CBS doled out a generous helping of renewals Monday, issuing full-season orders for a total of 14 series.
The network demonstrated its faith in freshman programs Criminal Minds, The Ghost Whisperer and How I Met Your Mother, rewarding each show with a second-season pickup.
Cop drama Criminal Minds, starring Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Lola Glaudini and Shemar Moore, became the second most-watched new show of the season, averaging 13.3 million viewers despite facing off against ABC ratings powerhouse Lost.
Eerie newcomer Ghost Whisperer, which stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as a woman who has the ability to communicate with the dead and relay their messages to the living, has also performed well for the network, routinely winning its Friday time slot.
Balancing out the drama with a little comedy, How I Met Your Mother, starring Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders, has averaged 10.1 million viewers and leads its time period in key demographics.
In a no-brainer move, CBS also renewed a slew of familiar fare, giving full-season pickup orders to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, NCIS, Numb3rs, Without a Trace, Cold Case, Survivor, The Amazing Race, Two and a Half Men and 60 Minutes.
Currently in its sixth season, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation remains television's most-watched scripted show, averaging 25 million viewers each week. Its spinoffs have also proved to be winners, with CSI: Miami, averaging 17.8 million viewers as it heads into its fifth season and CSI: NY drawing an average of 14.2 million viewers as it enters its third season.
Criminal dramas have undoubtedly served the network well, and as a result CBS keeps packing them into its schedule, with NCIS and Cold Case now in their third seasons, Numb3rs in its second season and Without a Trace heading into its fifth season.
Globetrotting and triple Emmy-winning reality series The Amazing Race will return to the network for its 10th edition, while Survivor will beach itself for its 13th and 14th editions.
Two and a Half Men, heading into its fourth season, continues to rank as television's top comedy, drawing an average of 15.3 million viewers.
The clock keeps ticking for 60 Minutes, as the newsmagazine marches into its 39th season, making it the longest running primetime program on the air.
"These series are the foundation of a schedule that is broader and deeper than any on television," Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment, said in a statement announcing the renewals. "From the start of the night through 11 p.m., from Monday through Sunday, CBS is populated with successful programs on every night and in every time period--many of which are number one in their time period, and some even number one on the entire night."
The network did not reveal the fates of shows including freshman drama Threshold and comedies Yes, Dear, Still Standing, King of Queens and Out of Practice. The full schedule won't be announced until May.
In other renewal news, Bravo announced plans to bring Project Runway back for a third season. The show's second season has set record ratings and consistently ranks as cable's number one show on Wednesday nights.