CBS Renew/Cancel: Why Get Creative? Throw Water at NCIS and FBI to Multiply Schedule Fillers

What are CBS executives to do with populating 20 hours of programming a week in season?  Locate sophisticated and worthy sitcoms to secure Monday nights with sitcoms?  Corner new markets like they did in 2000 and ignite trends like reality TV and crime procedurals?  Nahhh...  Let's just multiply existing procedurals FBI and NCIS, leaving both with 3 entries across the board.  Recent years have found broadcast networks have lost popularity due to proliferation of online streaming services delivering original programming minus excessive Geico commercials.  Why would current viewers want to sit through that (along with original episodes strewn throughout an 8-month period with repeats and filler program)?  

Back to CBS, they have opted to mostly play safe with procedural spinoffs, balanced against some updates to their schedule by cancelling Mom, NCIS and MacGyver, as well as moving SEAL Team and Clarice to sister streamer Paramount Plus.  The results?  Premiere week for the scripted series delivered average to solid, with not a single show indicating red flags of cancellation.  


Young Sheldon -- The series was picked up for 3 seasons last spring, indicating CBS recognizes this is as good as it gets in the current standards.  The successful sitcom returns with original programming for Season 5 on October 7.

FBI -- The 4th year series returned on Tuesday with a 0.72, now being the 7th highest scripted series on display in 25th place among the 81 shows.  Given the success of its spinoffs and younger age, FBI is a Certain Renewal.

FBI: Most Wanted -- Impressively, the 3rd year series retained over 90% of its parent lead-in with a 0.66.  Moving forward 60 minutes benefited FBI: Most wanted at 9:00, and it is predicted as a certain renewal ranking in 29th place among the 81 original series on display.

The Neighborhood -- The 4th year veteran delivered a solid 0.63 Monday night, rating well above average.  It currently sits in 32nd Place among the 81 shows on display since September 1, so Certain Renewal is predicted.

Bob+Abishola -- Its ratings are indeed softer at 0.54, but it makes a wonderful companion series to The Neighborhood 3 seasons in.  Tied in 38th Place among the 81 shows, Bob+Abishola is a solid delivery on the sitcom front.  Its ratings and compatibility make it a Certain Renewal.

NCIS -- The 19th season opened with 0.73, making it the 6th highest-rated scripted series ranking 24th out of the 81 series.  So why is this landmark series only a Likely Renewal?  Advanced age makes series expensive to produce.  However, it's still strong and holds strong renewal possibilities.

FBI: International -- The 3rd entry in the FBI series debuted at 0.59, retaining almost 90% of its lead-in and registered 34th among the 81 series.  Close monitoring is necessary as most series drop in ratings after debut, but for now is is a Likely Renewal.

NCIS: Hawaii -- CBS's weakest scripted program scored 0.51, ranking 41st of the 81 series.  It only retained 70% of lead in NCIS, but its ratings hit the average rating for series in the 2021-22 season.  Until more episodes are available, it is a Likely Renewal.

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