TV networks – and TV viewers – are near their make-do phase.
Even if the writers’ and actors’ strikes are settled soon, the usual shows won’t be back until mid-season. Starting next month, networks will make do with tacked-together schedules; viewers will make do by sticking to streamers and cable (also wounded by the strikes) or maybe even reading a book.
But yes, the traditional networks will have shows this fall – even some scripted episodes (incluing “Magnum,” shown here) you haven’t seen before. Here’s a round-up of the commercial broadcast networks, plus the scripted shows on PBS:
SCRIPTED EPISODES, NEW
— FOX: The Sunday-night cartoons were written and voiced before the strikes. A new one, “Krapopolis,” debuts Sept. 24, with two new episodes after football, at about 8 p.m. Starting Oct. 1, it will be “Simpsons” at 8, “Krapopolis” at 8:30, “Bob’s Burgers” at 9 and “Family Guy” at 8:30.
— NBC: Filming started before the strike on two new shows: “The Irrational” and “Found” will be 10 p.m. Mondays (starting Sept. 25) and Tuesdays (Oct. 3), respectively. Filming also started early on the second “Quantum Leap” season, which will be 9 p.m. Wednesdays (Oct. 4). Also, “Magnum P.I.” has ten more episodes; they were planned for later, but moved to 10 p.m. Wednesdays, starting Oct. 4.
SCRIPTED EPISODES, NEW TO THE U.S.
— NBC: “Transplant” is a Canadian show about a Syrian doctor who helped rebels in his homeland, before moving to Toronto. Its third season is 9 p.m. Thursdays, starting Oct. 5.
— CBS: “Ghosts” is the British hit the CBS show was adapted from. Half-hours will be 9 and 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, beginning Nov. 16.
— CW: “The Swarm” – a whaleands-gone-wild story produced in Germany set in Canada — is 9 p.m. Tuesdays, starting Sept. 5. Two Canadian dramas, “Sullivan’s Crossing” and “Spencer Sisters,” debut at 8 and 9 p.m. Wednesdays, starting Oct. 4. On Oct. 16, Mondays will have three Canadian comedies – “Son of a Critch,” “Run the Burbs” and “Children Ruin Everything” (all of which are also airing this summer), plus the British “Everyone Else Burns.”
— PBS: The British mysteries start their seasons early. On Sunday, Sept. 3, it’s “Professor T” at 8 p.m., “Unforgotten” at 9 and “Van der Valk” at 10. On Oct. 15, there’s another mystery, “Annika,” plus the World War II drama, “World on Fire.”
SCRIPTED EPISODES, NEW TO BROADCAST
— CBS: “Yellowstone,” already a hit on the Paramount Network, reruns on CBS. The two-hour opener is 8:30 Sept. 17; other Sundays will have two one-hour episodes, usually at 8. Also, “SEAL Team” started on CBS, but this past season was on Paramount+; it returns to CBS at 10 p.m. Thursdays, starting Nov. 16.
— CW: “The Chosen” – a crowdfunded series about Jesus and the people around him — has aired on small cable channels. Now the first three seasons are on CW, continuing through Christmas Eve.
SCRIPTED RERUNS
— NBC: The “Chicago” dramas alternate at 8 p.m. Wednesdays and the “Law & Order” ones do the same at 8 p.m. Thursdays, starting Oct. 4 and 5.
— CBS: “NCIS,” 8-11 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, then 10 p.m. Mondays. “FBI,” 10 p.m. Tuesdays, starting Oct. 3. “Blue Bloods,”10 pm. Fridays, starting Sept. 29. “Young Sheldon” and “Ghosts,” 9 and 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, starting Nov. 2 and 9, then 8 and 8:30 p.m. Thursdays.
— ABC: “Abbott Elementary,” 9 and 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays, date pending.
MOVIE NIGHT
— ABC: Disney movies, 8-11 p.m. Sundays, date pending.
SPORTS
— College football Saturday nights, starting Aug. 26 on ABC and Sept. 2 on NBC.
— Pro football Sundays – afternoons on CBS and Fox, evenings on NBC — starting Sept. 10. Also, season-opener on NBC on Sept. 7. And “Inside the NFL” is 8 p.m. Tuesdays on CW, starting Sept. 5.
— There’s more, including baseball on Fox.
NEWS SHOWS
— CBS: “48 Hours” and “60 Minutes,” starting Sept. 16 and 17. The former is 9-11 p.m. Saturdays, often replaced by college football; the latter is 7:30 p.m. on some Sundays (including the opener), 7 p.m. on others. Also, “FBI True,” originally on Paramount+,is 9 p.m. Tuesdays, starting Oct. 3.
— NBC: “Dateline,” 9-11 p.m. Fridays (Sept. 29) and 10-11 p.m. Thursdays (Oct. 5), NBC.
— ABC (dates pending): “20/20,” 9-11 p.m. Fridays; “What Would You Do?” 10 p.m. Wednesdays.
SUMMER REALITY SHOWS CONTINUING
— “America’s Got Talent” finale, 9-11 p.m., Sept 26-27, NBC.
— “Big Brother” continues into November on CBS. It’s 8 p.m. Wednesdays (moving to Tuesdays on Oct. 3), 8 p.m. Thursdays and various times Sundays.
NEW REALITY AND GAME SHOWS
— CBS (each at 9 p.m.): Josh Duhamel’s “Buddy Games” is Thursdays, starting Sept. 14. Jaime Camil’s “Loteria Loca” is Mondays, starting Oct. 2. “Raid the Cage” is Fridays, starting Oct. 13.
— Fox “Snake Oil,” hosted by David Spade, 9 p.m. is Wednesdays, starting Sept. 27.
— ABC (date pending): “Golden Bachelor” will be 10 p.m. Mondays
RETURNING REALITY AND GAME SHOWS
— NBC: “The Voice,” 8-10 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, Sept. 25-26 (one hour Sept. 26, two on subsequent Tuesdays). “The Wall,” 8 p.m. Fridays, Nov. 3.
— CBS: “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race,” each expanded to 90 minutes, 8 and 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 27.
— Fox: “Name That Tune” and “I Can See Your Voice,” 8 and 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 19. “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” 8 and 9 p.m. Mondays, Sept. 25. “The Masked Singer,” 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 26. “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Lego Masters,” 8 and 9 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 27.
— ABC (dates pending): Mondays, “Dancing With the Stars,” 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays, “Celebrity Jeopardy,” 8 p.m.,; “Bachelor in Paradise,” 9-11. Wednesdays, “Judge Steve Harvey,” 8 p.m. Thursdays, “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” 8 p.m.; “Press Your Luck,” 9’ “$100,000 Pyramid,” 10. Fridays, “Shark Tank,” 8.
— CW: “FBoy Island” starts a new season with a two-hour opener at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, then airs an hour weekly. A previous season, which streamed on Max, is now on Thursdays.
OTHER RETURNING SERIES
— CW Two magic showsn– “Penn & Teller; Fool Us,”at 8 p.m. Fridays, starting Oct. 20, and “Masters of Illusion” at 8 and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays, starting Oct. 28, The latter will be followed by “World’s Funniest Animals” at 9 and 9:30, but both shows will sometimes be bumped by sports.
SPECIALS
— NBC: “People’s Choice Country Awards,” 8-10 p.m. Sept. 28.
— CBS: Primetime editions of “The Price is Right,” 8 p.m. on two Mondays (Oct. 2 and 9) and a Friday (Oct. 13). Also: “Let’s Make a Deal,” 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3.