8 Brutal CBS Cancellations of the 2020s That We Still Can’t Get Over

It’s that time of the year for renewals and cancellations. As CBS continues to make decisions, it’s time to look back at some of the most brutal cancellations on the network in the last five years.

CBS has made some heartbreaking decisions in the 2020s, canceling popular shows, spinoffs, and long-running shows. Many of them had fans and the cast start campaigns in order to save them, and although just one was successful, it didn’t stick.

Even though a few of them were lucky enough to get final seasons with closure, it doesn’t make the cancellation hurt any less. Here are nine brutal CBS cancellations we still can’t believe.

S.W.A.T.

Starting with the most recent ones and the ones that are still fresh, S.W.A.T. was announced to be canceled just last week. This will be the third time the Shemar Moore-led procedural has been canceled. The series initially got the axe in 2023 ahead of the Season 6 finale. Following an uproar from fans and the cast, CBS and producing studio Sony Pictures Television negotiated a new deal just days later for a final seventh season of 13 episodes.

Then, in April 2024, a month before the supposed series finale, CBS surprised everyone by renewing S.W.A.T. for Season 8, with a full order of 22 episodes. At the time, it wasn’t announced that this would be the last one, but now that the series has been canceled yet again, it’s likely third time’s the charm. However, fans have already started campaigning to save the show, whether or CBS or elsewhere, but it’s still sad to know that fans will have to say goodbye to 20-Squad yet again.

FBI: Most Wanted

A surprising addition to the list, FBI: Most Wanted was canceled last week along with fellow spinoff FBI: International. News came after FBI was given a three-season renewal last year, taking the flagship show through the 2026-27 season, while Most Wanted and International were just give single season renewals.

That being said, the cancellation was still as surprising as ever, especially since all three FBI shows have been strong contenders on Tuesday nights. As with any series that is canceled, there’s the chance it could be saved somewhere else, but for now, fans will have to prepare to say goodbye to the Fugitive Task Force later this season after six seasons.

FBI: International

As previously mentioned, FBI: International was only canceled last week, along with FBI: Most Wanted, and it still hurts. The series marked the first international spinoff of the FBI franchise, and while it was likely a little bit more expensive to make than the other two, the cancellation still came as a shock.

Just like with Most Wanted, there is the possibility that the show could be picked up elsewhere. Considering the shows come from Universal Television, NBC and Peacock seem like the most likely choices, joining fellow Dick Wolf franchises One Chicago and Law & Order. For now, though, the Fly Team will be going on their final mission after only four seasons in just a matter of months.

Blue Bloods

Even though Blue Bloods went on for 14 seasons, it still wasn’t enough. The series was announced to be ending in 2023, and fans officially said goodbye to the Reagans last December. Fans started a campaign in an effort to save the show prior to the finale, and much of the cast expressed interest in continuing the show, whether for another season, a spinoff, or simply keeping it going by doing TV movies every once in a while.

While the series ended on some nice closure for the Reagans, and fans will see Donnie Wahlberg’s Danny Reagan again in the new offshoot Boston Blue, the cancellation still hurts because of the many stories about the Reagans that could have been told. Not to mention that it’s been a mainstay on CBS on Friday nights, and it’s been pretty hard to get used to.

NCIS: Hawai’i

NCIS: Hawai’i was probably the most upsetting cancellation of 2024. When it was announced that the NCIS spinoff would be ending after three seasons, fans went into a frenzy and were understandably furious with CBS. Many had pointed out that the show was one of the top series on the network, and even if money was a factor, it shouldn’t have been enough to warrant a cancellation. Not only that, but the show was the first in the franchise to have a female lead and the first to feature a main lesbian couple.

Despite the efforts, the show was never able to be saved, and Hawai’i is currently the shortest-lived NCIS series. Although there was a subtle referenced to the canceled show on a recent episode of NCIS, that doesn’t really make things better. There is always the possibility that someone from the Honolulu team will show up on the Mothership, but for now, fans are still as disappointed as ever.

CSI: Vegas

CBS canceling spinoffs from two long-running franchises in 2024 was certainly brutal. The network wound up axing CSI revival CSI: Vegas, also after only three seasons. Despite bringing back OG stars such as William Petersen, Jorja Fox, Marg Helgenberger, Wallace Langham, Paul Guilfoyle, and Eric Szmanda, it just wasn’t enough. The show takes place following the series finale of CSI and marked the fifth, and so far final, series in the CSI franchise.

It’s always possible that the CSI franchise will make another comeback and that the stories of everyone’s favorite crime scene investigators will continue. There’s a reason the franchise managed to stay afloat for 16 consecutive years and come back after five to last three more.

NCIS: Los Angeles

Another series that had some proper closure but still hurts is NCIS: Los Angeles. The second longest-running series in the NCIS franchise, capping out at 14 seasons, the show ended in 2023. Just like with Blue Bloods, even 14 seasons wasn’t enough of the Office of Special Projects. LL Cool J did come over to NCIS: Hawai’i to recur as Special Agent Sam Hanna for Season 3, but it only made people realize how much they missed NCIS: LA.

Also like Hawai’i, the series was recently referenced on NCIS. Plus, Daniela Ruah appeared as Special Agent Kensi Blye in the 1,000^th episode last year. Whether or not more characters will appear on NCIS is unknown, but regardless, the cancellation hurts, especially considering that NCIS: LA is nowhere to be streamed.

MacGyver

Last but certainly not least, the Lucas Till-led reboot was canceled in 2021 after five seasons, coming just six episodes short of 100 episodes. Like many shows on this list, fans banded together to start campaigns in an effort to save the show, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful.

The show was part of the same fictional universe shared with the reboots of Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I., which was one of the more fun aspects of the show. But even with the successful reboot, crossovers, and the fans, it just wasn’t enough. There was some closure, but it definitely opened up the door to much more, making the cancellation all the more heartbreaking. Since it was rebooted once, it’s always possible another reboot will happen, but probably not for years.