Most of the remaining CBS TV Studios series sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic have received a green light to return to production.
The list includes CBS stalwart Blue Bloods, which is heading into Season 11, and SEAL Team, which will start filming its fourth season, as well as the CW’s Charmed and Nancy Drew.
Also greenlighted to resume production is summer adventure drama series Blood and Treasure, which needs to finish its second season, which was deep into production when the shutdown halted all filming in mid-March.
I hear a production green light is imminent for two more CBS TV Studios series, CBS drama Evil and Disney+ comedy-drama Diary of a Female President.
Blue Bloods and Evil film in New York, SEAL Team and Diary of a Female President shoot in Los Angeles, and Charmed and Nancy Drew are based in Vancouver. Blue Bloods, Evil and SEAL Team are all on CBS’ fall schedule.
CBS TV Studios has been actively making production restart plans for their series. The greenlight decisions are being made in batches as shows are deemed ready to start filming with COVID-19 safety protocols. They are followed by a specific start date assigned to each show.
The newly greenlighted series are expected to start production in the next few weeks, with late September and early October dates most likely.
CBS TV Studios’ flagship CBS drama NCIS and spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles were the first ones to get return-to-production dates, September 9 and September 3, respectively.
Bull and Magnum P.I. followed in penciling in return dates, September 25 and September 14. Of the next group, NCIS: New Orleans is eyeing a September 21 start for its seventh season; The Unicorn is looking to start filming Season 2 on October 12; and The Neighborhood is on track to have its first Season 3 table read September 16.
All series will be filmed with strict COVID protocols. It is unclear yet how the pandemic-related changes would impact Blue Bloods’ signature family dinner scene and whether it would go virtual in the era of COVID.
Additionally, CBS TV Studios recently hired 21CP Solutions, a law enforcement and public safety advisory group, as consultants on the studio’s police and legal dramas for this coming season. The group includes former senior law enforcement officials, civil rights scholars, lawyers, academics and community thought leaders in police reform and public safety.