CBS Announces the 2006-07 Primetime Schedule

With just about all of their series and timeslots remaining intact, there aren't many surprises on the CBS schedule this fall. The one big change in the schedule is the removal of the CBS Sunday Night Movie. Sundays will now play host to The Amazing Race, Cold Case and Without a Trace , which has been relocated from Thursday nights. What I find most impressive this season is the incredible stars on the roster such as Ray Liotta, James Woods, Virginia Madsen and Skeet Ulrich. As always, it should be another award-winning season on CBS.

New Dramas in 2006:

Smith
This series revolves around a tight-knit group of criminals lead by a mysterious man named "Smith." With the FBI hot on their trail, the main character, Bobby Stevens (Ray Liotta) is determined to follow through with just a few more heists before retiring from the business in order to live a normal life with his family. The series stars Ray Liotta, Virginia Madsen, Jonny Lee Miller, Franky G, Simon Baker, Amy Smart and is produced by John Wells, the mastermind behind ER and The West Wing.
Chance of success: Very good. The Tuesday night 10pm time slot isn't highly competitive, but may face some competition once Nip/Tuck returns to the schedule.

Jericho
What if you lived in a small town and suddenly the entire town is cut off from the rest of the world? When a nuclear cloud is spotted, the town of Jericho, Kansas is led to believe the worst as happened and that they may the only people alive. Complete chaos ensues and puts the entire town in danger, not from the threat of the possible nuclear explosion, but from each other. The series stars Skeet Ulrich, Gerald McRaney, Ashley Scott, Pamela Reed, Kenneth Mitchell, Lennie James, Sprague Grayden, Michael Gaston and Erik Knudsen.
Chance of success: Not bad. The premise alone has me on the edge-of-my-seat.

Shark
A cutthroat defense attorney (James Woods) switches sides and joins the Los Angeles District Attorney's High Profile Crime Unit. His courtroom antics are legendary and at times, he goes too far, much to the chagrin of his boss, the D.A. The series stars James Woods, Jeri Ryan, Sam Page, Danielle Panabaker, Romy Rosemont and Sophina Brown.
Chance of success: 50/50. While I'd tune in just to see James Woods in action, I'm not entirely won over by the premise. Fans of Law dramas will most likely choose this series over the new JJ Abrams show, Six Degrees.