Amy Reisenbach Says Fire Country Reduced Episode Order to 13
CBS has given fire country reduced episode order status for Season 5, trimming the drama to 13 episodes from 20 this season. The shorter run means the series will leave the Friday lineup early next season, even as the network keeps it in a key prime-time lane.
Amy Reisenbach said, “The CBS Friday night entertainment lineup has been No. 1 for an incredible 16 straight seasons, so we’re sticking with what works, Sheriff Country at 8, Fire Country at 9, and Boston Blue at 10.” That keeps Fire Country in a familiar position for the fall 2026 schedule, but not for as long as viewers saw it this year.
A 13-Episode Season 5
Fire Country had 20 episodes in the 2025-26 season, so the new order cuts seven hours from the show’s run. For a broadcast series that has usually produced full seasons since its start, except for the strike-impacted 2023-24 season, that is a noticeable pullback.
The reduction also places Fire Country alongside other CBS dramas with shorter orders next season. NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney will each produce 10 episodes, Matlock will have 13, and Einstein will also have a 13-episode order, while Cupertino and NCIS: New York are set for 20 episodes each.
Sheriff Country And Boston Blue
Fire Country has already helped launch Sheriff Country and Boston Blue on Friday, turning the block into a franchise lane for CBS. The network said it has both Matlock and Einstein on deck and three available slots, while it is adding three new drama series — Cupertino, Einstein and NCIS: New York — and one comedy series, Eternally Yours.
That mix leaves Fire Country in a different position than a standard returning drama. It is still part of the Friday strategy, but the shorter order means fewer weeks on air before CBS rolls into the rest of its scripted schedule.
CBS Friday Lineup 2026-27
The fall 2026 Friday lineup will put Sheriff Country at 8, Fire Country at 9, and Boston Blue at 10, with Fire Country exiting earlier than it has in a typical full season. CBS is bringing back only one drama, Watson, and two comedy series, The Neighborhood and DMV, which makes every scripted hour on the schedule matter more.
For viewers, the practical takeaway is simple: Fire Country is staying on Fridays, but for 13 episodes instead of 20. For CBS, the move preserves a successful block while giving the network room to rotate in the rest of its 2026-27 lineup.
