It’s hard to believe the 2025-26 television season is nearly in the books, but we’re quickly racing towards the end of yet another TV season. May sweeps is fast approaching, and the broadcast networks will soon have some difficult decisions to make as they determine which shows to bring back and which will come to an end via either a final season order or a direct cancellation.
Interestingly, there are a lot of popular series still waiting to learn their fates, as ABC and NBC, in particular, have not handed out too many renewal orders just yet this season. In fact, there are nine NBC shows still on the bubble as of mid-March, including all three of the One Chicago shows and both Law & Order series.
Then there is CBS, which only has a few decisions still to make after renewing nearly its entire lineup already, making the fate of the remaining shows unclear. Also unclear is why ABC has been dragging its feet on the renewals for some of its biggest shows, with hits like Grey’s Anatomy and Will Trent still waiting to learn their fate. As for Fox, it has four shows still sitting on the bubble, with the fate of those four shows truly up in the air.
ABC shows on the bubble
- Grey's Anatomy
- RJ Decker
- The Rookie
- Scrubs
- Shifting Gears
- Will Trent
Looking at ABC’s six bubble shows, we’re honestly not too worried about any of the shows on the list, which is where a shocking cancellation could come into play.
Grey’s Anatomy remains a strong part of the ABC brand and is a global powerhouse on streaming. It’s expected ABC will renew the show, and the holdup likely is a result of the network determining the budget for the next season and what cuts might need to be made.
Also looking good for next season are Will Trent, The Rookie, and Shifting Gears. The trio remain strong performers for ABC, with ABC once again looking to expand upon The Rookie franchise with a new spinoff in the works.
That just leaves us with the two newcomers of the season: RJ Decker and Scrubs. Both shows have been off to a strong start, with RJ Decker’s premiere making a splash on ABC and the Scrubs revival earning rave reviews. We’d be shocked if both aren’t renewed for next season.
CBS shows on the bubble
- CIA
- DMV
- Watson
CBS has made decisions on most of its shows, which makes the futures of CIA, DMV, and Watson complicated. Of the trio, CIA seems like the most likely to be renewed for next season. The FBI spinoff has been off to a solid start and pairs well with FBI, which has already been renewed. While the show hasn’t managed to secure a renewal as early as this season’s other new dramas, we’d wager CBS will pick CIA up for a second season.
What we would not bet on is a second season of DMV or a third season of Watson. DMV hasn’t quite been the hit CBS was hoping for and is unlikely to continue beyond its current season. Meanwhile, Watson continues to struggle to pull in viewers, which is a death sentence at CBS, which has higher expectations than any other broadcast network. While we’d love a third season of Watson, the odds aren’t in the show’s favor.
Fox shows on the bubble
- Going Dutch
- Grimsburg
- Memory of a Killer
- Murder in a Small Town
Looking at Fox’s bubble shows, Murder in a Small Town seems like the show most likely to secure another season. The series remains a strong performer, and its status as a co-production helps with costs for the show. It also looks good for Memory of a Killer, as the Patrick Dempsey-led drama has been performing well on Fox.
On the comedy front, it could really go either way for both Grimsburg and Going Dutch. There is a chance the two shows could be renewed, but there is just as equal a chance they could be canceled.
NBC shows on the bubble
- Brilliant Minds
- Chicago Fire
- Chicago Med
- Chicago PD
- The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins
- The Hunting Party
- Law & Order
- Law & Order: SVU
- Stumble
Looking at NBC’s slate, the network might have the most shows on the bubble, but we’re fully expecting renewals for at least half of the shows on the list. Looking at the list, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Law & Order, and Law & Order: SVU all seem like sure things, with renewals being more of a formality at this point, as it’s not expected any of these Wolf Entertainment shows will be canceled.
It also seems likely that NBC will renew The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, which features a star-studded ensemble and has been performing moderately well. While the ratings haven’t been huge, NBC has been known for giving struggling comedies the chance to find their footing in a second season, and that’s a courtesy NBC will likely extend to The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins. We do not, however, think that will extend to Stumble, which has failed to break through despite NBC’s many attempts to boost its audience.
Brilliant Minds is as good as canceled after the network pulled the show from the schedule and chose to burn the final episodes in the summer. Meanwhile, The Hunting Party could go either way, but isn’t looking likely for a renewal.
Every ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox show renewed so far
There are a lot of shows still waiting to learn their fates, but ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox have handed out renewals to a few dozen lucky shows. CBS leads the way this year with early renewals, having already renewed 13 shows with only three series waiting to learn their futures. NBC, meanwhile, is way behind its competitors, having only renewed three shows as of early March.
Here’s a look at the shows that have already been renewed for the 2026-27 television season:
- 911 (ABC)
- 911: Nashville (ABC)
- Abbott Elementary (ABC)
- American Dad! (Fox)
- Animal Control (Fox)
- Best Medicine (Fox)
- Bob's Burgers (Fox)
- Boston Blue (CBS)
- Doc (Fox)
- Elsbeth (CBS)
- Family Guy (Fox)
- FBI (CBS)
- Fire Country (CBS)
- Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage (CBS)
- Ghosts (CBS)
- Happy's Place (NBC)
- High Potential (ABC)
- Krapopolis (Fox)
- Marshals (CBS)
- Matlock (CBS)
- NCIS (CBS)
- NCIS: Origins (CBS)
- NCIS: Sydney (CBS)
- Sheriff Country (CBS)
- St. Denis Medical (NBC)
- The Simpsons (Fox)
- Tracker (CBS)
- Universal Basic Guys (Fox)
While the networks have handed out mostly renewals so far this season, The Great North was canceled in the fall, while The Neighborhood is currently in the midst of its final season. Of course, we’re expecting a few more shows will join this list before the dust settles on the 2025-26 TV season, but here’s hoping there will be more renewals in the weeks ahead than cancellations!