ABC Locks January Dates for High Potential, Rookie, and New Scandal Series
The network schedules its midseason lineup, pairing the top-rated drama with a new unscripted series and delaying the next season of The Bachelor until late March.
By Renata Mehta ·
ABC has finalized its broadcast calendar for the coming months, setting specific air dates for returning scripted dramas and unscripted reality franchises. The schedule launches on Tuesday, Jan. 5, with the fifth season of Will Trent airing at 8 p.m. The 9 p.m. slot will feature the third season of High Potential, a series that ranked as the top drama among adults 18 to 49 during the 2025-2026 television season.
The 10 p.m. timeslot that night introduces a new series titled Surviving a Scandal. The show examines the long-term impacts of public scrutiny on individuals whose private lives became tabloid subjects, including figures like Milli Vanilli and Joey Buttafuoco. Glass Entertainment is producing the series for ABC News Studios, with Jon Hirsch and Nancy Glass serving as executive producers alongside David Sloan and Muriel Pearson.
Viewers can also expect a special episode of High Potential to air immediately after Super Bowl LXI on Sunday, Feb. 14. The network previously confirmed that this installment would be set on Valentine’s Day. This placement follows the standard midseason return of popular dramas like 9-1-1, Grey’s Anatomy, and Abbott Elementary, which will resume their regular schedules in early January.
The Wednesday lineup expands on Jan. 6 with a two-episode premiere for Shifting Gears at 8 p.m. The 9 p.m. slot will host the ninth season of The Rookie, which holds the record for ABC’s longest-running current series. The 10 p.m. position debuts a new spinoff called The Rookie: North, starring Jay Ellis.
The reality television segment of the schedule includes the fifth season of Celebrity Jeopardy!, which returns on Friday, Jan. 29, at 8 p.m. On Monday, Feb. 1, the network will air an anniversary special for American Idol at 8 p.m. This special precedes the premiere of the show’s 25th season, scheduled for Monday, Feb. 8.
The Bachelor franchise is also included in the updated calendar, with the 30th season set to premiere on Sunday, March 21, at 8:01 p.m. This marks the first entry in the dating franchise since the summer run of Bachelor in Paradise in 2025. The network follows The Bachelor with the 18th season of What Would You Do? at 10:01 p.m. on the same night.
Other major events are woven into the schedule, including the Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 7, and the Oscars on Sunday, March 14. Shark Tank will move to a new time period at 10 p.m. on Feb. 8, following the American Idol premiere. The network has provided this full calendar to outline the return dates for its key programming during the winter and spring months.
