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
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Images courtesy CBS.
Flashpoint and Accidentally on Purpose were great shows. I love the monday night line up until now. CSI Miami should have stayed on mondays. My husband and I picked mondays as our date night, which has been thrown off since CSI Miami is on sundays. We have nothing to watch at 10. No, we don’t care for Hawaii 5-0. Could fill gap with accidentally on purpose or flash point.
why was ghost whispher canceled great fantasy and jennifer love hewitt is a great actress.
Ok, so CBS gets rid of its’ great shows and keep the awful, mind-numbing ones. Reality shows are really awful and I can’t believe anyone thinks they are actually real. Then there’s CSI: Miami! There is not 1 person on that show who can act! We watched it once, and will not watch it again. Shows like Three Rivers and Eleventh Hour, they cancel???? These are 2 shows that made you think! I’m sure Three Rivers opened alot of eyes and hearts to the importance of organ donors. My husband and I have gotten to the point we don’t watch… Read more »
I loved The Unit – I looked forward to Wed nite. I was as dedicated as any football fan!!! Too bad you dropped a really good show.
sir ,, I am writing to stress that you have made a mistake in cancelling the Unit the program has a huge following ,here in the United Kingdom .As a regularvisitor to the United states I cant believe that you would cancel this program ,While keeping dross such as how i met your mother and that lame duck the mentilist , Stop take a look and Re examine your judgement ,,with the world wide storys such as the the re imergine of the Ira ,,the isralie conflict ,,the new Neo ,Nazi and extreme left wing ,politics ,,the show was good… Read more »
Ghost Whishper,Without A Trace,should have defenitely been renewed,as far as I am concerned you should have taken off the amazeing race,how I met yourmother and big bang theory etc.They can’t hold a candle to Ghost whisper and Without A Trace.These two shows should never have been canceled.The one thing you did right by not cancelling is Criminal Minds please dn’t ever take Criminal Minds Off. And I Love Flash Point to
there are constant mistakes on the shows you cancell. Without trace GREAT! GW GREAT! NUMB3r! moonlight! WHAT IS IS THE DEAL
We have enjoyed Flashpoint so much and sincerely hope that you will continue to have it continued on your schedule!! It has been so informative on the lives of the emergencies that the police and swat teams, hostage counselors, grief counselors , etc,
have to go through every day without the public having any insight. PLEASE KEEP THIS TREMENDOUS SHOW GOING!!
I cannot believe the unit has been canceled. It’s nice to have military shows around with the war that is going on. My fiance is deployed and ‘the unit’ is the only military show that I continued to watch after he left. This is a slap in the face for military members. I can’t believe some of the shows that will have another season, but not the unit? wow. Every Marine family/service member that I know watches the unit and I am overseas in Okinawa. So, you’re getting ratings from all around the world. It sucks that we got cut… Read more »
Jamie you are a fine woman! Father and likewise fiance + the servicemembers should be proud. Fine words you’ve said
You are idiots to get rid of the unit. It is the only real good show you had. Oh well, it should’ve been on a real network like HBO anyways. And really, two and a half men, that show is still on the air. What a bunch of nonsense. Are you the same guys who canceled and brought back family guy? Well good luck morons with all of your CSIs and the medium.
We loved, The Bridge, The Unit, and Three Rivers. They had us hooked and then you took them away. Please at least bring back the Bridge. Why do you take good shows off and leave stupid shows?
Other shows in the past were cancelled and I didn’t say anything.
I do not think you should cancel Ghost Whispers. I watch the original from your company and I generally watch most of the re-runs on other nights.
If you aren’t going to run them, give ABC or NBC or other networks the ability to make up shows for it. You don’t have to make tons of money by selling it. Let the viewers watch what they want. Just how much money do you really need?
Gary
I really enjoyed “Men in Trees” and wish it would come back. Is there any possibility?
@berniece Agin: I’m afraid not. Sorry.
The Unit, Eleventh Hour, Without a Trace, Worst Week!!!! All GREAT SHOWS….I wish the almighty “rating” families did a better job with what they watch. These shows ratings were not even that bad. If it is not a reality show, it seems it has no chance on TV anymore. The Bachelor etc… what a waste of time and mind… Lets get back some of these shows that deal with actual “reality” and great DRAMA. Just my humble opinion..
We love Miami Medical I do not know why CBS cancelled this show