ABC has made the final scripted renewal decision for the 2026-27 season, and it has gone the same way the other nine before it did — with a pickup. The network has renewed its freshman drama series R.J. Decker starring Scott Speedman for a second season.
With that, ABC has accomplished a rare feat, bringing back all of its current scripted series — new and returning — for next season. That is a total of 10 shows renewed, seven dramas and three comedies, and 0 canceled. (While there is a recent example, Fox didn’t cancel any series heading to the 2024-25 season, that was an anomaly as Fox and other broadcast networks opted for a do-over after the 2023 Hollywood strikes had delayed development and production and did not premiere new live-action scripted series in 2023-24, pushing them to the following season.)
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What’s more, as projected, ABC is on track to expand its scripted slate next season as its drama pilot The Rookie: North remains likely for a series pickup. As Deadline has reported, a renewal for R.J. Decker and a pickup of the Rookie spinoff could result in slightly trimmed orders for some of ABC’s series next season.
The renewal sweep is not a sudden development. By February, it became clear that all of ABC’s returning scripted series as well as new fall entry 9-1-1: Nashville were primed to continue. In March, the network premiered its Scrubs reboot and R.J. Decker. While the former was a strong ratings performer throughout, the latter tapered off after an impressive launch, with its series debut behind ABC flagship drama High Potential becoming the network’s best 10 PM drama premiere on linear in over five years, amassing over 15.21 million total viewers through 35 days of multiplatform viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms.
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In average linear ratings, R.J. Decker lagged behind its hot-shot Tuesday lead-ins, Will Trent and High Potential but the freshman has been solid on Hulu, regularly cracking into the Daily Top 10 during its run on ABC and next day on the sibling streamer.
Not making a clear-cut case for renewal, R.J. Decker found itself on the bubble. Still, it has enjoyed sizable internal support, with star Speedman as its main selling point, along with the series’ progression over its first season after a wobbly start with a pilot that underwent reshoots following a recasting. In a promising sign, Speedman was at Disney’s TV awards season party late last month alongside talent of ABC series that had already been renewed.
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R.J. Decker stars Speedman as the eponymous character, a former newspaper photographer and ex-con who starts over as a private investigator in the colorful-if-crime-filled world of South Florida. Jaina Lee Ortiz, Bevin Bru, Kevin Rankin and Adelaide Clemens also star.
Inspired by Carl Hiaasen’s novel Double Whammy, R.J. Decker is produced by 20th Television. Rob Doherty serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer. Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman are executive producers, along with Carl Hiaasen and Jason Tracey. Scott Speedman is a producer.
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