Last year, CBS once again aired 18 original scripted series last season (twice as many as ABC), and six of them either ended or were cancelled by the network. How many CBS shows will survive this time around? Stay tuned!
CBS shows this season (so far): 48 Hours, 60 Minutes, The Amazing Race, Boston Blue, DMV, Elsbeth, FBI, Fire Country, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Ghosts, Harlan Coben’s Final Twist, Hollywood Squares, Matlock, NCIS, NCIS: Origins, NCIS: Sydney, The Neighborhood, The Road, Sheriff Country, Survivor, Tracker, and Watson.
There’s lots of data that network execs look at when deciding whether to renew or cancel a TV series but ratings are typically the biggest piece. These 2025-26 season charts will be updated daily, as new ratings data becomes available.
Note: If you’re not seeing the updated chart, please try reloading the page or view them here and here.
Some notes about these charts:
These figures are updated automatically as new ratings are released. The averages are based on the final national numbers (live plus same day viewing), unless marked with an asterisk (*). For technical reasons, I have to resort them manually. While these numbers don’t include further delayed or streaming viewing, they are a very good indicator of how a show is performing, especially when compared to others on the same channel. There can be other economic factors involved in a show’s fate, but typically the higher-rated series are renewed and the lower-rated ones are cancelled.
Keep in mind that the demo numbers are typically what’s most important to advertisers. Therefore, that’s how the networks measure success. Advertisers pay more for ad time on a show that has a higher demo rating. Older viewers also matter but younger viewers watch less traditional TV and are therefore harder to reach. Delayed viewing matters more and more these days (if commercials are watched) but live viewing is still advertisers’ ideal.
Demo numbers are typically reported using the 10ths decimal place (2.4, for example). In the averages, I’m using two extra decimal places for easier ranking. The networks take into account when shows air on Fridays and Saturdays, nights when TV viewership is lower.
What do you think? Which 2025-26 shows are you rooting for? Which one isn’t as big a hit as you thought? Are you hoping any series will get cancelled to make way for something else?
Bari Weiss / CBS / Paramount + can go straight to h3ll. I will never watch you capitulators ever again.
As of May 22, when Stephen Colbert will no longer be part of the CBS family, I will no longer be tuning in to any CBS show.
I agree with Aimee Drake; the moment Ellison took over and cancelled Stephen Colbert and the Late Show franchise, I stopped watching CBS. It seems I am not alone. I feel bad for the actors and supporting staff of the shows, but I can’t enable the views or actions of the owner. When Trump’s corrupt FCC lets the Warner Bros. merger go through, I will boycott ABC and Disney as well. NBC will be it for me. If we all act together, maybe Ellison’s fortune will be hit hard enough for him to sell the networks, with any luck, to… Read more »
WATSON needs a better time slot. Don’t cancel us now! It’s only been 2 seasons!
cbs, in general, is going down the toilet.
And deservedly so.
The Road, Watson, and NCIS: Sydney should have been alternative programming for the winter break because they are all a waste of a good lead-in.
Man I hate to see watson on the bottom. This could be their last season. This show is so good.
We’re supposed to believe 60 Minutes is the most watched TV show, with the highest 18-49 demo. Twice as many as Tracker. No, it’s the bleed in of football game viewers. No 18 year old is watching the fossils on that show.
Based on how poorly Watson is doing, a final 10 to 12 episode season of The Equalizer would have been better.
Absolutely. Walton has collapsed without The Tracker audience propping it up and The Road isn’t exactly setting the world on fire with being a watercooler show like CBS was hoping for. A final season of The Equalizer is looking really good about now.