CBS is planning to switch a couple of their freshman dramas around for midseason. Blue Bloods, which currently airs on Friday nights at 10pm, will move to Wednesdays at 10pm beginning January 19th. The Defenders will shift from Wednesdays at 10pm to Fridays at 8pm beginning February 4th (filling cancelled Medium’s timeslot).
On Friday nights, Blue Bloods has been averaging a 1.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 11.22 million viewers. While that’s a lot of total viewers, the demo numbers are about what Numb3rs was averaging last season, before CBS cancelled it. The move to Wednesday nights will likely show the network whether or not the series is capable of doing better in the demo department. It’ll have four weeks in the timeslot before heading back to Fridays at 10pm on February 11th. Spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior takes over the Wednesday night slot on February 16th.
Things haven’t been looking too good for The Defenders and the move to Friday nights isn’t exactly a vote of confidence. You may recall that CBS ordered just five additional episodes in October, bringing the first season total to just 18 installments.
Defenders has averaged a 2.2 in the 18-49 demo and 10.02 million total viewers. It premiered at a 2.9 rating and has fallen as low as a 1.8 in the demo. Of CBS’ 18 scripted series, it currently ranks 15th, not far above Blue Bloods which has already been airing on little-watched Fridays.
What do you think? Will this move help or hurt these shows’ chances for season two? What do you think the end result will be?
Blue Bloods are a 110% show. My all time favorite for the 20 years it existed was LAW and Order. Not any of their silly or too sexy spinoffs.but They have even started to play the Mentalist (Mr. Jane) who ever heard of calling a guy Mr. Jane. where The Old Law and Order ran. Back to the real business at hand I am looking forward to spending a nite with the Blue Bloods. Thanks for listening. rm
I thought The Defenders was a complete package of humor, relationships and real crime drama. The fact that it moved to Friday night when nothing else good was on was an added bonus. I thought the shows got even better with age as opposed to some who start off with a bang and then fizzle out.
I will also be very disappointed if “The Defenders” is cancelled. Sometimes I do not get over it well. It’s been known to cause me to boycott the network for months, sometimes years, refusing to watch any of their new shows for fear they’ll be here today but gone tomorrow. Futhermore, I think the PTB do this stuff on a whim, just because they can. It’s like flexing their muscles. So I exert the only control I have; keeping their station off the cable TV I pay for strictly for spite. I’m not missing much because TNT, FX, USA, et… Read more »
please don’t cancell BLUE BLOODS ..this is the best show on tv these days and the defender is the second best ………..the other crap on tv is terrible besides ncis
Love both these shows, In my 50 very social and have turn on at least 5 friends to these shows mid season. We are all hooked. You should give them a change to develop. Moving them around hurt them bad move. Give us baby boomer a change to come back to watching weekly shows, so sick of “reality” TV.
as usual the crap stays on and blue bloods a program that all can watch gets cancelled
I really enjoy both The Defenders and Blue Bloods. It is really too bad to see them go.
You are making mistake to cancel them. Give them a chance to prove themselves.
DONT cancel Blue Bloods or Defenders! We watch and DVR both and we have been wandering where they have gone! It is a stupid decision of CBS to cancel them they are two of the best shows CBS currently runs. We tune in every week. Please dont cancel them you will loose us for sure.
I think Blue Bloods is a great show; however, because most people are out and about on Friday evenings, you should move the show to a different evening. Sunday evenings might work really well in that there doesn’t seem to be much on that night. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday – any of those nights would work – it would be a real shame to cancel Blue Bloods and it was a real shame that you cancelled Numbers. I don’t care if you cancel Defenders – don’t care for the show. I personally think Blue Bloods should remain on Friday evenings because… Read more »
I think that Blue Bloods is an excellent show. It still shows family values, family tradition, right from wrong and family togetherness. The cast is excellent also. To cancel this show would be ludicrous. But you need to stop moving them. I like Fridays at 10. There is little else on and for those of us over 40 who are at home at that time, its good TV.
I am SOOOO UPSET! I think CBS is ruining two GOOD SHOWS…Blue Bloods & Defenders. Moving them around is making me crazy..I never get to see The Defenders, which I Love very much. It’s alwasy pre-empted. These shows are two of the best shows on TV. I’m in the over 65 age group. Put both shows on Friday nights..the Defenderes at 9:00 and Blue Bloods at 10:00. Don’t put them on at 8:00…it’s too early. These programs are for grown ups!! These time slots on Fridays WILL DO WELL..YOU WANT GOOD RATINGS….DO THIS! TAKE THIS Advice from a viewer. Get… Read more »
I agree with your suggestion for 9 and 10 pm slots. Both are excellent shows and maybe the powers that be should consider what we, over 49, like on friday nights since the younger set is out. I also agree with the spin off over saturation and with the decision to get rid of Sheen. He’s toxic and egotistical. I hope he never works again in this business.
I think the bouncing around is certainly not good for the ratings of a show.
Blue Bloods and The Defenders are excellent shows—please keep then on the schedule. And quit moving them around.
Once again, two of the best shows on television.
both are most absolute favorites
8PM Friday is a prblem for me because I do not get out of work until 9
I tape the Defenders
I will be very disappointed if they go
I will be very disappointed if the Defenders are cancelled. Great Entertainment, love the characters. Of course they make it what it is.
Blue Bloods …canceled?! Very rarely do I question the decisions made by the Network programming genii. 1)it usually has no effect; 2)the crap that is being disseminated to today’s viewer is, and has been, in a downward spiral of truly epical proportions. Oh, well, God bless the Lowest Common Denominator; it would appear that He loves them, there indeed, are so many of them. And so many of the programmers must be a devolving species to have delivered so enthusiastically to the demand.
The Defenders and Blue Bloods are two outstanding shows. I think CBS has done both of them a disservice by playing with their schedules. A constant 9 or 10 showtime, preferably M thru Th, would be good for viewers. Both are serious and entertaining show which deserve to be given good PR and good time slots. I certainly they do not get an early hook, which has happened so often to other excellent tv shows of the past with a worthwhile message. They should not be cancelled!!!