See below for update. Despite the fact that the sitcom has been a winner for CBS in the Thursdays at 8:30pm timeslot, it looks like Rules of Engagement has been cancelled.
An inside source has told us that CBS has decided not to order the back nine episodes for the current sixth season. The cast and crew have two episodes left to shoot and believe that those will be the last episodes of the series.
Our source tells us that calls went out on Friday night to those who work on the show to give them the bad news. Especially given the current ratings, many were understandably shocked and upset as they head into the holiday season.
Starring David Spade, Patrick Warburton, Bianca Kajlich, Megyn Price and Oliver Hudson, Rules of Engagement launched in early 2007 and has been a reliable pinch hitter for CBS for years. It started in the post-Two and a Half Men timeslot but has been moved to a couple different timeslots.
Last May, the series was renewed for a sixth season with the aim of a Saturday night run. Word was that the studio gave CBS a great deal so they’d have additional episodes for the syndication package. When How to Be a Gentleman tanked, the network brought Rules back to Thursdays where it’s doing far better than it did last year — and better than any other sitcom that CBS has had in that coveted slot.
Our source says, “The reality is it’s got to be politics. The network has always had it out for Tom [Hertz, Rules’ creator] and the show, which is why it’s weird that they just set up a put pilot with him for next season… It really does seem to be a desperation move on their part to find something that hits it out of the ballpark in that Thurs 8:30 slot. Doubles and triples apparently aren’t good enough for them. They’d rather risk a few more fouls and strike outs than go with a solid player.”
What do you think? Are you a fan of the TV series? Should it get a seventh season?
UPDATE: A network source has told us that Rules has not been cancelled — not yet anyway. Apparently the sitcom was picked up for 18 episodes for season six, to be combined with two leftover episodes from season five. CBS has now cut the episode order down to 13 episodes (or 15 total). (Deadline is now reporting the same thing.) While the door is still open for season seven, we’re told that many involved with the production believe this is truly the end of the show.
Image courtesy CBS.
I can’t believe Rules of Engagement was cancelled! It was one of the few shows that my husband and I would watch together. It made us both laugh out loud. Great show, it will be missed.
Why do it? Don’t they see what they are doing? To axe a show as good and funny as it is they must be completely mad! Why stop something that works so well? That pulls in so many viewers? That keeps people laughing from start to finish? Why do this it is bad mistake on their part
The network is crazy to cancel Rules of Engagement.
And stupid to replace it with a show like Partners!!!
What are they nuts it’s a great show!!
This show was SO-OOOOO funny … All of the characters clicked … And every episode was hilarious and the writing very creative … please, PLEASE bring it back!!!!
How can you cancel a winner when there aren’t many out there? Love the show!
this show goes from really funny to slow. the weak spots are the young couple. They are just not funny. More of Spade and his assistant but bring back the gal who played Spade’s girlfriend-wife…she was hilarious…
One of the best shows ever shouldn’t be cancelled!!!
Please don’t cancel a wonderful show, crazy funny. sexy and we are in our 70s and we love it and look forward to it every week, and very dissapointed when it is not on
very sad…if you want to follow in the footsteps of abc and knock of great shows..the
jump on board. there are so few shows on air that are great.
bring them back..please
cbs made a stupid mistake canceling the show, you will regret it , i’ve seen previews to the new shows, i don’t think they will last one season or even 1 episode
Rules of engagement is a fantastic show with a great cast even if the show Dosent do that well in the US the UK loves it 🙂
Major disappointment! This show’s characters totally clicked, and we loved every episode! The writers brought their A game and the characters were perfect every week. This show is definitely one of the funniest I’ve seen in a long time!
Great show. A fantastic follow up for Big Bang.
Totally different humor. Love ’em both
It’s a consistently funny show, sharp adult humor , not ridiculous easy to see set up lines like 2 half men for teenage potty jokes or that horrible unfunny 2 broke girls.
We genuinely laugh at this show and have followed it through all it’s hiatus, shuffled time slots and all…as have many others Mr Moonves.
C’mon, give it a set time and night and you will see it is a bigger part of your schedule than you think.
No way show should be cancelled. It is one of the funniest shows on TV. I can’t believe it has had such a problem getting a foothold. It’s jumps so much sometimes we have even missied the beginning of a new season and find it accidentally. I wish they would give it a proper time slot.
Yes it should be allowed another season. Even more than just one more. My husband and i love the show. They keep taking good shows off and putting stupid ones in its place or they keep renewing seasons for dumb and boring shows