Every TV season, cancellations happen, and some hurt way more than others. During the 2024–2025 TV season, all the major networks made some huge decisions. Three of them made some of the hardest cancellation decisions of the lot.
The CW is still to make most decisions, and we’re worried about shows like Good Cop/Bad Cop and Sherlock & Daughter. Meanwhile, ABC still has Doctor Odyssey on the bubble, which is unusual for the network. CBS, NBC, and FOX all made some huge announcements, and some of the cancellations hurt way more than others.
FBI: International
We start with one of the most surprising decisions by CBS. Back in March 2024, CBS opted to bring an end to the FBI franchise as we know it by cancelling two shows. Only the flagship series remains, but there is a new CIA spinoff in the universe coming. However, the cancellation of FBI: International was a devastating decision, especially with the way the series came to an end.
Despite having time to wrap up the story by changing the finale just a little bit, we are left with careers in limbo. Vo and Raines were just about to hear who got the GS-14 promotion, and Wes got to meet his half-sister. There were clear signs that this series thought it would get a fifth season, and it makes the surprising cancellation even worse.
FBI: Most Wanted
The other FBI show to get canceled was FBI: Most Wanted. This one wasn’t as much of a surprise as International, as it did have slightly lower linear ratings. However, it was still a fun and twisty show with some excellent characters. At least there was closure for everyone in this series finale.
It doesn’t make the cancellation hurt less, though. After all, this series had some of the best characters on the network, giving us a look at how working moms can feel torn and how it’s important to step up as a bonus dad. What makes it worse is learning that Barnes will take over leading the Fugitive Task Force, and now we don’t get to see that.
SWAT
After U-turns and uncancellations, SWAT finally came to an end in May 2025. It was one of the big CBS decisions in March 2025, and it does hurt considering the way the series ended and the news of the spinoff series. The series did bring some closure, but there were also hints of what could have been had SWAT season 9 happened.
To make it hurt more, Sony tried to find a new home for this series. There were talks of SWAT season 9, but in the end, a spinoff was the way to go instead. Unfortunately, it’s come as a shock to many of the original cast members of the series, and that makes this spinoff feel a little icky.
Found
Out of all the canceled shows in the 2024–2025 TV season, it’s Found that is most definitely going to hurt the most for me. This is the one I watched religiously, because it brought some of the best storytelling and character development. We got to see a real found family support and guide, as they worked together to find some of the forgotten missing people in the world.
Then there was the Sir twist. Mark-Paul Gosselaar certainly showed off his acting abilities as he played the sociopath with one clear goal: to capture Gabi again! The second season ended with a major cliffhanger, making it clear that there is more to tell. Now we need to find a new home for this one.
The Irrational
While I expected The Irrational to be canceled, it doesn’t mean I like it! The Irrational was a great series that brought a behavioral science twist to murders, kidnappings, and much more. Not everything was a straightforward case, but it seemed like it should have been when Alec shared the rationally irrational behavior that people would showcase.
It’s another show that clearly had more stories to tell. We learned that Alec had a stalker, and there was hope for Alec and Rose moving forward, rather than delivering the standard main-character-and-his-ex-get-back-together trope that I feared would happen in the series premiere. Plus, I want to know more about how Rizwan, Phoebe, and Simon continue to work together now that Phoebe and Simon are together.
Night Court
There weren’t too many comedies canceled this year, but the one that hurt the most for me was the Night Court revival. This was such a fun show, and it was so in tune with the original series that it made it worth watching. This was clearly continued by fans of the original series, and it was a heartfelt tribute to it all.
Night Court was also one of those shows to watch for pure entertainment. There were no dark and twisty stories. Instead, it was light, fun, and somewhat unbelievably hilarious, and that’s often what we need after a hard week at work!
Rescue: Hi-Surf
FOX didn’t have too many cancellations, but one that hurt the most for me was Rescue: Hi-Surf. I know that it didn’t get the biggest of followings, but it had a loyal one, and there were clearly more stories to tell. However, I do believe that some of the writing was a little disjointed, especially when it came to Em and Will.
That being said, it was somewhat different from all of the other first responder dramas out there. This one put the focus on lifeguards on beaches, very much like Baywatch. Plus, we got to see elements of systemic racism, what it’s like coming from money, and dealing with the loss of people close to you. This series deserved better.