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.
 Loading ... |
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.
I cannot believe With Out A Trace and Eleventh Hour have been cancelled. Keeping in the incredible CBS crime fighting theme , both shows offered something slightly different and unique. My husband and I couldn’t even tell what shows are on ABC or NBC because you have THE best shows on ; it’s a shame these two fantastic shows will not be back.
I can not fathom the reasoning behind canceling The Unit. I am not an avid TV watcher, but i tuned in faithfully for every episode of The Unit. I also purchased every season as soon as it came out, because each episode is worth watching numerous times. CBS has let me down. CBS lost some of my viewing when they changed the schedule last year, and now that they have cancelled The Unit CBS has lost my interest completely. I implore all my fellow Unit watchers to join with me, and boycott CBS for cancelling The Unit.
The UNIT should not be cancelled. It was one of the best shows ever….
The unit should have stayed on and some of the other stuff taken off.
“While several series have been saved recently because of potential syndication profits, there’s seemingly no interest in continuing The Unit. This likely stems from the fact that hour-long dramas aren’t as popular in syndication as half-hour sitcoms.” Can you believe that? This is from your TVfinale site talking about the cxl of The Unit. This shows the mentality of viewers who prefer a reality show to an hour of the best TV. Beside who is that watches the trash on TV? The ‘suits,’ absolutely not! It’s the media that determines what we get to watch, not you and me. The… Read more »
please bring back the unit! This is the one show I watched. I will now not be watching cbs at all.
You have got to be kidding me??!!!! Please bring the unit back. There are so many of us in the Army who really relate to the show. It gets many of us through the hard times and even deployments. This is such a dissappointment for us military people who have been waiting all summer.
Though Gary Unmarried and Two and a Half Men are extremely funny, I could not wait for the next episode of Worst Week to be shown. It was hilarious! I’m very p/o’ed that CBS pulls what very few (actual) comedy shows are left. Two and a Half Men has ran its course and I don’t see Gary Unmarried lasting too many more seasons. Please bring back Worst Week so I can cry laughing again.
Why would you cancel the Unit????? How dumb was that!
There are very few shows that are worth following each week, the Unit was one of those shows. I think CBS will be losing a lot of view in that timeslot. Shame on you CBS!!!!!!! Don’ t you care about what your loyal viewers want to see? I guess not.
I cannot believe that The Unit and Flashpoint have been cancelled for the fall season. When I see all the drivel that is on TV, i.e Reality shows ad nauseam, it just seems illogicl that CBS would cancel these two shows . THey are intelligent ( maybe that’s the problem) have great actors and have great story lines.
I cannot believe that CBS canceled The Unit, it was hands down the best show on TV peroid. I agree that the reality shows are a waste of film and money. Get rid of that crap and put The Unit back om. How can The Unit cost more than Suvivor???? Paying someone for surviving, I have been surviving for 48 years and noone paid me one red cent! Please reconsider and bring back The Unit!
PLEASE renew The Unit!!! Also, Without a Trace!! Forget the Medium and the Ghost Whisperer… these are for children. Believe it or not, the folks out here over 55 DO buy new products, contrary to the “SUITS” surveys. I’m happy that Cold Case survived. You ruined the ratings for The Unit by putting it on Sunday nights, but I was able most of the time to program my DVR to account for delays. Now, I will just change channels on Sunday nights.
How could you cancel “The Unit”?
It was the best show on television!!
Please, please, please bring it back.
I can’t believe your cancelled the Unit and Without a Trace but picked up Medium.
I am very disappointed