After negotiating with the producers of Becker
for more than a month, CBS has picked up 13 episodes of the Ted Danson sitcom as a replacement series for midseason.
Becker aired on CBS this year on Sunday nights to modest ratings, improving the 8:30 p.m. time period by 9% in adults 18-49 and by 9% in viewers. The previous season, the show had aired on Monday nights in the coveted 9:30 p.m. spot following Everybody Loves Raymond, but CBS moved it last fall to give a platform to Still Standing
and to try to give Sunday a better anchor show.
Sunday was one of CBS's weaker nights this season, with Becker
performing only fairly and sitcoms Bram & Alice
and My Big Fat Greek Life
also
failing. Next season, CBS will abandon comedies on Sunday nights altogether, going with Cold Case
from executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer at 8 p.m.
As CBS was preparing its new season, Becker's
fate was up in the air; ultimately, CBS chose not to renew it, but, even on the day the network unveiled its fall lineup, CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves said he was still in discussions about Becker's return.
Becker
is produced by Dave Hackel Productions and Industry Entertainment in association with Paramount Network Television.
