NBC is adding several new programs to its 2026-27 television lineup, giving viewers a mix of scripted drama, comedy and reality competition. The first wave includes The Traitors: New Blood, Line of Fire and Newlyweds, while two additional scripted series, The Rockford Files and Sunset P.I., are scheduled to arrive later in the season.
For anyone searching for New NBC shows 2026, the biggest fall additions are spread across Thursday, Monday and Friday nights. NBC is also retaining major established franchises such as Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order.
Key Points Summary
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║ – NBC’s 2026-27 lineup includes four new scripted series. ║
║ – The Traitors: New Blood brings an all-civilian version of the franchise to NBC. ║
║ – Line of Fire stars Peter Krause and Hope Davis and premieres September 21. ║
║ – Newlyweds stars Téa Leoni and Tim Daly and debuts October 23. ║
║ – The Rockford Files is scheduled for January, while Sunset P.I. is planned for February. ║
║ – NBC is keeping its One Chicago and Law & Order franchises as major parts of the fall schedule. ║
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What Are the New NBC Shows 2026?
NBC’s 2026-27 season introduces four new scripted series: Line of Fire, The Rockford Files, Newlyweds and Sunset P.I. The network is also adding The Traitors: New Blood, an unscripted competition series featuring civilian contestants.
Of those programs, three are part of the initial fall entertainment rollout. The Traitors: New Blood starts September 17, Line of Fire launches September 21 and Newlyweds arrives October 23. The other two scripted additions are being saved for later in the television season.
That gives NBC a relatively broad mix of new programming rather than concentrating its additions in a single genre.
The network is using the new shows alongside returning franchises and major sports programming, including NFL, NBA and college football coverage.
The Traitors: New Blood Comes to NBC
One of the most significant additions to the New NBC shows 2026 lineup is The Traitors: New Blood.
The series brings the format of Peacock’s The Traitors to NBC with an entirely civilian cast. Alan Cumming remains the host as contestants compete at Ardross Castle in Scotland in a game built around deception, alliances and elimination.
NBC has selected 22 everyday Americans from more than 80,000 applicants for the new edition. The contestants are divided into hidden Traitors and Faithful players, with the Faithful attempting to identify the Traitors before the end of the competition.
The potential prize fund is as much as $250,000.
The NBC premiere is scheduled for Thursday, September 17, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with a two-hour opening episode. Two more episodes will air back-to-back on September 24 before the program moves to its regular one-hour format beginning October 8.
That makes the show one of NBC’s earliest major entertainment launches of the new season.
The civilian format is also designed to broaden the audience beyond the existing Peacock fan base. Instead of a celebrity-focused cast, the NBC edition centers on contestants who were selected from the general public.
Line of Fire Brings a New Family Crime Drama
Line of Fire is NBC’s major new scripted drama for the fall.
The series stars Peter Krause and Hope Davis and follows the Hollingsworth family, a group of law enforcement professionals who become connected to a dangerous conspiracy. Their work touches agencies including the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Secret Service and Department of Justice.
The story begins after a U.S. Marshal is killed in the line of duty. What initially appears to be a straightforward case develops into a larger threat, forcing the family to use its combined experience while dealing with personal differences.
Krause and Davis lead a cast that also includes Kat Cunning, Tommy O’Brien, Taylor Bloom and Charlie Barnett. Josh Safran serves as writer and executive producer, alongside Jenna Bush Hager and Ben Spector.
Line of Fire premieres Monday, September 21, at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
It will initially follow The Voice, placing the new drama in one of NBC’s established Monday-night programming blocks.
The scheduling gives NBC an opportunity to introduce the drama to viewers already watching the network’s long-running singing competition.
Newlyweds Adds a New Friday Comedy
NBC’s fall comedy addition is Newlyweds, starring Téa Leoni and Tim Daly.
The series centers on a couple who enter marriage after a fast-moving romance despite having very different personalities. Leoni plays a free-spirited woman, while Daly portrays a more traditional professor.
The two actors are also a familiar television pairing. They previously worked together on Madam Secretary, although Newlyweds places them in a completely different type of story.
Jamie Lee Curtis is attached as a recurring guest star and executive producer. Gail Lerner serves as writer and executive producer, with Eric and Kim Tannenbaum, Scott Schwartz and Curtis among the executive producers.
Newlyweds premieres Friday, October 23, at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.
It follows the return of Happy’s Place, which begins its third season at 8 p.m. That puts the new comedy directly behind an established NBC sitcom.
The Rockford Files Arrives in January
The fall schedule is only the beginning of NBC’s new-programming plans.
The Rockford Files is scheduled to premiere in January 2027. The series is a contemporary version of the classic private-investigator property and stars David Boreanaz as the central character. Two-time Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver is also part of the cast.
The original property is being reworked for a contemporary audience while retaining the private-investigator foundation that defines the character.
NBC has positioned the series as one of its major midseason scripted launches rather than making it part of the September rollout.
That timing allows the network to use the show as a fresh addition after the initial fall programming cycle.
For viewers following the New NBC shows 2026 announcements, the January launch is particularly notable because it extends NBC’s new scripted lineup beyond the traditional fall premiere period.
Sunset P.I. Is NBC’s Other New Comedy
Another new scripted series coming to NBC is Sunset P.I., which is scheduled for February 2027.
The comedy stars Jake Johnson and Jane Levy and follows a group of unconventional private investigators working in Los Angeles. Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici are behind the project, with the series coming from producers associated with Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Unlike Line of Fire, which uses law enforcement and family drama as its foundation, Sunset P.I. approaches the private-investigator concept as a comedy.
NBC’s decision to hold the show until February means viewers will have another new scripted comedy to discover after the fall schedule has settled.
The series is therefore part of the broader 2026-27 new-show strategy even though it is not technically a fall premiere.
NBC Fall TV Shows 2026: The Complete Schedule
The NBC Fall TV Shows 2026: The Complete Schedule combines the network’s new programs with returning series and live sports.
Here is the current fall rollout announced by NBC:
Monday
The Voice — 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Line of Fire — 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Beginning November 2, St. Denis Medical returns at 8 p.m., followed by The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, while The Voice moves to 9 p.m. and Line of Fire remains at 10 p.m.
Tuesday
NBC’s Tuesday schedule is built around NBA coverage beginning in October. The network is using the night for live basketball rather than establishing a traditional scripted-series block.
Wednesday
The One Chicago lineup returns:
Chicago Med — 8 p.m.
Chicago Fire — 9 p.m.
Chicago P.D. — 10 p.m.
The three programs return together beginning October 7.
Thursday
The Traitors: New Blood — 8 p.m.
Law & Order: SVU — 9 p.m.
Law & Order — 10 p.m.
The reality competition occupies the opening hour before the two Law & Order programs take over the rest of the evening.
Friday
Happy’s Place — 8 p.m.
Newlyweds — 8:30 p.m.
Dateline NBC — 9 p.m.
The new comedy begins October 23, while Dateline NBC continues to occupy the later portion of the evening.
Saturday
NBC’s Saturday schedule focuses heavily on college football, including Big Ten and Notre Dame programming.
Sunday
Football Night in America begins at 7 p.m., followed by NBC Sunday Night Football at 8:20 p.m.
What Is Returning to NBC in Fall 2026?
The new series are only one part of NBC’s 2026-27 plans.
The network is bringing back its successful One Chicago lineup, consisting of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D.. The three shows continue to occupy the Wednesday-night block.
The Law & Order franchise also remains prominent. Law & Order: SVU begins its 28th season, while the original Law & Order returns for its 26th season. They are scheduled for Thursday nights at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., respectively.
The Voice is also back for its 30th season. Queen Latifah and Riley Green join Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine as coaches for the new season.
NBC’s comedy lineup includes returning shows such as Happy’s Place and St. Denis Medical, while The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins continues as part of the network’s Monday schedule.
The result is a schedule that adds new shows without removing the franchises that form the core of NBC’s primetime lineup.
NBC 2026-27 Premiere Timeline
NBC’s new season unfolds in stages.
September 17: The Traitors: New Blood begins its NBC run with a two-hour premiere.
September 21: The Voice returns, followed by the premiere of Line of Fire at 10 p.m.
October 7: Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. return as the Wednesday-night One Chicago block.
October 8: Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order begin their new seasons.
October 23: Newlyweds premieres after Happy’s Place.
November 2: St. Denis Medical and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins return to Monday nights.
January 2027: The Rockford Files is scheduled to launch.
February 2027: Sunset P.I. is scheduled to arrive.
This staggered approach means NBC’s new programming will continue appearing well beyond the traditional September start of the television season.
What Makes the New NBC Lineup Different?
The most noticeable feature of NBC’s 2026-27 strategy is the variety of its new programming.
The Traitors: New Blood expands a successful streaming reality franchise onto broadcast television. The civilian cast also gives the NBC version a different identity from the celebrity-driven versions viewers may already know.
Line of Fire provides the network with a new serialized drama built around law enforcement, family relationships and a larger conspiracy.
Newlyweds takes NBC in a lighter direction with a relationship-focused comedy.
The two later arrivals broaden that mix even further. The Rockford Files uses a recognizable television property as the foundation for a modern drama, while Sunset P.I. offers a comedy built around private investigators.
NBC is therefore not relying on a single formula for its new shows. Instead, the network is adding programming across several categories while continuing to invest heavily in established franchises and live sports.
That balance is particularly relevant because NBC’s schedule remains heavily influenced by sports. NFL coverage dominates the weekend, college football anchors Saturday, and NBA games become a major part of the schedule during the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the new NBC shows in 2026?
A: NBC’s new 2026-27 programs include The Traitors: New Blood, Line of Fire, Newlyweds, The Rockford Files and Sunset P.I.
Q: When does Line of Fire premiere?
A: Line of Fire premieres Monday, September 21, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Q: When does The Traitors: New Blood start on NBC?
A: The Traitors: New Blood premieres Thursday, September 17, at 8 p.m. ET/PT with a two-hour episode.
Q: When does Newlyweds premiere on NBC?
A: Newlyweds premieres Friday, October 23, at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT after Happy’s Place.
Q: Is The Rockford Files a new NBC show for 2026?
A: Yes. It is one of NBC’s four new scripted series for the 2026-27 season, with its premiere scheduled for January 2027.
Q: When will Sunset P.I. premiere?
A: Sunset P.I. is scheduled to launch in February 2027.
Q: What are the major returning NBC shows in fall 2026?
A: Major returning programs include Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order, The Voice, Happy’s Place and St. Denis Medical.
The Bottom Line on New NBC Shows 2026
The New NBC shows 2026 lineup is broader than a typical fall-only rollout. NBC is introducing three major new entertainment programs during the fall while holding two additional scripted series for January and February.
For viewers planning their fall television calendars, the most immediate dates are September 17 for The Traitors: New Blood, September 21 for Line of Fire, and October 23 for Newlyweds. Later in the season, The Rockford Files and Sunset P.I. will expand NBC’s new scripted lineup.
At the same time, NBC is keeping its strongest returning franchises in place, including the One Chicago dramas and Law & Order shows. The combination gives the network a 2026-27 schedule that mixes familiar television brands with several new formats and characters.
