ABC recently made headlines with its renewal announcements. Among the big winners are the Emmy-winning favorite, Abbott Elementary, slated for a season 5 return, and the Kaitlin Olson-led detective drama, High Potential, confirmed for season 2. Despite this positive news, one of ABC’s high-profile dramas, Doctor Odyssey, remains on the chopping block with an uncertain future due to its diminishing ratings and costly production.
ABC’s Current Renewals
Grey’s Anatomy will be back for its 22nd season, refusing to go gentle into that good night. 9-1-1 will also return, with fans treated to 18 episodes for its ninth season. The Rookie is set for an eighth season, indicating that solving crimes and catching bad guys still pulls in the viewers. Meanwhile, Will Trent will be back for a fourth season, along with Shifting Gears, which surprisingly managed a reprieve for its sophomore season after early concerns about its destiny.
What’s in Store?
ABC’s new show lineup is notably bare this time around, with only one confirmed freshman entry: 9-1-1: Nashville. This spinoff will bring NCIS: Los Angeles alum Chris O’Donnell into the fold, serving as the network’s sole new offering for the 2025-2026 season. With just nine scripted series on its roster, ABC trails its main rivals, CBS and NBC, which boast 18 and 14 scripted shows, respectively.
Clinging to Comedy
The comedic landscape at ABC is sparse. With The Conners wrapping up, ABC’s laughs will mainly come courtesy of Abbott Elementary and Shifting Gears. Notably, Shifting Gears had quite the audience-pleasing debut, reaching 17 million viewers, which likely gave it a much-needed boost to dodge cancellation.
Our Thoughts on ABC’s Strategy
ABC might be scaling back on quantity, but they’re banking on the quality and devoted fan bases of their current offerings. Shows like 9-1-1 have caliber following akin to that of niche sci-fi series, while Abbott Elementary combines critical acclaim with a substantial viewer base. ABC’s approach seems to be this: focus on cultivating series that generate genuine fan investment and avoid cluttering the lineup with possibly soon-to-flop new titles.
Closing Credits
With its renewal decisions, ABC demonstrates a shrewd yet cautious strategy for the upcoming television season. Fewer shows mean a tighter portfolio, but this could foster quality programming that sustains viewer interest. Look out for further announcements regarding Doctor Odyssey and whether or not ABC decides to pull the plug on the polarizing series. For now, viewers can gear up for the confirmed returns and catch 9-1-1: Nashville as it unfolds on screens next season. According to Variety, we’ll all be staying tuned to see whether ABC’s careful game plan pans out.
