CBS Orders New Episodes for 18 Shows CBS sent a clear message Wednesday about the strength of its prime-time lineup by renewing 18 of its shows on the same day. Generally, networks announce new seasons of shows in piecemeal fashion between mid-March and May, when a new fall schedule is introduced to advertisers. But CBS has for years emphasized its ability to find solid shows and keep them on the air. Wednesday's announcement clearly was intended to underscore that point. Most of the renewals were expected because of the network's large store of hit shows, so it is no surprise to see dramas like "NCIS" and "Criminal Minds" on the list, nor comedies like "The Big Bang Theory" and "How I Met Your Mother. Both comedies already had been renewed as part of multiyear deals. But CBS did remove the suspense from a few shows: "The Good Wife," a critical favorite with sometimes dangerously low ratings, will be back for another year. So will the onetime bulwark of the CBS schedule, the original "C.S.I.," which experienced a resurgence this season. The inclusion of the latter show does, however, raise some questions about the future of its two spinoffs, the Miami and New York versions of "C.S.I.," neither of which was on the early renewal list. Perhaps the biggest question that CBS has been facing is whether it will bring back the comedy "Two and a Half Men," which bounced back from the departure of Charlie Sheen to have a huge ratings success this season. The new star, Ashton Kutcher, signed for only one year, which leaves some small doubt about its future - probably only in terms of whether a financial deal can be made with him. In its release on Wednesday, CBS noted that the network and Warner Brothers, the studio that produces the comedy, were in negotiations about "future seasons" of the show. The plural is almost certainly an indication that CBS wants the show and is willing to sign it up for more than one more season. Among shows introduced by the network this year, the new hits "Two Broke Girls" and "Person of Interest" were among the winners named Wednesday. But questions remain about other new entries, like the drama "Unforgettable" and the comedy "Rob." Another new show, "A Gifted Man," had been thought a likely cancellation and it was not on the list released Wednesday. But "Survivor," which started the reality television movement more than 10 years ago, will be back, as will both "Amazing Race" and "Undercover Boss." The others among the 18 series selected for continuation by CBS were the dramas "NCIS: Los Angeles," "Hawaii Five-O," "The Mentalist," and Blue Bloods"; the newsmagazines "60 Minutes" and "48 Hours Mystery"; and the comedy "Mike and Molly."