LOS ANGELES — CBS is giving a juicy post-championship game time slot to its new hit series, "The Mentalist."

An episode about murder and the theft of a multimillion-dollar painting will air 10 p.m. EST Jan. 18, following the National Football League's American Football Conference championship game. The drama series regularly airs Tuesday nights.

"The Mentalist," which stars Simon Baker as a fake psychic who turns his skills to helping California state crime fighters, has been a ratings winner for CBS since its fall debut. A show that airs after a big sports event gets additional exposure and a shot at more viewers.