CBS Unveils New Fall Lineup
CBS announced its Fall 1998-99 primetime programming lineup Wednesday, featuring seven new series, the return of the Tuesday movie and the relocation of rising star Everybody Loves Raymond to the key Monday (9:00 PM) time slot.
The fall schedule was announced Wednesday by Leslie Moonves, president and CEO of CBS Television.
Four new dramas and three new comedies will join seven returning one-hour dramas, three half-hour comedies, two half-hour comedy/variety shows and two weekly movies on the
In addition, 60 Minutes returns for its 31st season, with Don Hewitt the executive producer and CBS News Correspondents Mike Wallace, Morley Safer, Ed Bradley, Steve Kroft, Lesley Stahl and Andy Rooney the co-editors. 48 HOURS, anchored by CBS News Correspondent Dan Rather, is also back for its 12th season.
In front of the camera, the new schedule features fresh faces for network television such as Brian Benben, Kevin James, Moira Kelly, Jason Beghe and Chinese action superstar Sammo Hung, as well as returning popular stars, including Faith Ford, Ken Olin and Dennis Farina.
Behind the camera is an array of veteran writers and producers, including Oscar-winner Mark Johnson (Rain Man), John Lee Hancock (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), Mark Frost (Twin Peaks) and Robert Borden (Drew Carey).
Established 8:00 PM series provide a programming beachhead on every night of the week. Only two returning programs will move to new time periods, the dominant Sunday and solid Thursday schedules remain in place, and an infusion of new series have strengthened the other nights.
The four new dramas are:
- L.A. Docs (Monday, 10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT), starring Ken Olin, Matt Craven, Rick Roberts and Sheryl Lee. Johnson and John Lee Hancock are the executive producers, for CBS Productions, in association with Columbia TriStar Television.
- To Have and to Hold (Wednesday, 9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT), starring Moira Kelly (The Cutting Edge) and Jason Beghe (Chicago Hope, G.I. Jane). Bob Greenblatt, David Janollari and Scott Shepherd are the executive producers, for CBS Productions, in association with the Greenblatt Janollari Studio.
- Buddy Faro (Friday, 9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT), starring Dennis Farina, Frank Whaley and Allison Smith (Kate & Allie). Mark Frost, the writer, and Charles Haid are executive producers, for Spelling Television.
- Martial Law (Saturday, 9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT), starring Sammo Hung. Carlton Cuse (Nash Bridges), Stanley Tong and Andre Morgan are the executive producers, for CBS Productions, in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television.
The three new comedies are:
- The King of Queens (Monday, 8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT), starring Kevin James, Leah Remini, Jerry Siller and Lisa Rieffel. Michael Weithorn is the executive producer and writer, for Columbia TriStar Television, in association with CBS Productions.
- The Benben Show (Monday, 9:30-10:00 PM, ET/PT), starring Brian Benben, Charles Esten, Lisa Thornhill, Wendell Pierce and Luis Ramos. Benben and Robert Borden (Drew Carey), the writer, are executive producers, for Warner Bros. Television, in association with CBS Productions.
- Maggie Winters (Wednesday, 8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT), starring Faith Ford, Jenny Robertson, Alex Kapp, Vincent Ventresca, Brian Haley and Shirley Knight. Bob Greenblatt, David Janollari and Kari Lizer, the writer, are the executive producers, for the Greenblatt Janollari Studio, in association with CBS Productions.
Two returning programs will move to new time periods: Everybody Loves Raymond to Monday, 9:00-9:30 PM (from Monday, 8:30-9:00 PM), and Early Edition to Saturday, 8:00-9:00 PM (from Saturday, 9:00-10:00 PM).
The other entertainment programs returning to the CBS Television Network schedule are Cosby (Monday, 8:00-8:30 PM ), JAG (Tuesday, 8:00-9:00 PM), The Nanny (Wednesday, 8:00-8:30 PM), Chicago Hope (Wednesday, 10:00-11:00 PM),Promised Land (Thursday, 8:00-9:00 PM), Diagnosis Murder (Thursday, 9:00-10:00 PM), Kids Say The Darndest Things (Friday, 8:00-8:30 PM), Candid Camera (Friday, 8:30-9:00 PM), Nash Bridges (Friday, 10:00-11:00 PM), Walker, Texas Ranger (Saturday, 10:00-11:00 PM) and Touched By An Angel (Sunday, 8:00-9:00 PM).
Also, the CBS Tuesday Movie (9:00-11:00 PM) returns, joining its top-rated sibling, the CBS Sunday Movie (9:00-11:00 PM), on the schedule.