“Young Sheldon” isn’t getting any younger, so scripted originals are coming back just in time. CBS will take advantage of this year’s Super Bowl to launch its truncated 2023-2024 primetime lineup the week of February 12. That’s the week that most of its major series will return with new episodes, including the “NCIS” and “FBI” franchises, as well as the network’s returning comedies like the Not-As-Young-As-He-Used-To-Be “Sheldon.”
That makes for a shortened three-and-a-half month TV season, which means that most of CBS’ series this season are expected to be capped at between 10 to 13 episodes, airing from mid-February to May. CBS’ February 2024 lineup is nearly identical to the one the network announced in May for September 2023 (back when it was still optimistic that it might have original episodes in the fall), with two notable exceptions: New legal drama “Matlock,” starring Kathy Bates, and comedy “Poppa’s House,” starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., have been pushed to the 2024-2025 TV season.
Meanwhile, the plan to premiere new Justin Hartley drama “Tracker” behind the Super Bowl on Feb. 11 continues to stand. That episode will get an encore run on Thursday, Feb. 15, followed by episode 2 in its regular time period on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 9 p.m. ET.
CBS’ only other new scripted series this season, “The Good Wife”/”The Good Fight” spinoff “Elsbeth,” starring Carrie Preston, will premiere Thursday, Feb. 29, at 10 p.m. ET, after two weeks of “Tracker” repeats in that slot.
As for reality staples “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race,” CBS will debut those shows a bit later in order to have uninterrupted originals for the remainder of the season. “Survivor” is back on Wednesday, Feb. 28 with a 2-hour episode, and then another 2-hour edition on March 6. On March 13, “Survivor” returns to 90 minutes, while a new season of “The Amazing Race” is also back, with 90 minute episodes at 9:30 p.m. ET.
CBS plans to market the return to originals via the NFL playoff games and the Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, in addition to the Super Bowl on Feb. 11. Here are the Eye network’s premiere dates, with more programming to be announced soon:
Sunday, Feb. 11 (following Super Bowl LVIII)
10 p.m. “Tracker” (series premiere, estimated start time)
Monday, Feb. 12
8 p.m. “The Neighborhood” (sixth season premiere)
8:30 p.m. “Bob Hearts Abishola” (fifth season premiere)
9 p.m. “NCIS” (21st season premiere)
10 p.m. “NCIS: Hawai’i” (third season premiere)
Tuesday, Feb. 13
8 p.m. “FBI” (sixth season premiere)
9 p.m. “FBI: International” (third season premiere)
10 p.m. “FBI: Most Wanted” (fifth season premiere)
Thursday, Feb. 15
8 p.m. “Young Sheldon” (seventh season premiere)
8:30 p.m. “Ghosts” (third season premiere)
9 p.m. “So Help Me Todd” (second season premiere)
10 p.m. “Tracker” (premiere episode encore)
Friday, Feb. 16
8 p.m. “S.W.A.T.” (seventh season premiere)
9 p.m. “Fire Country” (second season premiere)
10 p.m. “Blue Bloods” (14th season premiere)
Sunday, Feb. 18
7 p.m. “60 Minutes”
8 p.m. “The Equalizer” (fourth season premiere)
9 p.m. “Tracker” (regular time period premiere)
10 p.m. “CSI: Vegas (third season premiere, new time period)
Thursday, Feb. 22
8 p.m. “Young Sheldon”
8:30 p.m. “Ghosts”
9 p.m. “So Help Me Todd”
10 p.m. “Tracker” (second episode encore)
Wednesday, Feb. 28
8 p.m. “Survivor” (two-hour 46th season premiere)
Thursday, Feb. 29
8 p.m. “Young Sheldon”
8:30 p.m. “Ghosts”
9 p.m. “So Help Me Todd”
10 p.m. “Elsbeth” (series premiere)
Wednesday, March 6
8 p.m. “Survivor” (two-hour episode)
Wednesday, March 13
8 p.m. “Survivor” (return to 90 minute episodes)
9:30 p.m. “The Amazing Race” (36th season premiere)
