CBS Shuffles Primetime Schedule

By Jim Benson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/21/2006 12:43:00 PM

CBS has scheduled its new midseason comedy Rules of Engagement to premiere at 9:30 p.m. Mondays starting Feb. 5, allowing it to use the Super Bowl the previous night as a promotional platform.

Rules, a comedy about different phases of the male/female relationship as seen through the eyes of a newly engaged couple, a long-married pair and a single guy, will move into the slot now occupied by The New Adventures of Old Christine.

That comedy will be pulled from the schedule during the February sweeps, ending its current run Jan. 29 before relocating to 8:30 p.m. Mondays on March 12 in place of The Class, which has its season finale March 5.

The King of Queens will shift from 8-9 p.m. Wednesdays to 9:30 p.m. Mondays on April 9 to wrap up its ninth and final season.

"These scheduling moves enable us to program more original episodes of comedy in targeted time periods for the remainder of the season," said CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler. "It also provides an opportunity to give The King of Queens a proper send-off in a high-profile time period in the Monday-night block it helped build."

CBS's Monday Line-Up, Effective Feb. 5

8:00-8:30 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

8:30-9:00 THE CLASS

9:00-9:30 TWO AND A HALF MEN

9:30-10:00 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (Series Premiere)

10:00-11:00 CSI: MIAMI

CBS's Monday Line-Up, Effective March 12

8:00-8:30 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

8:30-9:00 THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE (Time Period Premiere)

9:00-9:30 TWO AND A HALF MEN

9:30-10:00 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

10:00-11:00 CSI: MIAMI

CBS's Monday Line-Up, Effective April 9

8:00-8:30 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

8:30-9:00 THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE

9:00-9:30 TWO AND A HALF MEN

9:30-10:00 THE KING OF QUEENS (Time Period Premiere)

10:00-11:00 CSI: MIAMI