CBS Boss Sounds Off on How I Met Your Mother's Future! Plus, Person of Interest and NCIS: LA Casting News

Ringer's Kris Polaha joins Made in Jersey as a series regular and Michael Emerson will welcome a former Lost costar on his drama this fall

Oh Mother, where art thou? 

While Fox staged a pretty epic phone call with American Idol judge Mariah Carey and ABC's Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars announcement dominated headlines (Pretty easy when one of the All-Stars is Bristol Palin!), it's no surprise that CBS had a bit of a quieter day at the 2012 Television Critics Association gathering. 

Still, CBS President of Entertainment, Nina Tassler had much to talk about, including the future of How I Met Your Mother and the cancellation of CSI: Miami. Plus, LL Cool J and the rest of the NCIS: LA gang will welcome some pretty special guests this season!

Season Nine Lookin' Fine: Earlier this month we reported that CBS and 20th Century Fox TV have started negotiations to order a ninth season of How I Met Your Mother. While it's not official yet, Tassler reports, "They had an incredible year last year and we have a great relationship with Craig [Thomas] and Carter [Bays]. They have a strategic wrapup to the show. They know we want the show to come back next year. We're not there yet in terms of [renewing HIMYM]. We're in early conversations and we're pretty optimistic."

Saying Goodbye to an Icon: The network canceled CSI: Miami this season and Tassler admits, "Saying goodbye to a CSI this year was a very big deal for us. " She also says choosing to cancel the franchise's Miami edition over CSI: NY was "a very tough choice. It was a jump ball." How was the decision made? It came down to the flow of the schedule, Tassler explained. 

Lawsuit Update: While Tassler wouldn't talk about the ongoing lawsuit between ABC's Glass House and CBS' Big Brother, she did say, "We're incredibly protective of our brands."

Casting News Galore: Alcatraz's Sarah Jones joins Dennis Quaid's new drama Vegas as a regular, while legal drama Made in Jersey has added Ringer's Kris Polaha and 90210's Megalyn Echikunwoke as regulars. Polaha will play a lawyer who is part of Manhattan's royal literati and Echikunwoke will play a lawyer who is the daughter of the former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden.  

Reservoir Dogs actor Michael Madsen will guest star on Blue Blood as a fresh-from-prison criminal out to get revenge on Danny (Donnie Wahlberg). The Mentalist will host Charmed's Ivan Sergei and Rome's Polly Walker on a recurring basis with Parks and Recreation's Jim O'Heir is set to guest star in the season premiere. 

Person of Interest will play home to a Lost reunion as Ken Leung will guest star on Michael Emerson's drama and Justified fan favorite Margo Martindale will also guest star. NCIS: LA's cast, LL Cool J, Chris O'Donnell, Eric Christian Olsen and Daniela Ruah, will welcome their mothers as costars in a fall episode.