How to Be a Gentleman: Cancelled; Rules of Engagement: Returns

CBS has all but cancelled their new sitcom, How to Be a Gentleman, after just two weeks on the air.

The series debuted to disappointing ratings with a 2.7 in the 18-49 demographic and 8.98 million viewers. While it was second in its timeslot, the sitcom lost 44% of its demo lead-in from The Big Bang Theory and the network was down year-to-year by 32% when compared to now-cancelled $#*! My Dad Says. Last night’s episode dropped to a 2.5 in the demo and 7.58 million.

Based on these two showings, the network has decided to exile How to Be a Gentleman to the Saturday night graveyard, essentially cancelling the show. It’ll trade places with Rules of Engagement which was scheduled to kick off on October 15th. Returning for its sixth season, Rules was renewed in large part for syndication reasons but CBS execs are now surely glad they have the utility player in the wings.

Last season, 10 episodes of Rules aired in the Thursdays at 8:30pm timeslot and averaged a 2.5 in the demo and 8.47 million. We’ll have to wait and see how it performs this time around. If it can do better, the series could earn itself another season.

Here’s the press release from CBS:

“RULES OF ENGAGEMENT” MOVES TO THURSDAYS, 8:30-9:00 PM, BEGINNING OCT. 20 WITH ITS SIXTH SEASON PREMIERE

“How to Be a Gentleman” Relocates to Saturdays, 8:30-9:00 PM, Effective Oct. 15

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT will move to Thursdays (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT) beginning Oct. 20 with its sixth season premiere and HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN will relocate to Saturdays (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT) effective Oct. 15.

A rebroadcast of THE BIG BANG THEORY will air in the 8:30-9:00 PM time period next Thursday (Oct. 13).

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT’s previously announced sixth season premiere, on Saturday, Oct. 15 (8:00-8:30 PM, ET/PT), will be replaced with a rebroadcast of TWO AND A HALF MEN followed by HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN in its new time period.

Revised Schedule for Thursday, Oct. 13
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (R)
9:00-10:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST

Revised Schedule for Saturday, Oct. 15
8:00-8:30 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (R)
8:30-9:00 PM HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN (New Time Period)
9:00-10:00 PM CSI: MIAMI (R)
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY

Revised Schedule for Thursday, Oct. 20
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (6TH Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST

Revised Schedule for Saturday, Oct. 22
8:00-8:30 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (R)
8:30-9:00 PM HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN
9:00-10:00 PM CSI: MIAMI (R)
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT stars Patrick Warburton, Megyn Price, Oliver Hudson, Bianca Kajlich, David Spade and Adhir Kalyan. Tom Hertz, Jack Giarraputo and Doug Robinson are executive producers for Happy Madison Productions and CBS Television Studios in association with Sony Pictures Television.

UPDATE: We later learned that production was shut down and CBS cut the season order to nine episodes. The remaining episodes are just being burned off on Saturday nights. Keep track of the status of current CBS TV shows.

What do you think? Are you sorry that Gentleman has been booted? Will Rules perform any better?