Below are the Week 18 predictions for CBS Renew/Cancel, followed by an analysis. Underneath that is a poll along with the interactive schedule, where you can create and share your own predictions. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment!
Prediction Changes -Watson is downgraded from Leans Cancel to Likely Cancel -Survivor returns as Renewed
-The Amazing Race debuts as Renewed
Key
Week 18 Predictions
Watson Watson rose slightly in both the Adults 18-49 demo and total viewers in its second time slot airing, notching a 0.27 demo rating Live + Same Day with over 4.6 million viewers. That’s roughly 63% retention in the demo from its Tracker lead-in. Taking out the post-AFC Championship series premiere rating, Watson’s average would be behind all but Elsbeth in the demo among CBS’s scripted slate. That’s not the kind of performance that gets the show airing after Tracker renewed. With so many shows already set for 2025-26 between renewals and series pickups, CBS doesn’t really have a reason to give Watson a second chance. It gets downgraded to Likely Cancel this week.
The Equalizer
With Watson clearly struggling, one would have to wonder if CBS made the right choice by switching it and The Equalizer. The Queen Latifah-led drama is now pulling in some of the lowest ratings on CBS’s schedule in the Sundays at 10 pm hour, aptly nicknamed the Sunday night death slot. Whether or not CBS chooses to make a schedule change will tell you all you need to know about if they still care for The Equalizer, or its potential spinoff for that matter. If The Equalizer stays where it is, stuck at 10 pm behind Watson, its best hope is to eke out a short final season. A move back to 9 pm would indicate there is still some life left in the show and would warrant a reevaluation of its cancelation prediction.
The Neighborhood
While The Neighborhood’s linear ratings in the key Adults 18-49 demo point toward renewal, there are continued signs that the end is near for CBS’s long-running Monday night sitcom. A potential spinoff in development centered around the characters of Marty and Malcolm could plausibly serve as either a companion, airing at 8:30 pm, or as a replacement, taking The Neighborhood’s 8 pm time slot. However, unless tentative scheduling plans change, signs are currently pointing toward the latter.
One would assume if The Neighborhood’s spinoff was an option to air at 8:30 after The Neighborhood’s eighth season, CBS would give The Neighborhood a one-hour finale. Poppa’s House has an 18-episode order, and The Neighborhood would be able to conceivably wrap its 20-episode order the week after, with the 20th episode being both the season finale and the backdoor pilot to the spinoff. Instead, The Neighborhood and Poppa’s House are currently both scheduled to complete their current seasons on May 5, according to TheFutonCritic. A special Price Is Right At Night episode is scheduled for the following Monday to air alongside regularly scheduled episodes of NCIS and NCIS: Origins.
In my mind, if The Neighborhood and its potential spinoff are not airing side-by-side for a one-hour finale this spring, they’re not airing side-by-side in the fall either. CBS is likely hoping reception to the backdoor pilot is positive, allowing them to make Marty & Malcolm the new Georgie & Mandy. If it isn’t and CBS wants to keep the Monday comedy hour, The Neighborhood has a better chance of returning for an eighth season, albeit likely one on a tighter budget.
