CBS is shaking up its schedule.
TV Insider reports that the Eye Network will be pre-empting some of its primetime programming next week in favor of March Madness.
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Selection Sunday is on Sunday, with the games starting on Tuesday. Coverage, handled by TNT Sports and CBS Sports, will be broadcast across TBS, CBS, TNT, and truTV, as well as HBO Max and Paramount+. The first round, taking place on March 19 and March 20, will be airing on CBS, meaning there will be an interruption in your regularly scheduled programming.
On Thursday, March 19, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Ghosts, Matlock, and Elsbeth will not be airing. Sheriff Country, Fire Country, and Boston Blue will also be preempted the following night. Meanwhile, as the second round kicks off on March 21 and March 22, 48 Hours will only air from 10-11 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 21, instead of the usual 9-11 p.m. ET. For now, the Sunday, March 22 lineup with Marshals, Tracker, and Watson will not be changing.
Per CBS, it’s been confirmed that the next episodes of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage and Ghosts will be airing on Thursday, April 2. So it can be assumed that Matlock and Elsbeth will also be held for that day. Similarly, after tonight, Sheriff Country and Boston Blue won’t be back until April 3, so fans should expect those shows, as well as Fire Country, to be preempted on March 27.
As for CBS’ Sunday lineup, round two of the Elite Eight will take place on March 29, but it’s been confirmed by the network that new episodes of Tracker and Watson will indeed air that night, and likely recently-renewed Marshals as well. So for at least the next two weeks, only the Thursday and Friday primetime lineup will be interrupted, but the wait for new episodes will surely be worth it.
It may not be the best news for viewers considering CBS shows only just came back from their midseason hiatuses less than a month ago, but at least there’s a good excuse. And that just means there will be a lot more to look forward to when they come back. And it’s possible this will be the last long break for these shows before the end of their seasons, which is another plus. If anything, now would be a good time to catch up on Paramount+.