CBS had a lot of fans crying foul after some recent television series cancelations. Among the most controversial were the crime dramas NCIS: Hawai’i and CSI: Vegas getting axed, both after three seasons each.
At the Banff World Media Festival, CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach spoke about these cancelations, per Variety. Reisenbach acknowledged that these are very “tough calls” to make, sometimes resulting in “sleepless nights.” However, as she went on to explain, it comes down to what’s best for business after closely analyzing the numbers.
“I’m a big fan of TV first and I sympathize and relate to all of the fans out there who are disappointed in the fact that these shows are ending,” she said. “But at the end of the day, our job at CBS is to make those really tough calls. We toss and turn and have sleepless nights and have endless discussions, but we look at all of the numbers. We look at what our projections are for the future, we look at where we see opportunities to potentially have even bigger success on the schedule. And we make those tough decisions.”
“I’m a big fan of TV first and I sympathize and relate to all of the fans out there who are disappointed in the fact that these shows are ending. But at the end of the day, our job at CBS is to make those really tough calls.”
With NCIS: Hawai’i, it might be that the axe had to fall somewhere with so much content fo the franchise in the works. Along with the main series and NCIS: Sydney moving forward, a new prequel series, dubbed NCIS: Origins, is coming to CBS in the fall. There’s another show in the works at Paramount+, called NCIS: Tony & Ziva, that’s in development as well. As for CSI, it has since been announced that the franchise is moving into the true crime space with a new docuseries called The Real CSI: Miami.
It Has Been a Roller Coaster With S.W.A.T.
It’s a different situation with S.W.A.T., which was given a surprise renewal for another season. The show was initially canceled after six seasons, but following a fan outcry, it was renewed for what was announced to be the seventh and final season. However, the network has given the show a renewal for Season 8. Reisenbach commented on how things kept changing with S.W.A.T., noting how “every negotiation is different.”
“Sometimes they’re a roller coaster,” she said. “I personally enjoy it. I’m a competitive person and we always want to find the best outcome that works for everyone. The show continues to do well. We’re so proud of it. Shemar [Moore] is obviously a great star for us. and the fact that we were able to come to a deal with Sony again, we’re really happy about.”