CBS trims episode counts for ‘Fire Country’ Season 5 and three other dramas in fall 2026 lineup
CBS is not in the mood to fix what clearly is not broken, at least when it comes to its Friday night lineup. The network is sticking with its familiar trio of dramas for the upcoming fall 2026 season. As reported by Deadline, the schedule will once again feature ‘Sheriff Country’ at 8 p.m., ‘Fire Country’ at 9 p.m., and ‘Boston Blue’ at 10 p.m. Network executive Amy Reisenbach made it clear earlier this month that, “The CBS Friday night entertainment lineup has been No. 1 for an incredible 16 straight seasons, so we’re sticking with what works.” Still, even a stable schedule can come with a few curveballs, and this time, ‘Fire Country’ finds itself at the center of one.
While the firefighter drama will return for another season, it will not stick around for the entire broadcast year. Sources indicate that the upcoming Season 5 has been trimmed to 13 episodes, a noticeable drop compared to its current run of 20. That means the show will wrap its season earlier than usual, leaving an open slot in the lineup later in the cycle. The change in episode count is not limited to one show. CBS appears to be spreading its content across more titles this time, leading to shorter seasons for several returning dramas. The ‘NCIS’ universe, for example, is also seeing adjustments. The prequel ‘NCIS: Origins’ and ‘NCIS: Sydney’ will both run for 10 episodes next season.
That marks a reduction from their existing runs, which currently stand at 18 and 20 episodes, respectively. Rather than giving each show a full stretch on its own, CBS plans to split the Tuesday 10 p.m. slot between them. Another show facing a shorter run is ‘Matlock’, which is set to return for its third season in midseason. The series will produce 13 episodes this time, which is shorter than its previous seasons that delivered 19 and 16 episodes, respectively. All these adjustments point to a bigger picture. CBS is expanding its scripted lineup for the 2026–27 season, adding new shows while keeping most of its current hits in play. Among the incoming titles are ‘Cupertino’ and ‘NCIS: New York’, both set for full 20-episode seasons, along with ‘Einstein’, which will arrive midseason with a 13-episode order.
On the comedy side, ‘Eternally Yours’ is joining the mix as well. To make room for these additions, CBS has made a few cuts. ‘Watson’ will not be returning, and two comedies, ‘The Neighborhood’ and ‘DMV’, are also exiting the lineup. Notably, not every show is affected by this change. ‘Ghosts’ will continue with a full 22-episode order for its upcoming Season 6, even though it will not be part of the fall schedule. CBS plans to reach that number by including special holiday episodes, such as Halloween and Christmas installments. As for the gap left behind by ‘Fire Country’ later in the season, CBS has not confirmed what will take over that slot.
