CBS revives 'Hollywood Squares' with Drew Barrymore, plans new 'NCIS: Origins' Mondays

LOS ANGELES ― Drew Barrymore will star in the center square of the new, reimagined "Hollywood Squares" on CBS Wednesdays in January, the network announced Thursday as it revealed its 2024-25 lineup.

"She's adorable, she's engaging, she's going to bring her friends," said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, during a press briefing at Paramount's Los Angeles headquarters with George Cheeks, CBS president and CEO. (Barrymore already hosts a syndicated daytime talk show distributed by CBS. The classic game show last aired on local stations in 2004, with Tom Bergeron as host.)

CBS' fall schedule includes new series "NCIS: Origins" on Monday nights at 10 EDT/PDT. "NCIS: Origins" is a prequel to "NCIS" featuring a younger version of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Austin Stowell plays the Mark Harmon role as he begins his career as a special agent in 1991. Harmon will narrate the series, just as Jim Parsons did for CBS prequel comedy "Young Sheldon."

The network announced the title for the "Sheldon" spinoff following Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy (Emily Osment) as they raise their young family in Texas ― "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage." The sequel to "Sheldon," from executive producer Chuck Lorre, has a slightly cynical title: "They have already established in the mythology that there will be other marriages," said Reisenbach.

The spinoff will air on Thursday nights at 8 EDT/PDT, the timeslot currently filled by "Sheldon," and is followed by the returning hit "Ghosts," Oscar-winner Kathy Bates as a private detective in a "Matlock" revival and the return of midseason drama "Elsbeth."

Other highlights from the fall schedule include another sitcom, "Poppa's House" ― starring Damon Wayans as divorced “Poppa” who finds himself still parenting his adult son, played by his real-life son, Damon Wayans Jr. It will follow "The Neighborhood" to lead off on Monday nights.

And a new reality series, "The Summit," hosted by New Zealand actor Manu Bennett, features 16 ordinary Americans climbing a New Zealand mountain and vying for a $1 million prize. The reality adventure show will air on Wednesday nights following "Survivor," while "The Amazing Race" is benched until next spring.

Justin Hartley's freshman adventure drama "Tracker" will move an hour earlier, moving into the coveted Sunday night slot following "60 Minutes."

"'Tracker' has been a huge hit right out of the box for us," said Reisenbach.

The Sunday night lineup will include "The Equalizer" and, in midseason, medical drama "Watson," starring Morris Chestnut as Dr. John Watson, Sherlock Holmes' colleague.

Shemar Moore's "S.W.A.T.", which CBS canceled then dramatically brought back for Season 8, will return on Friday nights before "Fire Country."

Tom Selleck's "Blue Bloods" drama will end this fall with eight final episodes on Friday nights. "It's important to us to give this show the send-off it deserves," said Reisenbach. Following the conclusion of "Blue Bloods," "NCIS: Sydney" will take over the 8 p.m. Friday time slot.

Besides "Sheldon," other exiting series include Lorre's "Bob Hearts Abishola," "NCIS: Hawai'i," "So Help Me Todd" and "CSI: Vegas."

'NCIS: Origins'Mark Harmon's standout Gibbs is recast with Austin Powell in 'NCIS' prequel

The CBS fall TV schedule

(all times EDT/PDT; new shows in bold; new time slots in italics)

Monday: 8,"The Neighborhood"; 8:30, “Poppa’s House”; 9, "NCIS"; 10, “NCIS: Origins”

Tuesday: 8, "FBI"; 9, FBI: International"; 10, "FBI: Most Wanted"

Wednesday: 8, "Survivor"; 9:30, “The Summit”

Thursday: 8, “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage”; 8:30, “Ghosts”; 9, “Matlock”; 10, “Elsbeth”

Friday:, 8, “S.W.A.T.”; 9, “Fire Country”; 10, “Blue Bloods”

Saturday: 10, "48 Hours"

Sunday: 7, "60 Minutes"; 8, "Tracker"; 9, "The Equalizer," 10, repeats (in midseason: "Watson").