Is NCIS or Blue Bloods CBS’ biggest lock for a renewal?

We recognize that it may be a little bit early to start cementing renewals for just about any show, but for CBS, it feels like there are some shows that you can at least circle with pencil. NCIS and Blue Bloods are two of them.

What’s somewhat interesting at the moment for CBS is that in terms of brand-new shows, they don’t have many that could be considered runaway hits. God Friended Me and Magnum PI are performing decently, but we cannot sit here and steadfastly say that either one of them is going to be coming back.

As a matter of fact, we would argue at the moment that the Eye network is in a little bit of sea-change mode when it comes to some of its programming. The Big Bang Theory is going to be ending this spring after a whopping twelve seasons on the air. Meanwhile, Criminal Minds seems to be in danger after being on the air for almost a decade and a half. This is a network that, for many years now, has anchored itself on reliable franchises and familiar faces.

This is why, at least for now, Blue Bloods and NCIS are in such a pole position at the network. Both continue to draw some of TV’s biggest audiences in live total viewers and, beyond that, they have a significant global audience.

The case for NCIS to continue to move on to a season 17 is rather simple: Mark Harmon is already under contract. Maybe at this time next year the crime show’s future can be questioned a little bit more but, at least for now, it’s golden. There may be other cast discussions that happen here and there, but as of right now there hasn’t been any word that any one person in particular is leaving.

When it comes to Blue Bloods, meanwhile, the only thing that could be holding it back is that the contracts for most of the main cast members are expiring at the end of the season. Inking Tom Selleck and company to new deals may not be the easiest thing in the world to do but given how well this show performs in an extremely-difficult timeslot, it is hard to imagine CBS wanting to shift away from doing this show. It really feels like one that will last however long the parties involved want it to.

Odds are, you will learn the fate of almost every show come this spring — for now, though, these are clearly two shows that you do not need to worry about.

Do you think the chances are of an NCIS season 17 at the moment, and what show do you think is the greatest lock for renewal? Be sure to share right now in the attached comments.

(Photo: CBS.)