A day before the network’s official upfront presentation for advertisers, CBS has cancelled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. The spin-off will end after just one season.
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior follows a highly-trained team of agents who operate within the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). They use unique and hard-hitting tactics to bring down some of the country’s most dangerous felons. The TV series stars Forest Whitaker, Janeane Garofalo, Michael Kelly, Beau Garrett, Matt Ryan, and Kirsten Vangsness.
While spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles got off to an immediate great start back in 2009, the same can’t be said for CBS’ latest spin-off, Suspect Behavior. In February, it debuted to a 3.3 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic and 13.06 million viewers. That was a solid start but then the second episode dropped 27% to a 2.4 rating and 9.8 million. By the fourth episode, it had fallen to a 2.2 demo rating.
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The ratings have gone up and down a bit over the course of the season but has gone as low as a 2.1 in the demo a couple times. It currently averages a 2.4 rating and 9.84 million viewers, more than a whole point below its lead-in and parent series, Criminal Minds. Those numbers put it squarely on the bubble for renewal.
There was talk about bringing Suspect Behavior back for another round, possibly after doing a revamp, but the network’s decided against it. They likely have other procedurals waiting in the wings that believe can do better so CBS has cancelled Suspect Behavior after one season.
A baker’s dozen of episodes have been produced and so far, 11 of them have aired. The remaining two are expected to run tomorrow and next Wednesday night, May 25th, as previously scheduled.
The series finale is called “Death by a Thousand Cuts” and finds the team tracking a serial killer who randomly shoots people in crowded areas.
What do you think? Are you sorry that Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior won’t be back for a second season? Why do you think this one didn’t catch on?
Wondering where the rest of your shows stand? Check our CBS cancel/renew page.
Image courtesy CBS.
Whooot! Looks like all CBS decisions are coming back to haunt them. Firing AJ Cook and Paget Brewster (and yes, essentially, firing is what it comes down to) to make way for Suspect Behaviour. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it — a spin-off was unnecessary and couldn’t hold a candle to the original Criminal Minds.
And now? AJ Cook is rehired, Paget Brewster may be coming back (fingers crossed SO hard), and Suspect Behaviour cancelled. Things are back to what they were meant to me.
Natural state of order. Amazing how things seem to work out!
With 10 million tuning into to Criminal Minds Suspect Behavior it would seem that CBS cancelled it in order to give the best storylines to the flagship Criminal Minds which consistently attracts mid 10 million viewers per episode. I think it is a good call, as storylines in CM are still going strong after so many seasons.
I’m glad they are finaly seeing what fans of the original criminal minds have been saying for months! This show is not worth the time or money, especialy when it detracts from the cast of the original (emily prentis, and JJ). Hopefully with the spin off out of the way, they will have enough money in their budget to bring back Prentis.
This is a GREAT show and deseeves to continue not like the crap ABC haas on liek the Middle and Modern Famiy which both SUCK-ASS.
This is a joke
There a lot to be said about what sunk this show so quickly, but nothing caused it to take on water faster than the totally bored performances of Janeane Garofalo. Her character, the lines that were written for her and the actual actress were a distraction from being able to follow a plot of any sort. The episode where the bomb went off at the school was a perfect example of what I mean. She is the FBI’s first responder on the scene. She’s walking through the debris and carnage of the event…is she paying attention and assessing the situation?… Read more »
Ack. The *is* a lot to be said. Too many things happening at one time. :/
Thanks JW for the review. I found it very entertaining!
I am so sick and tired of watching quality TV shows and then finding out the network cancels them. It is so outrageous and disgusting and I am going to stop watching this network. All they care about is reality TV, not quality TV.This show was excellent!! Forest Whitaker is an amazing actor as well as Jeaneane. Once again we get invested in a show and then bam you take it away. Shame on you CBS!!
With the dynamic of the original Criminal Minds, you have to have a totall all star team to do a spin off and although they had talented actors, they couldn’t pull the dynamic together for the viewers. I found it hard to be interested in any of the characters or connect with them as I do the original team. Given time, it may have come together but it couldn’t fast enough. There was no comic undertone which I find crucial. Glad the original CM is staying, hust hope they can sign Thomas Gibson back on. We know AJ Cook is… Read more »
Criminal Minds is a great show and one of our favorites, but we never got into CM:Suspect Behavior. The way it was filmed made it lifeless and dreary, very CSI:NY’ish. None of the CM:SB characters are very interesting. Granted, it is hard to develop characters in just half of a season, but there was nothing to keep us invested in learning more about the characters. Forest Whitaker is a great actor, but he needs to find a different genre, as I also did not like his character on The Shield.
I couldn’t agree more. My wife and I like the original and she likes Forest Whitaker (me not so much), but this show and cast was not very likeable. It was time to go.
I think the show was really good, all the good shows get cancel. TV show anymore like reality are so dumb!!! what a shame.
The crossover episode that introduced the new team was so bad, I never bothered to watch the spinoff series. Looks like it didn’t improve.
Nope, not sad. Actually happy CBS finally cancelled a bad spin-off franchise! The original is still a good show (despite some missing cast members) but the spin-off was terrible.
Watched the first 1.5 episodes and dumped it.
I don’t know about anybody else, but I found Forest Whitaker difficult to watch in this show. He always sounds like he is out of breath, and just doesn’t come across as very convincing in this role. Also the supporting cast is pretty blah as well.