CBS pulls tornado episode of 'Mike & Molly' after Okla. storms

CBS has taken the scheduled season-ending episode of "Mike & Molly" off the air because its plot line revolved around a tornado threatening the couple.

The network said it replaced the comedy with a rerun on Monday out of sensitivity to victims of the deadly tornado in Oklahoma.

CBS said the show's season finale will air "at an appropriate date." The plot had the two lead characters confessing important news to one another as a tornado threatens Chicago.

Emergency crews combed the sticks and rubble remains of an Oklahoma City suburb Tuesday morning less than a day after a massive tornado slammed through the community, flattening homes and demolishing an elementary school. At least 24 people were killed, including at least seven children, and those numbers were expected to climb.

As the sun rose over the shattered community of Moore, the state medical examiner's office cut the estimated death toll by more than half.

Spokeswoman Amy Elliot said she believes some victims were counted twice in the early chaos of the storm that struck Monday afternoon. Downed communication lines and problems sharing information with officers exacerbated the problem, she said.

"It was a very eventful night," Elliot said. "I truly expect that they'll find more today."

Authorities initially said as many as 51 people were dead, including 20 children.

New search-and-rescue teams moved in as dawn broke Tuesday, taking over from the 200 or so emergency responders who scoured the neighborhood all night with a helicopter shining a spotlight from above to aid their search.

Fire Chief Gary Bird said the fresh teams would search the whole community at least two more times to ensure that no survivors — or victims — were missed. They were painting an 'X' on each structure to note it had been checked.

Reporters Nomaan Merchant and Tim Talley reported from Moore, Okla.