Right on schedule, CBS has decided to ditch their new Friday night TV series, CHAOS, after just a few weeks on the air. The show stumbled in the ratings right from the start and never recovered. It’s no longer on the air but is it cancelled?
A dramatic comedy, CHAOS follows a small group of CIA misfit spies who make up the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services (CAOS). In addition to taking on threats to national security, they also must take on redtape and typical government bureaucracy. The TV series stars Freddy Rodriguez, Eric Close, James Murray, Tim Blake Nelson, Carmen Ejogo, Christina Cole, and Kurtwood Smith.
As detailed here, CHAOS debuted to a horrible 1.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 6.53 million viewers. That was quite a bit lower than the season average of Medium, a series that CBS cancelled because of poor ratings.
In the second week, CHAOS fell even lower to a 0.9 rating in the demo and 5.73 million viewers. Last Friday night, bumped up ever so slightly in the demo, to a 1.0 rating and 5.683 million. Unfortunately, that was far from enough of a gain to save the TV series.
CBS has pulled CHAOS from the schedule effective immediately. This week, a rerun of CSI: NY will fill the timeshot — and probably get better ratings. Next week, the previously scheduled The Royal Wedding: Modern Majesty will air. Then, beginning on May 6th, new episodes of Flashpoint will take over.
The network has 10 episodes of CHAOS left sitting on the shelf. CBS hasn’t said if there are any plans to release the unaired installments. Though CHAOS hasn’t been officially cancelled yet, there’s no way that they’ll be renewing it for a second season.
UPDATE: A statement from CBS indicates that the show will return to the schedule at some point in the future.
What do you think? Why did the TV show do so poorly, even by Friday night standards? Will you miss CHAOS?
Image courtesy CBS.
My husband and I love this show! What’s wrong???Can’t CBS do a show that is just good entertainment and not all the trashy sex, drugds, and failed lives garbage??? That’s YOU, CBS, not the rest of us…….no one asked us our opinions, either. Bring it back!!
One of our most enjoyable shows. Its just been fun to watch. We Love it. We would appreciate having this kind of show to watch.
I liked the show. Nothing does well in the ratings on Friday
I, too, am a fan of Chaos. Great actors and great writers…what is CBS thinking by cutting loose this gem?!
CBS please ‘think’ someone had the good sense to run this series, follow through! Anyone with half a brain wants less ‘reality’ crap and more entertainment. CHAOS is entertainment, period. Other than NCIS and Two and a Half Men (reruns now) I don’t see much competition for CHAOS. With Ashton K coming on board for Two and a Half Men (a throw of the dice), I see CHAOS being a solid bet with the possibility of gaining a much larger audience. CHAOS will be a money maker for CBS…. ‘give the people what they want’, plain and simple.
Another entertaining and witty show is cancelled…too bad for viewers. Unfortunately, it was probably the time slot that took it out. Hopefully the update is true and it does return.
What a great show!! It is fresh, fun and entertaining and MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better than all of those idiotic reality shows. If the current network doesn’t realize the qualitative benefits of this show, it should move to TNT or USA for a better opportunity to shine.
What is the matter with these people? Can’t we have something new and fun to watch? I’m so bloody tired of the melodrama crap and reruns. I enjoy NCIS (reruns not melodrama) but when I’ve seen the same show for the tenth time…….Please…… Give me something new! Something new and watchable not some crap that’s geared towards people with a limited frontal cortex ! Chaos is great and very enjoyable. It’s relaxing which is what I want from shows on t.v. It is totally ridiculous to cancel a show based on ratings after a few weeks. It usually takes at… Read more »
I love that show!!!!!
I agree with Denise! No one has ever asked me what I though. They debuted this show right in the middle of Graduation time and Wedding time. Of course no one will be home on Fridays with that going on! It really needs another shot. Or else, maybe USA will pick it up!
this reminded me of a modern day MASH. not literally but in the way the characters were written. there was no one person you rooted for over the other, because AS IN MASH, the best character & material was the whole of them. you just root for them all. even their version of FRANK, the operative that would do anything to be part of the group but just kept on being part of their problems. brilliant writing & cast. but hey another reality show will probably fill its slot. GEEZ! MOVE IT TO EITHER THE USA NETWORK OR TNT WHERE… Read more »
Who does the ratings anyway?? I have NEVER gotten a call for an opinion. This was a great show. Alittle different and fun for a change. It was like reading a really fun novel. Perhaps a different night would have worked better. Hopefully CBS with get it together and give it another shot on a different night.
Chaos was one of the better summer series. Been looking all over for it. Please bring it back!!
I can’t believe that Chaos was cancelled. My friends and I loved the show and will miss it.
Another mistake. Very good show, please do not cancel. Are you going to replace it with caycee anthony reality show.