A day after doubling down on unscripted fare come January, the network is firming up its comedy slate for 2019, with its Murphy Brown reboot and Damon Wayans Jr. vehicle Happy TogeEnglish, has underperformed (6.2 million total viewers and a 0.9 in the key 18-49 demo) in its prime Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. slot and remains in consideration for a renewal. Fellow multicamera comedy Fam, starring Nina Dobrev and Tone Bell — which has already changed showrunners — will take over Murphy Brown’s slot starting Thursday, Jan. 10.ther both ending their respective runs after their initial 13-episode orders. Both series will clear room on the schedule for rookie comedy Fam and the third season of Matt LeBlanc vehicle Man With a Plan. A return date for the fourth season of Life in Pieces will be announced at a later date.
For Murphy Brown, the rebooted series was always intended to be a closed-ended order of 13 episodes. The multicamera comedy, featuring the return of star Candice Bergen and from original creator Diane English, has underperformed (6.2 million total viewers and a 0.9 in the key 18-49 demo) in its prime Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. slot and remains in consideration for a renewal. Fellow multicamera comedy Fam, starring Nina Dobrev and Tone Bell — which has already changed showrunners — will take over Murphy Brown‘s slot starting Thursday, Jan. 10.
Happy Together, meanwhile, is CBS’ lone rookie series to not earn an order for additional episodes this season. The multicamera family comedy landed pilot season’s biggest star in Happy Endings grad Wayans Jr., who signed on with one of the largest talent deals of the year. The comedy is averaging a lackluster 4.7 million total viewers and 0.9 in the all-important adults 18-49 demographic. The series will wrap its run and clear way for Man With a Plan starting Monday, Feb. 4, at 8:30 p.m.
In addition to the fourth season of single-camera comedy Life in Pieces, CBS has a crowded bench of dramas that remain unscheduled as Elementary and Instinct, in addition to rookies The Code andThe Red Line, await premiere dates. News on that front is expected to be announced in the coming days.
(Excerpt) Read more in: The Hollywood Reporter