CBS Explains Changes To 'The Talk,' Shifting 'The Good Wife'

Hear CBS out, everybody. Their madness indeed has a method . . . sort of.

Believe it or not, a lot more went down around CBS than just a a feud between a producer named Chuck and actor named Charlie. Though lost in the shuffle of those ongoing headlines surrounding the near-death and eventually resuscitation of "Two And A Half Men," the network also cut loose two hosts from a popular daytime gab-fest and boldly swapped out an Emmy-nominated prime-time drama's proven timeslot.

So, to the first question: what gave with exiling co-hosts Leah Remini and Holly Robinson-Peete from "The Talk"? Both have publicly denied that tabloid-rumored backstage squabbles played a part in either leaving the show. So if not that, what?

Rumors have also persisted that the ousters and subsequent replacements with Sarah Underwood and Aisha Tyler had more to do with demands by co-host Julie Chen - who just happens to be married to CBS CEO Les Moonves. Addressing the rumors during the Television Critics Association's Pasadena press tour Wednesday, CBS executive didn't confirm that Chen was instrumental, reports Entertainment Weekly.

There was no outright denial, either.

"Any show in its first season goes through multiple changes," said CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler. "We were looking at a dynamic, we were looking at the quality of the commentary and we saw an opportunity [to improve the show]. The ratings have stayed virtually the same. The format may continue to evolve over time. Other talk shows have had host changes and survived as well. The most important part was the content and that the discussions have stayed spirited."

Despite the Juilianna Marguiles-led "The Good Wife" being in its third season and having picked up 14 Emmy and five Golden Globe nominations during its run (picking up two Emmy wins and one Golden Globe), Tassler claimed there's a feeling the show's ratings could improve if the show were to not butt up against ABC's soon-ending "Desperate Housewives" and preemptions by CBS' prime-time sports coverage.

"We do hear from a lot of viewers about the overruns, but that means we have a passionate and engaged audience," Tassler said. "It feels like a better fit on Sunday night."

So, it's been moved so that it won't have to compete against an ABC drama that's ending after the current season, and so that it can air Sunday nights against ESPN's live NFL coverage?