CBS TO PREMIERE 2 SHOWS; NBC ANNOUNCES RENEWALS

Two new series will premiere on CBS this month and NBC’s entire Thursday night lineup, from “The Cosby Show” through “Hill Street Blues,” has been renewed for next season as part of scheduling decisions announced by the two networks Thursday.

In addition, CBS’ “Mary,” “Foley Square” and “The Twilight Zone” will go on hiatus, with future plans for those shows to be announced. New episodes of “Charlie & Company” starring Flip Wilson and repeats of “Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer” starring Stacy Keach will take their places on the schedule.

“Bridges to Cross,” starring Suzanne Pleshette as a Washington newswoman, will preview April 24 at 10 p.m. on CBS before moving May 1 to a Thursday 9-10 p.m. time period.

The other new CBS show is “Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills,” starring Harvey Korman and Valerie Perrine in roles created last year for an episode of the short-lived “George Burns’ Comedy Week.” The duo will play a New Jersey couple that moves to Beverly Hills and copes with the new life style. The show will air Fridays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. beginning April 25.

Following the Friday, April 18, broadcast of a new two-hour “The Return of Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer,” reruns of hourlong episodes from the “Mike Hammer” series will air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. for three weeks in place of “Mary” and “Foley Square.” “Charlie & Company” will air Fridays at 8 p.m., preceding “Leo & Liz” in the “Twilight Zone” slot.

In related schedule changes, “Magnum, P.I.” moves to Saturday nights April 26, and beginning the same week, “Simon & Simon” moves into “Magnum’s” 8 p.m. Thursday slot.

Over at NBC, “Golden Girls,” “Highway to Heaven” and “St. Elsewhere” were renewed for next season along with the Thursday night shows, including “Family Ties,” “Cheers” and “Night Court.” Each of the Thursday night renewals was announced following the show’s broadcast, with “Hill Street” rating some special hoopla: a viewer’s poll was taken to determine which episode should air next week and NBC vice president John Litvack appeared to personally praise the show.