CBS is using "The Mentalist" and "Undercover Boss" as a bridge between the fall finales and spring returns of "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race," a strategy currently employed by ABC with many of its serialized dramas.
The final 13-episode run of "The Mentalist" - which executive producer Bruno Heller called "an encore"- is being slotted for Sunday, Nov. 30 at 9:30 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT.
The Simon Baker-Robin Tunney drama remains in the slot for five weeks through December before shifting to 8 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Jan. 7 and wrapping with a two-hour series finale from 8 to 10 p.m. on Feb. 18.
Undercover Boss will take over the 8 p.m. Sunday time slot starting Dec. 14, before airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT the following two weeks. It will then move to its regular 8 p.m. Friday time slot on Jan. 2.
The season finale of "Survivor" will be broadcast on Wednesday, Dec. 17 from 8 to 10 p.m., followed by the live reunion show.
The Amazing Race wraps up its current cycle on Friday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m.
New cycles of Survivor and The Amazing Race begin with 90-minute premieres on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively.
"One of the goals this season was to keep expanding our lineup of year-round, original programming and have fewer repeat cycles," said Kelly Kahl, senior executive vp CBS Primetime. "We're fortunate to have two popular, proven ratings winners in The Mentalistand Undercover Boss to seamlessly join our schedule."
