1 month ago
EXCLUSIVE: CBS‘ autumn 2026 schedule is position quo connected Fridays. As nan network’s Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach said astatine nan schedule reveal earlier this month, “The CBS Friday nighttime intermezo lineup has been No. 1 for an unthinkable 16 consecutive seasons, truthful we’re sticking pinch what works, Sheriff Country astatine 8, Fire Country astatine 9, and Boston Blue at 10.”
However, dissimilar nan 2025-26 season, which featured nan 3 play procedurals connected for nan duration, Fire Country will depart nan lineup early adjacent season, Deadline has learned. According to sources, nan firefighter drama, which had been producing afloat seasons since nan commencement (except for nan strike-impacted 2023-24), has received a 13-episode Season 5 order, down from 20 this season.
It is not alone. When CBS unveiled nan astonishment caller New York spinoff starring LL Cool J joining nan Tuesday NCIS lineup, it was flanked connected nan autumn 2026 schedule by nan mothership NCIS and prequel Origins, with nan antecedently renewed NCIS: Sydney not on.
As Deadline revealed astatine nan time, NCIS: Origins is getting a reduced Season 3 bid and will beryllium replaced successful nan 10 PM clip slot by NCIS: Sydney successful midseason. According to sources, Origins and Sydney will each nutrient 10 episodes adjacent season, down from 18 and 20, respectively, this season.
Also producing 13 episodes successful 2026-27 is Matlock, which will return successful midseason for its 3rd season, I hear.
Reps for CBS declined comment.
The section count reductions are understandable fixed nan size of CBS’ scripted roster for adjacent season. While astir broadcast networks are mostly keeping nan measurement of scripted bid accordant year-to-year amid ongoing broadcast business challenges successful nan streaming era, CBS is going for a sizable summation successful 2026-27.
With nan mostly of its existent slate performing well, nan web is not bringing backmost only 1 drama, Watson, and 2 drama series, The Neighborhood and DMV. At nan aforesaid time, CBS is adding 3 caller play series, Cupertino, Einstein and NCIS: New York and 1 drama series, Eternally Yours. Cupertino and NCIS: New York, which are connected nan autumn schedule, will nutrient a full-season load of 20 episodes each; Einstein, which will debut successful midseason, has a 13-episode order.
NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney will now stock nan Tuesday 10 PM slot, pinch their total, 20 episodes, equaling a full-season bid size astatine CBS for play procedurals.
Fire Country‘s section trim is somewhat astonishing arsenic it has been a signature bid for CBS since its breakthrough first season, successful which it classed arsenic nan astir watched caller broadcast series. It besides has spawned a franchise for nan network.
Four seasons in, Fire Country continues to beryllium a coagulated performer. This season, it helped motorboat 2 caller offshoots connected Friday, Sheriff Country and Boston Blue, which some changeable retired of a cannon and overshadowed nan seasoned anchor a bit.
While they each easy passed nan renewal ratings period astatine CBS, Fire Country, NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney‘s multi-platform viewership has been a small much humble than different dramas that person received full-season orders for adjacent season.
It is unclear yet what will win Fire Country on Fridays successful midseason. CBS has some Matlock and Einstein on platform and 3 disposable slots, an hr connected Friday, Monday, wherever Harlan Coben’s Final Twist is connected astatine 10 PM successful nan fall, and Sunday wherever an hr opens up aft extremity of shot play each year. One of them could perchance spell to an unscripted series.
For Matlock, which, for illustration Fire Country, was nan astir watched caller broadcast bid of its maiden season, nan reasons for nan smaller order, 13 vs. 19 successful Season 1 and 16 successful Season 2, are creative. The show, which was connected nan autumn schedule nan past 2 seasons, is being held for midseason arsenic it is headed for a imaginative revamp aft wrapping nan awesome Wellbrexa storyline that dominated nan first 2 seasons. Creator Jennie Snyder Urman is now taking immoderate clip to group up a caller arc for nan show successful Season 3.
While midseason entries typically get reduced orders fixed nan constricted clip span for their runs, CBS is really keeping Ghosts astatine a full-season 22 episodes for its upcoming sixth play contempt nan supernatural drama not being connected nan autumn 2026 schedule. The web is doing that by commissioning special Ghosts Halloween and Christmas specials arsenic portion of nan 22-episode order. (Ghosts showrunners Joe Port and Joe Wiseman will beryllium delivering a full of 42 episodes to CBS adjacent play betwixt Ghosts and their caller vampire comedy, Eternally Yours, which will aerial 20 episodes, starting successful nan fall.)
