CBS TV Schedule Tonight: What’s On & New Episodes (March 2025)

Scrolling through TV listings can feel like a guessing game — especially when you just want to know what’s actually on CBS tonight. This guide cuts through the clutter, giving you the exact primetime schedule, the new episodes worth your time, and a heads-up on the network’s latest true crime project from Harlan Coben. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to tune into and why it matters.

Primetime start time: 8:00 PM ET/PT ·
Primetime end time: 11:00 PM ET/PT ·
Evening news time: 6:30 PM ET ·
Entertainment Tonight airs: 7:00 PM ET ·
Local news varies by affiliate: Check your local CBS station

Six key facts about CBS’s schedule, one pattern: the network balances a rigid primetime clock with flexible programming that shifts by affiliate and pre-emption.

What is the CBS TV schedule for tonight?

What time does CBS start tonight?

• CBS’s official schedule page shows all times in Eastern Time, with primetime starting at 8:00 PM ET/PT (CBS.com schedule).
• Evening news kicks off at 6:30 PM ET (CBS News), followed by Entertainment Tonight at 7:00 PM ET (DIRECTV Insider).
• Local news and access shows fill the 7:30 PM slot — times vary by market (FCC).

How long is primetime?

Primetime on CBS runs exactly three hours, from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM ET/PT, Monday through Saturday (CBS.com schedule). Sundays stretch longer during NFL football season, typically from 7:00 PM until the game ends (NFL (official league schedule)).

What are the fixed daily programs?

• 6:30 PM ET – CBS Evening News (CBS News)
• 7:00 PM ET – Entertainment Tonight (Paramount Press Express)
• 11:35 PM ET – The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Radio Schedules Fandom (fan wiki))

The pattern: these three programs form a reliable backbone — everything else in primetime rotates by night and season.

What to watch on CBS?

What are the top-rated CBS shows?

Based on current ratings, the most-watched CBS series include 60 Minutes, NCIS, FBI, Ghosts, and Tracker (Nielsen). The network’s strength lies in procedural dramas and broad comedies that consistently draw 6–10 million live viewers per episode (TV Insider (editorial guide)).

What’s new this season?

• Watson (2025) – a medical drama starring Morris Chestnut (Paramount Press Express shows page)
• Matlock reboot – Kathy Bates stars in a legal drama revival (CBS Shows (official))
• Harlan Coben’s true crime series – in development, premiere date TBD (Paramount Press Express)

What genre shows are available?

CBS offers a mix: dramas (FBI, NCIS, The Equalizer), comedies (Ghosts, The Neighborhood), reality (Survivor, The Amazing Race), and news/entertainment (60 Minutes, Entertainment Tonight) (CBS Shows (official listings)).

The trade-off: the network excels at comfort-food procedurals but takes fewer creative risks than streaming rivals.

What new episodes are on CBS?

Which CBS shows have new episodes tonight?

New episodes typically air in the Monday–Friday primetime slots. On Tuesday 6/9, for example, DIRECTV Insider lists a new NCIS episode titled ‘Reboot’ at 8:00 PM and a new NCIS: Origins ‘Homeward Bound’ at 9:00 PM ET (DIRECTV Insider). Wednesday 6/10, by contrast, sees Harlan Coben’s Final Twist as a repeat, while Boston Blue and FBI are presented as the night’s newer entries (Paramount Press Express).

Are there any season premieres this week?

Premiere weeks cluster in September and post–Super Bowl slots. For the current week, check the CBS.com schedule for ‘New’ markers, which the network uses to flag first-run episodes (TV Insider).

How can I tell if an episode is new?

• Look for a ‘New’ label on the CBS schedule page or in your TV provider’s guide (CBS.com schedule).
• Third-party sites like OnTVTonight (aggregator guide) also mark repeats with ‘r’ or ‘Repeat’.
• Episode numbers help: a new season 23 episode (e.g., NCIS S23E17) signals fresh content (OnTVTonight).

The catch: weekend primetime often recycles weekday episodes, so don’t assume Saturday’s 8 PM slot is new.

What new episodes are airing this week?

What’s the full weekly lineup?

CBS’s weekly grid includes daily soaps (The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful) at 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM ET, respectively, plus evening news and primetime (TV Radio Schedules Fandom). Primetime varies by day — Monday comedies, Tuesday NCIS block, Wednesday FBI block, Thursday football (seasonal), Friday reruns/movies, Saturday repeats, Sunday NFL/60 Minutes.

How to find the complete weekly schedule?

Use CBS.com for the official grid, or aggregator sites like TitanTV (listings service) and TV Passport (TV listings) for customizable views. Both let you set time zone and provider.

Are there any specials or events?

• Sunday NFL football during the season (September–January) overrides regular drama slots (NFL schedule).
• Holiday specials (e.g., Grammy Awards, Thanksgiving parades) pre-empt regular programming (CBS.com special events (official)).
• 48 Hours on Saturday night often features true crime specials (CBS News (true crime series)).

The implication: your local CBS affiliate’s feed may differ — always double-check if you’re in a market that carries regional sports or pre-emptions.

What are the top 10 shows on CBS?

What are the most popular CBS shows currently?

According to Nielsen’s most recent weekly rankings, the top CBS shows by live+same-day viewership include 60 Minutes (often 8–10 million), NCIS, FBI, Ghosts, Tracker, The Equalizer, Survivor, The Neighborhood, Young Sheldon reruns (still strong), and Blue Bloods repeats (Nielsen).

How are top shows determined?

Nielsen ratings measure live and same-day delayed viewing, while streaming data from Paramount+ adds a second dimension. The top 10 list evolves weekly — no single source declares a definitive ranking (Nielsen). TV Insider and Rotten Tomatoes offer critical scores, but audience popularity skews toward comfort procedurals (Rotten Tomatoes (critical scores)).

What makes these shows stand out?

CBS’s hits share a formula: clear protagonists, case-of-the-week structure, and low-burn serialized arcs. Shows like Ghosts bring comedy to the mix, while 60 Minutes remains a news institution. The network invests heavily in both scripted (12 primetime series) and unscripted content (Paramount Press Express shows page).

Why this matters: if you’re choosing what to watch, the data points to procedurals as the safest bet — but the upcoming Harlan Coben true crime could break that mold.

Viewers can quickly access showtimes in Eastern Time on the official CBS schedule page.

CBS.com schedule (official network)

Our Wednesday lineup includes Harlan Coben’s Final Twist at 8 PM, Boston Blue at 9 PM, and FBI at 10 PM.

Paramount Press Express (CBS press distribution)

For CBS, the challenge is keeping loyal viewers engaged while courting new audiences with fresh true crime and reboots. The decision to slot Harlan Coben’s Final Twist as a repeat on Wednesday 6/10 suggests the network is pacing its originals carefully. For cord-cutters in New Jersey (Eastern Time), the implication is simple: set your DVR for Boston Blue at 9 PM ET and double-check local listings for any pre-emptions.