CBS Cancels Cannell Dramas ‘Broken Badges,’ ‘Wiseguy’

CBS has canceled its two Stephen J. Cannell crime dramas, “Broken Badges” and “Wiseguy,” and will fill the 9-11 p.m. Saturday slot with movies and special programming through January, a network spokesman confirmed Friday.

“Wiseguy”--which returned to the CBS schedule Nov. 10 with Steven Bauer replacing Ken Wahl in the lead role--had its last broadcast Dec. 8. “Broken Badges,” a new series that joined the lineup Nov. 24, will have its last scheduled broadcast tonight, although the network said that it has two completed “Badges” episodes that may air later.

“Wiseguy” was threatened with cancellation after its first low-rated episode this season, when CBS delayed production pending an improvement in the ratings. Since then, the network had offered no comment on the status of the show.

In an unrelated development, the daytime version of “Wheel of Fortune,” which switched from NBC to CBS 18 months ago, will return to NBC effective Jan. 11, replacing “Let’s Make a Deal” at 10 a.m. CBS had already announced that it would drop “Wheel” to make room for “Barbara DeAngelis,” a talk program featuring the local media therapist.

“Let’s Make a Deal,” which has aired off and on for 28 years, will go out of production, NBC said.

“Let’s Make a Deal,” hosted and co-created by Monty Hall, made its debut on NBC in December, 1962, where it ran for five years, moving from daytime to prime time in 1967. It then moved to ABC, where it aired in prime time for eight years. From 1971 to 1976, the program went into syndication; re-runs were still airing in the late 1980s.

NBC revived the show last July with a new host, Bob Hilton, and Hall as producer. Hall returned in the fall as host.