ABC Sets The Stage For 2027 With Premiere Dates For 16 Major Shows

Published Nov 7, 2026, 8:06 AM EST

Abdullah Al-Ghamdi joined Screen Rant in August 2019 and is now one of the leading contributors of the TV News team. Having written over 4000 news stories in that time , with his work cited in Buzzfeed and TV Insider, he's always bemoaning that there's too many shows and not enough time. You can contact him at: aalghamdi@hey.com.

ABC has confirmed its 2027 midseason premiere dates.

At the start of this year, ABC made the relatively rare announcement that it was renewing all of its scripted shows, declining to deliver any cancellations. The decision led to shifts in the episode count for some series and delayed others, with High Potential season 3 and Shifting Gears season 3 leaving the fall line-up to debut later. And with R.J. Deccker season 3 unconfirmed, season 2 returned with a notably shorter run of just seven episodes.

The fall shows will soon begin to go on their respective winter hiatuses. But thanks to the fact that ABC has announced its midseason schedule, viewers can now know exactly when to expect the return of their favorite shows, including 9-1-1 and Abbott Elementary, as well as new seasons of The Rookie, Will Trent, and the network's biggest hit, High Potential.

The main takeaways from the new scheduling announcement are that Will Trent season 5 arrives on January 5 at 8 PM ET, followed by High Potential season 3 at 9 PM ET. Shifting Gears season 3 offers a two-episode premiere, which will feature a reunion between 2 Broke Girls co-stars Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs, on January 6 at 8 PM ET.

The Rookie season 9 follows on at 9 PM ET, followed by the debut of the franchise's second spinoff in The Rookie: North at 10 PM ET. ABC is also debuting the two-part docuseries Surviving a Scandal, which examines infamous figures from the past few decades like Milli Vanilli, Octomom, and Joey Buttafuoco.

In terms of returning dramas and comedies, 9-1-1 season 10 will return from its midseason break on January 7 at 8 PM ET, followed by 9-1-1: Nashville season 2 at 9 PM ET and Grey's Anatomy season 23 closing out the night at 10 PM ET. Abbott Elementary, the network's lone sitcom other than Shifting Gears, will be back on January 13 at 8:31 PM ET. The table above features the entire lineup, including awards ceremonies and a special post-Super Bowl airing for High Potential.

Considering that the Grey's Anatomy spinoff has been pushed to later in 2027, ABC has only one new show premiering in January. That is The Rookie: North. It centers on Alex Holland (portrayed by Jay Ellis, known for HBO's Insecure). Although he'd hoped to avoid experiencing a midlife crisis, Holland's life is shaken by a violent home invasion.

With franchise creator Alexi Hawley at the helm, Holland has to face a history of broken commitments when he enters the Pierce County Police Department as a rookie. He must demonstrate to a skeptical training officer, his fellow rookies, and even himself that he's capable of handling the job. Chris Sullivan, Karen Fukuhara, Froy Gutierrez, Janet Montgomery, Mya Lowe, and Malik Watson also star, and the premiere episode also features Rookie cameos from Nathan Fillion, Melissa O'Neil, and Eric Winter.

ABC has been developing potential new shows throughout 2026, including a potential Tracker rival from Justin Hartley, so it remains to be seen if all of its scripted slate gets renewed again. For now at least, fans won't have to wait too long for their favorites to return.

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  Will Trent

  Release Date

  January 3, 2023

  Network

  ABC

  • 

    Ramón Rodríguez

    Will Trent

  • 

    Erika Christensen

    Angie Polaski

  Will Trent is a crime drama series that follows special agent Will Trent, who was abandoned at birth and raised in Atlanta's foster care system. He becomes a dedicated agent with the highest clearance rate, driven by his experiences to ensure others do not suffer as he did.

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  High Potential

  

  9/10

  Release Date

  September 17, 2024

  Network

  ABC

  • 

    Morgan

  • 

    Daniel Sunjata

    Karadec

  Morgan, a single mother of three with a brilliant but unconventional mind, partners with a methodical detective after solving a crime during her job as a cleaner. The unlikely duo proves effective, blending Morgan's out-of-the-box thinking with his by-the-book approach​.