CBS Fall 2026 Schedule Revealed: Premiere Dates, Returning Hits and Major Changes Coming This Season

CBS has officially unveiled its Fall 2026 television lineup, and the network is preparing for a season filled with returning favorites, major franchises and several notable programming changes.

The 2026–2027 schedule combines established hits with new series, giving viewers plenty of familiar titles while introducing fresh dramas and comedies. From the continued expansion of the NCIS universe to a revamped Thursday comedy block, CBS is clearly looking to balance proven performers with new ideas.

Among the most anticipated new additions are NCIS: New York, Cupertino and Eternally Yours. Meanwhile, returning favorites including NCIS, FBI, Tracker, Fire Country, Elsbeth, Boston Blue, Marshals and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage remain key parts of the lineup.

CBS Is Getting a Head Start on Fall

CBS is not waiting until October to bring back its fall programming.

The network begins its rollout in September, with 60 Minutes returning for its 59th season on September 13 before settling into its regular Sunday schedule on September 20.

The first major entertainment premiere arrives Wednesday, September 23, when Survivor returns for its 51st season. The Amazing Race follows on September 30.

Rather than bringing every major program back at once, CBS is taking a staggered approach. Unscripted favorites and established news programming will help build momentum throughout September before the network’s scripted lineup takes center stage in October.

For viewers, that means the new television season will unfold gradually instead of arriving in one enormous premiere week.

By early October, however, CBS will have nearly its entire fall strategy in place.

CBS Premiere Week Begins October 4

The network’s biggest wave of premieres begins Sunday, October 4.

Marshals returns for its second season, while Tracker launches its fourth. The two dramas will play important roles in CBS’s Sunday-night lineup, with the network continuing to rely on familiar crime and procedural storytelling.

Tracker remains one of the network’s major scripted properties. Justin Hartley returns as Colter Shaw, the independent investigator who travels across the country helping people find missing individuals and solve complicated cases.

The show’s continued presence demonstrates CBS’s confidence in the series and its ability to attract a broad audience.

Marshals, meanwhile, enters its second season after establishing itself as another piece of CBS’s expanding crime-drama lineup.

Together, the two shows give Sunday night a strong scripted foundation while allowing CBS to continue developing newer franchises.

Monday Brings a Major FBI Schedule Change

Monday, October 5, brings one of the more noticeable adjustments to the CBS schedule.

FBI returns for Season 9 at 8 p.m., followed by CIA at 9 p.m. and Harlan Coben’s Final Twist at 10 p.m.

The placement of FBI and CIA is particularly significant because the schedule represents a shift from their previous positioning.

Moving an established series to a different time slot may appear minor, but it can have a major impact on audience habits. Broadcast networks carefully consider how one program feeds into the next, particularly during heavily competitive hours.

By placing FBI at 8 p.m., CBS is using one of its most recognizable franchises to open the night. CIA then continues the crime-and-intelligence theme before Harlan Coben’s Final Twist gives viewers a darker mystery series to close out the evening.

The strategy is clear: start Monday with a familiar hit, follow it with another franchise-driven drama, and then introduce viewers to a more unconventional mystery at 10 p.m.

A Mix of Familiar Franchises and New Ideas

CBS’s Fall 2026 lineup reflects a broader strategy that has become increasingly important for broadcast networks.

Established franchises remain at the center of the schedule because they provide dependable audiences, while new shows give the network opportunities to create the next generation of hits.

The continued strength of properties such as NCIS, FBI and Tracker gives CBS a recognizable foundation. At the same time, titles such as NCIS: New York, Cupertino and Eternally Yours offer the possibility of expanding the network’s audience.

The schedule also suggests that CBS is willing to experiment with where and when its established programs appear.

For viewers, that could make the 2026–2027 season particularly interesting. Some of the biggest changes may not come from entirely new shows, but from how familiar series are being repositioned.

What Fans Can Expect This Fall

With September premieres leading into the major October launch, CBS is taking a carefully staged approach to the new television season.

The return of Survivor and The Amazing Race will give the network an early boost, while Tracker, Marshals, FBI and other returning dramas will take over as the scripted season gets underway.

At the same time, new projects will have the opportunity to establish themselves alongside some of CBS’s biggest franchises.

The result is a lineup that combines familiarity with change — a strategy designed to keep longtime viewers engaged while giving new series room to find an audience.

With Premiere Week beginning October 4, CBS is preparing for a fall season that could bring plenty of surprises, new favorites and major developments across its television lineup.