CBS cancels four iconic shows, and one of them is a Stephen Colbert masterclass
If NBC set the tone with a slew of cancellations, CBS added to it by bringing four hit shows to end. Compared to NBC's 10, the four canceled shows will hurt fans after they were received well. 'The Neighborhood', 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert', 'Watson', and 'DMV' were all canceled by the network. Fans of 'The Neighborhood' knew that the eighth season would be the final one. The writers had time to craft an ending, though reports suggested it wasn’t their decision to bring end the series.
'The Late Show' cancellation was a major shock with the announcement made well before the season started. The outrage was real on social media. The network called the move a cost-saving measure considering how the late-night TV has been down the slope in recent times. Both 'DMV' and 'Watson' were canned after their first and second seasons, respectively. 'Watson's first season finished with 13 episodes, while the sophomore season ran for 20 episodes. Despite lasting for 33 episodes, the ratings were not enough to keep it on air, according to Amy Reisenbach, the President of CBS Entertainment. “In terms of DMV (the other cancelled show) and Watson, we love both those shows. They were a joy to work on," Reisenbach said at the time, according to Deadline. "Morris Chestnut is maybe one of the greatest No. 1's I've ever dealt with. But, you know, it's a high bar on CBS. We aggregate all the numbers, and we have to make those tough decisions in order to make room for new shows."
The writing was on the wall for 'Watson when the series moved from the Monday slot to the Sunday slot. During its first season, the show averaged 5.16 million viewers. The show was shifted to Monday for its sophomore run, where its viewership faltered significantly, which led to its cancellation. Understandably the later parts were a struggle as TV show audiences necessarily don't tune in with the streamers putting in more gripping content. 'DMV' saw a decline in numbers as well, possibly leading to the cancellation. At the time of writing, CBS is yet to provide a concrete explanation about all cancellations. But for now, fans will have to get accustomed to the grim reality that some of their favorite shows aren't part of the network's future plans. Only time will tell more shows will be in the chopping block.
