‘Mike & Molly’ Return Date Announced

Well, that didn’t take long. Just a few days after CBS opted to drop the ax on sophomore sitcom The Millers, the network has announced the return of veteran comedy Mike & Molly for its fifth season. Predictably, Mike & Molly is scheduled to slide right into the Mondays at 8:30pm vacancy left by The Millers’ demise.

While CBS hasn’t addressed the topic yet, this move likely means that the Anna Faris-fronted comedy Mom will remain on Thursdays going forward. Mom and The Millers had switched time slots for the fall, and were originally set to switch back in January. Mike & Molly officially returns on Monday, December 8th, and it would be quite odd for CBS to bring the show back for a one-month run, then move it to a different night. Mom staying on Thursdays could end up being a blessing for the sophomore comedy, as that means it would stay behind ratings juggernaut The Big Bang Theory, which is consistently the best lead-in on network television.

Of course, Mike & Molly fans should hope that the veteran sitcom’s fortunes take a turn for the better behind 2 Broke Girls, as season four saw the comedy’s average rating drop from a 2.9 to a 2.2. The Millers’ average before being canceled was a 1.7, so M&M obviously still has some ways to go before it enters the danger zone. Still, Mike & Molly getting a sixth season is by no means a slam dunk, and will very much depend on its performance at least staying consistent with last year.