The landscape of television programming continues to shift as networks navigate the complex intersection of audience preferences, production costs, and strategic planning for future seasons. Recent decisions by major broadcasting companies have highlighted the challenging realities facing both long-running series and promising newcomers, as executives balance creative ambitions with commercial viability in an increasingly competitive entertainment marketplace.

ABC’s approach to its 2025-26 season lineup reflects the broader challenges facing traditional broadcast networks in an era of streaming competition and changing viewer habits. The Disney-owned network has made strategic decisions that reveal both confidence in certain properties and difficult choices about others, demonstrating the complex calculus involved in television programming.

The network’s renewal strategy for the upcoming season showed remarkable consistency, with most scripted programming receiving greenlight decisions for continuation. Popular series including 9-1-1, The Rookie, Will Trent, and Abbott Elementary secured their positions in the network’s future plans, suggesting strong audience engagement and advertiser interest that justified continued investment.