ABC’s midseason schedule does more than set return dates. It changes how the network uses The Rookie, gives its new spinoff a built-in audience, and reserves two high-value slots for sampling.
The Rookie becomes a Wednesday anchor
The veteran procedural leaves Tuesday after several seasons and settles at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, a one-hour upgrade from its old 10 p.m. position. The Rookie: North follows at 10 p.m., forming a two-hour block that starts with Shifting Gears at 8 p.m. on Jan. 6.
A classic lead-in play
Launching The Rookie: North directly behind The Rookie is the kind of scheduling decision that matters for audience flow. A new title inherits viewers who are already watching a compatible show instead of being asked to find it on a new night. For media planners, that means more predictable ratings in the 10 p.m. hour from the outset.
What else moves
On Jan. 5, Will Trent and High Potential hold their Tuesday spots, with unscripted Surviving a Scandal filling 10 p.m. High Potential gets the post-Super Bowl LXI slot on Feb. 14, the biggest single-night sampling opportunity on broadcast. American Idol’s 25th season starts Feb. 8, a day after a retrospective special on Feb. 1.
- Jan. 5: Will Trent at 8 p.m., High Potential at 9 p.m., Surviving a Scandal at 10 p.m.
- Jan. 6: Shifting Gears opens with two episodes at 8 p.m., The Rookie at 9 p.m., The Rookie: North at 10 p.m.
- Feb. 8: American Idol begins its 25th season; Shark Tank moves to Mondays at 10 p.m.
- March 21: The Bachelor returns, followed by What Would You Do?
Franchise patience
The Bachelor-verse has been off ABC since The Golden Bachelor’s second-season finale in November 2025, and the flagship Bachelor hasn’t aired since March 2025. Bringing it back March 21 gives the network a known reality brand for late midseason, while What Would You Do? provides a low-cost unscripted companion.
ABC also ordered a Grey’s Anatomy spinoff this spring but pushed it to 2027-28; it has not been cast yet. That removes a potential midseason swing title from the board and suggests the current schedule relies on established names rather than a new drama launch.
What to do with this
For media planners, Wednesday is now a procedural destination on ABC. The 8-10 p.m. flow should be considered as a single ad planning block. And the post-Super Bowl High Potential episode is the kind of inventory that should be bought early if your target includes broad scripted audiences.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
