Updated: July 28, 2026 — Now includes ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC fall premiere dates.
The Fall 2026 TV schedules for broadcast are out! There’s been a series of major programming shifts that are going to impact what you’re used to watching during television’s most wonderful time of the year. This includes episode orders getting slashed to make the schedule work. Looking at you, CBS.
As a note, The CW’s fall line-up has not been announced. But All American’s final season airing in the summer does mean that the network has cycled through all of its pre-Nexstar era scripted programming and the 2026-2027 TV year will be the first without a tentpole from that period in CW’s history. ngl that makes me sad.
The network has been struggling through a rebrand since Nexstar ditched ‘Dare to Defy,’ jettisoned the majority of the roster, and decided to broaden its audience which alienated the core viewership and saw much of the TV press abandon CW to its fate.
But, hey, I’m still writing about it because that network raised me. I have hope it will find its way. Last year’s Harlequin films were a good decision, I’d like for us to get more programming like it. fingers crossed. I’ll update this post once CW shares its fall plans. Now let’s get into these schedules!
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In what’s sure to be an upsetting surprise for High Potential fans, ABC has opted to hold the hit procedural for the midseason. Scott Speedman’s RJ Decker will be airing on Tuesdays instead this fall after Dancing with the Stars.
While viewers won’t like this change, it does make sense. ABC Tuesdays are at their peak when High Potential is paired with Will Trent and The Rookie. The latter procedurals are midseason tentpoles. Morgan Gillory’s case work starting around the same time as her counterparts does mean the audience likely won’t have to sit through as many breaks so she doesn’t outpace them.
ABC’s fall schedule is chock full of returning series. The only new show on the books for the 2026-2027 TV season is The Rookie: North, which will see the franchise tackling policing on the coast and in the sticks. Jay Ellis (Insecure) leads as Alex Holland and is a producer on the series. New Amsterdam’s Janet Montgomery also stars.
Held for the midseason: The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise, High Potential, The Rookie, The Rookie: North, Shifting Gears, and Will Trent
Saturday, August 29
7:30 p.m. — College Football: Alabama A&M vs. Howard
Monday, September 14
8 p.m. — Monday Night Football: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Tuesday, September 15
8 p.m. — Dancing with the Stars season 35
9 p.m. — R.J. Decker season 2
Friday, September 25
9 p.m. — 20/20
Sunday, September 27
7 p.m. — America’s Funniest Home Videos
9 p.m. — The Wonderful World of Disney: Inside Out 2
Wednesday, September 16
8 p.m. — Dancing with the Stars (special night)
Wednesday, September 30
8 p.m. — Scrubs season 2
9 p.m. — Shark Tank (regular 10 p.m. time slot starts Oct. 7)
Friday, October 2
8 p.m. — Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
Wednesday, October 7
8:30 p.m. — Abbott Elementary season 6
Thursday, October 15
8 p.m. — 9-1-1 season 10
9 p.m. — 9-1-1: Nashville season 2
10 p.m. — Grey’s Anatomy season 23
As I mentioned previously, Matlock and Ghosts aren’t a part of CBS’ Thursday line-up for the fall. They’ve been held for the midseason to make room for the vampire comedy Eternally Yours and Robert and Michelle King’s latest legal drama Cupertino. Evil fans will be happy to know the latter marks Mike Colter’s return to the network.
LL Cool J and Scott Canaan’s NCIS: New York has been slotted into NCIS Tuesdays. The rap icon will be reprising the role of Sam Hanna, but Canaan won’t be stepping into the shoes of Hawaii Five-O’s Danny Williams despite appearing as the character in a crossover years back. He’ll be playing a new character. NCIS: Sydney’s new season will debut in the midseason.
If you’re looking forward to Matthew Gray Gubler’s CBS return, Einstein is also a midseason release. Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Melissa Fumero co-stars in the comedic crime procedural about Albert Einstein’s (fictional) great grandson.
Notably, at least four series have reduced episode orders for the 2026-2027 TV season. Fire Country has dropped to 13, NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney will have 10, and Matlock is said to have only 13. This is so CBS’ embarrassment of riches can all fit into the schedule.
Held for the midseason: Einstein, Ghosts, Matlock, and NCIS: Sydney
Sunday, September 13
7 p.m. — NFL on CBS doubleheader
7:30 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT — 60 Minutes (regular time slot of 7 p.m. begins Sept. 20)
Wednesday, September 23
8 p.m. - 10 p.m. — Survivor (8 - 9:30 p.m. slot starts Sept. 30)
Sunday, September 27
7 p.m. — NFL on CBS doubleheader
7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT — 2026 Video Music Awards
Sunday, October 4
7 p.m. — NFL on CBS doubleheader
7:30 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT — 60 Minutes
8:30 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT — Marshals season 2 (regular 8 p.m. time slot starts Oct. 11)
9:30 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT — Tracker season 4 (regular 9 p.m. time slot starts Oct. 11)
Monday, October 5
8 p.m. — FBI season 9
9 p.m. — CIA season 2
10 p.m. — Harlan Coben’s Final Twist season 2
Tuesday, October 6
8 p.m. — NCIS season 24
9 p.m. — NCIS: New York series premiere
10 p.m. — NCIS: Origins season 3
Wednesday, October 7
9:30 p.m. — The Amazing Race
Thursday, October 8
8 p.m. — Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage season 3
8:30 p.m. — Eternally Yours series premiere
9 p.m. — Elsbeth season 4
10 p.m. — Cupertino series premiere
Friday, October 9
8 p.m. — Sheriff Country season 2
9 p.m. — Fire Country season 5
10 p.m. — Boston Blue season 2
Saturday, October 10
10 p.m. — 48 Hours
Thursday, October 29
9 p.m. — Ghosts two-episode Halloween special
Thursday, December 10
9 p.m. — Ghosts two-episode Ghostmas special
The only non-animated scripted series set to air in the fall on FOX are new seasons of Animal Control, Best Medicine, and Doc. You are not reading that wrong. The network’s 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. primetime block, which sets it apart from all of its siblings except for The CW, means that it only has but so much space to fit programming in.
The rest of the schedule is dominated by competition series, game shows, animated comedies, and sports. But come the midseason, we can anticipate two new dramas.
There’s the Baywatch reboot which is Stephen Amell’s second crack at scoring another network hit after Arrow (which returned to streaming in May!). And The Interrogator, the Stephen Fry-led drama about a former MI6 agent who’s tasked with outsmarting the world’s most dangerous criminals.
Held for the midseason: American Dad!, Baywatch, Bob's Burgers, Crime Scene Kitchen, Don’t Forget The Lyrics, Extracted, Family Guy, Fear Factor: House of Fear, Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service, The Interrogator, Krapopolis, LEGO Masters, The Masked Singer, MasterChef, Memory of a Killer, Murder in a Small Town, and Next Level Chef
Friday, September 4
8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT — FOX College Football Friday
Monday, September 21
8 p.m. — Name That Tune
9 p.m. — Celebrity Weakest Link
Tuesday, September 22
8 p.m. — Best Medicine season 2
9 p.m. — Doc season 3
Wednesday, September 23
8 p.m. — The Floor
9 p.m. — 99 to Beat
Thursday, September 24
8 p.m. — Hell’s Kitchen
9 p.m. — Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test
Saturdays
7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT — Fox Sports Saturday
Sunday, September 27
7 p.m. — NFL On Fox
7:30 p.m. — The OT / FOX Animation Encores
8 p.m. — The Simpsons season 38
8:30 p.m. — Animal Control season 5
9 p.m. — Universal Basic Guys season 3
9:30 p.m. — Grimsburg season 3
Personally, it’s NBC’s new offerings that will have me tuning in this fall. First, we have Line of Fire which sees Peter Krause back on broadcast after Bobby Nash’s controversial death on 9-1-1.
I’d have watched the first episode just for him, but I’m really jazzed about Kat Cunning making their broadcast debut so I may be locked in for the entire season. (Side note, if you haven’t listened to their song “King of Shadow,” please do so.) The show is about a family of law enforcement agents who solve cases for the FBI, US Marshals, Secret Service and Department of Justice.
Then there’s Newlyweds starring Téa Leoni and Tim Daly who funnily enough actually are newlyweds themselves. I’m not a comedy person, drama is what keeps this heart of mine beating, but I loved these two as Elizabeth and Henry McCord in Madam Secretary (underrated CBS political drama, btw). As such, I’m willing to give this show about an opposites-attract couple who get married pretty quickly after they meet a chance.
In the midseason, David Boreanaz will make his first return to broadcast since CBS’ SEAL Team jumped ship to Paramount+. My love of Bones and Seeley Booth will see me watching the pilot of The Rockford Files reboot. He’ll be playing a wrongfully convicted P.I. who’s looking to prove himself after his release.
Also coming next year is Sunset P.I., a comedy about LA private investigators and Savannah Guthrie will be hosting the new game show Wordle.
Held for the midseason: The Rockford Files, Sunset P.I., Wordle
Wednesday, September 9
7 p.m. — Football Night in America
8:20 p.m. — NFL Kickoff Game (New England at Seattle)
Sunday, September 13
7 p.m. — Football Night in America
8:20 p.m. — Sunday Night Football (Dallas at New York Giants)
Thursday, September 17
8 p.m. — The Traitors: New Blood series premiere
Monday, September 21
8 p.m. — The Voice
10 p.m. — Line of Fire series premiere
Tuesday, September 22
8 p.m. — The Voice
9 p.m. — America’s Got Talent
Wednesday, September 23
8 p.m. — The Voice
9 p.m. — America’s Got Talent season finale
Friday, September 25
9 p.m. — Dateline NBC
Wednesday, October 7
8 p.m. — Chicago Med season 12
9 p.m. — Chicago Fire season 15
10 p.m. — Chicago P.D. season 14
Friday, October 23
8 p.m. — Happy’s Place season 3
8:30 p.m. — Newlyweds series premiere
Monday, November 2
8 p.m. — St. Denis Medical season 3
8:30 p.m. — The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins season 2
That’s it for fall broadcast TV. Let me know what you’ll be tuning into in the comments!
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