CBS Disappoints Fans With Shorter Orders for Next Seasons of ‘Fire Country,’ ‘NCIS: Sydney’
There’s good and bad news for fans of some of CBS’s most popular dramas.
Hit series like Fire Country, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: Sydney are all set to return in the 2026-27 broadcast season. But because the network has such a packed schedule, the upcoming seasons of all three shows will be shorter than in the past.
‘Fire Country’ Season 5 will have just 13 episodes
First responder drama Fire Country will have just 13 episodes in season 5, Deadline reports. That’s down from 20 in season 4.
NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney will also both have shortened seasons. Prequel series NCIS: Origins Season 3 will have 10 episodes and begin airing in the fall, down from 18 this season. At midseason, it will be replaced on the schedule by NCIS: Sydney, which will also have 10 episodes, down from 20.
Why the cuts? In the case of Sydney and Origins, CBS needs to accommodate another addition to the NCISverse: NCIS: New York. The new show will feature NCIS: Los Angeles alum LL Cool J returning as Sam Hanna. Scott Caan will also star.
The network also needs to make room for new dramas Cupertino (which will premiere in the fall 2026) and Einstein, which will debut midseason with a 13-episode season 1. One new comedy, Eternally Yours, is also on the schedule.
Fans are disappointed by shorter seasons for ‘NCIS: Origins’ and ‘NCIS: Sydney’
Unsurprisingly, loyal viewers aren’t thrilled that they’ll be getting fewer episodes of their favorite shows.
“So NCIS and NCIS NY getting 20 episodes, but Origins and Sydney only getting 10 episodes next year….,” one person commented on Instagram.
“Origins is being sidelined,” another complained.
“Seriously? Origins is the best IMO,” someone else replied. “Don’t short change us.”
Meanwhile, a Fire Country fan hopes the reduced episode count will have a silver lining.
“Hopefully this means it’s a tighter well written season, and the fat is trimmed off!” they wrote on Reddit.
However, another viewer was less optimistic.
“The writing and storylines stink this year,” they wrote. “Kind of shocked they renewed it.”
The NCIS: Origins Season 2 finale airs May 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, the NCIS: Sydney finale airs May 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, and the Fire Country Season 4 finale airs May 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. All episodes stream on Paramount+.
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