NEW YORK, NY — CBS announced today its new 2011-2012 primetime schedule, ordering five new series and making key time-period moves for CSI and "The Good Wife" to strengthen its already top-rated primetime lineup. CBS will, once again, finish the season as America's most watched network, marking the eighth time it has done so in the last nine years.

The new series include three new dramas and two new comedies: "Person of Interest," a crime thriller from renowned executive producer J.J. Abrams starring Jim Caviezel, Emmy Award winner Michael Emerson and Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson; "Unforgettable," starring Dylan Walsh and Poppy Montgomery as a former detective with a rare condition that enables her to remember virtually every detail from every day of her life; "A Gifted Man" about a preeminent surgeon whose life changes forever when his deceased ex-wife returns, starring Patrick Wilson and Jennifer Ehle; "2 Broke Girls," a comedy about two strikingly different young waitresses who form an unlikely friendship, starring Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs; and an odd-couple comedy, "How to Be a Gentleman," starring David Hornsby and Kevin Dillon, about a refined magazine columnist and his very unrefined personal trainer.



The freshman series will be joined by 19 returning shows, including the season's #1 drama/scripted series, "NCIS"; #1 comedy, "The Big Bang Theory"; #1 news magazine, "60 Minutes" ; # 1 new comedy, "Mike & Molly"; along with two franchise reality series, "Survivor" and the seven-time Emmy Award winner, "The Amazing Race."

The other returning series include: "How I Met Your Mother"; "Hawaii Five-0"; "NCIS: Los Angeles"; "Criminal Minds"; "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"; "The Mentalist"; "CSI: NY"; "Blue Bloods"; "Rules of Engagement"; "48 Hours Mystery" ; "The Good Wife"; and "CSI: Miami."

For mid-season, CBS will present the third season of the reality series "Undercover Boss," and the new police drama, "The 2-2," from Tribeca Productions and executive producers Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal.

The new 2011-2012 schedule is as follows:

On Monday, the veteran "How I Met Your Mother" returns at 8:00 PM, to provide a strong lead-in for another young comedy, "2 Broke Girls," at 8:30 PM. Ashton Kutcher joins the cast of the top-rated comedy, "Two and a Half Men," at 9:00 PM, followed by returning freshman hits "Mike & Molly" at 9:30 PM and "Hawaii Five-0" at 10:00 PM.

On Tuesday, the #1-rated scripted series, "NCIS," returns at 8:00 PM followed by the #2-rated scripted series, "NCIS: Los Angeles," at 9:00 PM, providing a powerful lead-in to the new drama, "Unforgettable," at 10:00 PM.

On Wednesday, "Survivor" returns to the time period it improved 100% in viewers last season (8:00 PM). "Criminal Minds," one of the top-rated dramas on television, is back at 9:00 PM, and is paired with "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" to form a strong two-hour crime drama block from 9:00-11:00 PM.

On Thursday, CBS adds a new comedy and drama to the middle of the line-up, book-ended by two established hit series: television's #1 comedy, "The Big Bang Theory," returns at 8:00 PM, providing a strong lead-in to the new comedy, "How to Be a Gentleman." J.J. Abrams' new crime-thriller, "Person of Interest," joins the line-up at 9:00 PM, followed by the time-period winning drama, "The Mentalist," as the night's strong anchor at 10:00 PM.

On Friday, CBS's time-period winning, two-hour New York police drama block returns from 9:00-11:00 PM with "CSI: NY" and "Blue Bloods." A unique new series opens the night at 8:00 PM with "A Gifted Man," a medical drama with a spiritual twist.

On Saturday, original programming opens the night at 8:00 PM with "Rules of Engagement," which will be paired with Comedytime at 8:30 PM, featuring encore broadcasts of CBS comedies. The successful duo of Crimetime at 9:00 PM and the time period-winning 48 HOURS MYSTERY at 10:00 PM closes the night.

Sunday night has an award-winning flare. The acclaimed and always top-rated "60 Minutes" opens at 7:00 PM, followed by the seven-time Emmy Award winning series, "The Amazing Race," at 8:00 PM, leading into the critically acclaimed, award-winning drama, "The Good Wife," at 9:00 PM. The always successful "CSI: Miami" caps the night at 10:00 PM.

CBS 2011-2012 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)

Monday
8:00-8:30 PM - "How I Met Your Mother"
8:30-9:00 PM - "2 Broke Girls" (N)
9:00-9:30 PM - "Two and a Half Men"
9:30-10:00 PM - "Mike & Molly"
10:00-11:00 PM - "Hawaii Five-0"

Tuesday
8:00-9:00 PM - "NCIS"
9:00-10:00 PM - "NCIS: Los Angeles"
10:00-11:00 PM - "Unforgettable" (N)

Wednesday
"8:00-9:00 PM - "Survivor: South Pacific"
9:00-10:00 PM - "Criminal Minds"
10:00-11:00 PM - "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (NT)

Thursday
8:00-8:30 PM - "The Big Bang Theory"
8:30-9:00 PM - "How to Be a Gentleman" (N)
9:00-10:00 PM - "Person of Interest" (N)
10:00-11:00 PM - "The Mentalist"

Friday
8:00-9:00 PM - "A Gifted Man" (N)
9:00-10:00 PM - "CSI: NY"
10:00-11:00 PM - "Blue Bloods"

Saturday
8:00-8:30 PM - "Rules of Engagement" (NT)
8:30-9:00 PM - Comedytime Saturday
9:00-10:00 PM - Crimetime Saturday
10:00-11:00 PM - "48 Hours Mystery"

Sunday
7:00-8:00 PM - "60 Minutes"
8:00-9:00 PM - "The Amazing Race"
9:00-10:00 PM - "The Good Wife" (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM - "CSI: Miami"