CBS Picks Up Two New Shows for Fall, Including Sophia Bush Drama Good Sam

CBS is handing out series orders!

While the network is passing on Patrick Dempsey's political drama, Ways and Means, and two others, they picked up a comedy and a drama.

Another potential series, Only True Lies, has been pushed off-cycle but is still in contention.

A multicamera comedy titled Smallwood starting Pete Holmes has been given the greenlight.

It comes from executive producers David Hollander and Brian D'Arcy James, and the pilot was directed by Mark Cendrowski.

Holmes stars as an ordinary guy who turns to pro bowling to support his family after being laid off from the GM factory.

Chi McBride and Katie Lowes costar.

Smallwood, from CBS Studios, seems like a good fit for Holmes.

He previously created and starred on Crashing that aired on HBO from 2017-19.

The Sophia Bush pilot, Good Sam, also got the greenlight.

This show was held over from last year's pilot season, and Bush has been praised for her performance.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "The series revolves around a talented yet stifled surgeon who embraces her leadership role after her renowned and pompous boss falls into a coma.

"When he awakens and wants to resume surgery, it falls to her to supervise the overbearing blowhard who never acknowledged her talents — and who also happens to be her father."

Costars include Jason Isaacs, Edwin Hodge, Skye P. Marshall, Michael Stahl-David, Davi Santos, Omar Maskati, and Wendy Crewson.

This is the first starring role for Bush on a series after she exited Chicago PD in 2017.

Katie Welch writes and executive produces, and Jenny Snyder Urman executive produces, along with Joanna Klein executive producing for Sutton St. Productions. Tamara Davis executive produces and directs the pilot.

Other shows that are already greenlit include CSI: Vegas, FBI: International, and NCIS: Hawaii, which join renewed series Blue Bloods, Bob Hearts Abishola, Bull, FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, Magnum PI, NCIS, NCIS: KA, The Neighborhood, SWAT, Young Sheldon, and The Equalizer.

That leaves All Rise, SEAL Team, Clarice, The Unicorn, B Positive, and United States of Al still hanging in limbo.

Interestingly, Variety is reporting that SEAL Team could be on the move.

Their sources tell them that it could be making the shift to Paramount Plus.

That deal, should it happen, might find the military show starring David Boreanaz airing a limited number of new episodes on CBS before jumping to streaming. It seems Clarice is in a similar situation, and it seems like a win all around.

While it's not ideal for those who traditionally watch broadcast, it shows that even if a series doesn't do good in a commercial environment, there is hope when that network also offers a viable streaming option.