CBS Sets Shorter Seasons for ‘Blue Bloods,’ ‘NCIS’ & More

Meredith Jacobs
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Tom Selleck Blue Bloods Frank Mark Harmon NCIS Gibbs
John Paul Filo/CBS; Edward Chen/CBS

CBS’ usual fall fare is getting off to a later start this season, and as a result, the episode orders for some of its series are a bit shorter.

Rather than air up to 24 episodes in the 2020-2021 season, CBS has set 16 for Blue Bloods, Bull, Magnum P.I., NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans, and SEAL Team and 18 for NCIS: Los Angeles and The Neighborhood, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Unicorn will air 13 as planned for its second season. These shows are all produced by CBS Studios.

These shorter episode orders can be attributed to the new protocols in effect to film due to the coronavirus pandemic, including testing and social distancing. It’s more expensive and takes more time to produce an episode as a result.

Exact episode counts for the rest of the network’s primetime lineup (like FBI, its spinoff FBI: Most Wanted, and Mom) haven’t been announced yet but will reportedly be along the same lines.

Jaime Pressly Allison Janney Mimi Kennedy Mom Season 8

Mom (CBS)

This news comes as CBS’ scripted shows are set to begin premiering in early November. Premiere dates for all of its planned “fall” schedule have not yet been announced; we’re still waiting to find out when Blue Bloods, The Equalizer, Evil, MacGyver, and Magnum P.I. will return.

Blue BloodsBull (2016)Magnum P.I. (2018)NCISNCIS: Los AngelesNCIS: New OrleansSEAL TeamThe NeighborhoodThe Unicorn



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  1. G

    GoldFlame

    CBS should go ahead and renew these shows, in fact they should announce a spin-off of Hawaii Five-0 featuring a leaner main cast line featuring the newer members and with one of the old timers, like Duke or Danny becoming the intermediary between HPD, the Governor, federal agencies, and the Task Force, most of the cast is still centralized, many don't have new gigs, and CBS's summer lineup SUCKS, with the exception of Blood & Treasure and their repeats, they should even consider a spinoff of Criminal Minds and a leaner spinoff of the NCIS franchise, franchises with strong fan bases, they might last more than two or three seasons, which the company has failed to have during the summer.

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