Welcome to CBS Renew/Cancel Wrap-Up! This serves as a retrospective for CBS’s renewal and cancelation decisions in the 2021-22 TV season, as well as a look at our record with predicting them. Let us know what you think by leaving a reaction and comment!
CBS wrapped up their renew/cancel decisions rather early this year, finishing before it was even afternoon in Los Angeles on the Thursday before upfronts week. Typically, some CBS shows wait until Saturday or even Sunday to find our their fates.
This year, CBS renewed 14 scripted shows and canceled 6. They also moved SEAL Team to Paramount+ after a short stint on Sundays in the fall. Among the cancelations were returning Chuck Lorre comedies United States of Al and B Positive, both in their second seasons, as well as veteran dramas Magnum P.I. and Bull. As predicted, CBS canceled only two new series, midseason drama Good Sam and midseason comedy How We Roll. They renewed everything else, including new installments in the CSI, FBI, and NCIS franchises as well as the US adaptation of the hit UK sitcom Ghosts. Below is a full table of which scripted shows CBS renewed and canceled:
Now, here is a chart comparing our correct to incorrect predictions. Note we had CSI: Vegas as on the bubble at the time of its renewal back in December 2021. Our record this year was 17 correct predictions, 2 incorrect predictions, and 1 push in CSI: Vegas.
CBS made a couple rather surprising moves this season. One was canceling both B Positive and United States of Al. Sure, neither were particularly strong shows, but neither one were massive flops either and both hailed from super-creator Chuck Lorre. We predicted United States of Al would squeak out the renewal over B Positive due in part to network favoritism, but ultimately CBS decided to cancel both. That leaves them with four returning comedies next season, and a comedy expansion off the table. Given it was the only one we predicted would be renewed, United States of Al being the first of the three to have its cancelation announced was certainly a surprise.
The other surprise this season was the cancelation of Magnum P.I. Like United States of Al, it’s not a particularly strong show. However, it fills in a spot on Fridays while CBS can focus on improving other time slots. The big question now is what will replace Magnum P.I. in the Friday at 9 pm time slot. They could move SWAT back to the night, but that would leave a hole on Sundays. Or they could air more reality, or perhaps NCIS: LA is about to make a Friday debut.
The cancelations of B Positive, United States of Al, and Magnum P.I. all show how important it is for a network to have the distribution rights for their shows. That is not the case for the sitcoms, and only the case domestically for Magnum P.I. There’s no way of knowing for sure if things would’ve gone differently for them if they were distributed by Paramount, but it certainly couldn’t have hurt their chances.
CBS also notably canceled Bull this season. While this is something we predicted, given it was their lowest-rated show at the time of cancelation, canceling a show in the middle of its sixth season is not something you see every day.
Stay tuned to The TV Ratings Guide this summer for predictions on your favorite summer shows on CBS and all other broadcast networks.
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