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EXCLUSIVE: CBS has cut the order to veteran comedy Rules Of Engagement from 18 to 13 episodes. Rules was originally picked up for 18 episodes, with two leftover episodes from last season bringing the total order to 20 half-hours. (Rules, which wraps production December 6, will now air 15 episodes.) The long-running comedy was slated to air on Saturdays, but after freshman How To Be A Gentleman‘s underwhelming launch in the Thursday 8:30 PM slot, Rules was summoned in and took over the post-Big Bang Theory berth. It currently tops the 8:30-9 PM time period in total viewers with 11.6 million and averages a healthy 3.7 rating in 18-49, after setting highs in several categories this fall. With rookie 2 Broke Girls performing as well as it does along with all CBS returning comedies, the network needs an opening to launch its midseason comedy starring Rob Schneider, so a shorter, 15-episode run of Rules will provide a slot for the newbie. As for next season, given Rules‘ solid performance, the veteran has a good shot to return, especially if the Schneider series underperforms and/or CBS expands its comedy offerings to eight in two-hour comedy blocks on Mondays and Thursdays.
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I’m gonna go out on a limb and predict Rob Schneider will underperform. But I don’t watch ‘Rules’ so it doesn’t do anything for my viewing.
Really wish CBS hadn’t cancelled Mad Love last season… that show was getting good when they pulled the plug.
I take a lot of crap for enjoying Rules, so I should at least defend it every now and then.
I laugh. Out loud. Yes, I do.
Solid show, Timmy is a great add-on. So is this Liz arc. And both Wendy McLendon-Covey and Adhir Kalyan are great comic actors.
I also get to look at Oliver Hudson which is always a good thing.
I like the show. Go ahead and berate me.
I love it, too! I can’t stand that it is constantly treated so poorly by the network. It’s a great show! Even Spade has been tolerable and more believable this season.
The Rob Schneider series will underperform.
I’m baffled by CBS’ attitude toward this show. Did someone on the show piss some CBS bigwig off or something?
HTBAG gets a huge promotional push and comes in and bombs behind BBT. CBS shifts Rules into this spot with little promotional push. It proceeds to perform extremely well, getting a 3.7 despite this lackluster effort at promotion. And in reward for this success, its getting its episode order cut? Bizarre.
HTBAG got zero promotion. Just sayin.
Wow, the show is slated for Saturday. To fail.
They air it Thursdays and it rocks a rating.
So how are they rewarded? Cut the order, to make room for another flop of an idea.
I know too many long- running shows get tired, but CBS keeps sabotaging Rules.
Reduce the number of episodes of a successful series? That’s certainly an interesting strategy.
The Happy Madison ship is starting to list.
I understand making room for another show, but if it’s tops in it’s timeslot, I don’t understand why it would be cancelled?
I really liked that show! It was something good to watch on Thursday night! Yeah, laugh out loud funny! I guess 11,000,000 viewers must be wrong!
This season has been my first time watching “Rules” and I have to say that I enjoy it. It really is funny. Too bad I can’t say the same thing about that awful 2 Broke Girls. I like to see how it performs when it’s not sandwiched in between HIMYM and 2.5 Men.
As for Ron Schneider – let’s just say that I don’t know anybody who was waiting for him to ever return in anything. His show will not only underperform but will flat-out bomb. For those who may not know what the show is about, the summary is that Schneider plays a confirmed bachelor who has just married into a tight-knit Mexican-American family.
I’ve already switched the channel – and it’s not even on yet.
Wow, how extremely unfair and stupid. Why don’t they continue producing and as soon as the other series flops they have new episodes ready to go. Or they could use it for a summer run?!
Oh, well, now you’re asking CBS to do something that actually makes sense.
But Patrick Warburton (sp?) is a phenomenal actor! He squints the entire time and says his lines like he is holding his breath. That takes talent to come off as a condescending jerk in EVERY SINGLE ROLE.
Good riddance to this show
CBS owns the Schneider comedy and HTBAG. CBS doesn’t own Rules.
Adhir Kalyan is truly the most talented and underused young actor…he joins this show 2 years ago and the ratings climb through the roof. From “Aliens in America” to “Nip Tuck”, “Youth in Revolt” and “Fired Up”, this kid has shown incredible range.If “Rules of Engagement” doesn’t get the support from CBS, at least they should be smart enough to lock this guy in to star on something else…assuming he’d even be interested.
Rules is a funny, witty, solid comedy. Schneider will under perform guaranteed. We need more Rules, not less. Dumb move. Doesn’t everything that Schneider does under perform?
CBS really doesn’t like this show. Give how strong it’s been perfoming on Thursdays they should be ordering additional episodes and not reducing the episodes order. Oh CBS, this will come to bite your ass!
so.. it sets several demographics records and they reduce the episode order. rules is CBS’s bitch.
Not true. Saw billboards for it everywhere. Dillon had that and the series finale of Entourage being talked about. Maybe not TONS of promo, but certainly more than Rules.
I had avoided watching Rules of Engagment based on indifferent to bad reviews but I must say, every time I watch it I actually laugh out loud, usually at the actress from Reno 911 playing Liz. I can watch Two Broke Girls and not even crack a smile or even actually cringe. Even HIMYM is barely making me smile lately.
I love this show. It’s always good for a laugh. Patrick Warburton’s deadpan delivery is a riot and Oliver Hudson’s character has to be the dumbest person on the planet. Way to go CBS! Stick with Schneider. We’ll all be laughing,only not the way you intended.
Another case of the network destroying their own show. Remember The Practice? First they cut the episodes, then they move it around and finally they cancel it because of low ratings. Plus this show is produced by two of the nicest guys I’ve ever worked with. So, good ratings, good cast, good producers, but not good enough….
I agree with you…but “The Practice” was ABC, not CBS.
Rob Schneider is grating, obnoxious and unfunny.
Why not just save time and money… cancel the show?
Rules of Engagement is being cut down to make room for a Rob Schneider sitcom about Mexicans. You don’t hear that every day.
Yeah, I’m a fan too but the demo retention out of Big Bang Theory isn’t the greatest. Last week BBT had a 5.3 demo and ROE followed it with a 3.5 against relatively light competition. It really should be performing better with such a massive lead in.
Still, it could be a good link if / when CBS expands its Thursday comedy line up next season. I hope it makes the cut.