CBS was the first network to begin handing out renewals, and now it’s become the first network to determine the fate of its entire scripted lineup.
In a move that is unlikely to surprise many, CBS has announced that it will not be renewing Watson or DMV, cancelling the two bubble series, which were the network’s only scripted series on the bubble. The decision comes with little surprise, as the future of the two series was not looking great.
In its second season Watson’s ratings slipped with its move to Monday nights in the fall, behind FBI. CBS then moved the show back to Sunday nights at midseason, where its ratings haven’t fared much better. The series narrowly escaped cancellation last year, with CBS giving the show a chance to find its footing in season 2. Sadly, the interest was not where it needed to be, and the network has decided not to proceed with a third season.
DMV, meanwhile, started its season with a commendable start, but viewership has slowly declined as the season has continued. While the rating likely played the biggest factor in the show’s cancellation, it doesn’t help that the series failed to create much buzz for the network. The series hasn’t really made much of an impression on audiences, and its future looked uncertain the minute CBS opted not to renew it with the same speed it renewed this year’s freshman dramas Sheriff Country, Boston Blue, CIA, and Marshals—which all secured renewals just episodes into their first seasons.
With their fates now determined, both shows' upcoming season finales will become series finales. Watson will air its series finale on May 3, while DMV will wrap its season on May 11. CBS has not yet released synopsis information for either series’ final episode just yet, but there is a very real possibility the shows could end with cliffhangers that will not be resolved.
Between the two shows, it’s more likely that Watson fans will be the ones left with more questions than answers. While certain comedies, such as Ghosts, like to end with big cliffhangers, the majority of scripted comedies tend not to end with major unresolved storylines. Hopefully, knowing that there was a chance they might not get another season, the Watson writers won’t end the season with too many cliffhangers so that the show doesn’t end with too many cliffhangers.
Now that a decision has been made on its scripted lineup, we'll have to wait to see what CBS determines on its unscripted series. Those decisions should be made in the coming days, as CBS will reveal its schedule for the 2026-27 season in mid-April.