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.
Well, CBS has done it again. The Unit didn’t have bad ratings but the demographics were too old. Gary Unmarried??? You’ve got to be kidding me. I recall another CBS show called The Agency a few years ago about the CIA. Great plots, great cast, good suspense but apparently the network wasn’t happy with the ratings. I guess the suits feel that since CBS is doing well overall they don’t care who they alienate. Too bad. You finally have a good show (that’s not in it’s umpteenth season) like The Unit and you dump it. I’ll miss the show but… Read more »
I am very disgusted with CBS. They are canceling so many good shows. Such as Without a Trace, and Eleventh Hour.
Removing Unit was a mistake. It has a lot of action. I’m sure there are plenty of story lines left. It’s a shame to get into a series and have it cancelled. It makes you want to jump right into another new series (NOT). I guess I’ll have to cut back on CBS viewing. We are also going to miss Without a Trace.
I thought Worst Week was pretty damn funny and a much superior sitcom to the dreadful Gary Unmarried which CBS is renewing for some strange reason. That show started off weak, got a little better and then just starting sucking hard and became unwatchable. I guess Jay Mohr (who I like) has some sort of name recognition the CBS likes because that show is pretty bad. Swingtown started off slow as some of the actors seemed to struggle to find their footing but everyone really grew into their roles and it turned into a really good original show by season’s… Read more »
Too bad that CBS didn’t see the value of Swingtown… they could of used it as a Saturday night series. Adults are looking for entertainment on Saturday nights.
I really like “Without a Trace” is there any chance another network will pick it up?
CBS got it mostlly right! They picked up all of the right shows except for the CSI shows. The only one that was ever worht watching was the original and it has tanked without Grissom.
I am very glad that CBS picked up Gary Unmarried and Medium. (I hope NBC fails every weekday night at the 9:00 hour!)
THANK YOU TO CBS FOR PICKING UP MEDIUM! THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORTIE SHOWS AND WAS CRUSHED TO HEAR THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!
Please reconsider cancelling Unit. It is such a wonderful show. Please don’t do it!!!!
It just might cost u viewers. What the heck.
With ratings as good as The Unit got why cancel the show? This was a great show and once again the powers on top miss the beat with what works.
Clay
I am so glad CBS picked up Medium! Thank you so much! I am however disappointed that they have cancelled The Unit and Without A Trace. I personally don’t watch them but I know many people who do and I think there is a big audience for it. It think CBS should reconsider. Also, if there is a show that is being cancelled I think it is important for the audience and not get people mad and end the show in a way that there it ends the series and not leave anyone hanging. I would be very mad if… Read more »
It is truly unbelievable that CBS cancelled the best military drama on TV. The Unit was amazing and phenomenal, particularly this past season! Edge-of-the-seat stuff. It got the worst night of the week, but we tuned in! Got bumped regularly by football, but we set the DVR for 2 1/2 hours. When that failed, we connected the laptop to the TV and watched from the website. That’s what fans do for a favorite show. So, like, hellooooo is the network brain dead or something? B-R-I-N-G B-A-C-K T-H-E U-N-I-T
Thank you CBS for continuing CSI, CSI Miami, NY, and CANNOT wait for N C I S Las angeles. If the original NCIS is cool as ever I can imagine NCIS LA Drop the reality shows!!!!!!!
Thank you CBS for continuing CSI, CSI Miami, NY, and CANNOT wait for N C I S Las angeles. If the original NCIS is cool as ever I can imagine NCIS LA
The Unit, Without a Trace,Swingtown and Cane, great shows with good cast. Hate to see them be cancelled. Why doesn’t CBS cancel these mindless so-called reality shows? Survivor, Big Brother, Amazning Race etc. are Crap-TV. Broadcasters and producers need to remember that people with brains watch TV as well as does that don’t.