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Jun 17, 20261
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NBC Cancels Eight Shows, Adds Four New Ones to Accommodate NBA Deal
NBC has canceled eight shows, including Law & Order: Organized Crime and Kelly Clarkson's talk show, to clear space for up to 100 NBA regular-season games as part of an 11-year deal. The network will launch four new scripted originals, including a family drama, a late-in-life comedy, and two comedies set to debut across the fall and spring seasons.
Quick Facts
Who
NBC
What
cancelled eight shows
When
2026-2027 TV lineup
Where
NBC network
- cancelled eight shows
- announced four new scripted originals
- signed an 11-year deal with the NBA
- cleared space for up to 100 NBA regular-season games
- NBC
NBC has axed eight shows, including the fan-favorite Law & Order: Organized Crime and Kelly Clarkson’s daytime talk show, to make room for airing up to 100 NBA regular-season games this fall. The sweeping overhaul comes after the network signed an 11-year deal with the NBA, requiring significant changes to its programming schedule. Beginning earlier this year, NBC also canceled its long-running entertainment news program Access Hollywood, along with three other daytime talk shows—Karamo and The Steve Wilkos Show—and three more scripted series: the medical drama Brilliant Minds, the cheerleading mockumentary Stumble, and the crime drama The Hunting Party.
In response to the cancellations, NBC is preparing to debut four new scripted originals in the 2026-2027 TV lineup. This fall, Monday nights will feature Line of Duty, a family drama starring Peter Krause and Hope Davis that follows the Hollingsworth family—law enforcement agents—as they become entangled in a deadly conspiracy following the death of a U.S. Marshal. Friday nights will bring Newlyweds, a comedy starring real-life couple Téa Leoni and Tim Daly, along with Jamie Lee Curtis, centered on a later-in-life love story between a carefree woman and a tightly wound professor who hastily marry after a whirlwind courtship.
Looking ahead to the 2027 spring lineup, NBC will introduce Sunset P.I., a comedy from the executive producers of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, led by New Girl star Jake Johnson and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist alum Jane Levy. The series follows a group of unorthodox private investigators in Los Angeles. Additionally, in January, the network will premiere The Rockford Files, a modern retelling of the original 1970s detective drama, with Bones star David Boreanaz stepping into the role of Jim Rockford, an ex-convict and private detective, alongside Emmy-winning Australian actor Jacki Weaver.
Topics
Why This Matters
NBC's sweeping programming shakeup—which prioritizes live sports over scripted series and daytime talk shows—signals a broader industry shift where sports rights deals increasingly dictate network schedule decisions. For advertisers, the NBA's guaranteed live audience offers a more predictable reach than traditional programming; for viewers, it means fewer classic TV series and talk show options, but more access to high-profile basketball games. Understanding these changes helps media professionals and investors anticipate how networks will rebalance their content investments in the age of streaming and cord-cutting.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 17, 2026
WireNBC announces four new shows after canceling eight.