CBS just “shocked” fans when announcing a series of major changes for the 2025–2026 broadcast season: 8 series canceled, a series of shows renewed, and a “monument” of late night is about to say goodbye.
🚨 “FBI Universe” shakes up strongly
The biggest shock comes from the FBI franchise of legendary producer Dick Wolf. While the original series FBI continues to be renewed for a new season, the two spin-offs FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International have been officially killed by CBS.
Fans on social media could not hide their anger, calling this “one of the most disappointing decisions of the year”. Some sources said Dick Wolf is negotiating with Paramount+ to save or revive at least one of the two series.
🔥 8 series officially canceled
The list of shows “going away” this year includes:
S.W.A.T. – ended in season 8 after being saved several times.
The Equalizer – an action series starring Queen Latifah, was not renewed.
FBI: Most Wanted & FBI: International – two of the biggest victims of the “FBI shake-up”.
Poppa’s House and The Summit – two new shows that stopped right after the first season.
Along with a number of other sitcoms and crime dramas that have not been announced.
💥 Fan favorites return strongly
While many series are being canceled, CBS continues to invest in its golden brands:
NCIS – returns for season 23, continuing to expand the universe with NCIS: Sydney and NCIS: Origins.
Fire Country – greenlit for season 4, after breaking CBS’s ratings record in 2024.
Ghosts, Tracker, Elsbeth, Matlock and Watson are all renewed.
Reality hits like Survivor, The Amazing Race, 60 Minutes and 48 Hours remain CBS’s “key” shows.
A special case is The Neighborhood, a sitcom beloved by audiences, which has been renewed for season 8 – but this will also be its final season.
💔 “The Late Show” ends its glory days
CBS also confirmed that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will end in May 2026, ending more than 33 years of history of The Late Show brand.
According to Entertainment Weekly, this is a “strategic restructuring” decision by CBS to focus on digital content and young audiences, not related to ratings or revenue.
📺 A new era for CBS
The simultaneous cancellation of many series, especially spin-offs in “FBI Universe”, shows that CBS is reshaping its entire television strategy.
The goal: rejuvenate the brand, expand to Paramount+, and break new ground in 2025–2026.
Fans may be mourning, but it’s clear — CBS is rewriting its own rules.
