Keep up with which scripted dramas and comedies are returning (or ending) with The Hollywood Reporter’s handy guide to the 2021-22 broadcast season.
A lot can change during a global pandemic.
Broadcast networks enjoyed an immediate uptick in the early days of stay-at-home orders amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, but the ratings glow has faded as media conglomerates Disney, NBCUniversal, WarnerMedia, ViacomCBS and Fox restructure and redirect resources and attention on in-house streaming platforms.
To that end, two broadcast networks have changed leadership over the course of the past year. NBC no longer has its own dedicated exec as Susan Rovner takes on oversight of streamer Peacock, a slate of cable networks as well as the broadcaster. Hulu’s Craig Erwich added ABC to his purview as the female-leaning broadcast network is more closely aligned with the Disney-backed streamer.
As financial budgets are refocused on streaming, a number of veteran (aka expensive) dramas and comedies are closing up shop in an early trend that may signal cost cutting as the pandemic adds time and money to the price tags of scripted originals.
Following a season that saw a small number of new comedies and dramas get a greenlight as broadcasters stuck with bubble shows in a bid to reduce promotional and marketing costs and an easier production process during the pandemic, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW set their sights on a return to business as usual.
With a vaccine rollout kicking into high gear, it’s unclear what the new normal will look like after the pandemic forced a faster shift to streaming among the media titans as they continue to carve out a path to compete with Netflix.
In keeping with some tradition, here’s The Hollywood Reporter’s handy guide of scripted broadcast shows are coming back, what’s canceled (or ending) and what’s been added to the 2021-22 schedule at ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW. Bookmark this scorecard as THR will update it regularly as the wind shifts on current shows and as the networks make their decisions.
(Key: Renewed shows in bold; ownership is by in-house studio unless otherwise noted. Comedies are single-cam, unless noted. Current status is followed by THR reporting.)
ABC
Veteran shows
A Million Little Things: awaiting word on season four (a safe bet)
American Housewife: awaiting word on season six (could go either way)
Black-ish: awaiting word on season eight (a lock to return)
The Conners (multicam): awaiting word on season four (a lock to return)
For Life (Sony/ABC): awaiting word on season three (50-50 odds, lost its champion)
The Goldbergs (Sony): awaiting word on season nine (showing its age)
The Good Doctor (Sony/ABC): awaiting word on season five (a safe bet)
Grey’s Anatomy: awaiting word on season 18 (renewal talks under way)
Mixed-ish: awaiting word on season three (could go either way)
The Rookie: awaiting word on season four (does ABC’s new regime love Nathan Fillion, too?)
Station 19: awaiting word on season five (70-30 odds it comes back)
Freshman shows
Big Sky (A+E/ABC): awaiting word on season two (a sure thing)
Call Your Mother (multicam, Sony): (pickup would be a surprise)
Home Economics (ABC/Lionsgate): bows April 7
Rebel (ABC/Sony): bows April 8
Women of the Movement (limited series): expected sometime in 2021
New shows (for 2021-22 season)
Untitled Alec Baldwin-Kelsey Grammer (multicam, 20th)
CBS
Veteran shows
All Rise (co-pro with WB): awaiting word on season three (a safe bet to return)
Blue Bloods: awaiting word on season 12 (getting expensive, 50-50)
Bob Hearts Abishola (WB, multicam): renewed for season three
Bull: awaiting word on season six (likely to return)
Evil: season two is awaiting a spring premiere date
FBI (UTV/CBS): awaiting word on season four (likely)
FBI: Most Wanted (UTV/CBS): awaiting word on season three (likely)
MacGyver: awaiting word on season six (likely, if costs remain low)
Magnum P.I.: awaiting word on season four (location helps renewal odds)
Mom (WB, multicam): ending with season eight
NCIS: awaiting word on season 19 (end may be nearing)
NCIS: Los Angeles: awaiting word on season 13 (a safe bet to come back)
NCIS: New Orleans: ending with season seven
The Neighborhood (multicam): renewed for season four
SEAL Team: awaiting word on season five (likely)
SWAT (SPT/CBS): awaiting word on season five (likely)
The Unicorn: awaiting word on season three (likely)
Young Sheldon (WB): awaiting word on season five (likely)
Freshman shows
Clarice: launched Feb. 11; too soon to tell
The Equalizer (CBS/UTV): launched Feb. 7; too soon to tell
B Positive (WB, multicam): five-episode pickup; too soon to tell
United States of Al (WB, multicam): bows April 1
New shows (for 2021-22 season)
(none official yet, but expect CSI: Las Vegas, NCIS: Hawaii, FBI: International)
The CW
Veteran shows
All American (WB): renewed for season four
Batwoman (WB): renewed for season three
Black Lightning (WB): ending with fourth and final season
Charmed (CBS): renewed for season four
Dynasty (CBS): renewed for season five
The Flash (WB): renewed for season eight
In the Dark (CBS): renewed for season four
Legacies (WB): renewed for season four
Legends of Tomorrow (WB): renewed for season seven
Nancy Drew (CBS): renewed for season three
Riverdale (WB): renewed for season six
Roswell, New Mexico (WB) renewed for season four
Stargirl (WB): season two awaiting premiere date
Supergirl (WB): ending with sixth and final season
Freshman shows
Kung Fu (WB): awaiting premiere date
Republic of Sarah (CBS): awaiting premiere date
Superman & Lois (WB, straight to series): due Feb. 23; too soon to tell
Walker (CBS, straight to series): renewed for season two
New shows (for 2021-22 season)
The 4400 (CBS, straight to series)
Fox
Veteran shows
911 (20th): awaiting word on season five (a sure thing)
911: Lone Star (20th): awaiting word on season three (a sure thing)
Bless the Harts (20th/Fox, animated): awaiting word on season three (a safe bet)
Bob’s Burgers (20th): renewed through season 13 (in 2022-23)
Duncanville (20th/UTV/Fox, animated); renewed for season two
Family Guy (20th): renewed through season 20 (in 2022-23)
The Great North (animated/20th, Fox): renewed for season two
Last Man Standing (20th/multicam): ending with season nine
The Moodys (CBS, Fox): awaiting word on season three (returns in April)
Prodigal Son (WB, Fox): awaiting word on season three (70-30 odds it returns)
The Resident (20th): awaiting word on season five (likely to be back)
The Simpsons (20th): awaiting word on season 33 (would be a shock if it doesn’t come back)
Freshman shows
Call Me Kat (WB, multicam): could go either way
Housebroken (animated): awaiting premiere date
New shows (for 2021-22 season)
Fantasy Island (Sony, Fox Entertainment): due summer 2021
This Country (Lionsgate, BBC Studios, Fox Entertainment)
Untitled Dan Harmon animated comedy (Fox Entertainment): due in 2022
NBC
Veteran shows
The Blacklist (Sony/UTV): renewed for season nine
Brooklyn Nine-Nine: ending with abbreviated/delayed season eight
Chicago Fire: renewed for seasons 10 and 11
Chicago Med: renewed for seasons seven and eight
Chicago PD: renewed for seasons nine and 10
Good Girls: awaiting word on season five (returns March 7)
Law & Order: SVU: renewed for seasons 23 and 24
Manifest (WB/UTV): awaiting word on season four (returns April 1)
New Amsterdam: renewed for seasons four and five
Superstore: ending with sixth and final season
This Is Us (20th): renewed for sixth and likely final season
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (Lionsgate/UTV): awaiting word on season three
Freshman shows
Debris (Legendary/UTV): launches March 1
The Kenan Show: too soon to tell
Law & Order: Organized Crime: premieres April 1
Mr. Mayor: likely to return
Young Rock: too soon to tell
New shows (for 2021-22 season)
American Auto
Grand Crew
La Brea
The Thing About Pam (six-episode limited series)
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