2012-13 Sitcom Scorecard -- Nerds Rule and Reality TV Drools

Written Elated Nerds and Sitcoms Took a Reality Revenge by Bridger Cunningham

The 2000's left sitcoms bullied yet again by the latest popular fad, Reality TV.  The nerds, aka sitcoms, tried to party quietly, and Reality TV let a slew of swines to swag through their soiree.  Then, the nerds, ....err the sitcoms took their revenge, led by The Big Bang Theory.  They raided the Thursday sorority house, led by uber popular American Idol.  After raiding their unmentionable ratings, ABC counterpart Modern Family left something itchy in the saddle of AI's Wednesday helping which outperformed the tiring franchise.  The sitcom nerds declared there were more of them than the trendy Reality TV shows, and the sitcoms prevailed.  CBS delivered as the champ in both sitcoms and overall performance, and the other networks scattered performances elsewhere.  NBC took 2nd in overall 18-49 demos whilst failing as the loser on the sitcom front.  FOX took 3rd in both helpings, and ABC trailed in 4th overall, only taking a victory with its sitcoms showing signs of regenerating.

CBS Mondays performed just dandy this season, but the network demanded more.  They juxtaposed The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men at 8pm on Thursdays under the transparent guise of having "the two biggest sitcoms on this night."  The strategy worked as they shoved their way into newly charted territory, pinching out NBC's Must-See-TV.  Over on Monday, How I Met Your Mother led the evening, followed by failed clunkers Partners and Made in Jersey.  Then an insulting, afterthought of an ending to durable Rules of Engagement.  2 Broke Girls delivered steady, as did Mike and Molly.

ABC built modest success on Wednesdays with Modern Family redefining standards.  The Middle delivered a modest performance, and Suburgatory held, okay.  Elsewhere, poindexters, dweebs and geeks couldn't crack the Greek standard of The Middle and MF.  Last Man Standing made a bold move to Friday evenings with modest success, followed by what would begin a slew of failures to follow, starting with Malibu Country and odd showings of social misfit Happy Endings.

FOX Sundays delivered strong, and Tuesdays gave their mediocre best piggybacking on New Girl.  The Mindy Project performed modestly, and Raising Hope continued to lose Nielsen steam.  NBC made a hot mess as the 2000's popular remains had their day and faded.  The Office and 30 Rock bowed out after successful runs, leaving Community and Parks and Recreation to fend for themselves with critical popularity saving their soft demos.  Sophomores Up All Night and Whitney were shown the door, and not a single freshman pilot exited the series with a return invitation to NBC's formerly popular sorority house.

Source -- http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/1/complete-list-of-2012-13-season-tv-show-ratings-sunday-night-football-tops-followed-by-the-big-bang-theory-the-voice-modern-family/

2011-12 Sitcom Scorecard -- 2 Broke Girls Offer a Modern Bang for Two and a Half Men

Written Hailing a Sitcom Renaissance by Bridger Cunningham

After a decade of hardship which was no laughing matter for sitcoms, 2011-12 presented the first signs of the genre's rebound.  Charlie Sheen nearly destroyed CBS flagship Two and a Half Men, being fired after a haughty war of words more vulgar than the male toilet humor vessel.  As predicted, the opening featuring replacement Ashton Kutcher delivered unspeakably high ratings.  How did CBS capitalize on this windfall?  They balanced the gender dominance and showed women could be just as filthy via 2 Broke Girls.  Their strategy paid off, and all of their sitcoms ranked toward the top of their genre.  CBS ruled the the sitcom genre by a wide margin as Lorre's filth became something to flaunt..

ABC held the trophy of highest-rated sitcom by one-hundredth of a measure, and that is where the accolades stopped.  The remainder covered the middle to the bottom of the pack as the network overall sank to 4th Place amidst decline.  FOX championed New Girl as its latest hit as sitcoms mirrored ABC's performance.  And NBC, while sophisticated and crafty, found their sitcoms in the back of the pack.

So how did the sitcoms do this season?  A Modern Family found a Big Bang from Two and a Half Men as their 2 Broke Girls showed the New Girl How I Met Your Mother.  The mother stated some Family Guy called Mike and Molly to Rob The Office The Simpsons was written which they discussed The Rules of Engagement for Happy Endings.  Also lectured was How to Be a Gentleman by Napoleon Dynamite, as well as an American Dad warning his charge "Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23 if you want to be the Last Man Standing."  Raising Hope for the Cleveland show getting out of Suburgatory, they were stuck in The Middle of staying Up All Night or enjoying Parks and Recreation.  Whitney and Allen Gregory found a way to make 30 Rock if you say I Hate My Teenage Daughter and Man Up!  For Bob's Burgers to Work It in your Community, avoid becoming a Cougar Town and ask "Are You There Chelsea" as you are Breaking In Bent on being Best Friends Forever.

Whew!

CBS rocked a dynamic Monday, as well as The Big Bang Theory moving to uncharted territory on Thursday for the Tiffany network.  FOX Sundays delivered strong, and New Girl helped anchor Tuesdays.  ABC Wednesdays held a slope effect as Modern Family peaked and the remains sloped on each side.  Tuesdays were quiet as FOX outperformed.  NBC Thursdays remained abysmal albeit creatively superior.

Source -- http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/1/final-list-of-2011-12-season-tv-show-ratings-sunday-night-football-tops-followed-by-american-idol-the-voice-modern-family/

The Trends Part 4: Six Seasons and No Movie

Welcome to The Trends! This installment takes on the trend of canceling shows that were six seasons deep but not owned by the network. If you've missed the previous articles, they can be found by clicking on the titles below:

The Trends Part 1: Renewing More Low-Rated Shows
The Trends Part 2: Massive Time Slot Upgrades to Newer Comedies
The Trends Part 3: Less Reliance On The Super-Creator

Considering that most of the shows on broadcast TV these days get very similar ratings, it should not be surprising to see a slightly lower-rated show get renewed over a higher-rated show for multiple factors. These include the age and ownership of the show, both of which play a role in the show's profit. The past NBC sitcom Community, which to say the least was never a ratings hit, coined the "Six Seasons and a Movie" term, and as the show kept getting renewed, fans started joking that Community could somehow make it that far without ever really being a hit. Unfortunately, six seasons and no movie was the final fate of the show, assuming they don't somehow convince a movie studio to do a feature film. Turns out, Community wouldn't be the only show to suffer from six seasons and no movie; the fate also recently came to 2 Broke Girls and Last Man Standing.

For several years, ABC has tried to fix their Tuesday at 8pm time slot by airing one of their buzziest new shows there. Last Man Standing was one of them, and it didn't work out. While it premiered well, ratings sunk to levels that would not be acceptable given the landscape of ratings then. Regardless, ABC renewed it and saw an opening on Friday, where audiences could accept the Tim Allen-starring multi-cam. Of course, it naturally took a big drop in its second season, but those ratings looked acceptable for a Friday night. It more or less steadied off after that, and while it was often unsuccessful of launching whatever show ABC tried to air after it, it was still a stronger show each season. If it was renewed for a seventh season and did a similar ratings trajectory, it may even have ended up averaging higher than the Big 4 league average, something that very few Friday shows can accomplish.

However, each year Tim Allen's high salary put the show on the bubble. For all the credit it has been given, it's still a multi-cam sitcom airing on a Friday night with below-average ratings, and Tim Allen's salary far exceeded the typical salary for that kind of show. For the longest time though, ABC kept renewing the show and kept placing a different show at 8:30pm. Going into the 2016-17 season, they finally found the perfect fit with Dr. Ken. However, at the end of the season, Dr. Ken was down over 20% from its first season, while the contracts on Last Man Standing had expired. Many expected for this to be worked out because Sony would have worked magic to get Dr. Ken to syndication, and that ABC would renew the two shows because they still did way better in the ratings than The Toy Box, which replaced them in April. Instead, Last Man Standing became more expensive than ABC would have liked, and Dr. Ken was canceled alongside it. In the fall, Once Upon a Time is scheduled to air there, which despite having a much better time slot than Last Man Standing, very rarely, if ever, rated higher than that week's episode of Last Man Standing. This is a classic example of how as much as we talk about ratings, profits are what really matter. While a lot of times ratings are a very strong indicator of a show's profits, that certainly was not the case here.

2 Broke Girls, while another show fitting the six seasons and no movie mold, had the writing on the wall much before the show was canceled. The first negative sign for it was how they not only picked up Superior Donuts off-cycle, but also moved 2 Broke Girls to 9:30pm, not allowing it to launch the show. If a show is in its sixth season and isn't trusted to launch and/or support a show, the people working on the show better hope that it's making the network a ton of money in syndication or via streaming. Since CBS did not own 2 Broke Girls, it wasn't making money off of it in either of these ways. The second kiss of death was the fact that Superior Donuts really did no worse than 2 Broke Girls, the former of which CBS owns and is almost certainly less expensive. And while CBS typically does a mass renewal and then holds off another couple for May, the fact that 2 Broke Girls was omitted from the mass renewal that contained not only Superior Donuts, but also Man with a Plan and Life in Pieces, was a bad sign. Simply put, CBS ran out of room for a show that's more expensive than the others that are owned and doing similar ratings. Had they owned it, it probably would have gotten a seventh season. Supposedly it is very lucrative for Warner Brothers in syndication, but that's irrelevant to CBS.

Networks almost always favor the shows they own versus the ones they don't. It should be noted that Once Upon a Time, also in its sixth season but lower-rated, is an in-house production. With their cast contracts expiring, they showed no mercy towards Last Man Standing and 2 Broke Girls. They were both good syndication players and were solidly-rated, but from a monetary standpoint the fact that the networks didn't own them made that irrelevant. There has been a lot of public fan outcry, but we've simply moved away from a time where ratings and profits were 100% correlated.

What do you think? Leave your comments below!

Final CBS Renew/Cancel: 2 Broke Girls, Code Black, Elementary, + More

Welcome to the final TV Ratings Guide's CBS Renew/Cancel Watch of the 2016-17 season. All in-season scripted, primetime shows are included in the prediction table below. An analysis of any new prediction changes or observations follows. My current predictions are as of May 6, 2017.

The key to the right indicates which colors are associated with each prediction. The data in the table includes season lows, highs, and averages (Adults 18-49 demo), as well as the year-to-year changes for returning shows that have not already been officially renewed or canceled. These are provided for reasoning with and understanding my predictions. The shows are ordered by their season averages against only other scripted CBS shows.

Rank	Show	Season Low / High /Average	Y2Y Change
1	The Big Bang Theory	2.5 / 3.8 / 3.12	-16.5%
2	NCIS	1.3 / 2.2 / 1.75	-21.0%
3	Kevin Can Wait	1.1 / 2.7 / 1.63	--
4	Bull	1.1 / 2.2 / 1.46	--
5	The Great Indoors	0.8 / 1.9 / 1.44	--
6	Mom	1.2 / 1.7 / 1.43	-15.5%
7	Criminal Minds	1.2 / 1.9 / 1.38	-22.8%
8	NCIS: LA	1.0 / 1.7 / 1.33	+0.8%
9	2 Broke Girls	1.0 / 1.7 / 1.31	-18.4%
10	Man with a Plan	1.0 / 1.6 / 1.27	--
11	Life in Pieces	1.0 / 1.5 / 1.26	-36.9%
12	Superior Donuts	1.0 / 1.9 / 1.20	--
-	Scorpion	1.1 / 1.5 / 1.20	-32.1%
-	NCIS: New Orleans	1.0 / 1.5 / 1.20	-31.5%
15	Hawaii Five-0	0.9 / 1.4 / 1.16	+1.7%
16	Blue Bloods	0.8 / 1.3 / 1.14	-5.0%
17	MacGyver	0.9 / 1.7 / 1.08	--
18	The Odd Couple	0.9 / 1.1 / 1.02	-27.3%
19	Code Black	0.7 / 1.2 / 0.97	-23.5%
20	Madam Secretary	0.7 / 1.1 / 0.94	-22.1%
21	Pure Genius	0.7 / 1.0 / 0.86	--
22	Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders	0.7 / 0.9 / 0.84	-31.9%
23	Training Day	0.3 / 0.9 / 0.59	--
24	Doubt	0.6 / 0.8 / 0.68	--
25	Elementary	0.5 / 0.8 / 0.65	-32.1%
26	Ransom	0.3 / 0.8 / 0.45	--

THE FINAL BREAKDOWN To recap what's happened so far this season:

• The Big Bang Theory, NCIS, Mom, Criminal Minds, NCIS: LA, Life in Pieces, Scorpion, NCIS: New Orleans, Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods, and Madam Secretary are the continuing series that have been officially given additional seasons.
• Kevin Can Wait, Bull, Man with a Plan, Superior Donuts, and MacGyver are the freshman series that have been officially given additional seasons.
• Doubt was the only series pulled from the schedule this season after airing just two episodes. It won't be included in the breakdown analysis below for obvious reasons. 
• The Great Indoors, 2 Broke Girls, Code Black, The Odd Couple, Pure Genius, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Training Day, Elementary, and Ransom are the series that remain in contention for renewal, some considerably more than others.

THE GREAT INDOORS

• As the season closes out, CBS appears to be (rightfully) disappointed in the performance of its latest post-TBBT beneficiary led by Joel McHale. They decided to air the final two episodes of its first season on Mondays at 9:30, which is already disastrous with the penultimate episode scoring a 0.8 in the demo, its lowest data point to date. CBS left it out of its mass renewals in March, leading us to assume its demise internally. The fact that the network already renewed three freshman (Kevin Can Wait, Man with a Plan, Superior Donuts) means that this is really the odd duck out as far as newbies go. Its seasonal average (1.44) is very mediocre considering the maximum exposure all season long. My final prediction: Likely to be Canceled.

2 BROKE GIRLS

• The future of the Kat Dennings-Beth Behrs comedy is one of the hardest, if not the hardest prediction to be made across television this year. After six years, many timeslots and moves to fill in where CBS needed it to, the show has died down to the 1.0 range. The show is not produced by CBS, it's undoubtedly more expensive than a new replacement show would be, and it follows in the wake of a comedy department that saw the surprising cancellation of Mike & Molly last year after filling a similar capacity for six seasons. That decision led many to believe, including myself, that the execs wouldn't be so kind to the aging 2 Broke Girls in the future. Now we're here, the future, where the show was not included in the mass renewals that gave future installments to Mom (Season 5) and Life In Pieces (Season 3). Also renewed for next season include the previously mentioned freshman comedies Kevin Can Wait, Man with a Plan, and Superior Donuts, as well as the staple The Big Bang Theory (renewed through Season 12). The fall schedule will also include TBBT spinoff Sheldon, and perhaps another new series yet to be ordered. If CBS keeps its two hours of comedy next fall, that's already 7-8 comedies ready and willing for eight spots. The argument for 2 Broke Girls is that it could get a final 13, which is probably what it should exclusively hope for at this point in time when the competition is fierce. 
• The difference between the way CBS handled Mike & Molly and how they would theoretically handle 2 Broke Girls' cancellation is that the former was announced as the final season while the season was still airing, so it could be advertised as having a series finale for the fans. In the latter's case, a cancellation would come after it aired its season 6 finale, meaning it's an after-the-fact RIP that would be sour for its long-standing fans. In addition, the sixth season of Mike & Molly was already short at 13 episodes, whereas 2 Broke Girls had a full 22, signaling that the attitude towards the latter was more committal and a sign of confidence that M&M didn't have. Reportedly, CBS is in intense negotiations with Warner Bros. TV over the possibility of a continuation, and co-showrunner Michelle Nader is insistent that they are not done with this show and that the season 6 finale was decisively not a series finale. Of course, no one wants to end their show prematurely, which doesn't make this case special or more deserving of renewal, but surely the staunch attitude of not catering to a season six finale that COULD act as a series finale makes Nader's and 2BG a case to still be talked out extensively. WBTV makes $1.7 million/episode from its syndication deal with TBS, which makes this an important negotiation for WBTV. The fact that it wasn't renewed, but hasn't been cancelled either, despite being CBS's second-longest running sitcom still on air that has immense fan support and an apparent impassioned creative pitch to continue, has made me lean in its favor in these final days. I'm expecting this one will be drawn out in front of its fans, which could help propel some interest in its final season of at least 13 episodes. My final prediction: Likely to be Renewed. 

CODE BLACK

• The second major question for CBS is its relationship going forward with its Marcia Gay Harden-led medical drama. Against its fellow fall freshman Limitless and Supergirl last year, the low-rated series, which only produced an 18-episode first season, was the only one to make it back on CBS for another season. It had a lower average than both Limitless and Supergirl, but other factors (including Supergirl's move to The CW) made it a more feasible option to keep Code Black around, and apparently CBS champions it internally. The show took on some creative changes in its second attempt at success, with Rob Lowe notably joining the principal cast. However, the ratings still dropped almost 24 percent year-to-year. Originally, the second season order was for 13 episodes, but CBS ordered an additional 3 before replacing it on the schedule again with Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, which has failed to impress and rate any better. A renewal for this show would come from two sources: internal confidence at CBS, and a licensing reduction by co-producer ABC Studios. I've been a supporter of the show's chances to return for months, as it seems like a reliable albeit low performer for the network that they could use to phase out the likes of Elementary and Madam Secretary on Sundays next season, with Code Black taking the 9pm slot and pushing Madam Secretary to 10. However, recent weeks and the closing in on upfronts have made me doubt this show's ability to start over for a third time when it didn't produce growth and it only has 34 episodes in the can. It's over two full seasons away from reaching a syndication deal, if it even would have enough ratings fuel by then to warrant such a deal, and CBS could probably get by without it on the schedule. Despite being a different network and facing different circumstances, The Mysteries of Laura on NBC was a show that got a lot of misguided renewal support for a season 3 that ended up amounting to zilch. My gut is telling me that a similar situation of false confidence is occurring with Code Black, unfortunately for the fans of the show, which has been fairly well-received. My final prediction: Likely to be Canceled.

THE ODD COUPLE

• The odd comedy couple out this season is Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon. The series has had limited seasons for three years with increasingly troubling results in terms of ratings, where it has consistently been at the bottom of the heap. As it finished the year with 38 episodes and a 1.02 average in the A18-49 demo, there's no foreseeable path ahead, especially to syndication, that would make sense for CBS to pursue as this show is simply unneeded. Matthew Perry's tweets (antagonistic re: CBS execs) on the subject of the show's future are just as telling that it's done at CBS. My final prediction: Certain to be Canceled.

PURE GENIUS

• The medical drama from Jason Katims wasn't given an extended order from CBS beyond its initial 13 episodes, which made it the first evident victim of the fall. It averaged a measly 0.86 during its run, which makes a rival medical show like Code Black look much better in long term prospects. Perhaps CBS was hoping that Pure Genius would become what Code Black hasn't, but the latter is still the stronger show. Katims has a new show in Rise to focus on at NBC, so I'm sure he's not fretting over this failure. My final prediction: Certain to be Canceled.

CRIMINAL MINDS: BEYOND BORDERS

• The Criminal Minds spinoff is down nearly 32 percent from its season one performance in the post-Criminal Minds slot where it again replaced Code Black. Despite the mothership having been renewed already for a thirteenth season, the spinoff was left in the cold and has not been given word yet that it could continue for a third edition. With a worse seasonal average than Code Black, which has it beat in episodes (34 to 26), the drama doesn't seem to have the internal or data support it needs to continue. CBS renewed the series last year after a relatively strong debut, but it soon fizzled and if it comes down to this or Code Black, I am willing to bet on the latter returning. The lack of a renewal through this point suggests that CBS has been unimpressed. While Code Black hasn't been renewed either, it's more understandable that CBS would wait to see how Beyond Borders did before coming to a decision by May. This scenario seems like another CSI: Cyber; a failed spinoff that gets a couple of tries, but ultimately dies in brand fatigue. My final prediction: Likely to be Canceled.

TRAINING DAY

• Dredging up familiar movie properties is a gamble, as it's worked somewhat for the likes of FOX's Lethal Weapon, perhaps for FOX's The Exorcist and NBC's Taken (their fates yet to be determined), and failed for the likes of FOX's Minority Report and CBS's Limitless. The recognizable property following four feature films got off to a very slow start, endured one of its leads (Bill Paxton) dying suddenly, and was moved to Saturdays in expected burn-off fashion. CBS will let this one go quietly amidst the chaos. My final prediction: Certain to be Canceled.

ELEMENTARY

• The third and final big question mark on CBS this season: Elementary. The fifth season show has a loaded $3 million/episode syndication deal that has propelled its early renewal for the past few years for good reason. Les Moonves has touted how profitable the show is and how it's a staple for the network. However, this year was a little different, with the mass renewal not including the prized drama. That's not that surprising for those who follow ratings, as it's CBS's second worst rated show of the year to date with a 0.65 average, and that's only better than a weak Saturday night program (Ransom, 0.45). It's been recently positioned on Sunday nights at 10pm, where football typically causes regular delays. The most recent airings of Elementary not affected by football include a couple of 0.5s. That's horrendous, rating below NBC's Shades of Blue but above ABC's American Crime. Does a lucrative syndication deal make it passable, though? Could it be moved to Saturdays next season instead? Yes, and possibly, but the lack of a firm renewal in place through early May makes that hard to assess from a ratings spectator's angle of which doesn't have the ins and outs and intricate details of the negotiations taking place about the show's future. As with Code Black, I've had to reassess my stance on its chances to return as of late, what with word circulating that the network has put forth permission to make writing staff deals for a sixth season and the continued touting of its international prospects. While that's not a guaranteed sign that it's returning, it's something that suggests the negotiations are serious and that this property is worth the pitiful L+SD ratings. It could stay on Sundays, it could possibly show up on Saturdays, but the bottom line is that this supposedly ultra-profitable show that gave CBS millions and millions in profits isn't dying off that easily, as aggravating and shocking as it may seem to predict the #25 (out of 26) show to be renewed. My final prediction: Likely to be Renewed.

RANSOM

• Speaking of that random Saturday show: Ransom! What does Ransom have that Elementary doesn't? Nothing; in fact, it has so much less than Elementary that it would benefit from a Netflix/Orange is the New Black ransom scandal that could at least bring it some buzz. My final prediction: Likely to be Canceled. 

CBS Renew/Cancel: 'Donuts' Superior To 'Great Indoors'

Welcome to the TV Ratings Guide's CBS Renew/Cancel Watch. All scripted, primetime shows are included in the prediction table below once they have premiered for the season. An analysis of any new prediction changes or observations follows. My current predictions are as of April 7, 2017.

The key to the right indicates which colors are associated with each prediction. The data in the table includes season lows, highs, and averages (Adults 18-49 demo), as well as the year-to-year changes for returning shows that have not already been officially renewed or canceled. These are provided for reasoning with and understanding my predictions. The shows are ordered by their season averages against only other scripted CBS shows.

Rank	Show	Season Low / High /Average	Y2Y Change
1	The Big Bang Theory	2.6 / 3.8 / 3.20	-14.2%
2	NCIS	1.5 / 2.2 / 1.78	-19.4%
3	Kevin Can Wait	1.1 / 2.7 / 1.70	--
4	Bull	1.3 / 2.2 / 1.53	--
5	The Great Indoors	1.1 / 1.9 / 1.50	--
6	Mom	1.2 / 1.7 / 1.44	-14.8%
7	Criminal Minds	1.2 / 1.9 / 1.38	-22.7%
-	NCIS: LA	1.0 / 1.7 / 1.38	+4.3%
9	2 Broke Girls	1.0 / 1.7 / 1.34	-16.6%
10	Man with a Plan	1.0 / 1.6 / 1.31	--
11	Life in Pieces	1.0 / 1.5 / 1.28	-35.9%
12	Superior Donuts	1.0 / 1.9 / 1.27	--
13	Scorpion	1.1 / 1.5 / 1.22	-30.9%
14	NCIS: New Orleans	1.0 / 1.5 / 1.20	-31.8%
15	Hawaii Five-0	1.0 / 1.4 / 1.19	+4.2%
16	Blue Bloods	1.0 / 1.3 / 1.18	-4.5%
17	MacGyver	0.9 / 1.7 / 1.11	--
18	The Odd Couple	0.9 / 1.1 / 1.02	-27.3%
19	Code Black	0.7 / 1.2 / 0.97	-23.5%
20	Madam Secretary	0.7 / 1.1 / 0.94	-22.1%
21	Pure Genius	0.7 / 1.0 / 0.86	--
22	Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders	0.7 / 0.9 / 0.85	-31.8%
23	Training Day	0.7 / 0.9 / 0.75	--
24	Doubt	0.6 / 0.8 / 0.68	--
25	Elementary	0.5 / 0.8 / 0.67	-29.9%
26	Ransom	0.3 / 0.8 / 0.45	--

With the season 13 renewal of Criminal Minds this week, the exclusion of Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders for a season 3 renewal, coupled with its recent low 0.7 rating, is pretty telling that this series is of low priority for CBS going forward. They have very little use for it, the ratings aren't indicating that it'll achieve the 1.0 mark this season, and the amount of episodes produced through two short seasons don't suggest a lucrative future on the network. Beyond Borders is Likely to be Canceled.
Also excluded from recent mass renewals were 2 Broke Girls and The Great Indoors. The former isn't surprising as it's an aging veteran that the network doesn't own, and it recently hit a series low (1.0). The costs are likely a key factor here, and whether or not the popular series gets a "final season," limited in episode order or not, is highly questionable. There's a case to be made for a Mike & Molly-esque 13-episode final season order, but there are a lot of variables that we likely don't know working for and/or against it. For the moment, I am leaving 2 Broke Girls as Likely to be Canceled, considering its exclusion from the mass renewal, its aging costs, and CBS's decision to renew three returning sitcoms and three freshman sitcoms to fill its schedule, along with the already-ordered Sheldon. 
For similar reasons, I have decided to downgrade The Great Indoors to Likely to be Canceled status as it was similarly excluded from the season two renewals for Kevin Can Wait, Man with a Plan, and midseason entry Superior Donuts. The fact that the post-TBBT series that launched in the fall got sidelined by Superior Donuts says quite a bit about its value to the network, and its recent airing on Monday didn't help prove its ability to perform outside the Thursday block. The fact is that The Great Indoors has had a pretty unremarkable performance as it's dragged on when compared to the series on Monday that have to basically self-start every week. While the likes of Man with a Plan and Superior Donuts might have a foreseeably tough future if they are already hitting 1.0s, at least CBS has evidence of their performances under tough circumstances. With The Great Indoors, a renewal (and definite timeslot move) would be very questionable and a huge test of faith that they may not have at this point in time. 
Elementary and Code Black were excluded from the renewals as well. The former is not surprising as it has seen an extreme decline in the ratings since it first aired five years ago. Its highly lucrative syndication deal with WGN ($3 mil/episode) had many heads spinning, and still does, but the details of that deal are unclear as to how extensive it is for the current season and beyond. Since we don't know the intricate business details, we have to assume that WGN and CBS have had or will have lengthy talks/negotiations about its current and future prospects, where the first-run ratings and syndicated data don't suggest that a season 6 would be worth $3 mil/episode if WGN isn't currently signed on for that. Its exclusion from the mass renewal suggests that there's less assurance with it continuing, so I will leave it as Likely to be Canceled.
Code Black, while also excluded from the mass renewals, is an interesting case. It has never been a strong performer in its two seasons, but it's proven fairly reliable for averaging around a 1.0 in a 10pm timeslot, which is increasingly less terrible for network television standards. I've heard that CBS internally supports the show, which says why they retooled a bit with cast changes and have kept their options open since season two ended rather than making an immediate decision on its fate. It also may be so that they wanted to see Beyond Borders' data before deciding on the future of Code Black. With that show performing worse in its replacement of Code Black, perhaps CBS will be interested in bringing the medical drama back for a third season on Sundays, where they can afford to have modestly performing series like Madam Secretary run out their orders without much expectation or disappointment.