On ABC, crime drama Will Trent (0.27, +0.04) ended its season with an uptick, and Betrayal: Secrets & Lies (0.11, +0.03) was up on a new night. NCIS (0.38, +0.06) went above last week's installment on CBS, and NCIS: Sydney (0.18, +0.03) climbed higher as well, but NCIS: Origins (0.24, -0.02) declined in the middle for its season finale. NBC's NBA Playoffs broadcast (1.28) dominated in the key demo. On Fox, Farmer Wants a Wife (0.16, +0.03) and Running Wild (0.15, +0.03) bounced back after some nasty falls. WWE NXT (0.11, +0.04) surged on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat. (F) = finale.
ABC drama RJ Decker (0.17, -0.03) was down on season finale night, and its Will Trent lead-in (0.23, -0.03) also slipped. Farmer Wants a Wife (0.13, -0.02) declined from last week's premiere on Fox, but it was Bear Grylls is Running Wild (0.12, -0.06) that dealt with a particularly damaging blow. CBS's NCIS (0.32, +0.02), NCIS: Origins (0.26, +0.07), and NCIS: Sydney (0.15, +0.02) were all on the rise. NBC went with another NBA Playoffs broadcast (0.69). WWE NXT (0.07, -0.03) took a hit on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat. (F) = finale.
Bear Grylls Is Running Wild (0.18) had an acceptable start on Fox, rising noticeably from the return of Farmer Wants a Wife (0.15). On CBS, NCIS (0.30, +0.01) ticked up, but NCIS: Origins (0.19, -0.01) and NCIS: Sydney (0.13, -0.03) declined. Will Trent (0.26, -0.02) and RJ Decker (0.20, -0.02) also slipped on ABC. NBA on NBC (0.90/1.06) dominated overall, and the CW's WWE NXT (0.10, +0.01) rose slightly. Key: (P) = premiere. (R) = repeat.
This week on the CBS Renew/Cancel, there's little to predict this season, but there's still a lot to talk about, as CBS's fall schedule has been announced, with a lot of changes ahead. Keep reading for my takes on some of the biggest moves present on the schedule, including timeslot upgrades for Elsbeth and FBI, shortened seasons of NCIS: Origins and Sydney, and Ghosts and Matlock heading to the bench.
Fox drama Doc (0.14, -0.01) ended its second season on a low note by inching down to its previously-set series low. To put things into perspective, this rating put it closer to the CW's broadcast of WWE NXT (0.09, +0.01) than any of its other 8 p.m. competitors. NBC's The Voice (0.25, 0.00) also closed out its season on Tuesday, matching its last original in the key demo. ABC dramas Will Trent (0.28, +0.02) and RJ Decker (0.22, +0.04) were up from last week, with the latter likely benefiting from the earlier time slot. NCIS (0.29, +0.03) and NCIS: Sydney (0.16, +0.04) rose on CBS, while Origins (0.2, 0.00) was stable. Key: (R) = repeat. (F) = finale.
ABC drama High Potential (0.25, -0.02) slipped for its finale, even as its Will Trent lead-in (0.26, 0.00) matched its previous installment. RJ Decker (0.18, +0.03) was up at ten. NCIS (0.26, -0.01) and NCIS: Origins (0.20, -0.02) dipped slightly on CBS, while NCIS: Sydney (0.12, -0.06) plummeted. On Fox, Best Medicine (0.20, +0.01) ticked up for its season finale, and Doc (0.15, +0.01) also gained a tick. The CW's WWE NXT (0.08, 0.00) was stable. Key: (F) = finale.
On ABC, Will Trent (0.26, -0.04) and High Potential (0.27, -0.01) were down from last week, but RJ Decker (0.15, 0.00) matched its week-ago rating. CBS's NCIS (0.27, -0.08) was down sharply, NCIS: Origins (0.22, -0.03) had a more mild decline, and NCIS: Sydney (0.18, +0.02) rose. NBA on NBC (0.38) was a hundredth above last Tuesday's broadcast. On Fox, Best Medicine (0.19, -0.01) and Doc (0.14, -0.01) both dipped to new series lows. WWE NXT (0.08, 0.00) held steady on the CW.
Fox dramas Best Medicine (0.20, -0.03) and Doc (0.15, -0.06) both dropped to their previously-set series lows after a week off. On CBS, NCIS (0.35, +0.08), NCIS: Origins (0.25, +0.03), and NCIS: Sydney (0.16, +0.01) were all up, but the gains decreased in size as the evening progressed. Will Trent (0.30, +0.03), High Potential (0.28, +0.03), and RJ Decker (0.15, +0.02) bounced back on ABC. NBA on NBC (0.37) led the way in the Adults 18-49 demographic. WWE NXT (0.08, +0.01) rose slightly on the CW.
Fox's broadcast of the World Baseball Classic Final (2.66) dominated on Tuesday night, outpacing all other competitors and seemingly causing significant declines on the other networks. This was likely the case on ABC as Will Trent (0.27, -0.04) and High Potential (0.25, -0.05) weakened, and newcomer RJ Decker (0.13, -0.10) collapsed. NCIS (0.27, -0.10) and NCIS: Sydney (0.15, -0.07) also plummeted on CBS, but NCIS: Origins (0.22, -0.03) had a more mild drop. NBA on NBC (0.24) was way down from last week, while the CW's WWE NXT (0.07, -0.01) dipped slightly.
On CBS, NCIS (0.37, +0.08), NCIS: Origins (0.25, +0.04), and NCIS: Sydney (0.22, +0.09) were all up markedly from last week. ABC dramas Will Trent (0.31, -0.01) and High Potential (0.30, -0.02) slipped, but RJ Decker (0.23, +0.02) gained some momentum in week two. In sports news, NBA on NBC (0.49) nearly doubled its week-ago broadcast, while the CW's WWE NXT (0.08, -0.01) lost a hundredth. Best Medicine (0.23, +0.03) and Doc (0.21, +0.01) both rose on Fox.
RJ Decker (0.21) debuted in tepid fashion on ABC, trailing Will Trent (0.32, +0.04) and a sinking High Potential (0.32, -0.07). CBS's NCIS (0.29, -0.02) dipped in its return, but NCIS: Origins (0.21, +0.04) and NCIS: Sydney (0.13, +0.02) improved their numbers. NBA on NBC (0.25) was a notch above Fox's Best Medicine (0.20, -0.02) and Doc (0.20, +0.01). WWE NXT (0.09, +0.01) inched up on the CW.
It was a busy week on CBS, with most of the network's programs officially renewed. Most were highly unsurprising, but we do have to discuss the two shows we did miss, as well as taking a look at the shows left in limbo following the renewal news, in a new CBS Renew/Cancel.
CBS has issued another early mass renewal, with ten fall series now confirmed to join Sheriff Country and Boston Blue on next year's schedule, leaving just three series from their fall schedule in limbo. Tuesday night's NCIS lineup of NCIS, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: Sydney will all be back next season, potentially keeping that block together for another year. Wednesday reality hits Survivor and The Amazing Race have also been renewed. The Thursday lineup is also returning in full, with sitcom Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage and legal drama Matlock earning third seasons and Elsbeth being granted a fourth season pickup, with Ghosts having already been renewed back in February 2025. Fire Country has also been renewed for a fifth season, now confirmed to join its spinoff on the schedule next year. And, in perhaps the least-surprising decision of the year, CBS has picked up a fourth season of breakout hit drama Tracker, the only Sunday night series currently confirmed to be returning. DMV, Watson, and reality series The Road are all still in limbo. All but NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney are correct prediction for The TV Ratings Guide.
It was a quiet week on CBS, as the network is mostly in hibernation mode until late February, but there were some major developments for the sole new series on their lineup. Keep reading to see I those developments will spur a prediction change for Harlan Coben's Final Twist!
After a brief hiatus, the CBS Renew/Cancel is back this week to cover CBS's recent premieres, a trio of unscripted series airing on Wednesdays. Keep reading to see how that trio fared, and which fall show is in a worse position this week despite not even airing a new episode!
This week on the CBS Renew/Cancel, the release of multiplatform ratings spurs several prediction changes, in different directions. Keep reading to see which shows are on the move, and how everything is rating overall, as 2025 draws to a close.
This week on the CBS Renew/Cancel, an extra-special edition centering on the three franchise-starters currently on CBS's lineup, including the already-renewed FBI. Keep reading to see which is due for a prediction change and which is looking to be on the ice.
Prediction Key:
Week 9 Predictions:
Shows' 18-49 demo average, weekly peak performance on Paramount+, and MP+35 viewership are listed in parenthesis
NCIS: NCIS is a very old show, on a network that's shown a clear preference for younger - and, going hand-in-hand, less expensive - shows. That's really its only liability, and it's probably going to do it in sooner than its ratings warrant. That won't be now, as NCIS remains the powerful flagship series in one of CBS's most important brands. Its spinoffs aren't doing nearly well enough to be seen as viable replacements for it, so CBS still needs it around for at least another season. It's still doing well in multiplatform viewing for its current episodes, with its premiere rating being strong enough for it to rank ninth across broadcast TV in MP+35 ratings, with older episodes also being a valuable asset on Paramount+. Given the value of the NCIS IP, and CBS's penchant for spinning off their top titles (particularly this series, which has spawned six spinoffs), it won't be much of a surprise to see NCIS joined by a new spinoff on the schedule next season, given that Origins and Sydney are both in clear danger after seasons of middling linear and multiplatorm ratings. When and if CBS graces us with another NCIS, they'll want the hit franchise-starter as a launchpad. NCIS is upgraded this week to a certain renewal, though it's a bit less safe than shows like Survivor and Tracker.
FBI: Speaking of acronym-titled franchise starters about government departments, FBI is in its second season of a three-season renewal. Its status on CBS has been heavily downgraded this season, as have its ratings. It's an outright linear ratings flop, averaging just a 0.23 in the demo. Only five scripted shows on CBS are performing worse, and four of those shows air at 10 PM, and two air on Friday. It was always destined to plunge in the ratings as it moved from its longtime home on Tuesdays and shifted to a 9 PM time slot after our years at 8, but 42% is dramatic. Its multiplatform ratings have also taken a hit. It averaged 10.6 million viewers in MP+35 ratings, and while we don't know its exact MP+35 average this season, it didn't even crack 10 million viewers for its season premiere in that metric. This show is clearly in decline, and many viewers that didn't stick with watching it live after it moved to a new night aren't bothering to catch up on DVR or Paramount+. The way things are going, this is likely not a case of ifSeason 9 will be the last, but rather when that will be announced. The question now turns to if CIA gets a proper launchpad out o an ailing FBI, and if it can be the FBI franchise replacement likely once hoped it would be. Regardless, FBI looks like it's on its way out soon, and with CBS clearly deprioritizing it this season, it would be a shock if it were renewed past season nine. Its performance this season would certainly warrant dropping that axe.
Fire Country: Last and least of franchise starters we have Fire Country, which is faltering at the worst possible time. It does seem to do OK on streaming, performing about on par with Sheriff Country there, but it is worth noting that it does have more episodes. to stream than Sheriff, so its performance on the Paramount+ is likely influenced by people watching old episodes. Its multiplatorm ratings are certainly concerning, in addition to the linear ratings slump. After averaging 9.6 million viewers in MP+35 this season, Fire Country wasn't even in the top twenty in Nielsen's recent MP+35 report. The top ten is all that's been publicly shared, and it encompassed all shows above ten million viewers. CBS noted that FBI, Georgie & Mandy, and 60 Minutes were their shows ranked between eleventh and twentieth. Last season, 8.9 million viewers was enough to crack the top twenty on broadcast in MP+35. The #10 show in this season's report came in a million viewers below last season's #10 show, so the #20 show was probably a bit under that 8.9 million viewers figure. If Fire Country debuted in the mid-to-high 8 million range, it's down about a million viewers from last season's average, and it's at least three million viewers behind the other Friday shows, including its own spinoff. Forbes has reported that a new "Country" drama, Rescue Country, is in early development. Given the middling season Fire Country has had, in which it's sunk 40% and has set a new series low four times in just seven episodes, one has to wonder if this is a plan to expand the Country universe or the beginning of plans to replace Fire Country, which is struggling to keep up with Sheriff Country. Fire Country still seems to be safe for now. It would be very unusual for a show to be canceled the same season it premieres a promising spinoff, especially after Fire was always solid before this season. It remains a certain renewal, but the future of CBS's Friday night remains a question mark, as we're let to wonder if it will become an all-Country night or if an existing show will end if Rescue Country really is on its way.
Interactive Schedule:
The TV Ratings Guide
8:00
8:30
9:00
9:30
10:00
Mon
The Neighborhood
DMV
FBI
Watson
Tues
NCIS
NCIS: Origins
NCIS: Sydney
Wed
Survivor
The Amazing Race
Thurs
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
Ghosts
Matlock
Elsbeth
Fri
Sheriff Country
Fire Country
Boston Blue
Sun
Tracker
The Road
Encores
Renewed
Certain Renew
Likely Renew
Leans Renew
Leans Cancel
Likely Cancel
Certain Cancel
Canceled
What do you think of these predictions? What are your predictions? Let us know in the comments and vote in the poll below!
Christmas specials Frosty the Snowman (0.34) and Shrek the Halls (0.29) performed well on NBC, while A Motown Christmas (0.20) was a notch below them. NCIS: Origins (0.17, -0.12) collapsed on CBS, while NCIS (0.30, -0.04) and NCIS: Sydney (0.11, -0.04) had more mild declines in comparison. ABC aired The First Christmas (0.25) and a repeat of CMA Country Christmas (0.11). Fox aired reruns of Murder in a Small Town (0.16) and Doc (0.12). WWE NXT (0.09, +0.01) ticked up on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.
One week after the mammoth Dancing with the Stars finale, Dancing with the Holidays (0.65) dominated in a similar fashion, although its ratings prowess was muted when compared to a traditional episode of Dancing. ABC also aired a CMA Country Christmas (0.34) and a holiday-themed edition of What Would You Do? (0.21). On CBS, NCIS (0.34, -0.02) slipped, but NCIS: Origins (0.29, +0.07) and NCIS: Sydney (0.15, +0.02) rose. NBA on NBC (0.47, +0.08) also climbed higher. Murder in a Small Town (0.16, -0.03) declined for its Fox finale. Key: (F) = finale.
This week on the CBS Renew/Cancel, we take a look at a struggling comedy that received some good news with the anticipated release of the season's first MP+35 ratings. Plus, a look at the seasons's first renewals, and a downgrade for an embattled new reality show.
