Thanks to Thursday night football, CBS may shift The Big Bang Theory to another night of the week.
Though the success of The Big Bang Theory illustrates the power of geeks, CBS’s number-one comedy may still have to bow before the football jocks. E! Online reports that, rather than delay the start of The Big Bang Theory season 8 until the completion of Thursday night football in November, the geeks from Pasadena (and other Thursday shows like Elementary) will likely move to another night of the week.
The news of this shift shows a change in attitude from Deadline’s earlier report on the deal, which indicated that the network was not inclined to move the show. Presumably, The Big Bang Theory would be moved back to its standard Thursday night slot after the conclusion of the first half of the football season.
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CBS currently has a one-year deal to air eight of the sixteen Thursday night football games that will make up the 2014 regular season. The games, which will air from early September through November, are expected to significantly bolster CBS’s Thursday night lineup – already one of the strongest airing blocks on television.
Fans who might be concerned that the addition of football to the Thursday night lineup might spell an uncertain future for The Big Bang Theory need not be concerned, however. Though the show has not yet been renewed for an eight season, the ratings for the geeky comedy are regularly among the highest on television. With The Big Bang Theory serving as such a strong anchor for CBS, a renewal for at least one new season is all but a given.
The Big Bang Theory is scheduled to return from its current hiatus on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 8:00 p.m. on CBS.