CBS has canceled CSI: Vegas after three seasons and So Help Me Todd after two. The news is not surprising as Deadline revealed earlier this week that both dramas were heavily on the bubble and in grave danger.
That despite CSI: Vegas and So Help Me Todd being solid ratings performers. With the entire CBS schedule doing well this season and three new drama series joining in 2024-25, NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson (in addition to a second season of the Australian NCIS: Sydney), the network was faced with painful decisions, and So Help Me Todd and CSI: Vegas are the least watched CBS drama series this spring in both linear and multi-platform ratings.
In most current linear Nielsen viewership (2/12 to date), CSI: Vegas, which improved its time period, is at #21 among all non-sports broadcast programs with 6.234M viewers and So Help Me Todd at #22 with 6.224M. That is more than a slew of series on other broadcast networks that have been safely renewed for next season, including ABC’s Will Trent, The Rookie and Grey’s Anatomy and NBC’s Law & Order, The Voice and The Irrational.
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In 35-day multi-platform viewership, So Help Me Todd is ahead by a hair with 7.7M viewers vs 7.6M for CSI: Vegas. There are no current plans for either series to move to Paramount+ following their CBS cancellations.
With broadcast budgets under pressure amid soft ad market and overall belt-tightening by the media companies, CBS series cuts were inevitable to make room for the new additions.
After Elsbeth was just renewed and with The Equalizer also expected to come back contingent on a new deal with star/executive producer Queen Latifah, NCIS: Hawai’i remains as the only major question mark.
As Deadline reported earlier this week, the series’ future is said to be the subject of tough business conversations, with a partial Season 4 of about 13 or so episodes a possibility. A Top 15 broadcast series in total viewers, Hawai’i is part of the storied NCIS franchise and the first installment with a female lead.
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Like Hawai’i, CSI: Vegas is part of a signature CBS/CBS Studios franchise with a long history on the network. CSI producer Bruckheimer Television has another CBS drama series, hot sophomore Fire Country, which has been renewed for next season and may spawn a Sheriff spinoff which is on a slower development track. There is also the potential Cold Case reboot from Bruckheimer TV and Warner Bros. TV, which has been in negotiations at CBS.
A followup to the 2000 CSI series, CSI: Vegas launched with original cast members William Petersen and Jorja Fox reprising their roles in Season 1. The sequel’s current cast includes fellow original star Marg Helgenberger, who joined in Season 2, Paula Newsome, Mandeep Dhillon, Matt Lauria, Ariana Guerra, Jay Lee and Lex Medlin.
The series, produced by CBS Studios in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television, is created and executive produced by Jason Tracey. Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, KristieAnne Reed, Anthony Zuiker, Carol Mendelsohn, Ann Donahue, Craig O’Neill, William Petersen, Cindy Chvatal, Steven H. Kram and Steven H. Blume also executive produce.
The cancellation ends So Help Me Todd‘s Cinderella story after beating the odds to land a series order in May 2022 after strong pilot testing then building strong momentum over the summer to launch as one of the surprise hits of the 2022-23 season, earning a very early Season 2 renewal.
The CBS Studios-produced series stars Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin, along with Madeline Wise, Tristen J. Winger, Inga Schlingmann and Rosa Arredondo. Scott Prendergast serves as creator and executive producer with Elizabeth Klaviter, who also serves as showrunner. Dr. Phil McGraw, Stuart Gillard, Jay McGraw and Julia Eisenman also executive produce.
The post ‘CSI: Vegas’ & ‘So Help Me Todd’ Canceled By CBS appeared first on Deadline.
