Why Fire Country and Other CBS Hits Are Suddenly Getting Shorter Seasons
Fire Country Season 5 is getting a shorter run — and so are several other returning CBS dramas. The network is trimming episode counts across 2026–27 to clear space for a wave of new scripted series.
If you tune into CBS on Fridays mainly for 'Fire Country,' heads up—things are about to change. The network is shaving down episode counts for several returning shows in the 2026–27 season. It seems like CBS is rethinking its playbook, aiming to make room for more new shows without totally blowing up the old favorites.
Shorter Seasons Across the Board
'Fire Country' will be back for Season 5—but this time, the firefighters only get 13 episodes to do their thing. That’s a pretty big drop from the usual 20 episodes we’ve had ever since the show started. So, if you relied on 'Fire Country' to anchor your TV schedule for most of the year, the shorter run will definitely be noticeable.
This isn’t just about one show, though. CBS is tightening pretty much all the episode orders for returning dramas next season:
- Fire Country – 13 episodes in Season 5 (down from 20)
- NCIS: Origins – 10 episodes
- NCIS: Sydney – 10 episodes (these two will actually share the Tuesday 10 p.m. slot across the season, an unusual move by CBS standards)
- Matlock – 13 episodes, returning midseason instead of sticking around for the full year
Why's This Happening?
CBS isn’t suddenly getting stingy with 'Fire Country' just because they can. The bigger picture is all about adding new blood to the lineup. The network wants to expand its overall roster, so it's making room for fresh titles like 'Cupertino,' 'Einstein,' the latest NCIS spinoff ('NCIS: New York'), and a new comedy called 'Eternally Yours.' Some of these are expected to get full, traditional seasons, which isn't always a guarantee when there's a shrinking pie to go around.
CBS’s Scheduling Jigsaw
Despite the new math, CBS isn’t completely flipping its schedule upside down. Here’s how entertainment president Amy Reisenbach framed it:
'The CBS Friday night entertainment lineup has been No. 1 for an incredible 16 straight seasons, so we’re sticking with what works, Sheriff Country at 8, Fire Country at 9, and Boston Blue at 10.'
Translation: even with fewer episodes, CBS isn’t messing with the Friday night block that’s kept them on top for more than a decade. They just won’t be able to stretch those favorites across as much of the season.
'Fire Country': Still a Heavy Hitter, With Changes
No need to worry about 'Fire Country' going anywhere—it’s still a key part of the CBS lineup, even with a trimmed season. Fun fact: it’s done well enough since launch that it helped spawn spin-offs and basically create its own little franchise. Speaking of changes, this season also brings a creative shakeup. Eric Guggenheim is stepping in as showrunner, taking the reins from Tia Napolitano. That could alter the vibe a bit—sometimes a new showrunner means new energy (for better or worse).
So, the bottom line: shorter seasons for now, but CBS isn’t pulling back on its big success stories. The network’s just trying to fit more pieces on the board—whether or not that’s a winning long-term bet, we’ll just have to see.