Now that writers are back to work on the 60 or so television shows that went on hiatus for three months during the scribes' walkout, sitcoms like CBS' How I Met Your Mother are expected to be among the first to return with fresh material.  We reported last week that the series is scheduled to produce nine more new episodes for its current season.  The comedy is slated to begin airing its new installments starting March 17.

Also last week, the network announced the renewal of 11 of its scripted shows for the 2008-2009 offering.  Among those named for renewal are five procedurals, three crime dramas, two sitcoms and one supernatural drama.  Surprisingly, it does not include How I Met Your Mother.

Nearly half of the 11 series picked up by CBS for renewal are from super producer Jerry Bruckheimer.  The crime dramas Cold Case and Without A Trace, as well as the entire CSI franchise – CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami and CSI: NY - will all be back for the 2008-2009 season.

Also picked up were Numb3rs and Ghost Whisperer, as well as popular sitcom Two and a Half Men and the freshman series, The Big Bang Theory.  For now, fans of other CBS shows like How I Met Your Mother, Rules of Engagement, Shark, Moonlight and The New Adventures of Old Christine must keep their fingers crossed for good news about those shows.

Despite being left out of CBS's list of renewals last week, there remains a fighting shot for How I Met Your Mother to be picked up eventually.  The sitcom went through an eleventh-hour renewal last season, when it was left hanging until the last minute.  Last month, CBS announced the pickup of two of its longest-running reality shows, The Amazing Race, which is due back for its 13th edition, and Survivor, picked up for an incredible 18th season.


-Rosario Santiago, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
(Image Courtesy of CBS)