CBS Season Reaport (Keep track of your show)

[jp Van Der Berg]

In what I believe was the lowest rated CBS drama premiere ever, Made In Jersey flopped out of the gate at 9pm Friday night with just a 1.1 adults 18-49 rating, 21% below the now canceled A Gifted Man's 8pm start last season. Because of that, it's certain to be canceled by the end of the season. The only question now is how long it lasts on CBS's schedule.

Prior to 2009, CBS was in the habit of canceling their lowest rated drama before November sweeps, but hasn't done that in the last three years. Last season's Friday rookie, A Gifted Man, lasted 16 episodes (until early March) on CBS's schedule. The extra three episode order to fill time before the NCAA tournament caused showrunner Neal Baer to foolishly taunt us. Feel free to guess when CBS moves MIJ off its schedule in the comments or whether the MIJ showrunner will choose to taunt us. We can only hope.

Since CBS typically cancels its lowest rated sitcom each season, rookie sitcom Partners doesn't have much of a life expectancy either, it's almost certain to be replaced by Rules of Engagement at some point, perhaps sooner rather than later, but you can make your own guesses in the comments.

Could Vegas become the next Unforgettable? With or without the un-cancellation?

Is this the year another CSI bites the dust?

Did the move to 10pm Sunday kill The Mentalist?

After suffering through years of terrible ratings, will The Good Wife *finally* be sold into syndication by CBS? Will that mean the end of its run on broadcast?

These and lots more questions (and I hope answers!) coming in the weeks ahead.

[Thayer Jaime Gallager-Hart]

10/10 Update: Made In Jersey is the first canceled show of the season.
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Last season the Renew/Cancel Index adopted the rule of "If a show will be within one season of syndication at the end of this season, it will fall no further than a "toss up" for renewal or cancellation". Now, at least for CBS (and perhaps other nets later), I'm taking it up a notch.

Since CBS is a well oiled syndication machine, and has shown that it will sacrifice low current ratings for the bounty (or even the potential bounty) that the syndication gods provide I am christening a new rule: If a CBS produced & aired scripted show reaches a third season it is certain to receive a fourth. That fourth season typically ensures at least the minimum number of episodes (~88) needed for stripped syndication.

On that basis, I have moved both Hawaii Five-0 (already sold to TNT) and Blue Bloods to "certain to be renewed". Cue both doubting and relieved commenters!

While the syndication gods demanded the current fourth season for ratings loser The Good Wife, they are not guaranteed to demand a fifth, so it will likely remain a "toss up" all season long.

Made In Jersey is the biggest CBS Fall premiere drama flop in quite some time (arguably, ever). It's certain to be canceled, the only question is when.

Since CBS typically cancels its lowest rated sitcom each season, rookie sitcom Partners doesn't have much of a life expectancy either, it's almost certain to be replaced, likely by Rules of Engagement, sooner rather than later.