CBS will move "Two and a Half Men" to Thursdays in the fall, pairing it with "The Big Bang Theory," the network announced as it unveiled its 2012-13 schedule Monday.
A Monday night lineup anchored by "Two and a Half Men" helped CBS dominate Monday nights in the fall, but NBC began beating it consistently when it started airing "The Voice" on Mondays in January. "The Voice" will return to Mondays in the fall, but the new CBS lineup it will face will include the new comedy "Partners" in place of "Men."
The move to Thursdays for "Men," meanwhile, will help CBS put up a serious fight against Fox's "American Idol," airing in the same 8 o'clock hour as the CBS sitcoms.
CBS will use its strong "NCIS" shows on Tuesday to lead into the new 1960s Dennis Quaid drama "Vegas." The new Sherlock Holmes update "Elementary," starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, will air on "Thursdays" after "Big Bang Theory," "Two and a Half Men," and "Person of Interest."
The new legal drama "Made in Jersey" will air on Mondays, where the now-cancelled "A Gifted Man" failed to thrive this season.
"The Mentalist," meanwhile, will move to Sundays.
Here is the full schedule, as described by CBS:
On Monday, CBS makes a bold scheduling move and adds a new half-hour series to TV’s top comedy night. The veteran HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER returns at 8:00 PM and provides a strong lead-in for the new comedy PARTNERS at 8:30 PM. The #1 new comedy of the season, 2 BROKE GIRLS, moves to 9:00 PM to anchor the night, followed by the sophomore hits MIKE & MOLLY at 9:30 PM and HAWAII FIVE-0 at 10:00 PM, the top-rated 10:00 PM series on television in adults 18-49.
On Tuesday, CBS uses television’s top-rated dramas as lead-ins for a new one-hour series. The #1 drama/scripted series NCIS remains at 8:00 PM, followed by the #2 drama/scripted series NCIS: LOS ANGELES at 9:00 PM, which will provide a powerful and compatible lead-in for the star-studded new series VEGAS at 10:00 PM.
On Wednesday, a successful night remains intact with potent lead-off hitter SURVIVOR at 8:00 PM, popular thriller CRIMINAL MINDS at 9:00 PM, and the resurgent time period-winning CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION at 10:00 PM, where it improved the time period by 23% in adults 18-49.
On Thursday, CBS creates a powerful comedy block and adds a provocative new drama. The #1 comedy THE BIG BANG THEORY at 8:00 PM is now paired with the #2 comedy TWO AND A HALF MEN at 8:30 PM, creating a formidable comedy duo as a lead-in for the #1 new drama PERSON OF INTEREST at 9:00 PM, which flows seamlessly into the smart new drama ELEMENTARY at 10:00 PM.
On Friday, CBS moves a veteran series to kick off the night and launches a new drama in a protected time period. CSI: NY, which consistently wins its time period, moves to 8:00 PM, providing an established lead-in for the new legal drama MADE IN JERSEY at 9:00 PM. BLUE BLOODS, the night’s most-watched series, remains a solid anchor at 10:00 PM.
Saturday will feature CBS’s CRIMETIME programming from 8:00-10:00 PM, followed by the popular true crime series 48 HOURS MYSTERY at 10:00 PM.
On Sunday, CBS adds a hit drama to a prestigious, award-winning lineup. The acclaimed news magazine 60 MINUTES returns for its 45th season to open at 7:00 PM, followed by the eight-time Emmy Award-winning THE AMAZING RACE at 8:00 PM and the critically lauded and award-winning drama THE GOOD WIFE at 9:00 PM. A proven ratings winner at 10:00 PM, THE MENTALIST moves to Sunday to close out the night.
