JuicyTalk
The fall television season usually brings back many of the biggest shows across the major broadcast networks, but not every returning favorite is making the cut in 2026. ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC are all holding several notable series until 2027, meaning viewers will have to wait a little longer to see what comes next.
Not every absence has the same explanation, either. Some shows have been moved to midseason because networks are reshuffling their schedules or making room for new programming. Others have more specific circumstances behind their later returns, including creative decisions that require additional development time. There are even a few series that were never really delayed at all, but were instead intentionally positioned as 2027 launches from the beginning.
Whatever the reasoning, the result is a surprisingly long list of network shows that won’t be part of the traditional fall lineup. From established hits unexpectedly sitting out the remainder of 2026 to new series viewers will have to wait until next year to see, these are the biggest network shows being held until 2027 — and what we know about why.
High Potential Season 3
ABC Is Confident High Potential Can Survive Without Its Biggest Lead-In.
High Potential became one of ABC’s biggest breakout dramas almost immediately, which makes its absence from the fall 2026 lineup particularly noticeable. Season 3 will instead arrive sometime in 2027, despite the Kaitlin Olson-led procedural previously occupying a prominent Tuesday night position for the network.
Fortunately, the move does not appear to signal any trouble behind the scenes. ABC has explained that High Potential no longer needs the valuable Dancing with the Stars lead-in to attract viewers. The network is instead using that slot to help launch the second season of R.J. Decker, while holding High Potential until midseason. ABC has also stressed that the decision was not creatively driven.
Shifting Gears Season 3
Shifting Gears Lost Its Fall Slot To ABC’s New Comedy Plans.
Tim Allen and Kat Dennings’ Shifting Gears will also be missing from ABC’s fall 2026 lineup, with season 3 now scheduled to return sometime in 2027. The sitcom originally premiered as a midseason series in January 2025 before becoming a regular part of ABC’s growing comedy slate.
Its latest midseason placement largely comes down to limited space on the network’s fall schedule. ABC is pairing Abbott Elementary with the returning Scrubs revival on Wednesday nights, leaving Shifting Gears without its previous position. Rather than squeezing another comedy into the fall lineup, ABC has opted to hold the series until 2027. There has been no indication that the later premiere is connected to production or creative problems.
Celebrity Jeopardy! Season 5
Celebrity Jeopardy! Quietly Disappeared From ABC’s Fall Schedule.
Celebrity Jeopardy! initially appeared to be staying on ABC’s fall schedule, giving viewers another season of famous contestants competing to earn money for their chosen charities. However, ABC subsequently removed the Ken Jennings-hosted competition from its fall plans and confirmed that its next season will instead arrive sometime in 2027.
Unlike some of ABC’s other schedule changes, the network has not given a specific reason for the move. Its removal came as ABC finalized a fall lineup increasingly crowded with returning scripted series, reality programming, game shows and sports. For now, Celebrity Jeopardy! simply appears to be another title ABC has chosen to save for the second half of the broadcast season, with an exact 2027 premiere date still to be announced.
Will Trent Season 5
Will Trent’s 2027 Return Continues A Strategy That Already Worked For ABC.
Will Trent will once again make viewers wait until the new year, with season 5 officially being held as part of ABC’s 2027 midseason lineup. The Ramón Rodríguez-led procedural has become one of the network’s most dependable dramas, but it hasn’t received a traditional fall premiere since season 2.
That timing appears to be intentional. ABC previously shifted Will Trent to January alongside The Rookie, allowing the show to deliver a largely uninterrupted run rather than repeatedly disappearing for holiday breaks and other scheduling disruptions. The network was pleased enough with that strategy to repeat it the following season, and season 5 will continue the pattern in 2027.
The Rookie Season 9
ABC Has Turned The Rookie Into One Of Its Most Reliable Midseason Hits.
The Rookie has become one of ABC’s longest-running current dramas, but Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan won’t be back for Season 9 until sometime in 2027. This marks another year that the network has chosen to keep the veteran procedural out of its traditional fall lineup.
Unlike some shows on this list, however, The Rookie‘s later return has become more of a scheduling strategy than an unexpected delay. ABC also held Seasons 7 and 8 until after the new year, allowing the drama to air much of its season without lengthy interruptions. Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich previously said that approach “worked like gangbusters” for both The Rookie and Will Trent. ABC has not announced a different reason for continuing the strategy with Season 9.
The Rookie: North Season 1
ABC Is Saving Its Next Rookie Story For 2027.
ABC is expanding one of its longest-running procedural franchises with The Rookie: North, a new spinoff starring Jay Ellis as Alex Holland. After a violent home invasion changes the direction of his life, Alex joins the Pierce County Police Department as an older rookie attempting to prove that he has finally found something worth committing to.
Unlike some of the returning shows on this list, The Rookie: North has not technically been delayed from a previously announced fall premiere. ABC ordered the series with a 2027 midseason launch in mind and confirmed that it will debut alongside the next wave of the network’s programming. Holding it until 2027 also places the spinoff in the same general portion of the season as The Rookie, which returns for season 9.
Matlock Season 3
Matlock’s Creator Actually Asked CBS To Delay Season 3.
After two seasons as one of CBS’ biggest recent drama successes, Matlock will be noticeably absent when the network’s fall lineup begins. Kathy Bates’ legal drama will instead return for season 3 sometime in 2027, but the unusual scheduling decision isn’t a sign that CBS has lost confidence in the series.
In fact, creator Jennie Snyder Urman specifically requested the additional time. Season 2 brought the long-running Wellbrexa storyline to an end, effectively resetting the show ahead of its next chapter. Urman wanted a longer development period to properly build the mystery that will drive Matlock forward rather than immediately rushing into production on season 3. CBS ultimately agreed to move the show from its traditional fall position to midseason.
Ghosts Season 6
Ghosts Is Leaving Its Usual Fall Home, But Not Completely.
Ghosts is another longtime CBS fall staple making the unexpected jump to 2027. Season 6 won’t officially begin its regular run until midseason, as new comedy Eternally Yours takes over the Thursday night slot previously occupied by the supernatural sitcom.
Fortunately, CBS isn’t making viewers go the entire fall without visiting Woodstone. Ghosts will air special hour-long Halloween and Christmas events on October 29 and December 10, respectively, before its full return in 2027. Showrunners Joe Port and Joe Wiseman have also emphasized that those specials allow the series to continue addressing the events of the season 5 finale. While CBS hasn’t identified one specific reason for the scheduling change, the move helps make room for Eternally Yours, which comes from the same creative team.
Einstein Season 1
Matthew Gray Gubler’s CBS Return Has Been A Long Time Coming.
Matthew Gray Gubler’s return to CBS has required considerably more patience than initially expected. Einstein stars the former Criminal Minds actor as Lewis Einstein, the brilliant but directionless great-grandson of Albert Einstein who begins using his intelligence to help a detective solve difficult crimes.
The procedural actually received its series order in 2025, but CBS quickly decided to hold it until the 2026-27 television season. At the time, the network cited limited space on its schedule and the benefit of giving Einstein a longer pre-production period. Even then, CBS didn’t place it on the fall 2026 lineup, instead reserving its debut for midseason 2027. That makes Einstein one of the longest-delayed new network shows currently waiting to premiere.
NCIS: Sydney Season 4
CBS Is Making NCIS: Sydney Share Its Timeslot With Another Spinoff.
CBS is making another significant change to its NCIS franchise by holding NCIS: Sydney season 4 until 2027. The Australian spinoff previously occupied the Tuesday 10 p.m. slot, but the addition of NCIS: New York has led the network to restructure its entire Tuesday lineup.
The original NCIS will continue leading off the night, followed by NCIS: New York and NCIS: Origins. Rather than finding Sydney another fall position, CBS will have it take over the 10 p.m. slot once Origins completes its shortened 10-episode third season. NCIS: Sydney has also received a reduced 10-episode order for season 4, essentially allowing CBS to rotate the two spinoffs through the same timeslot during different portions of the season.
