CBS’ vampire drama Moonlight, the best thing since Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is in trouble and there’s been a major shakeup behind the scenes:

More backstage drama at Moonlight — and the timing couldn’t be worse. I’m told that Chip Johannessen has been let go as show-runner just as the freshman drama is fighting for a second season. The search is on for a replacement. […]

According to trade reports, exec producer Joel Silver, along with what’s left of the Moonlight writing team, will oversee production of the show’s four remaining episodes. If Moonlight gets renewed for a second season, a new show-runner will be sought at that time.

Hopefully CBS will stick with this show because not only was it starting to get really interesting, but it really fits after — and holds the lead-in from — the network’s other supernatural hit Ghost Whisperer.

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CBS announced it is renewing eleven series for next season, including all three versions of CSI and Ghost Whisperer:

Series getting the greenlight include dramas “Cold Case,” “Criminal Minds,” “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “CSI: NY,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “NCIS,” “Numb3rs” and “Without a Trace.” Among sitcom fare, both “Two and a Half Men” and freshman series “The Big Bang Theory” earned new seasons.

The network previously announced that “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race” would return as well.

Excluded from CBS’ announcement were fan favorites Moonlight and How I Met Your Mother, as well as unlikely-to-be-a-favorite-of-anyone, The New Adventures of Old Christine. Network officials say no decisons have been made on those shows as of yet.

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Selected contestants will be stranded in a reality bid for survival twice more in the 2007-08 television season, as CBS has renewed Survivor for two new seasons:

CBS has ordered two more editions of Survivor to be broadcast during the 2007-2008 season. These will mark the 15th and 16th editions of television’s longest running hit reality series. […]

Survivor: Cook Islands (9.3/14, 15.75 million viewers) averaged 5.5/15 in adults 18-49 and 6.8/16 in adults 25-54, currently placing it among the top 10 programs in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

No word yet on the secret locations of Survivor 15 or 16… How about downtown Detroit?

CBS Television Distribution has renewed talk show Rachael Ray through 2009-2010.

The program is this season’s highest-rated new syndicated show:

“It’s clear that Rachael’s devoted fans are happy to welcome her into their living rooms every day, and the positive response from our affiliate stations has been tremendous,” Roger King, chief executive officer of CBS Television Distribution, said in a news release.

Rachael Ray premiered in September with the highest-rated talk show debut since Dr. Phil in 2002.

CBS Television Distribution renewed Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! through the 2011-2012 season:

Wheel of Fortune,” in its 24th season, draws more than 46 million viewers weekly and consistently has ranked as the top-rated syndicated show, CBS said. “Jeopardy!” is in its 23rd season, is seen by more than 37 million viewers a week and is among syndication’s top three shows.

Show hosts Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek have yet to be offered talent contract renewals through 2011, however. Nor has letter-turner Vanna White.

CBS’ Smith didn’t even have a chance! And it looked like a show with promise, especially considering it starred Amy Smart in what looked like a promising role.

TV Guide’s Matt Roush apparently saw the cancellation coming a mile away:

I’m not terribly surprised. Though there was some buzz for the show and its very expensive (I heard $6 million at least) pilot, plus its starry cast (someone sign Simon Baker up for another show now!), Smith always struck me as an empty version of a Sopranos or a Shield, to name two distinguished shows with criminals as protagonists. The characters on Smith just felt hollow to me, giving us little reason to care or to root for or against them.

Anyway, this show should have debuted last season with NBC’s Heist and the other robbery shows that were apparently the going theme.