‘TV’s Top 5’: CBS Takes a Victory Lap Amid Paramount Global Uncertainty

Welcome to the 257th episode of TV’s Top 5, The Hollywood Reporter’s TV podcast.

Every week, hosts Lesley Goldberg (West Coast TV editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) break down the latest TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcome showrunners, executives and other guests, and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).

Here’s how this week’s episode plays out:

1. Headlines

Elizabeth Banks, Robin Wright, Scooby-Doo, Chuck Lorre, Ty Burrell, Steve Carell, The Office, Law & Order: Organized Crime and NCIS: Hawai’i lead the week’s top headlines.

2. Paramount Global changes

Bob Bakish is out as Paramount Global CEO, with a trio of execs — Brian Robbins, George Cheeks and Chris McCarthy — taking over as Skydance and Sony make their offers to buy the media giant.

3. CBS’ victory

The network this week took a victory lap after winning the strikes-impacted 2023-24 broadcast season and snapping its own decades-old record. Additionally, the network previewed its 2024-25 schedule and discussed its long-term development strategy. We break it all down.

4. May preview

Hacks, Bridgerton, Black Twitter, The Big Cigar, Evil and We Are Lady Parts highlight a mixed bag of TV offerings in May.

5. Critic’s Corner

As usual, we end with Dan’s thoughts on this week’s new and returning series. In this episode, he weighs in on The Veil, A Man in Full, Welcome to Wrexham and Hacks.

Hear it all now on TV’s Top 5. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to never miss an episode. (Reviews welcome!) You can also email us with any topics or Mailbag questions you’d like addressed in future episodes at TVsTop5@THR.com.