In a meeting room at CBS headquarters, a high-powered executive contemplates the future of his network. “I don’t know,” he says, “Can’t we just keep showing The Big Bang Theory?”
“Yes, sir. Of course, sir.” Replies one of his lackeys. “We’ll keep showing it forever, if that’s what you want.”
“Good, good.” The executive responds. “But it’s not enough. I have a crazy idea that I think might make for a good TV show, and it’s never been done by any other network before us.” The executive raises his voice and waves his arms, clearly pleased with this idea. The lackey grabs a notepad and prepares to jot down this revolutionary idea. “How about a TV show about doctors working in an emergency room? Just think of the drama! Life and death! Are you writing this down?”
The lackey slowly nods and pretends to take notes, wondering to himself about whether or not CBS has finally lost it. But no, CBS hasn’t lost it. The network is just getting in on the medical drama business—a genre that has really been taking off since, oh, forever—with Code Black, a pilot based on a 2014 documentary of the same name. The pilot will revolve around the doctors working at the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles as they try to save lives while also, just maybe, saving themselves.
The head writer for CBS’ upcoming The Late Late Show With James Corden has also sold the network a pilot, this one a comedy called The Half Of It. It’s apparently about a recently divorced father who is excited to learn that he gets to keep half of his things. We’re not sure what that means, or how it functions as a TV show plot, but whatever.