Bull season 4: Michael Weatherly, showrunner in leadership training

Bull season 4 is coming back on CBS this fall, and that move in itself is going to be a subject of controversy for a lot of people out there. Production company Amblin Entertainment chose to depart the series earlier this year, with the implication stemming from the settlement CBS made to former star Eliza Dushku over allegations of workplace harassment and misconduct from star Michael Weatherly.

With the show coming back, Weatherly and CBS’ past actions were not the focus of today’s TCA Summer Press Tour event like they have been in the past, but there was still a conversation as programming head Kelly Kahl noted that both Weatherly and executive producer Glenn Gordon Caron have undergone voluntary leadership training. Here is some of what he noted, ver Deadline:

It is implied in the name that is how to be a leader on the set, it’s how to be a positive example for everyone … None of us are too old and too smart to learn to do something better … He is taking his responsibility as the head of a show to make the set a positive place to work.

There is truth to that how the first person on the call sheet often sets the mood for a set, and that is part of Weatherly’s responsibility to create a positive environment for those around him. If the show is going to continue, it’s imperative that the workplace is comfortable for all of those who step foot in it.

As for the reasoning why Bull still remains on the air, Kahl noted that both it and Weatherly are popular with CBS’ audience — it was a frank answer, and there was no tangible evidence that the controversy hurt the show’s ratings. What seemed to hut the ratings more so for season 3 was the move to Monday nights at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, a far more difficult timeslot than where it was after NCIS in season 2. The 18-49 demo ratings did decline slightly for Bull in the spring, but such is often the case when you are dealing with more viewers getting outdoors following the arrival of Daylight Savings Time.

The future of Bull, so it seems, will continue to be defined by those who choose to tune into it on a regular basis. Not much has changed in this regard.

What do you think about Bull continuing forward, and about Weatherly and Caron receiving more leadership training? Be sure to share below. (Photo: CBS.)