Is CBS Going to Cancel ‘Criminal Minds’ & ‘Elementary’?

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Michael Yarish/CBS & Jeff Neira /CBS

CBS recently announced that they’ll be renewing 11 shows for the 2018-2019 schedule, but some fan favorites didn’t make the list.

Among the show’s renewed are Blue Bloods, Bull, Hawaii Five-0, Madam Secretary, MacGyver, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, Survivor, The Amazing Race, 48 Hours, and 60 Minutes. These 11 shows join the already previously announced renewals for The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Mom, NCIS, SEAL Team, and S.W.A.T.

Two big titles glaringly absent from the lengthy list include longtime series Criminal Minds and Sherlock Holmes-inspired Elementary. While they haven’t been entirely canceled as of yet, their return depends on the network’s decision which will likely have to be made by the time upfront presentations roll around.

The cast of Criminal Minds in Season 13.

The backlash was immediate when the announcement was made, considering that, if canceled, Criminal Minds would have ended on a cliffhanger — [Spoiler Alert] it was revealed in the final moments of the Season 13 finale that Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) was being held hostage by the serial killer cult that the team was investigating.

Meanwhile, Elementary is beginning its sixth season at the end of this month. Elementary‘s fate will likely balance on the success of its ratings, and fans who are displeased with its lack of renewal will have to tune in to try and save it from a doomed fate.

The cast of Elementary.

Elementary stars Jonny Lee Miller, Lucy Liu, and Aiden Quinn among others and premiered six years ago on the fall 2012 slate. Criminal Minds is one of the network’s longest-running shows and recently welcomed back fan favorite Shemar Moore for a guest appearance earlier this past season, it premiered in 2005.

Criminal Minds and Elementary aren’t the only shows in limbo either. Kevin Can Wait, Life in Pieces, Scorpion, Man with a Plan, Superior Donuts, Living Biblically, and Code Black are all in danger of getting the axe.

Following Criminal Minds‘ Season 13 finale, the show’s executive producer Erica Messer spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the potential cancellation and why she hopes it isn’t. “It would almost be a crime to not allow us to finish out our show. That’s how strongly I feel, they wouldn’t let us just go off and into the sunset like that.”

Meanwhile it should comfort fans that Criminal Minds hasn’t earned an early pickup in years meaning that it’s more likely than not that the series will return. As for Elementary, the show isn’t as established since it’s been airing for less than half the length that Criminal Minds has.

In terms of ratings, Criminal Minds isn’t far behind in the viewership range than its David Boreanaz led SEAL Team. The series is garnering just above 5 million viewers while SEAL Team is pulling in just under 7 million.

Until upfronts start in May, the shows’ fates hang in the balance.

Elementary, Season 6 Premiere, Monday, April 30, 10/9c, CBS




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  1. O

    OrangeCherries

    So, Elementary Season 6 premieres April 30 and CBS will decide in May if it will be canceled. The fate of one of the smartest shows ever to air on CBS lies in the hands of the fans. Since "ratings" are tabulated using the choices of viewers under 49, a good percentage of Elementary fans have no effect on said ratings. Besides older viewers being overlooked, I don't believe any of us in the Elementary fandom possess the wizardry powers to make a difference after 1 or 2 episodes. Shame on CBS.

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    1. R

      RedCarrot

      I hate to say this, but the April 30 start date already clued me in to CBS plans for Elementary.

      3

    2. O

      OliveSword

      CBS banishing the show to Sunday Night Purgatory definitely did not help matters.

      ...I saw CBS' new show Instinct and it was as though its creators stole bits of Elementary and tried to glue them together. If you're going to reinvent the wheel, CBS, the idea ought to be to improve upon it, not deflate it.

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  2. O

    OrangeMagnet

    I LOVE Sherlock.

    I really really like Elementary.

    They held true to their promise of no hanky panky between Holmes and Watson.

    Plus many great actors/characters.

    Dump all the sitcoms they're considering, and Save Joan Watson and Sherlock Holmes.

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    1. O

      OliveSword

      [CBS should] Definitely ditch Instinct, it's CBS' strange reinvention of Elementary, only it is strictly worse in every way.

      Perception + Elementary - (fun + quality) = Instinct

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    GreenFlask

    So, I guess that if your over 50 or 60, that voting from them don't count..Wow, They are more viewers in that age group than they are in the group you have... The groups you have are more interested in Variety, Comedy & Reality Shows..or Movies. The viewers your targeting are working age, still have small children, or teenagers.. They don't have time to watch! Criminal Minds is one of my favorites!!

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    1. O

      OliveSword

      I wonder why CBS doesn't target the older demographic. It seems to be what their shows skew towards, and it seems to be what TV skews towards in general as the youth today does not watch TV per se.

      Besides, it's the boomers who are sitting on fat stacks of cash 😉

  4. O

    OrangeController

    I don't think I can bear the exist of Criminal Minds...I look forward to it every week...I literally don't believe these Networks know what they're doing Canceling these great shows Taken, Criminal Minds, and we're still waiting on Shades of Blue to return, and Wayward Pine...So many good shows gone!!!!

  5. B

    BluePaw

    I can't believe they would pick Young Sheldon and Mom over Criminal Minds!! That just goes to show you how dumb the network is

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      OrangePopcorn

      Criminal Minds is where it's at! All them comedy shows center on and rely on the main character and doesn't work most of the time!

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