ABC Midseason Schedule 2026 Brings Back The Rookie, Will Trent, and a Scrubs Revival Fans Will Obsess Over

ABC is not quietly easing into 2026. The network just dropped its midseason schedule, and it’s a slick mix of returning heavy hitters, ambitious revivals, and strategic reshuffles.

If January is supposed to be sleepy season, ABC clearly missed that memo. The network is rolling out new episodes like it’s May sweeps, giving us a little nostalgia (Scrubs, anyone?), a lot of procedural grit, and a few strategic power plays that show the alphabet network still knows how to command attention in the streaming age.

Below is the full rundown of what’s coming, when to tune in, and which nights will absolutely destroy your social life.

ABC Midseason Schedule 2026 at a Glance

Date	Time (ET)	Show	Details
Sunday, Jan. 4	7:00 PM	America’s Funniest Home Videos	Season 36 return — still proving dad jokes and pet fails are immortal
Tuesday, Jan. 6	8:00 PM	Will Trent	Season 4 premiere — the slickest detective since Castle
	9:00 PM	High Potential	Returns in a new slot with more quirky crimes and sharper chemistry
	10:00 PM	The Rookie	Season 8 premiere — Nathan Fillion’s charisma continues to defy gravity
Wednesday, Jan. 7	8:00 PM	Shifting Gears	Back for more workplace chaos
	8:30 PM	Abbott Elementary	Season 5 return — still the smartest show about dumb bureaucracy
	10:00 PM	Shark Tank	Midseason return to remind us we’re bad at business
Thursday, Jan. 8	8:00 PM	9-1-1	Season 9 return — more disasters, more tears
	9:00 PM	9-1-1: Nashville	Spinoff debut — country drama meets catastrophe
	10:00 PM	Grey’s Anatomy	Season 22 return — the hospital that refuses to die
Friday, Jan. 9	8:00 PM	Celebrity Wheel of Fortune	Because watching famous people guess words never gets old
	9:00 PM	20/20	Journalism meets true crime — a Friday staple
Saturday, Jan. 24	8:00 PM	NBA on ABC	Lakers vs. Mavericks headline the season
Monday, Jan. 26	8:00 PM	American Idol	Season 24 premieres in a new Monday slot
Wednesday, Feb. 25	8:00 PM	Scrubs	The revival we didn’t dare hope for — two-episode premiere
Friday, Feb. 27	8:00 PM	Celebrity Jeopardy! All Stars	Smart people playing for charity and bragging rights
Sunday, Mar. 22	8:00 PM	The Bachelorette	Season 22 premiere — expect drama, roses, and regret

What’s Working (and What’s Ballsy)

ABC’s biggest flex is confidence. Rather than playing it safe with endless reality fillers, the network is leaning into scripted storytelling again. The Tuesday block of Will Trent, High Potential, and The Rookie looks like a calculated attempt to own the procedural space. It’s the kind of cohesive lineup that feels designed for binge-watchers who still believe in live TV.

Then there’s Scrubs. The revival drops February 25 with a double episode event, and it’s the exact kind of nostalgia ABC needed to spark social buzz. It’s been over a decade since Sacred Heart closed its doors, but if any show deserves another shot, it’s the one that made gallows humor in hospitals a national pastime.

Abbott Elementary remains the comedic backbone of the week, and Grey’s Anatomy continues to exist in defiance of time, medical logic, and actor contracts. Meanwhile, ABC’s Thursday lineup of 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Nashville could become its next major drama engine if it lands with viewers.

The Verdict from The TV Cave

The 2026 ABC midseason schedule is refreshingly un-boring. It mixes familiar comfort with gutsy programming decisions that suggest the network is finally playing offense again. Whether you’re tuning in for the chaos of 9-1-1, the emotional whiplash of Grey’s Anatomy, or the nostalgia trip that is Scrubs, ABC’s lineup has something for everyone and maybe even a few reasons to start watching live TV again.

So grab your remote, cancel those streaming auto-plays, and get ready to spend your winter back on the couch with network TV. ABC just gave us a reason to care about midseason again.