CBS renews 'Flashpoint'

As expected, CBS has renewed "Flashpoint" for a second season.

The show was already granted a 13-episode renewal by Canadian broadcaster CTV, so a domestic pickup has been considered likely.

Though modestly rated in the larger scheme of things, "Flashpoint" has given CBS something that all broadcasters have been seeking: a low-cost scripted summer series.

Though episodes have averaged about a 1.8 rating among adults 18 to 49, "Flashpoint" reliably filled a hole in CBS' summer schedule while the network aired repeats and "Big Brother." And last night's episode hit a season high. Sources say the show's economics (the show is a co-production between CBS Paramount and CTV) make a second round of "Flashpoint" a relative bargain.