‘The Bachelor’ Returns, ‘The Rookie’ Moves as ABC Sets Midseason Schedule

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ABC had previously announced premiere dates for The Rookie and its spinoff, The Rookie: North. Both shows are set for Wednesday, Jan. 6 — a move from The Rookie’s Tuesday home of the past few seasons.

The network has now released it full midseason lineup, and the move for The Rookie is not a temporary one: It and The Rookie: North will form a two-hour block on Wednesday nights, giving the veteran show an earlier time (9 p.m. instead of 10 p.m.) and the new spinoff a well-established — and presumably very compatible — lead-in as support.

Season three of Shifting Gears will join the two Rookie shows on Wednesdays. The comedy starring Tim Allen and Kat Dennings will premiere with two episodes on Jan. 6; Abbott Elementary will rejoin the lineup the following week.

Will Trent and High Potential are set to return in their usual Tuesday spots on Jan. 5. An ABC News Studios-produced unscripted show called Surviving a Scandal will fill the 10 p.m. hour. High Potential is also getting the post-Super Bowl showcase on Feb. 14.

At the far end of ABC’s midseason slate is the return of The Bachelor franchise to the network on March 21. With behind-the-scenes upheaval and last season’s scrapped Bachelorette season starring Taylor Frankie Paul, the Bachelor-verse has been absent from ABC since the November 2025 finale of The Golden Bachelor’s second season. The Bachelor last aired in March 2025.

American Idol is set to begin its 25th season (and 10th on ABC) on Feb. 8. The network has also set a retrospective special about the show for Feb. 1.

One other note: ABC has pushed the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff it ordered in the spring to the 2027-28 season. That’s not a surprise, considering the show hasn’t been cast yet.

ABC’s midseason dates, including those for the Grammys and Oscars, are below. All times are ET/PT unless noted.

Tuesday, Jan. 5
8 p.m.: Will Trent
9 p.m.: High Potential
10 p.m.: Surviving a Scandal

Wednesday, Feb. 6
8 p.m.: Shifting Gears
9 p.m.: The Rookie
10 p.m.: The Rookie: North

Friday, Jan. 29
8 p.m.: Celebrity Jeopardy!

Monday, Feb. 1
8 p.m.: American Idol at 25 (working title)

Sunday, Feb. 7
7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT: Grammy Awards

Monday, Feb. 8
8 p.m.: American Idol
10 p.m.: Shark Tank (new night)

Sunday, Feb. 14
6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT: Super Bowl LXI

Sunday, March 14
7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT: The Oscars

Sunday, March 21
8 p.m.: The Bachelor
10 p.m.: What Would You Do?