It’s time to update your bubble show scorecard.
Multiple sources confirm that cost-conscious CBS has informed the producers of Without a Trace and Cold Case that the long-running procedurals are facing possible cancellation come May.
“They no longer have the type of ratings that justify the massive overhead,” points out an Eye source, who adds that the Trace and Case bean counters at Warner Bros. are looking for ways to trim costs and avoid getting the axe. That includes convincing the casts of both shows to take salary cuts — or at the very least forfeit their annual raises. (As I reported last month, CBS is implementing a similar salary freeze at most of its in-house dramas.)
But even if new figures can be negotiated, the insider stresses that “it’s not a given that either show will be back.” Reps for CBS and Warner Bros. declined to comment for this story.
On the bright side, at least we don’t have to worry about perennial bubble candidate-turned-hit How I Met Your Mother this year! At least I don’t think we do. We better not.
Anyway, what say you, Trace/Case fans? Are you going to let these shows go without a fight? Well, are you?
More TV Scoop:
Friday Night Lights (almost) scores renewal
Law & Order: SVU temporarily replaces Mariska Hargitay
Smallville spoiler alert
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I love Cold Case!!! It better not go away!
I could care less. We have too many procedural shows on TV right now anyways.
They’re not gonna cancel them both, but only one of them. It’s gonna be Cold Case, because it doesn’t have as high ratings and demo numbers as WAT. WAT is getting pretty good ratings in a timeslot, where many previous shows totally tanked. WAT is staying.
Love, love Cold Case and Without a Trace . . . Please DON’T cancel!
I just realized my comment probably would come across a little jerky to fans of the show. Really, I am not meaning to point the finger at these shows in particular. Like I said, I just feel we don’t need anymore TV procedural dramas.
I lost interest in Without a Trace quite some time ago, I think it was sometime during the inaugural Roslyn Sanchez season (sorry, I just don’t like her). But Cold Case is one of my all-time favorite shows. It’s gritty, heartwarming and entertaining all at the same time. Rush and the gang bring it every Sunday! And Tracie Thoms was a welcome addition.
Loved WAT for the first 4 seasons then it took a nose dive for me – storylines got old; Roselyn Sanchez adds nothing to the show for me. I think its time to let it go; it has had a good run.
I love both shows and would be sad to see them go. Especially Cold Case because it can’t come out on DVD (music rights).
But if they do get canceled, I hope the producers get enough warning so we can get proper series finale’s.
Can EW please start doing a HIMYM TV Watch?
It goes no love from the mainstream press!
I loved both these shows but now I only watch Without a Trace, and I could live without it to so maybe it is time for some new fresh shows to replace these 2
To knightryder: I understand you weren’t trying to be a jerk, I am wondering though what you like in place of dramas? We have more than enough ‘reality’ already with Survivor, Bachelor, Dancing, Idol, etc etc. We are seriously lacking in comedies, but what else is there?
I just hope they don’t replace them with two new and less well developed procedurals.
I love cold case – why don’t they get rid of the unit and have cold case and without a trace run on Sunday nights.
Is there any news on The Unit yet? It’s a show I love but am constantly worried will be cancelled.
Without A Trace was a great show until the episode where the missing person was Jack as an old person and it was all a dream. That is when the show jumped the shark for me. I have never really liked Cold Case. So, bon voyage Cold Case. Please get better, Without A Trace, before you have to get cancelled.
There’s a difference between “dramas” and “procedurals”. The latter includes shows like the two in the article, Law and Order (and Company), and CSI, usually focusing on a “case of the week” and the process of solving that case beginning to end. There are many many non-procedural dramas on TV. Actually, the line continues to blur, as more and more procedurals become increasingly character-driven (Bones, CSI), and Law/Crime/Medicine procedure continues to be a popular setting for character drama as well.
I really hope something can be work out so at least one of them stays. I would hate to loose both.
I don’t whatch Cold Case all that much…It’s too damn depressing. As for Without A Trace…The show as been awful since the beginning of the fourth season. I still don’t know why they brought Elena on the show. She brings absolutely nothing. And the Sam/baby/Jack love-fest is nauseating.
I’ve enjoyed WaT – until the romancing on the show started making the characters totally unprofessional – I mean, Sam slept with her boss, then with her colleague, then she went back to swooning over her boss and now there’s some sort of a love triangle from what I heard? Ridiculous.
Never watched Cold Case. Have been a fan of Without a Trace but we’ve decided this would be our last season. Really unhappy with bringing Jack’s daughter on board as well as the personal relationship with Sam and Jack.
I stopped watching these shows because CBS was always running them later than their timeslot because of football. Trying to guess wwhen they’d run so I could set the DVR became impossible so I gave them up.
Cold Case has been off my list for a long, long while. It annoyed me to have to watch it later than scheduled due to 60 Minutes. So I dumped it.
Without a Trace – I’d be sorry to see it go. If it is canceled, I hope they at least end with Jack & Samantha together and happy.
I love Cold Case, but suspect it suffers from the interminable sports events that put ‘60 minutes’ et al past their starting times. When that happens, timing slides like dominoes and viewers go for programs with a ‘fresh start’ at the posted times. I’m loyal and patient, but it beginning to seem like I’m the only one.
I still enjoy these shows – though neither are must see any more. Hate the Jack/Sam thing! But I doubt that CBS has anything much better to put in it’s place – so they’ll just lose viewers in the long run
I guess we can expect some more CSI franchises…CSI Dallas, CSI Los Angeles, CSI New Orleans.
I love both shows. I watch every Sunday/Thursday and reruns on week-ends. I would hate to see either go but if I had to choose I’d like Cold Case to stay.
I love both shows. I watch every Sunday/Thursday and reruns on week-ends. I would hate to see either go but if I had to choose I’d like Cold Case to stay.
Once again they take the good stuff of to put on what? More reality programming? Thank god I read alot.
I don’t watch WAT anymore, and I like Cold Case, but I could live without it. The only bubble show I really care about this year is Chuck. Viva Buymoria!!!
They’d be crazy to cancel either one. The both have a respectable following and steady numbers. Both have survived that death slot on Sunday night where most shows die due the pre-empting. WaT has even survived the Tuesday death slot as well. I’d rather keep WaT if I had to chose, but I think it would be dumb for CBS to cancel either They are the only 2 CBS shows I watch, so there would be zero reason for me to ever tune in, if they were canceled.