Nellie Andreeva

CBS Blue BloodsUPDATE 11:15AM: In one fell swoop, CBS has renewed 15 series for next season. The list includes two comedies, breakout hit 2 Broke Girls and sophomore Mike & Molly and nine dramas, freshman Person of Interest, which has been on a ratings upswing, sophomores Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods, the critically praised (though modestly rated) The Good Wife and veteran procedurals NCIS, NCIS: LA, Criminal Minds, CSI and The Mentalist. They join comedies How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory, which are in the middle of multi-year pickups. The only glaring omission is veteran comedy Two And A Half Men, with CBS noting that it is in “preliminary discussions” with Warner Bros. TV about future seasons. The main issue is the fact that WBTV is yet to secure a new deal with star Ashton Kutcher, which would pave the way to a renewal.

On the unscripted side, CBS has renewed veteran The Amazing Race and Undercover Boss, which has done great in its new Friday time slot. They join previously renewed Survivor. And rounding out the group of returning series are venerable newsmagazine 60 Minutes and Saturday staple 48 Hour Mystery. With the previously picked up shows, CBS now has a total of 18 series — scripted reality and newsmahazines — set to return next season. “This large-scale renewal is testimony to the strength, stability and success of a deep and diverse roster of top-rated programming,” said CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler. “It positions us for continued success next season and certainly creates an environment that will give our new shows the best possible chance to succeed.”

As for the bubble series, which not surprisingly didn’t make the cut for an early renewal, that includes freshmen Unforgettable, Rob and the all-but-gone A Gifted Man, veteran CSI spinoffs CSI: Miami and CSI: NY, with the latter in serious jeopardy, as well as veteran utility player Rules Of Engagement. Season-to-date, CBS is first in viewers (12.13m) and second in adults 18-49 (3.1/8), posting year-to-year increases: up 1% in viewers, 2% in adults 25-54 and 3% in adults 18-49.

PREVIOUS 9 AM: It looks like the networks’ dry spell on renewals of scripted shows this season will finally end today. I hear that CBS is prepping early pickups of a slew of existing series, with word of the first one, a third-season renewal of Blue Bloods, already out this morning. The network is not confirming. The list will likely also include the two NCIS series, freshmen 2 Broke Girls and Person Of Interest as well as Mike & Molly, The Mentalist, veterans Criminal Minds and CSI and possibly Hawaii Five-0, whose star Alex O’Loughlin is getting treatment, critically praised but softly rated The Good Wife and Two And A Half Men, ahead of closing a deal with star Ashton Kutcher. (The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother are in the midst of multi-year pickups). Stay tuned….

Related: It’s Almost March, Where Are The Renewals?

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