ABC’s Fall 2026 Lineup: No ‘Bachelor’ This Season, Plus Midseason Plans for ‘High Potential’ and ‘Shifting Gears’ Alongside ‘The Rookie’ and ‘Will Trent’
In a strategic move that mirrors trends seen across major networks, ABC has announced a fall schedule with minimal changes. However, it has made a significant decision by excluding its top-rated series, High Potential, from the lineup, opting to reserve the popular crime drama starring Kaitlin Olson for midseason.
Following similar patterns observed among other broadcast networks, ABC is expanding its scripted programming for the 2026-27 television season. “We not only are growing our scripted slate but for the first time in the history of ABC, have renewed every one of our scripted series, all due to strong performance,” stated Ari Goldman, Senior Vice President of Content Strategy and Scheduling.
In a notable change, ABC will not include any Bachelor-franchise shows in its fall schedule for the first time since before the pandemic, following controversy surrounding the most recent season of The Bachelorette.
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ABC’s 2026 fall schedule is as follows, with additional details regarding the network’s only new series for the upcoming season, The Rookie: North, debuting midseason.
ABC’S 2026 FALL PRIMETIME SCHEDULE (all times listed are Eastern/Pacific).
MONDAY
8 PM – ESPN’s Monday Night Football
TUESDAY
8 PM – Dancing with the Stars
10 PM – R.J. Decker
WEDNESDAY
8 PM – Scrubs
8:30 PM – Abbott Elementary
9 PM – Celebrity Jeopardy!
10 PM – Shark Tank
THURSDAY
8 PM – 9-1-1
9 PM – 9-1-1: Nashville
10 PM – Grey’s Anatomy
FRIDAY
8 PM – Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
9 PM – 20/20 (two hours)
SATURDAY
7:30 PM – College Football
SUNDAY
7 PM – America’s Funniest Home Videos
8 PM – The Wonderful World of Disney
This marks the first time since 2019-20 that ABC has not included a Bachelor franchise series in its fall lineup, following six consecutive seasons of premieres for The Bachelorette, Golden Bachelor, and Golden Bachelorette.
“We’ve had to take a look at managing the franchise properly. These shows have enormous fan bases, and we were thrilled to launch Golden Bachelor and see it stand out last fall,” Goldman noted. “The ideal approach is to maintain our flagship series in midseason, supplemented by summer editions, which we’ve already confirmed with Bachelor in Paradise for next season. This represents a return to a more traditional schedule for the franchise.”
Goldman confirmed that The Bachelor is set for midseason, along with Bachelor in Paradise in the summer of 2027. As for the unaired season of The Bachelorette starring Taylor Frankie Paul, he remarked, “there are no current plans to share” about airing it.
Despite its strong performance—ranking as ABC’s top series among adults 18-49 and the No. 3 broadcast entertainment series overall—High Potential will not kick off the new season. Goldman explained, “What we’ve seen over the last several years is that launching these shows with minimal interruptions leads to better viewer retention. With major events like New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and the Super Bowl, we have a tremendous opportunity to bring the show back in a big way during midseason.”
Goldman pointed to the successful integration of Will Trent and The Rookie as midseason replacements in recent years, noting that High Potential saw the largest first-to-second season increase for a network drama since Glee in 2010. “The show’s resilience is evident,” he said.
In January 2025, Will Trent, High Potential, and The Rookie formed a new Tuesday lineup of light, character-driven crime dramas, affectionately dubbed “Tuesday Cluesday,” according to Goldman.
This January lineup will be consolidated with R.J. Decker, which will remain in its Tuesday 10 PM slot following Dancing With the Stars.
Goldman emphasized that the combination of a strong lead-in from Dancing with the Stars provides an opportunity to inject energy into the show and ensure a solid start to the season.
R.J. Decker, like many midseason entries, is believed to have been given a partial renewal order, with potential for expansion if the series, featuring Scott Speedman, performs well. There is an expectation the show will join both Will Trent and High Potential on Tuesdays in January.
Meanwhile, The Rookie is likely to merge with The Rookie: North, which will also premiere midseason. The original series, starring Nathan Fillion, is anticipated to serve as a lead-in for the spinoff, featuring Jay Ellis.
While ABC has yet to disclose its midseason plans, Goldman suggested that pairing shows from the same universe often leads to greater audience compatibility. “Our experience with The Rookie: Feds demonstrated the advantages of aligning series of similar themes,” he remarked.
The Rookie and its spinoff The Rookie: Feds previously aired back-to-back on Tuesdays in midseason 2023, followed by Will Trent.
In addition to R.J. Decker, ABC is also bringing back its other new midseason series, the Scrubs reboot, to maintain viewer interest. The medical comedy will continue to air in tandem with Abbott Elementary, while Shifting Gears will remain on the bench for its third season.
“Scrubs has seen remarkable success; it was the top new comedy across multiplatform metrics and was also the highest-rated comedy in the 18-49 demographic,” Goldman noted. “Simultaneously, Shifting Gears has consistently performed well, finishing its second season stronger than the first, which is noteworthy in today’s television landscape.”
With Scrubs now granted a 10-episode second season, Shifting Gears is set to continue alongside Abbott Elementary in midseason. Its return will be prominently featured alongside major sports and entertainment events to boost visibility.
The Thursday, Sunday, and Monday schedules will remain unchanged, featuring 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Nashville, and Grey’s Anatomy on Thursdays, ESPN’s Monday Night Football on Mondays, and The Wonderful World of Disney on Sundays, starting with the world television premiere of Inside Out 2.
NEW DRAMA SERIES
THE ROOKIE: NORTH
The Rookie: North introduces the character Alex Holland, who, believing he is free from midlife crises, finds a new purpose after a violent home invasion. He joins the Pierce County Police Department as a rookie officer, navigating challenges that come from policing diverse environments, from urban areas to rural forests. The series casts Jay Ellis, Janet Montgomery, Karen Fukuhara, Chris Sullivan, Froy Gutierrez, Mya Lowe, and Malik Watson.
The Rookie: North is a spinoff of the acclaimed series The Rookie, which has recently been renewed for a ninth season. Both series are produced by Lionsgate Television in collaboration with 20th Television, with Alexi Hawley serving as executive producer and writer. Nathan Fillion, Mark Gordon, Bill Norcross, and Michelle Chapman also hold executive producer roles, while Ellis contributes as a producer.
