Katharine McPhee’s series, Scorpion has been renewed for a second season, announced CBS this morning at the Television Critics Association tour in Los Angeles.
The hit freshman dramas, NCIS: New Orleans, Madam Secretary and Scorpion represent the #1, #2 and #3 most-watched new programs on broadcast television this season: NCIS: New Orleans is the season’s #1 new series and broadcast television’s #2 drama (behind #1 NCIS), Madam Secretary is the #2 new series of the season, and Scorpion is #3. All three rank among network television’s top 10 series, and are produced by CBS Television Studios.
“These freshman dramas have each made a big impact on key nights of the week,” said Nina Tassler, Chairman, CBS Entertainment. “Creatively distinctive, the series are backed by strong showrunners with amazingly talented casts, and have resonated with a big, broad audience.”
Scorpion is the #3-ranked new series of the season, averaging 14.5 million viewers. It has been key to CBS’s Monday improvement, boosting the year-ago time period by +61% in viewers, +21% in adults 18-49 and +31% in adults 25-54. In addition, it is one of the top-streamed shows on cbs.com. Elyes Gabel, Robert Patrick, Katharine McPhee, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Jadyn Wong and Ari Stidham star. Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Nick Santora, Nicholas Wootton, Justin Lin, Heather Kadin, Scooter Braun and Walter O’Brien are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.
That’s great news for Katharine. And if the show can make it through another season, it could be on the air for many years to come. CBS also owns the show, which means the show has a much better chance to survive at renewal time. The American Idol season 5 runner-up has certainly landed on her feet after the Smash debacle.
And in other news, CBS also announced this morning that Late Show with Stephen Colbert will debut on Tuesday, Sept. 8 (11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT) from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City. Stephen was named David Letterman’s successor on April 10, 2014.
“The production office is open, the premiere date is set, and we’re incredibly excited to welcome the creative and comedic genius of Stephen Colbert to CBS late night this fall,” said Nina Tassler, Chairman, CBS Entertainment.
“I have nine months to make a show, just like a baby. So first, I should find out how you make a baby,” said Stephen.
The legendary David Letterman, who has hosted Late Show for 21 years, will host his final broadcast on Wednesday, May 20, 2015.
