Comedytime Saturday
Encyclopedia
Comedytime Saturday is the official branding for a one-hour programming block
that began with the 2011–12 United States network television schedule
on CBS
between 8 and 9 p.m. ET/PT on Saturday nights. The branding is only listed by industry sources as a placeholder
for the time slot, and not as an official on-air branding. The placeholder timeslot is also the lead-in to CBS' Crimetime Saturday
lineup, which was reduced by an hour to accommodate the change. Originally conceived as a vehicle for at least one first-run sitcom (thus reviving the practice of programming entertainment programs on Saturday nights for the first time in several years), the block currently airs two reruns of CBS sitcoms from earlier in the week.
The first half-hour of the block was originally to comprise first-run episodes of Rules of Engagement
, which would have moved from the Thursday time slot it held at the end of the 2010-11 television season, mainly to allow that program to build up enough episodes
for syndication. (By doing so, Rules was to have become the first scripted first-run series to air on a broadcast network on Saturday night, excluding already-canceled series, since 2005.) However, Engagement' s Saturday run was held back as the premiere of the new sitcom How to Be a Gentleman
, which took the place of Engagement in its Thursday timeslot, struggled, and after two weeks, the network announced that Engagement would premiere and remain in that Thursday timeslot on October 20, 2011, with new episodes of Gentlemen moving to the second half-hour of the Saturday block, effectively being burned off
on Saturday nights without CBS actually classifying it as a canceled program. (The network traditionally does not announce any official program cancellations until the May upfronts, in contrast to other American networks.) After one airing in the Comedytime Saturday block where a new episode of Gentlemen dropped half the audience of the Two and a Half Men rerun leading into it, How to Be a Gentleman was canceled with six completed episodes left unaired.
With no original programming, Comedytime Saturday will consist solely of rerun
s of CBS's Monday and Thursday night sitcoms
(How I Met Your Mother
, 2 Broke Girls
, Two and a Half Men
, Mike & Molly
, The Big Bang Theory
or Rules of Engagement). The time slot will also be used for special programming
in holiday periods along with a Republican presidential debate which aired in mid-November.
Block programming
Block programming or television block is a strategy of broadcast programming and radio programmers. Block programming occurs when the television network schedules similar television programs back-to-back. The concept is to provide similar programming to keep the viewers. Radio stations use it...
that began with the 2011–12 United States network television schedule
2011–12 United States network television schedule
The 2011–2012 network television schedule for the five major English commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers primetime hours from September 2011 through May 2012...
on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
between 8 and 9 p.m. ET/PT on Saturday nights. The branding is only listed by industry sources as a placeholder
Placeholder
Placeholder may refer to:In language:* Placeholder name, words that can refer to objects or people, whose names are unknown or irrelevant* Filler text, shares some characteristics of a real written text, but is random or otherwise generated...
for the time slot, and not as an official on-air branding. The placeholder timeslot is also the lead-in to CBS' Crimetime Saturday
Crimetime Saturday
Crimetime Saturday is the official branding for a programming block that started in 2004–05 on the American CBS and Canadian CTV networks between 9 and 11 p.m. ET/PT on Saturday nights...
lineup, which was reduced by an hour to accommodate the change. Originally conceived as a vehicle for at least one first-run sitcom (thus reviving the practice of programming entertainment programs on Saturday nights for the first time in several years), the block currently airs two reruns of CBS sitcoms from earlier in the week.
The first half-hour of the block was originally to comprise first-run episodes of Rules of Engagement
Rules of Engagement (TV series)
Rules of Engagement is a sitcom that debuted on CBS on February 5, 2007, as a midseason replacement, immediately following Two and a Half Men, in the time slot that was occupied by now-cancelled The New Adventures of Old Christine...
, which would have moved from the Thursday time slot it held at the end of the 2010-11 television season, mainly to allow that program to build up enough episodes
100 episodes
In the U.S. television industry, 100 episodes is the traditional threshold at which point a television series becomes viable for syndication. 100 episodes are advantageous for stripped syndication because such shows can be sold for higher per-episode pricing; it also allows for 20 weeks of...
for syndication. (By doing so, Rules was to have become the first scripted first-run series to air on a broadcast network on Saturday night, excluding already-canceled series, since 2005.) However, Engagement
How to Be a Gentleman
How to Be a Gentleman is an American sitcom, which ran on CBS from Thursday, September 29, 2011 to October 15, 2011. Lead actor David Hornsby created the series, adapting the nonfiction book of the same name by John Bridges....
, which took the place of Engagement in its Thursday timeslot, struggled, and after two weeks, the network announced that Engagement would premiere and remain in that Thursday timeslot on October 20, 2011, with new episodes of Gentlemen moving to the second half-hour of the Saturday block, effectively being burned off
Burning off
Burning off is the low-profile airing of otherwise-abandoned unaired television programs, usually by scheduling in far less important time slots or on less important sister stations...
on Saturday nights without CBS actually classifying it as a canceled program. (The network traditionally does not announce any official program cancellations until the May upfronts, in contrast to other American networks.) After one airing in the Comedytime Saturday block where a new episode of Gentlemen dropped half the audience of the Two and a Half Men rerun leading into it, How to Be a Gentleman was canceled with six completed episodes left unaired.
With no original programming, Comedytime Saturday will consist solely of rerun
Rerun
A rerun or repeat is a re-airing of an episode of a radio or television broadcast. The invention of the rerun is generally credited to Desi Arnaz. There are two types of reruns—those that occur during a hiatus, and those that occur when a program is syndicated. Reruns can also be, as the...
s of CBS's Monday and Thursday night sitcoms
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
(How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
, 2 Broke Girls
2 Broke Girls
2 Broke Girls is an North American television comedy series that debuted on CBS during the 2011–12 television season. The first episode aired at 9:30 pm after Two and a Half Men on September 19, 2011. Later episodes followed How I Met Your Mother on Monday nights at 8:30 pm . The series was...
, Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
, Mike & Molly
Mike & Molly
Mike & Molly is an American sitcom created by Mark Roberts, which premiered on CBS on September 20, 2010. The series stars Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy as the title characters.-Premise:...
, The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
or Rules of Engagement). The time slot will also be used for special programming
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
in holiday periods along with a Republican presidential debate which aired in mid-November.