CBS's Power Play: Lucifer's Tom Ellis and Criminal Minds' Gubler Return

Olivia Bennett, 4/23/2025CBS's 2025 lineup showcases an exciting mix of talent and innovative concepts. With Tom Ellis in "CIA," Matthew Gray Gubler as Einstein’s great-grandson, and the comedic "DMV," CBS is redefining network television by blending familiar elements with bold storytelling.

Let's talk about Tom Ellis. Fresh off his Netflix success (and those devilishly good streaming numbers), he's stepping into the FBI universe with "CIA." The premise? Classic CBS procedural meets modern spy thriller, with Ellis playing the kind of smooth-talking agent who probably keeps his sunglasses on indoors. Sure, we've seen the maverick-meets-straight-arrow dynamic before, but there's something deliciously promising about this particular cocktail.

Then there's Matthew Gray Gubler making his triumphant return to network television. After spending what felt like forever solving crimes on "Criminal Minds," he's now tackling something even more mysterious — playing Einstein's great-grandson. The German format finally found its footing after three false starts, and honestly? Pairing Gubler with Rosa Salazar might just be the equation CBS has been searching for.

But here's where things get interesting.

The network's taking a calculated risk with "DMV" — yes, that DMV. Harriet Dyer and Tim Meadows are bringing their considerable comedy chops to the fluorescent-lit hellscape we all love to hate. Think less "Parks and Recreation" and more "what happens when your license photo looks like a mugshot and there's still two hours left in your wait time." It's the kind of premise that sounds ridiculous until you realize it's actually brilliant.

Between "Sheriff Country," "Boston Blue," and the aforementioned "CIA," CBS clearly isn't abandoning its procedural comfort zone. But there's something different in the air this season — a willingness to color outside the lines while keeping one foot firmly planted in familiar territory. The Einstein series, particularly, feels like someone finally convinced the network that smart doesn't have to mean boring.

Not everything made the cut, naturally. "Poppa's House" and "The Summit" got their walking papers after just one season. Television can be cruel that way — sometimes even the most promising concepts end up joining the ranks of "shows that coulda been contenders."

What's particularly fascinating about CBS's strategy is how it's positioning itself in the streaming wars. While Netflix and Amazon are throwing money at increasingly elaborate productions, CBS is doing something surprisingly clever: they're proving that broadcast television doesn't need to compete with streaming's excess — it just needs to be smarter about its choices.

The 2025-26 season might just be remembered as the moment network television stopped apologizing for being network television. And in an era where everyone's trying to reinvent the wheel, there's something refreshingly bold about CBS saying, "Actually, we know exactly what we're doing."

Now wouldn't that be something worth watching?

CBS is turning heads this fall with a programming slate that's got Hollywood buzzing — and not just because they've managed to snag some seriously enviable talent. The network's 2025 lineup reads like a wish list of everything television should be, proving that sometimes the old guard knows exactly how to teach new dogs their tricks.Let's talk about Tom Ellis. Fresh off his Netflix success (and those devilishly good streaming numbers), he's stepping into the FBI universe with "CIA." The premise? Classic CBS procedural meets modern spy thriller, with Ellis playing the kind of smooth-talking agent who probably keeps his sunglasses on indoors. Sure, we've seen the maverick-meets-straight-arrow dynamic before, but there's something deliciously promising about this particular cocktail.Then there's Matthew Gray Gubler making his triumphant return to network television. After spending what felt like forever solving crimes on "Criminal Minds," he's now tackling something even more mysterious — playing Einstein's great-grandson. The German format finally found its footing after three false starts, and honestly? Pairing Gubler with Rosa Salazar might just be the equation CBS has been searching for.But here's where things get interesting.The network's taking a calculated risk with "DMV" — yes, that DMV. Harriet Dyer and Tim Meadows are bringing their considerable comedy chops to the fluorescent-lit hellscape we all love to hate. Think less "Parks and Recreation" and more "what happens when your license photo looks like a mugshot and there's still two hours left in your wait time." It's the kind of premise that sounds ridiculous until you realize it's actually brilliant.Between "Sheriff Country," "Boston Blue," and the aforementioned "CIA," CBS clearly isn't abandoning its procedural comfort zone. But there's something different in the air this season — a willingness to color outside the lines while keeping one foot firmly planted in familiar territory. The Einstein series, particularly, feels like someone finally convinced the network that smart doesn't have to mean boring.Not everything made the cut, naturally. "Poppa's House" and "The Summit" got their walking papers after just one season. Television can be cruel that way — sometimes even the most promising concepts end up joining the ranks of "shows that coulda been contenders."What's particularly fascinating about CBS's strategy is how it's positioning itself in the streaming wars. While Netflix and Amazon are throwing money at increasingly elaborate productions, CBS is doing something surprisingly clever: they're proving that broadcast television doesn't need to compete with streaming's excess — it just needs to be smarter about its choices.The 2025-26 season might just be remembered as the moment network television stopped apologizing for being network television. And in an era where everyone's trying to reinvent the wheel, there's something refreshingly bold about CBS saying, "Actually, we know exactly what we're doing."Now wouldn't that be something worth watching?