sheldon” and his grown-up version on “The Big Bang Theory” will be paired on CBS’ Thursday night schedule this fall.
The “Big Bang” spinoff, centred on star Jim Parsons’ character as a precocious nine-year-old Texas high school student, is one of eight new series coming to CBS in the 2017-18 season.
“It’s not ‘Muppet Babies,’” said CBS programming executive Kelly Kahl, but a gentle comedy in the mould of “Wonder Years” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.”
Parsons and the rest of the “Big Bang Theory” cast are signed through the next two seasons, a recently wrapped negotiation that included CBS Corp. chief executive Leslie Moonves meeting with the actors of TV’s No. 1 comedy.
“I hope it goes beyond that,” Moonves told reporters Wednesday, but, he added, “I can’t make any promises.”
Other freshman CBS shows set for a fall debut include sitcoms “9JKL,” described as having an “Everybody Loves Raymond” vibe with the story of an actor (Mark Feuerstein) living near his parents and brother, and “Me, Myself & I,” which looks at a man at different stages of his life and stars Bobby Moynihan and John Larroquette.
CBS’ new fall dramas are “Seal Team,” with David Boreanaz (“Bones”) as a member of an elite Navy SEAL team; “Wisdom of the Crowd,” with Jeremy Piven as a tech guru who creates a crowdsourcing app to solve crimes after his daughter is killed, and “S.W.A.T.,” inspired by the TV series and movie and starring Shemar Moore.
The midseason slate includes “Instinct,” with Alan Cumming as a former CIA operative who’s pulled back into his old line of work, and the comedy “By the Book,” about a man (Jay R. Ferguson) who challenges himself to live strictly in accordance with the Bible.
It’s based on A.J. Jacobs’ bestselling book “The Year of Living Biblically.”
Returning shows that will be held for later in the season include “Amazing Race,” “Code Black,” “Man with a Plan” and “Undercover Boss.”
But CBS viewers have seen the last of cancelled series “Two Broke Girls” and “The Odd Couple.”
Moonves offered his thoughts on competitors’ plans unveiled earlier in the week to advertisers.
He called ABC’s plan to revive “Roseanne” for an eight-episode run a “stunt,” then added diplomatically, “it’s a good stunt. People will tune in for it.”
Asked about ABC’s decision to reboot “American Idol” next year after Fox dropped it in 2016, Moonves said CBS was offered the same chance but decided the show was so costly it would need an improbably big audience to break even.
In other TV news announced Wednesday, Turner said TBS has closed a new deal with Conan O’Brien that extends through 2022.
TBS and sister Turner network TNT plan to launch a total of six new series from stars such as Snoop Dogg, Daniel Radcliffe and Michael Moore. CNN has four new series in the works.
And TNT is working with filmmaker Ridley Scott to develop a night of original science-fiction programming.
Talk-show veteran O’Brien’s new fouryear pact with TBS keeps him at the network where “Conan” debuted in November 2010 after his abrupt exit from “The Tonight Show” when NBC reinstated Jay Leno as host.
But the format and distribution strategy for O’Brien’s talents will evolve from his current Monday-through-Thursday hour. He will “expand the boundaries from a talk show to a range of personality-based, cross-platform experiences,” according to TBS and TNT President Kevin Reilly.