Maybe it was the extra gestation periods for some shows due to strike delays, maybe it’s the new comfort food appeal of this season’s broadcast fare that has middle schoolers enjoying shows like High potentialbut the new series of 2024-25 network scenarios did quite well with no absolute failures in between.

Of course, some shows have fared better than others — we had our first Season 2 renewal and back orders this fall, all thanks to the kindness CBS. Here’s a sneak peek at the new fall 2024 live-action scripted series, with details on how many episodes each will produce this season, news on Happy’s Place and Lopez vs. Lopez additional script commands as well as the explanation why Matlock got a Season 2 renewal and not a back order like the other CBS freshman series and why one of the biggest new series of the season, ABChis High potentialwill not produce more than 13 episodes.

High potential was a hit that has already become ABC’s most-watched new series in 6 years, with its pilot episode surpassing 20 million viewers across platforms.

Disney probably would have loved to have more episodes of the procedural with Kaitlin Olson, which has been a fixture on Hulu’s Top 15. Unfortunately, that’s not an option, as production on Season 1 had to end after its original 13-episode order. to fit Olson’s commitment to her other full-time job on her series at FX It’s always sunny in Philadelphia. (He also has a high-profile recurring role on Max’s Hacks.) High potential had an atypical production schedule, as it was originally ordered for last season, so it finished filming early, about two weeks after the series debuted on ABC.

As a consolation, ABC viewers will get to see a bit more of Olson beyond the 13 episodes of High potential as it will appear on the network comedy Abbott Elementary with the rest Sunny band in a crossover.

Unlike High potentialABC’s other new Fall 2024 scripted series, Doctor Odysseyit didn’t go through a pilot stage that is traditionally followed by a 13-episode pick-up. Hailing from Ryan Murphy, the Joshua Jackson-starring medical drama received a straight-to-series full-season order for 18 episodes in March. That fits the season’s dimensions Doctor OdysseusMurphy’s ABC Thursday Companions 9-1-1 and Shonda Rhimes Grey’s Anatomy. Enhanced by streaming, Doctor Odyssey was solid, with its pilot surpassing the 14M view mark.

ABC rarely offers early renewals and is said to likely wait until the spring again for most of its renewal conversations, but both High potential and Doctor Odyssey looks good for a season 2 pickup.

Next up for the network is the January premiere of the new comedy series Shifting gears with Tim Allen and Kat Dennings.

CBS had another strong fall launch with Matlock reimagining and Young Sheldon spin off Georgie and Mandy’s first marriage leading the pack of new scripted series, both setting new ratings benchmarks for the network. With fellow beginners NCIS: Origins and Poppa’s house just behind the chart-topper and the CBS quartet delivering the biggest linear audience of any freshman series, all four received additional episodic orders.

Matlockstarring Kathy Bates, was among the series whose premiere was pushed back from 2023-24 to 2024-25 by the strikes. The longer lead time allowed the network to see more scripts in advance and get a better idea of ​​where the legal drama was going, resulting in an 18-episode Season 1 order, a rarity for a show that originated as a pilot. .

The bet paid off. Matlockwhich began production in the spring, closed its order within days after a preview of the first episode drew 7.73 million Live+Same Day viewers to set a 5-year non-Super Bowl premiere for CBS. (Number increased to 10.67M in L+3). After the ratings held up in the second airing, CBS relented Matlock a very early season 2 renewal.

Georgie and Mandy’s first marriage became the third consecutive hit in The Big Bang Theory universe, following the original and the prequel Young Sheldon. Attracting the best demo ratings of any freshman series so far this season, the multi-camera comedy was quickly given a Back 9 order for a rare 22 episode season.

The other two CBS freshmen, NCIS: Origins and Poppa’s house, they also have guaranteed back orders (5 episodes each) for the full season 18 episodes, a typical season length by current broadcast standards.

Traditionally, new midseason series receive a 13-episode Season 2 renewal, which could later be filled with a back order if the show continues to run. This does not apply to CBS recordings for the 2024 midseason, Tracker and Elsbeth. Both have done well in their first seasons, with Tracker ranking as the highest-grossing entertainment series on the air, so both had received the full 20-episode Season 2 pick-up.

CBS’s new drama follows Watsonwhich gets a first after the AFC Championship Game in January.

NBChis new medical drama Brilliant mindsstarring Zachary Quinto, was another strike-related transfer from the 2023-24 season. It ended its original 13-episode order in August. There was talk at the time of possibly tacking on an extra episode or two, but ultimately the order stuck at 13 episodes, and that won’t change as star Quinto’s schedule took him to Broadway. He plays The Cult of Lovewhich opens on November 20 and runs through February.

But fans might get more episodes of Reba McEntire’s new NBC multi-camera comedy series Happy’s Placewhich had also received an initial order of 13 episodes.

Happy’s Place as well as its companion, the third-year sitcom Lopez vs. Lópezwhich was also picked up for 13 episodes, both received an order for three additional scripts. With both comedies currently in production, the scripted takeover could be converted to episodic orders if the show delivers solid ratings in the coming weeks.

Happy’s Place was a strong newcomer, posting a solid 4 million Live+Same Day linear viewers on the low-traffic Friday night, which grew to 10 million cross-platform viewers in one week. The sitcom also scored the Peacock’s best new comedy launch ever. Brilliant minds was less remarkable, but still pulled in a respectable 9.2 million viewers across multiple platforms for its premiere.

NBC just premiered its promising new medical comedy series St. Denis Medicaland in the middle of the season there are dramas Suits: LA and The Hunting Party. The network is expected to see how everything plays out before making any renewal decisions.

Foxhis Rescue HI-Surf It also had an off-cycle production schedule after its premiere was delayed by strikes from the 2023–24 season to 2024–25. The lifeguard drama began production on its original 12-episode straight-to-series order in early 2024, when the network ordered seven additional scripts. By April, based on scripts and the first two episodes completed, Fox ordered 7 more episodes for a 19-episode order for the entire season.

The John Wells-produced drama Hawaii wasn’t a breakout hit, but it was solid and did well on Hulu, so a second season seems likely when Fox makes those decisions next year.

Fox’s other new live-action scripted series, Murder in a small townwas greenlit under the network’s low-cost international content model for an eight-episode run. The mystery drama did respectably in the cost vs. audience ratio. It’s not yet clear whether Fox will order a second season (There are enough books in LR Wright Alberg’s series for another installment), but the network is expected to remain in the sandbox, supplementing its schedule — and balance sheet — with international drama with modest budget. -productions, including mysteries.

A new Fox medical drama is coming dock with Molly Parker and Denis Leary’s new comedy I’m becoming Dutch.