CBS is changing how many episodes fans will get of their favorite Friday night shows. Fire Country, Matlock, NCIS: Sydney, and NCIS: Origins will all have shorter seasons when they return. The network wants to add more new shows to its schedule, which means some current hits need to make room.
This decision comes as CBS keeps its Friday night winning streak alive. The network has ranked No. 1 on Fridays for 16 straight seasons. To keep that success going, CBS is packing more shows into the lineup instead of giving longer runs to existing ones.
Fire Country Season 5 Drops from 20 to 13 Episodes
Fire Country starring Max Thieriot will see the biggest cut. Season 5 will only have 13 episodes, down from 20 episodes in Season 4. The show will leave the Friday night schedule earlier than usual when it returns for its fifth season.
This reduction follows some major changes behind the scenes. The show lost cast members Billy Burke and Stephanie Arcila in April 2025 due to budget cuts. A showrunner change also happened recently. The series premiered in 2022 and follows inmate Bode Donovan as he fights fires to shorten his prison sentence.
Fire Country still pulls in big numbers. Season 3 averaged 9.5 million viewers per episode across linear TV and streaming over 35 days, according to Nielsen data. The show remains a key part of CBS’s growing “Country” universe, which now includes spin-offs Sheriff Country and Boston Blue.
NCIS Shows and Matlock Also Get Reduced Orders
The two NCIS spin-offs are getting even bigger cuts. NCIS: Sydney will return with only 10 episodes, down from 20 episodes this season. NCIS: Origins drops from 18 to just 10 episodes for its next season.
Matlock, starring Kathy Bates, will also have a shorter third season. The show will get 13 episodes, down from 16 episodes in Season 2 and 19 episodes in Season 1. Matlock will not return in the fall. CBS plans to hold the show for a midseason launch instead.
CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach explained the network’s thinking. She said at the schedule reveal:
“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.”
Why CBS Is Making These Cuts
The reduced episode orders are not about cancelling shows. CBS is actually increasing its total scripted output for the 2026-2027 season. The network is adding several new series including Cupertino, Einstein, NCIS: New York starring LL Cool J and Scott Caan, and the comedy Eternally Yours.
With only so many hours on the schedule, CBS needs to fit more shows into the same time slots. Shorter seasons mean more shows can air throughout the year. This strategy keeps the lineup fresh and gives viewers more variety.
Fire Country will keep its Friday at 9 p.m. ET time slot. Sheriff Country leads off at 8 p.m., and Boston Blue follows at 10 p.m. But Fire Country will finish its run earlier in the season to make room for other content.
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What This Means for Fans
Viewers will get fewer episodes of their favorite shows next season. Fire Country fans will see about seven fewer episodes than they did in Season 4. NCIS fans lose nearly half the episodes they normally get.
The good news is that none of these shows are cancelled. CBS remains committed to all four series. The shorter orders simply reflect a scheduling choice, not a lack of confidence in the shows.
Fire Country Season 5 will begin filming in British Columbia starting July 2026. New episodes will air on CBS and stream the next day on Paramount+.
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