17 TV Shows Returning & Debuting in January 2024 on ABC, Fox, NBC, and CBS

Summary

• The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes were the biggest obstacle for the television industry in 2023, holding up nearly every show.

• But the strikes are over, and 2024 is here, along with a slew of returning and debuting shows.

• While most networks will unveil their series as early as January, CBS will reveal itself in February with the most high-profile premieres.

In the wake of the unprecedented WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that wreaked havoc on the entire TV industry (but we're not complaining, because now people can work under much better conditions and deliver better content, right?), the second half of 2023 turned out to be extremely challenging for traditional TV. Instead of, say, One Chicago on Wednesdays on ABC and new episodes of Blue Bloods on Friday nights on CBS, we had to settle for unscripted reality shows or reruns of classic episodes.

But thankfully, the actors' and writers' strikes are over, and 2024 is poised to bring us more than a few New Year's gifts in the form of returning fan favorites and brand-new shows. TV mainstays like ABC, Fox, NBC, and CBS are ready to bring back millions of viewers in the coming months (by the way, the Reagan family fans, Blue Bloods is also coming back soon, but more on that later).

Fans of procedurals and crime dramas are in for a treat as the January TV schedule is filled with shows in these genres. Let's take a look at all the high-profile premieres, including the return of old favorites and intriguing debuts, that will be hitting TV this coming month.

January Schedules for ABC, Fox, NBC and CBS

Monday, January 1

• 8:00 p.m.: America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League (Series premiere)(NBC)

Tuesday, January 2

• 9:00 p.m.: The Floor (Series premiere)(Fox)

Wednesday, January 3

• 8:00 p.m.: I Can See Your Voice (Season 3 premiere)(Fox)
• 9:00 p.m.: We Are Family (Series premiere)(Fox)

Sunday, January 7

• 8:00 p.m.: Grimsburg (Series premiere, following NFL doubleheader)(Fox)
• 9:30 p.m.: The Great North (Season 4 premiere)(Fox)

Tuesday, January 9

• 9:00 p.m.: La Brea ( Season 3 premiere)(NBC)

Thursday, January 11

• 9:30 p.m.: Children Ruin Everything (Season 3 premiere)(The CW)

Wednesday, January 17

• 8:00 p.m.: Chicago Med ( Season 9 premiere)(NBC)
• 8:00 p.m.: Wild Cards (Series premiere)(The CW)

• 9:00 p.m.: Chicago Fire ( Season 12 premiere)(NBC)
• 9:00 p.m.: Family Law (Season 3 premiere)(The CW)

• 10:00 p.m.: Chicago P.D. (Season 11 premiere)(NBC)

Thursday, January 18

• 8:00 p.m.: Law & Order (Season 23 premiere)(NBC)
• 9:00 p.m.: Law & Order: SVU (Season 25 premiere)(NBC)
• 10:00 p.m.: Law & Order: Organized Crime (Season 4 premiere)(NBC)

Monday, January 22

• 8:00 p.m.: The Bachelor (Season 28 premiere)(ABC)
• 8:00 p.m.: TMZ Investigates (Season premiere)(Fox)

• 9:00 p.m.: America’s Most Wanted (Season premiere)(Fox)
• 10:01 p.m.: 20/20 (True-Crime Series premiere)(ABC)

Thursday, January 25

• 8:00 p.m.: Son of a Critch (Season 3 premiere)(The CW)

A Little Bit About the Upcoming Broadcast Month

As we can see from the list, NBC will have the strongest start in the TV race next year, with eight shows ready to go. January will kick off with a new iteration of AGT, this time pitting the judges against each other and bringing together talent from past seasons. A special feature of the new season is that viewers will have full voting rights for the contestants, and the judges will have two chances to award them the Golden Buzz.

Long-awaited series created by Dick Wolf are also returning, from Chicago Fire to TV colossus L&O, continuing the never-ending run of shows we can't help but enjoy.

Fox will especially shine with a host of high-octane premiers.

Wait a Minute... But There's No CBS in the Schedule!

We've mentioned CBS and one of its flagship series, the popular cop drama Blue Bloods, several times, but not once are the network's releases on the January schedule. One might assume that the Paramount Global-owned network would lose out to its competitors and have nothing to offer viewers after the devastating strikes.

But that's not the case; on the contrary, the network decided to be more prudent and wait a full month. What are the advantages? Well, for one thing, while the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes caused TV networks and streaming services to panic and try to meet their schedules at the expense of seasons cut to just 10-13 episodes, CBS' scripted series will get... well, 14 episodes. Now, that's not bad! Moreover, the casts and crews of the series continue to work on the shows at a more measured pace.

Second, let's not forget that CBS will air the annual Super Bowl on February 11 (at 6:30 p.m. ET) — a time of active marketing campaigns, announcements and all the things that draw more and more viewers to the network. CBS' top premieres follow immediately with NCIS returning to the small screen on February 12 and FBI on February 13. The seventh season of Young Sheldon, the final chapter in young Sheldon Cooper's coming-of-age story, premieres February 15.

CBS viewers should be especially excited about the next day, February 16, as it will be one of the loudest days for premieres as the final season of S.W.A.T. premieres, the second season of Fire Country debuts and, most importantly, the first episode of the final season 14 of Blue Bloods debuts.

Well, in the meantime, let's turn our attention to other networks, because January will be no less memorable for premieres.