Upfronts 2009: CBS – Alex O’Loughlin Returns

Four down, one to go! CBS unveiled their 2009-2010 schedule this morning, including the welcome return of Alex O’Loughlin to our screens. Here’s how the new schedule effects the Nice Girls.

Staying

The Mentalist – No surprise here! The biggest hit of the 2008-2009 season gets an easy pass for a second season. We’re looking forward to more of Simon Baker in a suit, Robin Tunney giving him grief, Tim Kang refusing to smile, Amanda Righetti finding her character’s softer side, and Owain Yeoman being endearing.

Coming

Three Rivers – Alex O’Loughlin returns! His character, Dr. Andy Yablonski, is described as “the highly-skilled workaholic lead organ transplant surgeon, whose good-natured personality and sarcastic wit makes him popular with his patients and colleagues.” Julia Ormond also stars as the head of surgery.

The Good Wife – A drama starring Julianna Margulies, The Good Wif e is about a wife and mother who must assume full responsibility for her family and re-enter the workforce after her husband’s very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail. Chris Noth stars as the not-so-good husband.

Medium – In a last minute maneuver that threatened to cause whiplash among TV critics, CBS picked up Medium after NBC passed on renewing it yesterday. Paired with The Ghost Whisperer, this could finally be the ratings block CBS has been looking for on Friday nights.

Going

Without a Trace, Worst Week, The Ex List, Eleventh Hour – Other than The Ex List, which was canceled last fall, we didn’t watch any of these shows regularly. I guess we weren’t the only ones.

CBS’s 2009-2010 Schedule

And just like that, Thursdays are crowded again. The Mentalist will move to the post-CSI timeslot, leaving Tuesdays for the NCIS franchise and The Good Wife. Three Rivers will air on Sundays.

CBS’s fall primetime schedule is as follows (all times listed are Eastern):

MONDAY
8-8:30 pm: How I Met Your Mother
8:30-9 pm: Accidentally On Purpose
9-9:30 pm: Two and a Half Men
9:30-10 pm: The Big Bang Theory
10-11 pm: CSI Miami

TUESDAY
8-9 pm: NCIS
9-10 pm: NCIS: Los Angeles
10-11 pm: The Good Wife

WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 pm: Old Christine
8:30-9 pm: Gary Unmarried
9-10 pm: Criminal Minds
10-11 pm: CSI:NY

THURSDAY
8-9 pm: Survivor
9-10 pm: CSI
10-11 pm: The Mentalist

FRIDAY
8-9 pm: Ghost Whisperer
9-10 pm: Medium
10-11 pm: Numb3rs

SATURDAY
8-9 pm: Crime Drama Encores
9-10 pm: Crime Drama Encores
10-11 pm: 48 Hours

SUNDAY
7-8 pm: 60 Minutes
8-9 pm: The Amazing Race
9-10 pm: Three Rivers
10-11 pm: Cold Case

MIDSEASON: Miami Trauma, The Bridge, Flashpoint, Undercover Boss, Arranged Marriage, Rules of Engagement