CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler expects hit CBS comedy Big Bang Theory to "do ok" in head-to-head competition with American Idol in midseason. Big Bang, which made a successful move from Mondays to Thursday night at 8 this fall, will face the 10th season of Idol -- which Tassler is by no means discounting despite its cast changes.
"Idol is Idol, it's a force of nature. It's a powerhouse. The good thing is Big Bang is a super star and we're thrilled with how well it's done on Thursday," Tassler told critics at the TCA press tour Friday morning. "The good news is anytime you put hit shows in one time period there are enough eyeballs to go around so we think we'll do ok."
Tassler expressed more serious concern -- a "high level of concern" -- for Two And A Half Men star Charlie Sheen, who has had continued, widely-reported substance abuse problems. She said she personally has "thought a lot about this" when asked about her position on Sheen's condition. She added that you "can't look at this simplistically." She called him a "professional" and says she has "tremendous respect and trust" for how the execs at the show's producer Warner Bros. are handling the situation.
"He does his job, he does it well, the show is a hit," she said of Sheen.
As far as other business at the network, Tassler said while the schedule remains one of the most stable, she expects to pick up "pretty much the same number of pilots as in previous years."
"Though we don't have much in the way of scheduling holes to fill, those that do will get a good spot," she said.
She left freshman comedy S@#t My Dad Says, the first series to be based on a Twitter feed, firmly on the bubble when asked about its creative direction. The show sill has "a ways to go but like any show in its first year, we're always making creative adjustments," she says. As to whether or not it's coming back next year, "everything is up for grabs in May," when the network will unveil its new season schedule at upfronts.
