'Fire Country' To Have Shorter Season 5 With Reduced Order
Deadline • • entertainment
Key Points:
- CBS will maintain its successful Friday night lineup for fall 2026 with Sheriff Country at 8 PM, Fire Country at 9 PM, and Boston Blue at 10 PM, continuing a 16-season streak as the top Friday entertainment block.
- Fire Country will have a reduced 13-episode Season 5 order, down from 20 episodes this season, and will exit the Friday lineup early next season amid a behind-the-scenes showrunner change.
- The NCIS franchise will see changes with NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney each producing 10 episodes, sharing the Tuesday 10 PM slot midseason, while the new NCIS: New York spinoff debuts with a full 20-episode order in fall 2026.
- CBS is increasing its scripted series volume for 2026-27, adding three new dramas and one comedy, while reducing episode counts on some existing shows to balance the larger slate, with Matlock returning midseason for 13 episodes due to creative revamps.
- Ghosts will receive a full 22-episode order for its sixth season despite a midseason start, including holiday specials, and showrunners will also deliver 20 episodes of the new comedy Eternally Yours for fall 2026.
