'The Mentalist' to end after seven seasons

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Simon Baker's crime drama The Mentalist and the reality series Undercover Boss are to join CBS' midseason lineup as part of the network's year-round strategy of more original programming and fewer repeats.

The shows will bridge the time periods between the fall finales and the spring premieres of Survivor and The Amazing Race.

The seventh and final season of The Mentalist is to begin Nov. 30. New episodes will air for five weeks through December. When The Good Wife returns Jan. 4, The Mentalist will shift to its regular Wednesday time slot Jan. 7. The series will conclude with a special two-hour finale Feb. 18.

Season 6 of Undercover Boss will begin with three special Sunday broadcasts -- Dec. 14, 21 and 28. On Jan. 2, it will move to its regular Friday time period.

"One of the goals this season was to keep expanding our lineup of year-round, original programming and have fewer repeat cycles," Kelly Kahl, senior executive vice president of CBS Primetime, said in a statement Tuesday. "We're fortunate to have two popular, proven ratings winners in The Mentalist and Undercover Boss to seamlessly join our schedule."