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CBS made some difficult decisions when it came to cancellations this season. MacGyver, All Rise, The Unicorn, and NCIS: New Orleans have ended or will end this month, and Kelly Kahl, the president of CBS Entertainment, spoke about what went into the decisions to cancel all four shows, per Deadline.
MacGyver and NCIS: New Orleans (which airs its finale this weekend) have both aired on CBS for several seasons, and fans were surprised when the news broke about their cancellations. Kahl said the following:
“Every year you evaluate what is making the strongest statement for your schedule and what gives you the best circulation, what will bring you the most numbers of viewers. You ask that question for pretty much every show every year, how can we make the schedule as strong as we can in the fall, and that leads to some tough decisions. MacGyver has been an excellent show for us, New Orleans was an excellent show for us. But sometime shows hit the end of their cycle and we have to, in some cases, say goodbye.”
As for All Rise and The Unicorn, both aired for two seasons on the network. Kahl said the following about their cancellations:
“We creatively love both shows, it’s literally a numbers game on the schedule, and it’s a number game when it typically comes to getting a renewal. I think these shows were not living up to the potential in terms of an audience that we hoped to see in their respective time slots.”
What do you think? Did you want to watch more of these four TV shows on CBS? Which cancellation surprised you or upset you the most?
I was saddened to hear All Rise and Unicorn were cancelled. Both of these shows had great characters that I will be sad to see go. Such a shame!
I am really sad about “All Rise” being cancelled. Both the writing and the acting have been first rate, and I really got invested in the characters. I also like NCIS-NO, and Unicorn, but their cancellations did not bother me as much.
I am so very disappointed with your cancellation of MacGyver and NCIS New Orleans. I watched both these shows every week except when I was in the hospital. Then I would watch them on my IPad when I got home so that way I would never miss an episode. Did you ever think to change where they were in the tv schedule? Why no put NCIS New Orleans on where you are going to put NCIS Hawaii? Why make another NCIS when you already have one? We have enough Hawaii shows with Magnum PI. Why spend all that money filming… Read more »
NCIS:NOLA ran it’s course and CBS has enough studio space in Hawai’i to film more than one show. They core studio elements are already there. Heck, they could film 3 series there easily! NCIS:NOLA had a good 155 episode run.
I think he’s full of chit a numbers game for viewers 18-39 like no one else watches TV series. Well he can count that writers will soon have their own streaming platform not needing NBC CBS ABC.
All rise is one of my favorite shows to watch I rather have a few more comedies leave then the all rise get canceled
I will miss All Rise. It’s a very intelligent upbeat program.
Really going to miss NCIS New Orleans. It’s a great show and I’m going to miss the cast.
All Rise & The Unicorn are shows that cover many interesting & important topics that many people can relate to. CBS is making some very poor choices but that’s nothing new…they got rid of God Friended Me another excellent show.
God Friended Me dropped badly in it’s second season – and was not getting enough views via DVR, Streaming and on-demand. At least the series was about to wrap things up with an epilog.
The viewers were not there for All-Rise & The Unicorn – the network gave both series two seasons. More than enough to find enough viewers.
There is a lot of shows I could see CBS cancelninstead of NCIS, New Orleans. I think this was more of a Mark Harmon decision rather than a CBS one. Hope someday there is a reboot of this series.
Please don’t cancel MacGyver!! It’s my favorite show!! Also, NCIS:New Orleans, so very good. It’s always the good shows that get cancelled. Please somebody pick them up!!
All 4 shows were huge surprises for me and I really want to see more. Hopefully they’ll get picked up by a smarter, more loyal studio. What actually angers me is seeing plans this morning for an NCIS: Hawaii!!!! So lemme get this straight, CBS, you wanna save money filming 2 shows but then announce a show combining the two you axed?! I have seen some mercenary decisions in my time but this takes the cake. How dare you backhand these two shows like this. Just wow.
Ncis New Orleans. Will not watch ncis hawaii cast stinks . Hate that you’ve moved shows around. Do you even realize it’s not 18-49 that watch most tv it’s older middle age and your senior that watch tv at least 12 hours a day.
Shows like THE UNICORN should get some consideration other than “numbers”. What about supporting a show that may just need some promoting to get more people to give it a look. It’s a show that if you just see it once, you’re easily hooked.
I think the CEO’s are over paid and need to look at reality. NCIS Los Angeles ir poorly written and sort of a joke. NCIS New Orelans at least has some plots. Like the CBS cancelling MOM. That show had more reality in there plots then anyof the supposedly reality shows.
I agree with The Mom show yes but NCSI LA is great not poorly written. A character I’ll brought in new characters and stories that deal with what happens in this world.
I really enjoyed NCSI New Orleans but I believe to it was Harmon who said enough. Yet so much more let’s untold.
What they need to cancel is those DB reality shows for 18-21 years no one watches.
MacGyver, NCIS-NO and All Rise are great shows. Whomever is making these decisions is a damn fool. There will be a huge drop in viewers–Replacing with reality shows such as Kids Say the Darndest Things in the Macgyver slot–idiot move. A year ago, CBS had the best evening shows on TV–now self destucting
I disagree I think after just 2 seasons All rise was getting to the heart of some serious things, and they’re having to wrap everything up quickly, like Emily moving to Miami, when we thought she was going to get back together with Luke. Court reporter that is heading back to school to become a social worker.