The CBS fall 2025 schedule is out, and with that comes us setting up our diaries. However, it also brings some updates on the recently canceled shows. It’s time for CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach to defend decisions to cancel FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted.
Reisenbach talked about the cancellations of all big CBS shows. Yes, the recently canceled Equalizer was one of the shows mentioned, along with SWAT. But it’s the two FBI shows that came as the biggest shocks in the cancellation decisions. It turns out that the reasons are as annoyingly normal as usual.
It all comes down to money for FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted
Every year, we know that we have to say goodbye to some of our favorite shows. However, in recent years, there have been some surprising decisions. We’re still not over the cancellation of NCIS: Hawaii during the 2023–2024 TV season nor the cancellation of NCIS: Los Angeles the season before that.
In the 2024–2025 season, it was all about the two FBI spinoffs, International and Most Wanted. Of course, we kind of expected one of them to go due to the development of the CIA spinoff, but we didn’t expect to say goodbye to both of them.
It all came down to costs. While the two shows were popular, they weren’t popular enough to justify the renewals. The two shows did sit in the middle of CBS shows in the linear ratings, and while that would have been fine for CBS Studio shows, it’s not great when it comes to licensing from other networks.
This is the annoyingly standard reasoning behind cancellations. There was nothing wrong with the series; it’s just the way production costs are rising and linear ratings are dropping.
“We have to be fiscally responsible and ultimately, those deals and the shows just weren’t penciling out for us from an economic perspective. But we want to be in the business with Dick. We’re excited to launch a new two-hour block next season.”
The FBI shows are on the move
With the decision to end both FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted, Tuesdays are not going to be the same. It’s no longer going to be FBI Night, and instead will be NCIS Night.
Instead, FBI is moving to Mondays, taking the current NCIS timeslot (the two shows are doing a switch). The new spinoff series, CIA, starring Tom Ellis will air on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, taking the NCIS: Origins timeslot.
We could see some spinoffs created for next year, but it’s just the two shows for now. I’m interested in a Europol series, to be honest.
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