CBS is counting on the Super Bowl to propel its mid-season shows.
The network has just announced two shows that will arrive in the days after the Feb. 7 game. It will be the second season of “Tough As Nails” on Feb. 10 and the debut of “Clarice” (shown here) – the FBI agent from “Silence of the Lambs” – on Feb. 11.
That follows the decision to give the best spot – debuting after the Super Bowl – to “The Equalizer,” a reboot starring Queen Latifah.
With pilot films scuttled last spring by the COVID shutdown, CBS had announced only three new shows. “B Positive” is a comedy, already airing at 8:30 p.m. Thursdays; now the other two are set.
The network’s unscripted shows remain in flux. Production was suspended on “Survivor” – which doesn’t expect to resume filming on Fiji until next spring – and on “Amazing Race.”
That left CBS’ usual Wednesday reality slot open. For now, it’s being filled by an “Amazing Race” that had already been filmed; meanwhile, “Tough as Nails” (produced by “Race” host Phil Keoghan and his wife) had a successful summer run and will return to fill the “Survivor” spot.
Recent moves include:
– CBS: “Equalizer” follows the Super Bowl,” then takes the 8 p.m. Sunday slot, starting Feb. 14. “Tough as Nails” starts 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10. “Clarice” starts 10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. The latter begins a year after “Lambs”; Jodie Foster’s role will now be played by Rebecca Breeds, 33, who starred in several Australian series and had recurring roles in “Pretty Little Liars” (as Nicole) and “The Originals” (Aurora).
– Fox: Like CBS, it will use football as a springboard for new shows. NFL doubleheaders will lead into “The Masked Dancer” on Dec. 27 and Mayim Bialik’s “Call Me Kat” on Jan. 3. They’ll then air at 8 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 p.m. Thursdays, respectively.
– More comedies: NBC’s “Mister Mayor” debuts at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7; it stars Ted Danson and is produced by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, the “30 Rock” people. ABC’s “Call Your Mother” debuts at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13; it stars Kura Sedgwick. And “Grown-ish,” the “Black-ish” spin-off, will start its season at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, on cable’s Freeform channel.