Summary (tl;dr)

CBS has announced its 2026-2027 fall primetime schedule, notably moving popular series Matlock and Ghosts to midseason premieres, with new shows filling their traditional fall slots.

Essential Background

Ghosts is a successful American television sitcom, adapted from a British series, which premiered in 2021 and has consistently been renewed, with its fifth season having premiered in October 2025. Matlock is a legal drama that premiered in 2024, starring Kathy Bates, and is a reimagining of the classic TV series. Both shows have been strong performers for the network.

The Full Story

CBS has unveiled its fall 2026-2027 primetime schedule, revealing significant shifts for two of its popular series. Both Matlock and Ghosts will not be part of the fall lineup and are instead being held for midseason premieres, likely in early 2027. This decision allows for new programming to debut in the fall, including NCIS: New York, Cupertino, and Eternally Yours, with the latter, a vampire comedy, taking Ghosts' Thursday 8:30 PM ET/PT slot. While Matlock season 3 will be entirely a midseason offering, Ghosts fans will still see some new content this fall with one-hour Halloween and "Ghostmas" special episodes airing. CBS executives have indicated that this strategic move aims to leverage the depth of their programming and distribute major titles throughout the year, employing a staggered release model to maintain audience engagement beyond the traditional fall season.

Why It Matters

This scheduling shake-up is significant for viewers of Matlock and Ghosts, who will experience a longer-than-usual wait for new seasons. It also highlights CBS's strategy to refresh its lineup with new shows, expand successful franchises like NCIS, and strategically deploy its popular returning series to maintain viewership across the entire television season. The decision to move established hits like Matlock and Ghosts to midseason demonstrates the network's confidence in its new programming and its intent to spread its strongest content rather than concentrating it solely in the fall.

Geographic Location

• Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States (CBS slate unveiling)