Eye on Winter: CBS Unveils Midseason Schedule

As expected reality programming is the name of the game with the networks clearly reacting to the threat of a protracted WGA strike.

On day 30 of the continued writers strike, CBS unveiled its midseason schedule, which included both reality fare as well as the return of several scripted series.

MONDAYS
Freshman comedy The Big Bang Theory, which wrapped production in light of the strike, will be benched as will comedy Rules of Engagement. Filling in for these on Monday evenings is the return of The New Adventures of Old Christine at 9:30 pm, after Two and a Half Men and the launch of single-camera comedy The Captain (starring Fran Kranz, Jeffrey Tambor, Chris Kline, and Raquel Welch as the denizens of a famous Hollywood landmark apartment building) will slot in between Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother at 8:30 pm.

TUESDAYS
Struggling dramas Cane and The Unit will be pulled and replaced by the first in-season run of reality franchise Big Brother and the seven-episode second season of drama Jericho. (FYI, Big Brother will also get a Wednesday edition at 8 pm and one on Sunday as well.)

WEDNESDAY
Big Brother will take over for Kid Nation at 8 pm and then be followed by game show Power of 10 at 9 pm, which will run for six weeks.

THURSDAY
No change as a new edition of Survivor is on deck to launch at 8 pm on February 7th.

FRIDAY
No change here, either, with freshman drama Moonlight continuing to air on Friday evenings.


What's On Tonight

8 pm: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (CBS); Biggest Loser (NBC; 8-10 pm); Beauty and the Geek (CW); America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC); Bones (FOX)

9 pm: NCIS (CBS); Reaper (CW); According to Jim/According to Jim (ABC); House (FOX)

10 pm: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (CBS); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC); Boston Legal (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Beauty & the Geek.

On the season finale of Beauty and the Geek ("And the Winner Is..."), it's the return of all of this season's teams for a reunion as the winner of Beauty and the Geek 4 is unveiled after America's votes are tallied. (Come on, Dave and Jasmine!)