"FBI" Offshoot "CIA" Pushed to Midseason

CBS has made some changes to its fall schedule as it announces its new season plans. 

New “FBI” spinoff “CIA,” which had been slated to premiere in the fall, will now be held back for midseason as it undergoes some tinkering.

The show, from Dick Wolf, has switched showrunners: Warren Leight (“Law & Order: SVU”) will take over from David Hudgins, and has been given additional time to adjust before going into production. 

Tom Ellis stars in “CIA,” and the writers room is now up on the show — with casting set to begin soon and production now expected to start in the fall.

With “CIA” pushed back, CBS will now move up Season 2 of “Watson,” originally slated for midseason, to fall instead.

Beyond that, CBS has opted to launch most of its fall sked in October, aiming to take advantage of September events (including, of course, the return of NFL football). 

Much of its lineup is set to bow the week of October 12, which the Eye has dubbed “CBS Premiere Week.”

That night, CBS will take advantage of an NFL doubleheader to launch the returns of hits “Matlock” and “Elsbeth,” on a special night before moving to their regular Thursday slots later that week. And on Friday, October 17, the network will stunt “Fire Country” at 8 p.m. to launch newbies “Sheriff Country” and “Boston Blue.” (“Fire” and “Sheriff” swap to their normal slots the following week.)

CBS’ September special fare includes its first-ever airing of MTV’s Video Music Awards on September 7, then the 77th Emmy Awards on September 14 and “A Grammy Salute to Earth, Wind & Fire Live: The 21st Night of September” on September 21.

Here’s CBS’ fall roll-out plans:

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 24

8 p.m. -10 p.m. SURVIVOR (49th season premiere)

(Regular 8-9:30 p.m. timeslot begins Wednesday, Oct. 1)

THURSDAY, SEPT. 25

9 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. THE AMAZING RACE (38th season premiere, special night)

(Regular Wednesday 9:30-11 p.m. timeslot begins Oct. 1)

SATURDAY, SEPT. 27

10 p.m. – 11p.m. 48 HOURS (38th season premiere)

SUNDAY, SEPT. 28

7 – 7:30 p.m. ET NFL ON CBS doubleheader

7:30-8:30 p.m. ET (7-8 p.m. PT) 60 MINUTES (58th season premiere)

8:30-10:30 p.m. ET (8-10 p.m. PT) BIG BROTHER (27th season finale)

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 1

Debut of regular Wednesday lineup

8 9:30 p.m. SURVIVOR

9:30-11 p.m. THE AMAZING RACE

“CBS PREMIERE WEEK”

SUNDAY, OCT. 12

7:00-7:30 p.m., ET NFL ON CBS doubleheader

7:30-8:30 p.m., ET (7:00-8 p.m., PT) 60 MINUTES

8:30-9:30 p.m., ET (8-10 p.m., PT) MATLOCK (second season premiere “sneak peek” on special night)

(Returns to regular 9 p.m. Thursday timeslot with an original episode on Oct. 16.)

9:30-10:30 p.m. ET (9-10 p.m., PT) ELSBETH (third season premiere “sneak peek” on special night)

(Returns to regular 10 p.m. Thursday timeslot with an original episode on Oct. 16.)

MONDAY, OCT. 13

8-8:30 p.m. THE NEIGHBORHOOD (eighth season premiere)

8:30-9 p.m. DMV (series premiere)

9-10 p.m. FBI (eighth season premiere)

10-11 p.m. WATSON (second season premiere)

TUESDAY, OCT. 14

8-9 p.m. NCIS (23rd season premiere)

9-10 p.m. NCIS: ORIGINS (second season premiere)

10-11 p.m. NCIS: SYDNEY (third season premiere)

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15

8-9:30 p.m. SURVIVOR (original episode)

9:30-11 p.m. THE AMAZING RACE (original episode)

THURSDAY, OCT. 16

8-8:30 p.m. GEORGIE & MANDY’S FIRST MARRIAGE (second season premiere)

8:30-9 p.m. GHOSTS (fifth season premiere)

9-10 p.m. MATLOCK (original episode)

10-11 p.m. ELSBETH (original episode)

FRIDAY, OCT. 17

8-9 p.m. FIRE COUNTRY (fourth season premiere, special time)

(Starts regular 9 p.m. timeslot Friday, Oct. 24.)

9-10 p.m. SHERIFF COUNTRY (series premiere, special time)

(Starts regular 8 p.m. timeslot Friday, Oct. 24.)

10-11 p.m. BOSTON BLUE (series premiere)

SATURDAY, OCT. 18

10-11 p.m. 48 HOURS (original episode)

SUNDAY, OCT. 19

7:00-8 p.m. 60 MINUTES

8-9 p.m. TRACKER (third season premiere)

9-10 p.m. THE ROAD

(Airs 9:30-10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct 26 and Sunday, Nov. 2, following NFL Doubleheader, before moving to its regular 9-10 p.m. Sunday time period on Nov. 9.)

FRIDAY, OCT. 24

Regular timeslots for Friday lineup.

8-9 p.m. SHERIFF COUNTRY (original episode)

9-10 p.m. FIRE COUNTRY (original episode)

10-11 p.m. BOSTON BLUE (original episode)

Returning series HOLLYWOOD SQUARES — and new series CIA, Y: MARSHALS (working title), HARLAN COBEN’S FINAL TWIST and AMERICA’S CULINARY CUP — are currently planned for the second half of the 2025-2026 broadcast season.