CBS has locked in most of its 2026-27 lineup after renewing 10 more series, leaving only two scripted holdouts: medical mystery drama “Watson” and workplace comedy “DMV.” The latest wave of pickups keeps core performers in place — including “NCIS,” “Matlock,” “Tracker,” “Elsbeth,” “Fire Country,” “NCIS: Origins,” “NCIS: Sydney,” plus unscripted staples “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race.”
That renewal sweep also sharpens the squeeze on remaining slots. CBS already has two new dramas arriving at midseason — “CIA,” an “FBI” offshoot, and “Marshals,” a “Yellowstone” spinoff — while it has already put two new scripted series on the board for 2026-27: Silicon Valley drama “Cupertino” and procedural “Einstein.” Those additions raise the stakes for shows still waiting on a decision, since every new hour and half-hour has to come from somewhere.
For “Watson,” the network is about to get a clean data point. CBS shifted the series to Mondays at 10 p.m. behind “FBI” in the fall, and the show’s linear adults 18-49 performance slid on several nights, including a late-October episode that hit a low. CBS’ published midseason grid then moves “Watson” back to Sundays at 10 p.m. starting March 1, where it will air after “Marshals” and “Tracker.” If the show stabilizes with that Sunday flow, it strengthens the case that the series works best as a back-end anchor.
“DMV” has its own mixed signal. CBS ordered seven additional episodes in September, taking Season 1 to 20 and keeping production running, a move networks usually reserve for shows that look viable. Set at an East Hollywood DMV office, the single-camera comedy follows minimum-wage employees dealing with aggravated customers, with Harriet Dyer and Tim Meadows leading the cast. CBS schedules the show’s return for Feb. 23 at 8:30 p.m. on Mondays.
