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.
if it wasn’t for shows like ncis and criminal minds i wouldn’t watch cbs. i was very!!!! disapointed when the unit was cancelled. i have been upset every since e-ring was cancelled. it seems they cancelled these type of shows with no explainations and one or two of them with a to be continued theme. now it looks like numbers is gone . i would appreciate knowing why these series were cancelled. THANKS!!!!!!!
@rodney: Almost all shows are cancelled because not enough people are watching them (or, in reality, watching the commercials). If a show doesn’t make enough money, the networks can’t justify paying to have new episodes made.
My family and I are really going to miss the UNIT we loved it!
THE UNIT?!?!?! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!! HAS CBS LOST IT’S MIND!! The Unit was the second best show on TV (aside from 24 of course). I know you claim it was to expensive per episode to make but HEY here’s an idea….take some of that money spent on USELESS “reality” shows and sink it where it counts.
Flashpoiint has been renewed but WHEN will it start up again. I seem to have been waiting a lifetime to see it on the schedule. why are you dragging your feet CBS. Get on the ball!!!!!
Bring “The Unit” back and get rid of all the other stupid shows
I set my DVR to The Unit and was EXTREMELY disappointed to find it was cancelled. I am retired military and tmy fellow service members and I thought is was the most realistic AND entertaining show on your program. We also watch the NCIS and CSI strings but were diehard “The Unit” watcher. You made a bad decision — a very bad decision! I hope another station picks it up because I will be there. TNT isn’t stupid on reality shows (which I totally dislike) so I hope that station picks up the show.
THE UNIT was a great show, I never missed it. And Without a Trace was very entertaining, and one of my favorites. I just don’t do “reality shows”, so I’m changing the channel more frequently to TNT and the like to find hour TV dramas like these two shows. Sorry CBS.
They axed The Unit and replaced it with what..Three Rivers, and now after just 1 season, axed again and I think will be replaced with another medical so-so drama? The Unit was one of the good shows. A lot were watching this show! Wish they’d return it, really missing a good show.
I cannot imagine why The Unit was cancelled. It wasn’t a stupid, non-sensical, unimaginative show. With all of the silly, idiotic “comedy” shows and really, really unintelligent reality shows that there are, I could not wait for The Unit each week. I only watched two programs per week – The Unit and NCIS. What a truly disappointing decision it was to cancel the show.
the show was great and although i was on the edge of the thought the army was the thing that came to mind mainly the rangers cause all i ever wanted to be was special ops it was and is still my wish and the show made everything feel real the show was so good the story line the twists it was all good. who evers idea it was to cancel the show made a big mistake and i think u should reconsider it cause for all its worth it came my dream alive and that means alot to me… Read more »
I have missed Eleveth Hour terribly. It was one of the shows I just had to watch. All of the others are ok to cut, but I will be extremely dissappointed if Eleventh hour does not return. Besides, you cut it off in the middle of a two part episode. 🙁
This is a sad thing. It was one of my husband’s favorite shows, and mine too. What a terrible shame we won’t get to see what happens next. I think it was a way for many families to get a sneak peak into the military ways of life. And the special effects were awsome! Very disappointed!
Without a Trace will be missing…gone…left without a trace? What? That show was wonderful and almost as valuable as The Unit. The people who make these decisions are the ones who need to be canceled. They not only have no taste, no vision nor any idea of what quality TV is, they also have no heart. Those shows were FULL of quality AND heart…and television audiences have been robbed of some of the most important writing, production, action, acting and entertainment that have ever been packed into two one hour programs. Here it is, a year later, and I’m still… Read more »
You canceled the best show ever. The Unit was watched by many. I don’t buy budget cuts. When you have a show as popular as The Unit, you just don’t “dump” it. Get rid of Cold Case, The Medium, and for God’s sake, at least SOME of the reality shows. You made a huge mistake.
I was wondering why there weren’t any new “Unit” shows coming up on the DVR lately. Another good show goes by the way and we’ll probably get another reality show in it’s place….