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.
Loved the Unit….please bring it back.
The Unit and Without a Trace SHOULD NOT have been canceled – They have decent story lines that ring true to life! As well as Flash-point – an iffy at the time.
I for one will be switching networks in search of good quality acting w/valid story lines.
I’m so sorry to see the Unit on this list. My family will miss this show.
You get rid of the UNIT yet u recomission TWO AND A HALF MEN im from england and i loved the unit CBS is crazy for cancelling the unit your gona loose a hell of alot of viewers mad choice.
without a trace was always such a great show. i loved all the characters. there’s something very disconcerting about the way networks choose their shows for renewal. as soon as people get hooked and we feel comfortable with the show they decide to try something new. most of the shows on today are ridiculous. n3ext you’ll be cancelling criminal minds i love usa for picking up l+o criminal intent (another of my favorites)
CBS you suck!!!! Cancelling The Unit one of the best shows. Eleventh hour was awesome and you put back on crap. What a shock like I said YOU SUCK!!!!!
Without a Trace was one of my favorites. There are plenty of stupid shows that could have been cancelled.
I can’t believe you cancelled Without a Trace. One of the few decent shows left on network tv. What a great cast and awesome storylines. The cast fit together so well. If you gotta chop one, chop CSI and put Without a Trace back. I guess I’ll settle for reruns on satellite. I’ll never get tired of them
i wish they would have renewed Swingtown.that was a good show but I guess the holy Rollers are the ones that got this show cancelled.the only show I like on cbs is two and a half men and the big bang theory.
Too bad the unit was cancelled I really enjoyed it and would have liked for it to have aired on a different night than Sunday because of football and Army Wives.
I also cannot wait for Flashpoint to come back on. It was my favorite show after NCIS
CBS made a mistake axing The Unit! A great show, and a nice break from all the CSI and reality crap! There are WAY too many copies of shows — CBS is leaning heavily on copies and reality shows rather than good drama. As all of the copies and reality run their course, I predict that CBS will soon fall way behind in the ratings itself and another network will take the top seat.
Like many, many others I’ve gotten hooked on The Unit. I’m sorry it was cut to allow some other less intelligent show to be viewed. I grew up during the years when tv programs were clean & enjoyable. Programs the whole family could watch together if they wanted. I personally don’t feel you have to resort to vulgarity, nudity, violence and stupidity to have a decent program. Unfortunatey, with the programs on tv now, I must be in the minority to feel this way. The majority of the programs on tv now are an insult to any adults intelligence and… Read more »
I am immensely devastated. How can they cancel a critically acclaimed show with amazing ratings? Wrong wrong wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This show is an American staple allowing us to see what our brave men and women of the military and their families go through in order to protect the rest of us.
The Unit was our favorite show and we recommended it to many friends who loved it as well. Perhaps if you had not moved it to such an inconvenient time, the viewing audience would not have dwindled. We will also miss Without a Trace. CBS please reconsider these two great shows and how about get rid of some of those stupid shows like Gary Unmarried and The Adventures of New Christine.
CBS really had a great line up the past few years. I really believe you are blowing it. .Cancelling the Unit and Without a trace are really big mistakes. Elleventh hour was so so. A lot of people I know really enjoyed these shows.