9 Scripted Network Shows That Aren’t Coming Back in Fall 2026. Here’s When They Premiere

Emily BlackwoodSat, September 5, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC

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Kaitlin Olson in ‘High Potential’ ; Nathan Fillion in ‘The Rookie’Credit: Raymond Liu/Disney; Mike Taing/Disney -

ABC, CBS and Fox aren’t bringing back several popular shows until 2027

Some, like High Potential, were part of a network strategy to reduce holiday pauses

Ghosts will still air Halloween and Christmas specials in 2026

Fall means crisp weather, pumpkin-flavored treats and of course, the return of everyone’s favorite scripted network shows.

However, eagle-eyed fans may have noticed that some of their go-to comfort series aren’t part of fall 2026 TV schedules.

ABC, CBS and Fox have pushed back the new seasons of several series — including popular titles like High Potentialand Ghosts — until 2027, citing reasons ranging from production schedules to strategic programming decisions.

So, when are your favorite shows be returning? Here are nine scripted network shows that will premiere in 2027.

01 of 09

High Potential

Kaitlin Olson in ‘High Potential’Credit: Raymond Liu/Disney

High Potential was one of four scripted series ABC benched until 2027 in an effort to “give viewers a chance to watch these shows with as little interruption as possible across the season,” Ari Goldman, senior vice president of content strategy and scheduling at ABC, told Deadlinein May 2026.

The Kaitlin Olson-led crime drama started filming its fifth season in August 2026.

02 of 09

The Rookie

Mekia Cox and Nathan Fillion in ‘The Rookie’Credit: Mike Taing/Disney

ABC once again held The Rookie back from its fall 2026 TV programming, but creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley promised that it will be worth it.

While on a panel at the 2026 San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026, he said the next season would premiere with a “huge” two-parter.

“I think it’s the best of what we do,” he said. “I just wish everybody didn’t have to wait until January to see it.”

03 of 09

Shifting Gears

Kat Dennings and Tim Allen in ‘Shifting Gears’Credit: Raymond Liu/Disney

ABC’s beloved sitcom starring Tim Allen and Kat Dennings will return for its third season in 2027, but when it does, it’ll kick off with a bang.

The network announced that Dennings’ former 2 Broke Girls costar Beth Behrs will appear in the Shifting Gears season 3 premiere.

Shifting Gears’ previous two installments aired nearly back-to-back. Season 1 premiered in January 2025, running through March 2025. Season 2 then followed in October 2025 and concluded in March 2026.

04 of 09

Will Trent

Ramon Rodriguez in ‘Will Trent’Credit: Matt Miller/Disney

Will Trenthas been a major part of ABC’s midseason lineup since it premiered in January 2023, and its fifth season will be no different.

Except for the fact that cast members Sonja Sohn and Scott Foley, who played Amanda Wagner and Dr. Seth McDale, respectively, will not be returning to the police procedural.

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05 of 09

Ghosts

Danielle Pinnock as Alberta, Richie Moriarty as Pete and Rose McIver as Samantha in ‘Ghosts’Credit: Philippe Bossé/CBS

Fans of Ghosts have gotten used to the show’s fall premiere, which is why it was a surprise when CBS announced that the supernatural comedy wouldn’t air its sixth season until 2027.

According to showrunner Joe Wiseman, the series will still have Halloween and Christmas specials in 2026.

“I know it was couched as midseason, but with these specials that are going to be an hour long, we’re basically just premiering two weeks later than we normally would,” he told TV Insiderin May 2027.

06 of 09

Matlock

Kathy Bates as Madeline Matlock and Skye P. Marshall as Olympia Lawrence in ‘Matlock’Credit: Michael Yarish/CBS

Kathy Bates’ hit legal drama Matlockwas also pushed to CBS’ midseason 2026-2027 lineup.

The move was reportedly requested by creator and showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman, who shared that she needed “a little bit of time” to figure out where to take the series next.

“I just feel like we had so much stuff to think about because we really landed the plane on this,” she told TV Insider in April 2026. “When we took this two-hour finale and really paid a lot of things off, what came with that was I’m going to need time after that to really build the architecture so that we have it for the next seasons.”

07 of 09

NCIS: Sydney

The cast of ‘NCIS: Sydney’Credit: Daniel Asher Smith/Paramount+

NCIS: Sydney, the first international spinoff of NCIS,will return for its fourth season during the midseason window.

NCIS,NCIS: New York and NCIS: Origins will be part of the fall 2026 TV lineup. LL Cool J leads the new New York installment while Mark Harmon makes a highly-anticipated return to the franchise in Origins.

08 of 09

Memory of a Killer

Patrick Dempsey in ‘Memory of a Killer’Credit: Christos Kalohoridis/FOX

Like its first season, Memory of a Killer’s second season will premiere during Fox’s midseason schedule.

Though production on the Patrick Dempsey-led drama hasn’t begun, three new faces — Boris Kodjoe, Meta Golding and Natalie Zea — have joined the cast, per Deadline.

09 of 09

Murder in a Small Town

Marcia Gay Harden and Rossif Sutherland in ‘Murder in a Small Town’Credit: Kailey Schwerman/ FOX

Fox moved Murder in a Small Townfrom its typical fall release to a midseason premiere for its third installment.

The network confirmed that Peter Gallagher would join the cast as a “capable yet unreliable figure” whose presence “sets up a sequence of upheavals,” according to a press release.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”