CBS waits on Elementary season 6 renewal; what does it mean?

Elementary March 25, 2017

While CBS may have renewed several different shows earlier this week, an Elementary season 6 renewal is one that they, much to the chagrin of many of their fans, they decided to wait on. The Jonny Lee Miller – Lucy Liu series has a consistent audience, but the problem here is rather simple: It’s not a huge audience. It doesn’t quite matter how consistent your audience is in the event that you don’t have one that is large enough to sell the advertisements necessary.

Following the renewal announcement, Elementary and Criminal Minds were the only two of the CBS dramas this season with a 22-24 episode order not officially confirmed for another season. In the case of the latter, we do feel like we’ve got a pretty-good picture as to what is going on. The ratings for Criminal Minds are decent enough that it needs to come back, but the primary issue there is that this is a show that comes from an outside studio and needs some further negotiating time.

For Elementary, it’s simply a ratings issue. In some ways, it’s a blessing the show made it to season 5 when we worried about its fate after season 4. Unfortunately, this is a show only averaging a 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, which is a huge drop of 30% from its season 4 average. In terms of total viewers the drop is only 14%, but a decline is still a decline and you don’t want to see it happen.

If we were a fan of Elementary worried about the show’s future, there are two things that we would do.

1. Watch the show live – We understand that it’s fairly late on a Sunday, and The Walking Dead often bleeds over to it. Remember, Elementary needs your ratings more. Check out the show live, encourage your friends / fellow viewers to do, and try to get some discussion going on social media. Hopefully the show gives you something fun to discuss, but that’s for the most part out of your control. You just have to hope for the best there.

2. Set expectations low – Hope that season 5 offers up some closure in the event there is not a season 6, and cross your fingers for some sort of powerful, poignant ending to this story. Give fans the conclusion that they deserve and that they waiting a long time for. Enjoy the show as though it’s the last one and be pleasantly surprised if it returns.

Do you still want to see an Elementary season 6 renewal? Share some of your thoughts on the subject in the comments! (Photo: CBS.)

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12 Comments

John
May 2, 2017 @ 8:13 pm

Love the show. There are so few good, quality shows on, Elementary is certainly high on that list. Really hoping it gets renewed.
Mamdani
May 1, 2017 @ 12:37 am

This is one of my favorite shows. I seriously hope they renew it.
Chris Crockett
April 26, 2017 @ 4:06 am

Elementary is unusual for CBS in that it has a larger overseas market than it has domestic. The show is popular in Great Britain, where it has filled in the long gaps between Sherlock seasons with satiating Holmes and Watson stories. I would be very surprised if the show ends now, as CBS does pretty well with it, but it’s possible they could sell it to Sky or another British network, which could continue the series in New York or relocate the players to London. Whatever happens, I hope it keeps going for a few more seasons.
CarpeCerevisi
April 12, 2017 @ 4:53 pm

I hate the fact that it’s probably going to get cancelled because of a horrible time slot, just like The Mentalist. CBS propped up the horrible wife, and killed The Mentalist. Elementary is one of the best shows on…. Come on cbs, for once be cool!!!!!
Cyndi Fleck
April 11, 2017 @ 7:02 pm

After CSI was dropped, I was going to boycott CBS and then elementary happened. This show is the best program on TV! Please continue this program!
Mike D
April 7, 2017 @ 3:12 pm

It radiates class, sophistication, intelligence and ambiance but in an understated way. Season 5 is treading water for some reason but there
should be plenty of potential to bring back some of the season long storythreads that add so much more. A jewel of a program and a credit to US TV
drama.
Kathryn Andrews Nagelberg
April 5, 2017 @ 5:30 pm

Yes they should keep it on. Late starts (34 mins in) didn’t help ratings. When your show starts at 10 on the schedule, but doesn’t come on til 10:30 it screws up recordings and people get mad.
Gill Lowe
April 2, 2017 @ 6:03 pm

There are few series these days that can consistently give a storyline that is believable and extremely well worked out. I am so bored with ‘reality’ programs that are absolute rubbish, or game shows that appeal to the lower mentalities, Elementary provides a series which makes you think and stimulates your brain as well as providing the subtlety of humour. These are excellent actors doing a very good job supported by extremely good writers. For goodness sake let us be entertained with intelligence and not mindless drivel! Please renew this series for a few years yet. Thank you.
FastEddie43
March 27, 2017 @ 6:06 pm

Elementary is my favorite show on tv, period. The best writing, the best acting. Scorpion comes close. If CBS had put Elementary after 60 Minutes and moved NCIS LA to 10pm ET slot, Elementary ratings would be 2X what they are now, and Madam Secretary’s ratings would be higher, also. I don’t think NCIS LA gives Madam much of a lead-in.
Rahul
March 27, 2017 @ 9:52 am

I am from India and I watch Elementary!! I believe this is one show which I would like to continue!!!
Julie
March 27, 2017 @ 1:47 am

CBS needs to keep Elementary on, if only as a prestige program. Jonny Lee Miller is one of the best actors on any network, and Lucy Liu compliments him perfectly. I only hope if worse comes to worse, a cable or streaming service will pick it up.Elementary still has many good years left.
Georgette Timmerman
March 27, 2017 @ 12:42 am

It’s been a very long time since I’ve been as fanatical about a tv show as I am with ELEMENTARY. I didn’t expect to feel so strongly about a version of Sherlock Holmes so far from Arthur Conan Doyle canon. The pilot was my first encounter with Jonny Lee Miller. His performance alone cured my skepticism of a female Watson (even with Lucy Liu playing the character). The supporting cast, Aidan Quinn and Jon Michael Hill complete the formula for perfection…The episodes are well written and exquisitely performed. The subject matter is often difficult i.e. drug addiction (of the primary character), human trafficking. These topics are never thrown in for sensationalism or twisted humor. They are handled realistically, exposing the grit, despair, even horror of these issues. The writers have earned a PrismAward and several nods acknowledging their responsible depiction of social flaws… The locations are interesting and in New York and the sets are amazing… Simply put, ELEMENTARY is a jewel in the crown of CBS. To lose such quality entertainment which is rarely, if ever found (especially) on television would be a crime. Personally, I’d be crushed!