The Class: Is the CBS Sitcom Cancelled?
The Class aired its last first run episode Monday night on CBS, right according to schedule. The New Adventures of Old Christine will replace it in the 8:30pm timeslot starting March 12th. Does this mean that The Class has been cancelled? No. At least, not yet.
The Class debuted on Monday, September 18, 2006 on CBS. The sitcom revolves around a group of 28-year-olds who were part of the same third grade class 20 years before. After being reunited by Ethan (Jason Ritter), the former classmates begin to get to know each other once again and become intertwined. The series also stars Lizzy Caplan, Heather Goldenhersh, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sean Maguire, Jon Bernthal, Andrea Anders and Lucy Punch.
The series, created by the co-creator of Friends David Crane and his partner Jeffrey Klarik (Mad About You), had been the subject of a bidding war by several networks. It premiered at 8pm (a difficult slot for a new show) and attracted an under-whelming 7.6 million households. Viewership dropped for the next two weeks to an average of 6.1 million. CBS moved it to 8:30, switching places with How I Met Your Mother and the ratings haven’t really improved, averaging under six million households weekly.
The Class has gone through some challenges behind-the-scenes as well. Realizing that the main cast of eight former classmates (combined with many recurring characters) was unwieldy, the producers sought to refocus the show on the characters’ romantic relationships. As a result, they limited the recurring role appearances and wanted to make series regular Lucy Punch (reporter Holly Ellenbogen) a recurring character as well. Punch declined and subsequently left the series. She was removed from the opening credits after episode 13. Though her effeminate husband Perry (Sam Harris) has appeared, Holly’s absence hasn’t been addressed.
If you’re counting, you know that only 19 episodes of The Class have aired. Though it’s an unusual number for a TV season, that’s all there are. CBS gave the series an initial order for 13 episodes and then ordered only six more in November.
Will The Class return for a second season? CBS isn’t expected to announce its plans until the “network upfronts” in May when they announce their Fall schedule. Right now the prospects for a second season of The Class don’t look good.
Right now, CBS has a two-hour block of four sitcoms. Rules of Engagement, which debuted last month, has done extremely well holding onto Two and a Half Men’s typical 10+ million households audience. Before going on hiatus, The New Adventures of Old Christine was attracting solid numbers and is expected to do well when it returns this Monday. How I Met Your Mother is the weakest show in the group audience-wise but has consistently outperformed The Class. Right now, there’s no good reason for CBS to dump any of those other shows, which essentially leaves no room for a second season of The Class.
Is there hope? Well, if CBS decides to add some sitcoms on another night then that would create an opening in the schedule. Right now, though their schedule is overflowing with crime procedural and reality shows, they generally get great ratings. CBS could also order a second season of The Class and use them to replace Christine or Mother reruns mid-season.
On the upside, the series won the People’s Choice Award for Best New Comedy. CBS generally seems to like the show and has faith in the creative team. The final decision will likely have to do with how the rest of their new Fall schedule shapes up. Will Kat and Ethan get together? Will Ritchie marry Lina? Will Duncan and Nicole get back together? Will Kyle have more to do than pal around with Ethan? Stay tuned! 
September 11th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
I have written in at least three times as well as my friends over the past six months to find out if The Class would be renewed for the fall, however, to no avail. Is there something wrong with you people? The Class was one of the best sitcoms we’ve had in a very, very long time, not to mention each character had something to appeal to every single human being, and also not to mention John Ritter’s son being on it. It is sooooo very sad when you don’t even realize a good thing until it’s gone. No one on God’s green earth wants to watch two episodes of Christine. As much as I loved Julia on Seinfeld, this show is barely funny at best and only because she won an award did she all of a sudden be in demand. I will no longer watch any show on Monday night since King of Queens is gone and now The Class except for How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men. I will make sure I ONLY tune in at 9:00 p.m. Thanks a lot for taking away one more good thing.
September 10th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
WE NEED REALLY GOOD COMEDY SHOWS THAT ARE FUNNY AND CLEAN ENOUGH FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY TO SEE AND WE HAD THAT WITH THE CLASS. IF CBS IS NOT SMART ENOUGH TO KEEP IT MAYBE A CABLE CHANEL SHOULD PICK IT UP.
September 9th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
I can’t believe the class is cancelled. It was the one show where my husband and I actually laughed out loud. I like it much better than how I met your mother. I am actually laughing just thinking about the show. The characters are hilarious, give them another chance. WE LOVE IT!!
September 8th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Please don’t cancel The Class!!! I absolutely LOVE the show! How could it be cancelled when it won the Best New Comedy Award??? The characters are GREAT and I couldnt wait for the next show every time it went off. I was always wishing it was a full hour show.
September 8th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
KEEP THE CLASS! WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP THE CLASS? ITS GREAT!
September 8th, 2007 at 9:08 am
I’m very disappointed this show is not in the fall line up! It was a great show and always made our family crack up laughing. It had great story lines and showed different ways of people’s lives. CBS needs to rethink there choice’s of TV shows !!!!!!
August 28th, 2007 at 10:16 am
The Class was the best show on!!! It was NOT a stupid mindless comedy like most of the shows. BRING IT BACK!!!!!
August 27th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
I need The Class!!!!!!! Please don’t cancel the funniest sitcom on television! Please, Please, Please, bring it back!!!!!
August 14th, 2007 at 11:55 am
OMG The Class was a wonderfully refreshing new show and I really enjoyed all the characters. I miss Holly! I can not beleive CBS would cancell such an enjoyable show.
August 10th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
I was hoping against hope that I’d find “The Class” had been picked up by another network for the 2007 Fall season…. as it was by far the funniest and most creative new show we had seen in years!
I can not understand why the networks feel they have to cancel shows so quickly. It seems to me they should allow at least 2 seasons for TV shows to catch on with viewers before canceling them.
The networks seem to forget that some of the greatest sitcoms ever…. started out with very poor numbers!
August 8th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
this show CAN NOT be canceled. its to funny to be. and i think that i will have a sit in @ the cbs head quaters if they dont bring it back. GIVE A SHOW A CHANCE. they didnt even give committed a chance and that had great actors and story lines. Same with the class. BIG DEAL IF THEY HAD ABOUT A JILLION CHARACTERS, pay attention and ull be fine. BRING IT BACK BRING IT BACK BRING IT BACK. or im having a sit in
thanks
August 8th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
The numbers are wrong. The Class has to be doing a hole lot better then The New Adventures of Old Christine. Whoever created it, it brillant, whoever cancelled it, and idiot. If CBS won’t air it, why can’t somebody else. You can get rid of The New Advetnures of Old Christine.
August 5th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
The Class is the funniest show on television. The only show that is NOT reality that I watch! PLEASE don’t cancel it!!!!!!!
July 30th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
I started watching this show when it debuted and told my husband that he HAS to start watching it with me. After that, if he missed any episode, he would ask me what happened. When he did watch it, we both laughed out loud so hard. I never missed an episode. Like others have said in their comments, it was a breath of fresh air from the reality TV. I miss good sitcoms. This one has great potential…give it a second chance!!!!
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:06 am
If the Class doesn’t come back, I will be highly upset!
I thought the show was funny and refreshing. I love all of the characters, The cast “Class” are wonderful!!
BRING THE CLASS BACK!
PLEASE!!
July 15th, 2007 at 5:14 am
EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO TO THE CLASS HOMEPAGE WEB SITE AT THE VERY BOTTOM THERE IS A FEEDBACK LINK EVERYONE NEEDS TO LET CBS HAVE OVER THIS STUPID DECISION IF WE ALL FILL OUT AND SEND THE FEEDBACK FORM WE MAY BE ABLE TO SAVE THE SHOW, THEY DID IT WITH JERICO!! LET THEM KNOW THEY ARE ON TRACK TO BE MORE LIKE NBC OR THE CW AS FAR AS RATINGS ARE CONCERNED IF THEY KEEP THESE DUMB THING UP!!!! SAVE THE CLASS!!!!!!
July 12th, 2007 at 10:23 am
if they have decided to cancel the class they picked the worst time to do it. The last episode i remeber seeing (and i watched almost every single one) Yonk was in the hospital, his wife had decided not to leave him for her boyfriend and her boyfriend is crushed and richie was finnaly ready to admit that he wanted to have sex with lina. If that is not the worst way to end a shows season (besides the Sopranos ending) then someone please let me know. The class was a show where everybody had someone they related to on the show.PLEASE BRING BACK THE CLASS OR CBS HAS NO CLASS
July 7th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
when I was young I enjoyed weekly sitcoms now all I have to watch with my grandson is stupid reality shows, which to me is not reality if you have a tv crew folling you around. the class was funny and I actually looked forward to monday night for a good laugh. for everyones sake please bring back the class.
July 6th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Bring back “The Class!” It is by far the best new comedy in years, and destined to be the next “Friends” if you’ll give it a chance. Doesn’t being a “People’s Choice” mean something?
July 3rd, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Please Bring Back The Class!!!!!!!!!! It was a great comedy show and always looked forward watching it.