Cancellation Watch Breaking News: Limitless Officially Cancelled by CBS

Freshman CBS series Limitless did not get cancelled last week when the network was presenting its 2016-17 schedule to the advertisers, but it did not get renewed either.  Instead, the network indicated that they were “shopping it around” to other channels and platforms, with Netflix rumored as the most likely landing place.  But apparently nothing came of that as CBS has now officially cancelled the series.  Showrunner Craig Sweeny sent out the following tweet yesterday confirming that Limitless was done:

I’m truly sad to report that #Limitless will not continue on any platform. Thanks so much to everyone who watched.

— Craig Sweeny (@CraigSweeny) May 25, 2016

The series pulled only moderate ratings in the Tuesday 10 PM EST timeslot, but the ratings slide really began when CBS started preempted it and running repeats on a regular basis beginning in December. Despite that, it still had good delayed viewing numbers and was one of the few broadcast network shows that saw a significant boost in its standings based on DVR gains. Limitless was actually the eighth ranked scripted show on the network when you factor in those stats, moving up from the twelfth ranked based on the Overnights. CBS boss Les Moonves has said multiple times that the overnight ratings are “meaningless”, but if that is true, why was Limitless cancelled? He also previously stated that all five of the network’s freshman shows would be renewed, but in fact three of the seven (math skills are apparently not required to be a network boss) were cancelled and one (Supergirl) was shipped off to The CW. Limitless followed a very similar path to ABC’s Forever last year and represents yet another promising show cut down by poor network decision-making. The inevitable campaign to secure a second season for the show will surely follow, but since CBS found no interested buyers while shopping it around (likely because they priced it too high), the chances of that succeeding are slim.

The only other 2015-16 season show we are waiting to hear official word on is FOX’s The X-Files, though everything points to that returning, probably in the 2017-18 season (to accommodate the schedules of the principals). There are also several cable shows we are waiting to hear word on such as Stitchers, 12 Monkeys, Hunters, and Wynonna Earp.  Keep an eye on this site and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for word on those shows and more in the coming weeks.

Following are my comments to CBS this morning on Twitter, feel free to pass these along:

@CBS Les Moonves said the overnights are "meaningless" yet you cancelled #Limitless your 8th most-watched scripted show based on Live+7.

— Cancelled Sci Fi (@CancelledSciFi) May 26, 2016

@CBS Les Moonves said "all 5" of your new shows would be renewed, but 3 of *7* new shows were cancelled (incl #Limitless) and 1 sent away.

— Cancelled Sci Fi (@CancelledSciFi) May 26, 2016

@CBS Apparently what Les Moonves says–just like with politicians–is "meaningless". #RenewLimitless

— Cancelled Sci Fi (@CancelledSciFi) May 26, 2016