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.
This is a real dissappointment that only after a few weeks that CBS is cancelling Chaos. I really like the show, so does the rest of the family. I hope they will air the remaining episodes. CBS im dissappointed in you!
my husband and I really enjoyed this show – smart, funny, and action oriented. We looked forward to watching the next episodes. I agree with,the other viewer – sell the rights and let another network take it up. Im so disappointed in CBS. they keep a stupid spinoff like CM Suspect Behavior with a nonbelievable cast, and shelve this one, which has a great cast. Maron!
at least air the remaining episodes. i liked the tv show. i like crime dramas with a little humor.
I’m really getting sick of the networks taking off the shows that i like! I really liked the characters in this show and was really starting to get into the show. thanks again CBS!!! Sell the series to someone that will give it a chance!!
great show. great cast. please put it back on, another time slot. creators of this are genius. dramedy concept tastefuly done. don’t put it to waste. – cali
I really like this show – it’s clever and the interplay between the characters is great. Just another example of a quality program gone. I guess most people would rather watch trash. If another so called reality show goes on the air, I may have to give up TV watching!
we really like this show and wish I would be brought back. It is a refreshing changemfrom the same old run of the mill shows that are on now. We both like NCOs but the csi shows are getting a little worn.
Oh no! I really liked this show….I was looking forward to it last night and wondered why it wasn’t on….That’s too bad…sometimes they seem to cancel the goods ones, but keep the stupid reality shows. Another one they cancelled a few years back was Complete Savages, which was another really good show. I wonder which one will be next !
I can’t believe you cancelled this great show! I’m not a huge Friday-night-tv-watcher myself, but I did put it on my dvr schedule to record. CBS has been known as an innovator by creating great shows like CHAOS. Please keep this one alive.
Yet another show I enjoyed has suffered an early demise. I guess too many viewers have been so dumbed-down by the insufferable tripe of reality shows that a quirky, well-acted “dramedy” doesn’t stand a chance.
well said. My same thoughts when I heard the news CHAOS was cancelled.
My mother HATES all TV! She LOVED this show! I loved this show!
Friday night at 8 is the kiss of death. It’s so hard to establish a foothold. I don’t think it can be done in 3 shows. If they’ve got 10 in the can, why not show them and maybe not in the Siberia of timeslots with no advertising. People would love it if they knew about it.
It’s cute and clever.
I work at a CBS affiliate as a master control operator and I do work friday nights. This was by far the best show in that time slot in some time. I know that CBS did advertise during the NCAA tourney about this series, but the spots hardly ever explained what the show was or when it would air. I’m disappointed the show is on “hiatus”, I’m hoping that CBS moves it to Tuesday or Wednesday night and keep it alive or sell it off to another cable network. I think it would do well on USA Network or Spike… Read more »
Another good, non-cop, non reality garbage show bites the dust. Well, of course! The TV watching public are apparently so one dimensional that they can’t handle anything else but crap .’Chaos’ was an enjoyable action dramedy we were already beginning to look forward to on Fri nites. It joins a long list of excellent, or at least fun to watch shows that never seem to get a decent chance.. Way to go CBS – we are watching less and less TV every season because of the nonsense that networks DO renew. Just bought another boxed set from PBS – something… Read more »
My 19 year old daughter and 13 year old son and I all enjoyed the show. However, we worried about it right from the start, since it was put in the Friday night slot that seems to be the kiss of death for all primetime shows these days. Before CHAOS premired, the Defenders was in this slot, moved from Wednesday night to die off on Friday night. I have to think that CHAOS would have higher ratings on a different night. Put it on Tuesday or Wednesday and see what happens!
I really like this show! It’s light and funny and full of great action with compelling actors. Keep it CBS, or sell it to a network that will.
My husband and I really looked forward to Chaos on Friday nights. It was a pleasant combination of comedy and action. We enjoy the CSI and NCIS shows, but this was a refreshing change that we really enjoyed. Please at least show the remaining episodes. We need such new series on regular networks rather than more re-runs. We thought that it was well written and has great actors.