CBS Quietly Cancels 4 Shows, Including Top-Rated Drama Series

CBS had to make some brutal calls this season, proving that even massive ratings and star-studded casts can’t save a show from the chopping block.

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 2: The offices of “60 Minutes,” CBS Sports, and “Inside Edition,” across the street from the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan on June 2, 2026 in New York City. Bari Weiss’s overhaul of 60 Minutes sparked a newsroom revolt after the removal of several senior producers and correspondents, with critics accusing her of weakening the show’s editorial independence. The conflict peaked when veteran correspondent Scott Pelley publicly accused Weiss of “murdering” the program and was subsequently fired by CBS. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)

Al Drago / Getty Images

Key Points

CBS trimmed its lineup down by cutting four series during the 2025–2026 season, keeping its primetime casualties far lower than competing networks.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was completely axed due to steep $40 million financial deficits, effectively ending The Late Show franchise permanently.
High production costs and looming cast raises brought an end to The Neighborhood, while low viewership claims killed off Watson and freshman comedy DMV.

As the 2025–2026 television calendar officially winds down, major networks are playing musical chairs with their fall lineups. While CBS didn’t go completely scorched-earth like some of its competitors — looking at you, NBC and your double-digit body count — the Eye Network still quietly pulled the plug on four distinct projects.

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From long-running sitcoms that simply became too expensive to feed, to freshman projects that couldn’t find an audience, the recent wave of axings left a few major gaps in the network’s schedule.

Here is a breakdown of what got cut, why it happened, and how these shows left things with their viewers.

1. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Easily the most stunning casualty of the year was the total termination of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. CBS drop-shipped this cancellation notice before the season even found its footing, sparking plenty of public noise. Critics of the host pointed to his relentless political roasts of President Donald Trump, while fans decried the move as corporate censorship.

Behind closed doors, however, the network insisted the decision was purely financial. Late-night TV viewership has been bleeding out for a decade, and reports suggest CBS was eating a brutal $40 million annual loss on the program. Instead of replacing Colbert, the network is retiring the historic Late Show brand entirely.

The Farewell: The final curtain dropped on Thursday, May 21. Colbert went out with an absolute circus of a finale, pulling in heavy hitters like Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and even a musical exit from Sir Paul McCartney.

2. The Neighborhood

Unlike the sudden late-night execution, fans of The Neighborhood had a whole year to prepare for the end. CBS gave the sitcom an eighth and final season to tie up loose ends, framing it as a “proper farewell” for its dedicated fanbase.

The real reason for the end was standard showbiz math. Series star Cedric the Entertainer later spilled the beans, admitting that after eight years on the air, the entire cast was due for massive contract raises that the network simply couldn’t justify. Cedric also noted he was ready to pivot into more serious, dramatic acting gigs.

The Farewell: The May 11 finale delivered exactly what fans wanted: a heartwarming double wedding for Calvin and Tina’s boys, wrapped up with an emotional moving-day departure for Dave and Gemma.

3. Watson

This one stung for procedural fans. Starring Morris Chestnut as a medical-mystery-solving iteration of Dr. John Watson, the drama was axed after just two seasons. Things looked grim early on when CBS bumped the show from its cozy Monday night slot to a late Sunday night graveyard shift where live viewership traditionally goes to die.

CBS Entertainment Chief Amy Reisenbach didn’t hide from the decision, praising Chestnut as a phenomenal leading man but noting that the ratings bar on CBS is simply too high to keep underperforming shows alive.

The Farewell: Because creator Craig Sweeny didn’t know if the show would survive while filming the Season 2 finale, he left fans with a maddening, permanent cliffhanger. Watson underwent high-stakes brain surgery for a tumor, hallucinated his deceased partner Sherlock Holmes (Robert Carlyle), and left his ultimate survival entirely up in the air.

4. DMV

The absolute shortest lifespan on this list belongs to DMV. This workplace comedy — boasting a stellar comedic lineup featuring Tim Meadows, Tony Cavalero, and Molly Kearney — premiered in October 2025 and was swiftly taken out back by March.

Based on a short story by Katherine Heiny, the East Hollywood-set series simply failed to move the needle in terms of raw viewership.

The Farewell: The freshman sitcom wrapped up on a hilariously awkward note. While the characters managed to save their local branch from a corporate shutdown, the highly anticipated, slow-burn romantic kiss between leads Noa and Colette ended up being completely ruined when both characters realized mid-embrace that they actually shared zero romantic chemistry.

About the author

Rachel Schneider

Trending News Writer, Men’s Journal

Rachel Schneider is a Trending News Writer for Men’s Journal with several years of experience writing across digital media, with a background that spans service journalism, lifestyle content, and breaking news.