CBS is sticking with what works for its Friday night lineup heading into fall 2026—but not everything is staying exactly the same behind the scenes.

According to Deadline, CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach 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.”

On the surface, the message is consistency. In reality, one of CBS’s breakout dramas is taking a noticeable step back.

Unlike the current season, which runs full episode orders across the Friday trio, Fire Country will be reduced next season. According to sources, the series has been handed a 13-episode Season 5 order—down from 20 episodes this season.

It’s part of a wider programming adjustment across CBS as the network expands its scripted slate while dialing back episode counts on several returning shows.

The changes aren’t isolated to Fire Country. The network’s expanding NCIS universe is also undergoing reshuffling, with the new New York-set spinoff joining NCIS and NCIS: Origins on Tuesdays, while NCIS: Sydney is left out of the fall lineup. Sources say Origins and Sydney will each produce 10-episode seasons next year, down from longer orders previously.

Midseason drama Matlock is also set for a shorter 13-episode Season 3 as it prepares for a creative reset following the conclusion of its major Wellbrexa storyline.

Still, the reductions come as CBS is actually increasing its overall scripted output for 2026–27. Alongside returning Friday staples like Sheriff Country, Fire Country, and Boston Blue, the network is adding new series including Cupertino, Einstein, NCIS: New York, and comedy Eternally Yours.

Cupertino and NCIS: New York are expected to launch with full 20-episode orders, while Einstein will debut midseason with a 13-episode run.

Even with the episode cut, Fire Country remains a key franchise player for CBS. The series debuted as the most-watched new broadcast drama in its first season and has since helped expand the network’s growing “Country” universe, alongside Sheriff Country and Boston Blue, both of which launched strongly this season.

Still, sources note that Fire Country’s multi-platform performance has become more modest compared to other CBS dramas that continue to secure full-season orders.

As for what fills its eventual midseason gap, CBS has not finalized plans. Options include Matlock and Einstein, though scheduling remains in flux. There are also no current indications that a developing Fire Country/Sheriff Country offshoot will be fast-tracked into that slot.

One outlier in CBS’s overall tightening is Ghosts, which will still deliver a full 22-episode Season 6 despite airing midseason, supported by holiday specials.

For CBS, Fridays remain firmly intact—but the math behind how many episodes each hit gets is clearly shifting.