FBI: Most Wanted and International fans reeling from the show’s cancellations are holding out hope NBC might step in and pick them up! Could it happen?
We’re coming into the spring, which is when TV networks start clearing their slates for the fall season. That means a few shows are sadly going to be axed, despite some good fan bases and ratings.
Yet fans of FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International were shocked by the word that CBS was cancelling both shows effective with their current seasons (Most Wanted has six while International is in its fourth). The reasoning appears to be a combination of ratings and issues in how both shows (like FBI) are produced by Universal Entertainment, not CBS. Deadline reported that negotiations between Universal and CBS became “tense” and eventually broke down, leading to the axings.
The fact there's another spinoff planned, this one focusing on the CIA, may indicate CBS prefers cutting the franchise down a bit from four shows to just two. It’s a bitter pill for fans, even as there is hope Dick Wolf Productions can shop the shows around. In which case, many are hoping that NBC might save the day for the FBI!
Why NBC could pick up the FBI shows
Obviously, a key reason for NBC to pick up the spinoffs is that they’re home to several Dick Wolf franchises already with One Chicago and Law & Order. Adding on the FBI programs would fill a few holes in NBC’s schedule, which they could use.
It’d be easy to pair up International or Most Wanted on Thursdays following the two Law & Order shows. They could also work on Sundays, which are usually tough nights for NBC to tackle. Having the shows “in-house” can aid in the budgets and some unique crossovers.
Granted, we’d lose the usual crossovers with the main FBI series, yet there can be some connections. There’s also the chance that rather than NBC itself, the series could make their way to Peacock. That would be a good push for the shows and even open them up to be more daring in content. The fact Peacock already has past seasons of the two shows (thanks to their deal with Dick Wolf) is a bonus as fans can easily get into the series that way.
It seems a good bet for NBC yet there are issues preventing it.
Why NBC may not save FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted
A key reason NBC may be wary of taking on these shows is the problem of cost. ABC was willing to take on 911 from Fox and increase its budget because the show was still a ratings winner. In contrast, Most Wanted and International had seen their ratings dip in their current seasons, not the best sign of a huge fanbase that will follow to another network.
International is a bigger risk as it films on location in Europe, which costs a pretty penny even after tax breaks. NBC may not be willing to foot that bill and makes it unlikely it could jump over. Most Wanted also does location shooting and more action, which can hamper the budget.
Also, like CBS, NBC has limited spots in their schedule, so there is not enough room for everything. Moving to Peacock would only rob them of ratings and make less of an investment for the network. NBC may feel the small fanbase willing to go to Peacock won’t be worth taking both shows on.
Maybe there’s a mild chance NBC could decide on one show, likely Most Wanted, as it’d be cheaper to make. It'd be tricky to handle, and again, it's unlikely we'd see many crossovers with the CBS shows. While it'd be wonderful to see that continue, the likelihood of NBC just letting the show go is higher.
As it stands, it looks like both these FBI shows are truly gone and the chances of a revival on another network aren’t high.
FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted air Tuesdays on CBS.