Below are predictions for Week 26 of CBS Renew/Cancel, followed by an analysis. Underneath that is a Schedulogy update and an interactive schedule, where you can create and share your own predictions. Let me know what you think in the comments!
Prediction Changes-Poppa’s House has been downgraded from Likely Cancel to Canceled
-The Summit has been downgraded from Certain Cancel to Canceled
The Equalizer
Monday
Key
Week 26 Predictions
The Equalizer
With Poppa’s House canceled, The Equalizer is the only scripted series yet to receive its fate from CBS. This is not new territory for the Queen Latifah-starring drama, which was the final show renewed last season and was the second-to-last scripted series to receive its fate. Ratings are far lower this year than they were last year, now among the lowest on the network. The series took a 40% dive in the Adults 18-49 demo in Live + Same Day viewing, due in large part to two time slot downgrades. It’s also produced by an outside studio, NBCUniversal, in a year that has already been harsh to shows that are not produced in-house.
My best guess for the holdup stems from NBCUniversal’s pure desire to get The Equalizer a sixth season. While The Equalizer is low-rated, there is much incentive for NBCUniversal to strike a deal with CBS for a sixth season. It will have 74 episodes at the end of this season, meaning it’s only one short season away from the 88 episode count often seen as attractive for a syndication deal. It’s also the lone property standing at CBS in the IP with the spinoff having been passed on. Plus, the series is being licensed to Netflix, opening up another avenue for revenue for the studio. Finally, while NBCUniversal did do rather well with their pilots, a cancelation for The Equalizer would mean losing all three of their existing series outside of the already-renewed FBI. This is most likely causing NBCUniversal to offer a sixth season of The Equalizer to CBS for a lower licensing fee than previous seasons.
CBS has not taken any offers made by NBCUniversal so far, and a deal would have to be mutually beneficial for both the network and the studio. NBCUniversal will have to decide just how low they’re willing to make the licensing fee (i.e. if they’re willing to take a first-run loss on a sixth season for the sake of the series as a whole). CBS will have to decide if it’s really worth keeping around one of their lowest-rated shows when the schedule is already full, no matter how lucrative a deal they’re offered to air another season. Negotiations appear to be ongoing, and since it’s down to the wire The Equalizer remains as close to a toss-up as it gets. Since NBCUniversal arguably needs this renewal more than CBS, and have yet to offer CBS a deal they can’t refuse, The Equalizer remains in Tilts Cancel.
Schedulogy: Predicting the 2025-26 Schedule
With the recent series orders, rejections, and cancelations made, it’s time for another Schedulogy update. The below schedule is a prediction for CBS’s fall 2025 schedule, followed by an analysis. New shows are denoted in bold, and shows changing time slots are denoted in italics.
With the recent series orders, rejections, and cancelations made, it’s time for another Schedulogy update. The below schedule is a prediction for CBS’s fall 2025 schedule, followed by an analysis. New shows are denoted in bold, and shows changing time slots are denoted in italics.
Monday
Prediction: For the first time ever, single-cam sitcom DMV makes a Schedulogy appearance. While CBS had previously stated ambivalence toward ordering single-cams, DMV scored a spot on the schedule over three multi-cams: Zarna, the untitled spinoff of The Neighborhood, and Poppa’s House. It plugs in the hole left by the canceled Poppa’s House, with The Neighborhood being used to launch a new comedy one last time. NCIS and its prequel stay put to finish off the night.
Outside Chance: CBS has always found a way to avoid creating an all-NCIS night. With Origins and Sydney both low-rated, perhaps they look at the success the Chicago shows have had together and finally cave next season.
Tuesday
Prediction: Also making its first Schedulogy appearance is CIA. As it turns out, the previously-titled FBI: CIA lost its backdoor pilot not because CBS no longer planned to order the series, but because it had no lead. Now that it does, it’s most imaginable the network uses FBI to launch their latest series from Dick Wolf. Tuesdays at 10 goes to a vulnerable series, Watson, to keep the time slot warm for an inevitable CIA spinoff.
Outside Chance: Since CIA is a spinoff of FBI that is not being marketed as such, there is an outside chance of the shows being split up. That would pave way for the previously predicted lineup of Fire Country and Sheriff Country joining FBI to still happen.
Wednesday
Prediction: Survivor stays put at 8 pm, once again leading into The Amazing Race at 9:30 pm. Both shows have already been confirmed for fall, and there is no indication either are leaving the 90-minute format.
Outside Chance: If CBS changes their mind on The Amazing Race, or host Phil Keoghan simply misspoke in the Instagram caption, look for The Road to make an appearance in the post-Survivor time slot.
Thursday
Prediction: No changes. This night is absolutely working from a multi-platform viewership standpoint, and CBS has already prided themselves on creating this ‘thematic’ night. The network also values some level of stability, and this is where it would be most likely to happen. They were very lucky viewers welcomed Georgie & Mandy as a replacement to Young Sheldon, and moving Matlock would make them have to reprogram a time slot where they’ve long had trouble.
Outside Chance: Elsbeth did not prove itself worthy of a 9 pm time slot from an A18-49 demo standpoint this past week. If it does next week, perhaps it could find itself on Fridays. This night could also be where a comedy hour relocates should CBS decide to create an all-NCIS night.
Friday
Prediction: This is where the consequences of CBS’s cancelation decisions are most glaring. With both FBI spinoffs and S.W.A.T. all canceled plus Blue Bloods having come to an end this past fall, Fridays are on track for an overhaul. Granted, both new shows are spinoffs, but this still will make CBS direct outsized advertising resources to Friday nights. With CIA ordered to series, it is looking increasingly likely Fire Country stays put on Fridays. That would almost certainly cause Sheriff Country to also land on Fridays. Blue Bloods spinoff Boston Blue closes out the night at 10, where Blue Bloods aired for 14 seasons.
Outside Chance: If CBS wants to avoid two new shows on Fridays, they’ll find a way. Sure, they’ve indicated the desire to use Fire Country to launch Sheriff Country, but they’ve also indicated a shift away from single-cams. Plus, while Blue Bloods did well for many seasons in the Fridays at 10 pm time slot, the canceled S.W.A.T. really did no worse than what Blue Bloods would have in the spring, if not better. Unscripted, returning dramas (looking at you again, NCIS: Sydney), or maybe even a comedy hour are all on the table should they want to avoid the lineup predicted above.
Sunday
Prediction: CBS’s highest-rated series, Tracker, stays put at 8 pm. As a Disney-owned series, it takes advantage of the cushy time slot to collect as much ad revenue as possible. New unscripted series The Road airs at 9, keeping the time slot warm for a midseason replacement. NCIS: Sydney closes out the night at 10 with a full 20-episode season.
Outside Chance: The Road is predicted to air Sundays at 9 because it needs to be replaced come early 2026, but the fall lineup doesn’t flow as well as some other nights. This also assumes CBS will start programming the final hour of the night again in the fall. Should The Equalizer be renewed, NCIS: Sydney will need a new time slot.
Midseason
Prediction: New drama Einstein gets the post-NFL playoff launch akin to Tracker and Watson, and settles into the Sundays at 9 pm time slot to replace The Road. New cooking competition series America’s Culinary Cup airs Wednesdays alongside The Price Is Right At Night and Hollywood Squares in the winter.
Outside Chance: If The Amazing Race is only one cycle, America’s Culinary Cup could take over in the spring. Should Watson stay put in the Sundays at 9 pm time slot, Einstein will need to find another spot on the schedule. That would likely be Sundays at 10 pm or Tuesdays at 10 pm. If The Equalizer is renewed, it will almost certainly be for a short final season premiering in the winter or spring. Midseason could also be when NCIS: Sydney premieres, should rumors of a 20-episode season prove to be false. The Australian NCIS spinoff is arguably the biggest wildcard when it comes to scheduling.
Poll
Interactive Schedule
| The TV Ratings Guide | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | The Neighborhood | Poppa’s House | NCIS | NCIS: Origins | |
| Tues | FBI | FBI: International | FBI: Most Wanted | ||
| Wed | Survivor | The Amazing Race | |||
| Thurs | Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage | Ghosts | Matlock | Elsbeth | |
| Fri | NCIS: Sydney | Fire Country | S.W.A.T. | ||
| Sun | Tracker | Watson | The Equalizer | ||
Renewed
Certain Renew
Likely Renew
Leans Renew
Tilts Renew
Tilts Cancel
Leans Cancel
Likely Cancel
Certain Cancel
Canceled