14 Returning Shows Ranked From Least to Most Likely to Be Canceled

'Law & Order: SVU,' 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Night Court'
NBC; ABC

With the fall shows making their midseason returns, renewals and cancellations are bound to be on the minds of creators and viewers alike.

TV ratings are the numbers that make or break a TV show. The success of a show is measured primarily in audience size and ratings among the various age demographics. The 18-49 demo is the most coveted age group, as advertisers believe they have the most disposable income and are more likely to be swayed by ads than older viewers who perhaps have brand loyalty. A popular show means broadcast TV networks can charge more for advertisers to book slots in their commercial breaks, and those ad sales are how they make money. Streaming services, on the other hand, have a subscription model in addition to some ads on select subscription tiers.

The Fall 2024-25 TV ratings for broadcast shows are in. Here, we predict which returning shows (not new shows like High Potential or Matlock) are most likely to be canceled or renewed based on their audience size and ratings in the 18-49 demo.

Jennifer Love Hewitt, Oliver Stark, and Kenneth Choi in '9-1-1' Season 8 Episode 9
Disney / Ray Mickshaw

9-1-1

Ratings: 6.5 million viewers, 0.65 rating; TV’s No. 2-rated broadcast drama, ABC’s second-most watched scripted show behind High Potential

Prediction: ABC is clearly investing a lot in Ryan Murphy between 9-1-1, its upcoming potential spinoff, and Doctor Odyssey. A renewal is imminent.

CBS

FBI Franchise

Ratings: FBI: 8.2 million viewers, 0.50 rating (CBS’s No. 5-most watched show); FBI: International: 6.62 million viewers, 0.40 rating; FBI: Most Wanted: 6.56 million viewers, 0.40 rating

Prediction: International and Most Wanted renewed (FBI was already picked up for the 2025-2026 season)

One Chicago
NBC

One Chicago Franchise

Ratings: NBC’s top-three most-watched scripted shows. Chicago Fire: 7.83 million viewers, 0.60 rating; NBC’s No. 1 non-sports program, broadcast’s No. 4-rated drama; audience down 8 percent. Chicago Med: 7.5 million viewers, 0.60 rating. Chicago P.D.: 7.1 million viewers, 0.60 rating; audience down 9 percent

Prediction: All three renewed

Peter Kramer / NBC; Will Hart / NBC

Law & Order Franchise

Ratings: Law & Order: SVU: 5.6 million viewers, 0.65 rating; Broadcast’s No. 2-rated drama; NBC’s seventh-most watched show; audience down 18 percent. Law & Order: 4.83 million viewers, 0.45 rating; audience down 16 percent

Prediction: Despite the audience dips, these shows are too legendary to cut without ample warning heading into the start of the seasons. Both will be renewed.

Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer, Karen David as Rose Dinshaw — 'The Irrational' Season 2 Episode 8
Sergei Bachlakov / NBC

The Irrational

Ratings: 4.87 million viewers, 0.39 rating; NBC’s ninth-most watched show; audience down 17 percent after moving to new night, but viewership is 9 percent higher than it was when Found was in this time slot

Prediction: Renewed

Jason George in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 21 Episode 8 - 'Drop it Like it's Hot'
Disney / Anne Marie Fox

Grey's Anatomy

Ratings: 4 million viewers, 0.52 rating; ABC’s seventh-most watched show; audience is down 17 percent for Season 21 compared to Season 20, but it’s performing better than its timeslot predecessor/spinoff Station 19

Prediction: The audience dip, plus the fact that its rating is lower than ABC shows with smaller audiences, could be enough for ABC to end Grey‘s. We predict it will be renewed for a 22nd and final season.

Cedric The Entertainer as Calvin and Max Greenfield as Dave in 'The Neighborhood' Season 7 Episode 3 - 'Welcome to the Vote'
Monty Brinton / CBS

The Neighborhood

Ratings: 4.7 million viewers, 0.46 rating; CBS’s 17th-most watched show; audience down 17 percent from Season 6

Prediction: It could be facing cancellation, but the sitcom has also been running for seven seasons already, proving it has a dedicated audience, and there’s a rumored spinoff in the works. This one could go either way, but fans are definitely hoping it sticks around.

Stephen Bishop as Miles and Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall in 'The Equalizer' Season 5 Episode 7 - 'Slay Ride'
Michael Greenberg / CBS

The Equalizer

Ratings: 6.5 million viewers, 0.44 rating; CBS’s 10th-most watched show of the season, but audience is down 18 percent since moving to a later time slot

Prediction: Canceled after current season (Season 5) ends, or renewed and moved to a new day/time. The series is also reportedly going to test out a potential spinoff with Titus Welliver, however, indicating CBS’s interest in keeping this series on-air.

'Bob's Burgers,' 'Krapopolis'
Fox

Fox Animated Shows

The Simpsons Ratings: 1.83 million viewers, 0.50 rating; numbers down 37 percent from Fall 2023; Fox’s most-watched animated show, 10th-most watched overall

Prediction: You don’t just cancel The Simpsons without notice. It will be renewed.

Universal Basic Guys Ratings: 1.82 million viewers, 0.50 rating; viewership down 10 percent; broadcast’s least-watched new show that’s not on The CW

Prediction: Could go either way.

Bob’s Burgers Ratings: 1.2 million viewers, 0.37 rating; numbers down 14 percent and 23 percent since Fall 2023; Fox’s 14th-most watched show out of 15

Prediction: Another iconic animated program that you can’t cancel cold turkey. Renewed.

Krapopolis Ratings: 807,000 viewers, 0.21 rating; numbers down 50 percent from Fall 2023; broadcast’s least-watched and lowest-rated TV show that’s not on The CW

Prediction: It’s been renewed for a fourth season already, but we predict that will be its last.

Shanola Hampton as Gabi Mosely — 'Found' Season 2 Episode 6
NBC

Found

Ratings: 3.9 million viewers, 0.41 rating; NBC’s 12th-most watched show; audience down 13 percent after moving nights, overall numbers down 23 percent and 33 percent from show in previous time slot slot, Law & Order: Organized Crime

Prediction: NBC moved Organized Crime to Peacock out of the time slot Found now occupies, and the Shanola Hampton drama’s numbers have only decreased. Found may have a higher rating than The Irrational, but The Irrational is performing better in Found‘s old time than Found is doing in its new time. Sadly, this may mean it will be canceled despite critical praise for the second season.

Shemar Moore as Daniel
Bill Inoshita / Sony Pictures Television / CBS

S.W.A.T.

Ratings: 5.6 million viewers, 0.47 rating; No. 16 out of CBS’s 20 most-watched shows; audience down 8 percent but rating is steady

Prediction: Given that it was canceled and then saved once already, the lack of a massive audience for the saved season hints that another cancellation is imminent.

Ken Jeong in 'Accused' Season 2
Peter Stranks / FOX

Accused

Ratings: 2.35 million viewers, 0.22 rating; Fox’s eighth-most watched show, but broadcast’s least-watched and lowest-rated drama that’s not on The CW; numbers down 38 percent and 63 percent from Season 1

Prediction: If Fox doesn’t mind getting rid of one of its only primetime dramas, then it will be canceled.

Nyambi Nyambi as Wyatt, John Larroquette as Dan Fielding, Wendie Malick as Julianne Walters in 'Night Court' Season 3 Episode 1 - 'The Judge’s Boyfriend’s Dad'
Nicole Weingart / NBC

Night Court

Ratings: 2.9 million viewers, 0.33 rating; audience down 24 percent after moving to later time; NBC’s 16th-most watched show out of 17; its canceled time slot predecessor, Extended Family, had higher overall numbers

Prediction: Canceled

Jaime Camil as Josué, Alexandra Billings as Paula, George Lopez as George, Selenis Leyva as Rosie in 'Lopez vs Lopez' Season 3 Episode 7 - 'Lopez vs Josué'
Nicole Weingart / NBC

Lopez vs. Lopez

Ratings: 2.3 million viewers, 0.26 rating. Steady viewership and ratings, but NBC’s least-watched (17th out of 17) and lowest-rated show

Prediction: With new comedies Happy’s Place and St. Denis Medical outperforming both Lopez vs. Lopez and Night Court, we predict NBC will cancel these two comedies after their third seasons end.

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