ABC Sets Fall 2026 Premiere Dates: Grey’s Anatomy Season 23, Scrubs Season 2, DWTS Season 35, and More

ABC Sets Fall 2026 Premiere Dates: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 23, ‘Scrubs’ Season 2, ‘DWTS’ Season 35, and More

ABC has finally unveiled its fall 2026 premiere schedule, and it’s a beast. The network, which just wrapped its most-watched season in years across the key 18-49 demographic, is rolling out what might be its deepest lineup in recent memory. With the ‘Scrubs’ revival returning for a sophomore season, ‘Dancing With the Stars’ kicking off Season 35 with a two-night event, and the Thursday night trio of the ‘9-1-1’ franchise anchoring ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ Season 23, there’s a lot to unpack.

Here’s the full breakdown of when your favorite ABC shows return this fall — and what’s being held for midseason.

When Does ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 Premiere?

‘Dancing With the Stars’ is kicking off the ABC fall season with a two-night premiere event. The show returns on Tuesday, September 15 at 8:00 PM for its Season 35 debut, followed by a special Wednesday night episode on September 16 at 8:00 PM. That’s four hours of ballroom action right out of the gate.

The show is coming off a massive year — it scored its first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality Competition Program in a decade, and it ranked as ABC’s No. 3 program across all platforms. The cast reveal is scheduled for Wednesday, September 2 on ‘Good Morning America,’ so mark your calendars if you want to know which celebrities are strapping on their dancing shoes. ‘DWTS’ will also simulcast live on Disney+ for the streaming crowd.

‘Scrubs’ Revival Returns for Season 2

One of the most anticipated returns of the fall is ‘Scrubs‘ Season 2. The revival, which brought back Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and the original Sacred Heart crew, kicks off on Wednesday, September 30 with a two-episode premiere at 8:00 PM. The show ranked as the No. 6 program on ABC in its first season back, proving that the medical comedy still has plenty of juice with audiences who grew up on the original series.

‘Shark Tank’ Season 18: MrBeast and Mindy Kaling Join as Guest Sharks

Following the ‘Scrubs’ premiere, ‘Shark Tank’ returns for Season 18 with a two-episode premiere on Wednesday, September 30 at 9:00 PM. This season is shaping up to be one of the most interesting yet, with YouTube megastar MrBeast and actress-producer Mindy Kaling joining the panel as guest sharks. The show moves to its regular 10:00 PM timeslot the following week.

‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 6 Premieres in October

The Emmy-winning comedy ‘Abbott Elementary‘ returns on Wednesday, October 7 at 8:30 PM for its sixth season. The show continues to be a ratings powerhouse for ABC, ranking as the No. 5 program across all platforms. Quinta Brunson and the Abbott gang have plenty of storylines to explore in Season 6, and with the show’s creative momentum showing no signs of slowing, this is shaping up to be another must-watch season.

Thursday Night Domination: ‘9-1-1,’ ‘9-1-1: Nashville,’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

ABC’s Thursday night block — arguably the most stacked night on broadcast television — returns on October 15. The lineup kicks off with ‘9-1-1‘ at 8:00 PM for its 10th season, followed by ‘9-1-1: Nashville’ at 9:00 PM for Season 2, and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ closes the night at 10:00 PM for its historic 23rd season.

‘9-1-1’ remains one of ABC’s most-watched dramas, and the addition of the Nashville spinoff has only strengthened the franchise’s Thursday night presence. As for ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ entering its 23rd season is an almost unfathomable milestone in television — it’s the longest-running primetime medical drama in history, and it shows no signs of flatlining.

What’s Coming in 2027? Midseason Premieres to Watch

ABC is holding several of its biggest shows for midseason, and the list is impressive. Returning in 2027 are ‘The Rookie‘ (Season 9), ‘Will Trent’ (Season 3), ‘High Potential’ (Season 3), ‘Shifting Gears’ (Season 3), and ‘The Bachelor’ (Season 31). Also arriving is the new spinoff ‘The Rookie: North,’ expanding Nathan Fillion’s universe with a fresh setting and cast.

‘Celebrity Jeopardy!,’ which was previously announced for fall, has been pushed to midseason. An untitled ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ spinoff is also in the works for a 2027 debut — details are still under wraps, but the Grey’s universe is clearly expanding.

ABC has earned the right to be patient with its schedule. The network renewed its entire scripted lineup for the first time in its history, and they’re sitting on a deep bench. Shows like ‘High Potential’ (No. 1 across all platforms in its demographic), ‘The Rookie’ (No. 4), and ‘Will Trent’ (No. 16) give ABC the flexibility to stack its midseason however it wants.

‘R.J. Decker’ Season 2, ’20/20,’ and More Fall Highlights

Other notable fall premieres include ‘R.J. Decker’ Season 2, the Scott Speedman-led drama that returns Tuesday, September 15 at 10:00 PM behind the ‘DWTS’ premiere. ’20/20′ kicks off its 49th season on Friday, September 25 at 9:00 PM. ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ returns for Season 37 with a two-episode premiere on Sunday, September 27 at 7:00 PM, followed by ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’ presenting the world television premiere of ‘Inside Out 2.’

‘Celebrity Wheel of Fortune’ returns for Season 7 on Friday, October 2 at 8:00 PM. College Football kicks off the ABC season on Saturday, August 29 with Alabama A&M vs. Howard, and Monday Night Football returns September 14 with the Denver Broncos facing the Kansas City Chiefs.

What This Fall Lineup Says About ABC’s Strategy

The 2026-2027 ABC schedule tells a clear story: the network knows what works, and they’re not messing with it. Every scripted show on the network was renewed — that almost never happens in modern television. ABC is leaning hard into its procedural and comedy strengths while using reality tentpoles like ‘DWTS’ and ‘Shark Tank’ to anchor the fall launch.

The decision to hold shows like ‘The Rookie,’ ‘Will Trent,’ and ‘High Potential’ for midseason is smart — it gives the network fresh, marketable content when other networks are burning through reruns. And expanding ‘The Rookie’ franchise with ‘The Rookie: North’ shows ABC is thinking about the long game, building out universes the way the big streamers do.

For viewers, this means a fall season that’s stacked from September straight through to the new year. Whether you’re here for the ballroom drama, the medical melodrama, or the shark-tank capitalism, ABC has you covered.