CBS has announced their new schedule for the 2009 – 2010 season. The network has the most viewers overall so they don’t have to make a lot of changes. But, because they’re in such good shape, they can still afford to shake things up a bit. That means dumping some shows whose ratings weren’t too bad.
The network has also picked up Medium which was cancelled by NBC. CBS says that they’re targeting a younger demographic next season but their choice of new shows doesn’t wholly reflect that philosophy.
With the largest number of returning shows of all five networks, CBS has renewed 48 Hours, 60 Minutes, The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Flashpoint, Gary Unmarried, Ghost Whisperer, How I Met Your Mother, Medium, The Mentalist, NCIS, The New Adventures of New Christine, Numb3rs, Rules of Engagement, Survivor, and Two and a Half Men.
Returning this Summer are Big Brother and Million Dollar Password (which is unlikely to return for season two). New series for the Summer months include Do You Trust Me? and Jingles.
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Next season, the Tiffany network has a fair number of new shows on the way as well. They include Accidentally on Purpose, Arranged Marriage, The Bridge, The Good Wife, Miami Trauma, Three Rivers, and Undercover Boss. You can also expect the NCIS spin-off, NCIS: Los Angeles.
And now, for the shows that won’t be back next season. Interestingly only a couple of these had really bad ratings. When you’re at the top of the heap, you can be choosy.
Eleventh Hour
A brilliant biophysicist helps the government investigate strange cases. The ratings weren’t too low and the show has a devout following but CBS execs cancelled it after 18 episodes.
The Ex List
A psychic tells a young woman that she’s already dated the man of her dreams and, if she doesn’t marry within a year, she’ll always be alone. The series was pulled after four installments but all 13 episodes were completed for a possible DVD release.
Game Show in My Head
A hidden camera show from Ashton Kutcher in which everyday people perform crazy stunts in public to try to win up to $50,000. The show enjoyed a brief eight episode run in January and won’t be back with more.
Harper’s Island
This murder mystery show started out pretty strong but quickly lost viewers. CBS is burning off the existing 13 episodes on Saturday nights. If there was going to be another season, it would have revolved around a new mystery.
Swingtown
A drama that follows three families in the swinging seventies. CBS ran it during the summer months and it attracted a small but devoted audience. The network tried to find another outlet for season two but couldn’t.
The Unit
This beloved military drama followed the lives of both a special forces team as well as their family members at home. A victim of cost-cutting measures, Dennis Haysbert and company won’t be returning to fight again.
Without a Trace
This venerable crime drama about the FBI’s New York Missing Persons Squad is about to go missing itself. Due to budget cuts and sinking ratings, the show won’t be back for season eight.
Worst Week
Thankfully, we got to see unlucky Sam and his bride have their baby together. Unfortunately, we’ll never get to see if Sam’s klutziness is hereditary. The show has been cancelled after 15 episodes. There was talk of renewing the show as a cheaper, multi-camera sitcom but it didn’t work out.
Will you miss any of these cancelled shows? Has CBS made any mistakes or have they gotten these right? See any they shouldn’t have renewed but did? Please don’t forget to leave your comments below!
Note: CBS later changed the name of new series Miami Trauma to Miami Medical.
Here are updated cancelled/renewed listings for the five networks: ABC | CBS | The CW | FOX | NBC
Images courtesy CBS.
omg i love with out a trace how sad
I just can’t believe that CBS cancelled Without A Trace and Eleventh Hour. What are they thinking better yet they are not thinking. Those are two great shows. My family have been watching Without A Trace since it began and the same goes for Eleventh Hour. I am glad they picked up Medium, love that show. It seems like CBS is catering to the wrong people when it comes to shows with substance over some shows they have that I will never watch, those seem to stay season after season. I also liked the show Worst Week, it had the… Read more »
The Unit is my favorite show next to Jericho and we all know their fate. I am very disappointed that the Unit will not be back,it is a great show and I really enjoy Dennis Haysbert and the other members of the unit!
CBS got it right. All these cancelled shows are lame. This quality of decision-making reflects the brains that got CBS to the top and keep it there. Not a one of them deserves to continue.
Sad to see the Unit go. Its one of the only things i liked to watch on tv. I will find something else on another station where Im sure they will be consistent in their scheduling and advertisement of the show. Raise your hands if you think that a show about a woman who has a one night stand and gets pregnant will last more than an episode or two?
I hope another network will pick up the Unit. If it does I will be there.
Tour of Duty, China Beach, now The Unit……the networks will pick up shows that have failed on other networks and pour money into them to try to get them work…and pass on shows that are already working….DUH
Sinking ratings for Without a Trace? Sounds like a nice “sound bit,” but you could say the same for CSI once William Peterson left and cancel that show, too. The facts are that Trace consistently pulled 12 – 13 million viewers for new episodes and easily beat L&O: SVU, which I used to watch. Plus, it’s the first hit that CSI has had in the time slot since Judging Amy. Hmmm. I guess CBS doesn’t care about those details. Isn’t this the real reason that the networks ratings are getting lower and lower? They cancel the shows people watch to… Read more »
There are only a few shows that I schedule my evenings around so I won’t miss them. My favorite is The Unit which I think is one of the best shows on any network. I have found Flashpoint and love seeing the authorities portrayed as people who try to prevent violent endings and redeem desperate people. I have also enjoyed Eleventh Hour. Thanks goodness at least CBS has picked up Medium so I won’t have to give that up. I enjoy the characters on Without a Trace. Their reasoning is unfathonable.
Unfortunatly I can believe it….. I knew about the cancellation of “the ex list”, but “the unit”, ‘eleneth hour”, and ‘without a trace” . that just isn’t right. I watched every ep of all these shows. okay i did miss ‘without a trace ” now and then, but i was there for ALL the others. The Unit should be bought back. as to the ex list, i’ll settle for the dvd’s, but would have preferred a long run. And eleventh hour was very good. i liked it very much. i know they won’t, but hope they will reconsider at lleast… Read more »
So, I was sadly disappointed when I read that The Unit has been canceled. This show has been reliably entertaining since it’s premier, and completely different than anything else on TV right now. I’m sure they’ll replace it with some other inane reality show to save costs. Here’s hoping some other, smarter station will pick it up for the fans.
what is up with CBs cancelling great shows like The Unit and Without a Trace, its seems the sexy shows stay but the real entertainment ones go away, cable here we come
I will truly miss Without A Trace. This year I watched Without A Trace instead of Law & Order SUV which came on at the same time. I’m happy however to hear that Medium will continue on CBS. My favorite shows always seem to bite the dust
How and why would you cancel a show like the unit. I think your biggest mistake was putting it on sunday night where it had to compete against football. Television today is horrible the only show on your network worth watching was The Unit, such a waste. My dad who is ex military could barely stay awake on any night but without a doubt and no matter how late the show was delayed we would watch the unit together. When you see the new shows failing and dropping rates please bring The Unit back.
The only show I will miss is The Unit and I am so upset over its cancellation and CBS that I will not be returning to that network. I will find something else to watch on other networks. They never gave The Unit a chance this season with its move to Sunday night and no advertising.
I have been a faithful viewer of “Without A Trace” from the very beginning. I am extremely disheartened to learn that this show has been cancelled. I am appalled that many of the rauchy shows and other less-than-stellar shows will be returning. I am disgusted that so many television shows seem to stay on forever that have no substance whatsoever. I am quite upset at many of the networks that seem to pull shows off of television that are actually worth watching while at the same time bring in or keep on shows that are a complete waste of time… Read more »