Why was "Covert Affairs" cancelled?

Rising production cost and declining numbers of viewers are the primary reasons that the USA Network cancelled the television drama "Covert Affairs" after its fifth season. The move was surprising to some entertainment industry reporters because it was the type of program that USA had been seen as trending toward.

As with many aging shows, the cost of talent increased with its success. The spy show had also begun using more expensive and larger sets and filming locations, leaving USA to absorb the cost. While the show continued to do fairly well in overall viewer numbers, it had declined significantly in the highly coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic.