Mid-Season has arrived and it brings over thirty new and returning sci fi and fantasy shows to the schedule. Below is a rundown of the current slate which includes a short description of each show, when it will be premiering / returning, and what its status / prospects are as we head towards the end of the regular season. You can see the current schedule for the Mid-Season sci fi and fantasy shows at this link, and you can follow the weekly listings at this link. Be sure to follow our Cancellation Watch column and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site throughout the week to keep up with the ratings results and to monitor the status of your favorite shows.
Note that shows such as The Orville, The 100, and Agents of SHIELD are currently looking at a Spring or later start, so be sure to follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule to know when these shows and more are returning.
(Links below are to the show pages on this site with more information, status updates, and ratings results where available.)
Arrow (CW, Tuesday 9-10 PM) Returns from Hiatus Jan 14
About: The flagship of The CW’s Arrow-verse shows will return with one more Crisis on Infinite Earths chapter and then a few episodes to wrap things up. That will include an ep that will act as a backdoor pilot to a potential female-led spin-off
Status: Arrow has had a nice run and will wrap up with a bang as its final season ends right after the conclusion of the Crisis cross-over.
Batwoman (CW, Sunday 8-9 PM) NEW SERIES Premieres Oct 6
About: Kate Kane reluctantly takes over as Gotham’s new vigilante several years after the disappearance of Batman and after the criminal element of the city has gained the upper hand. When the show returns from hiatus, it will also be dealing with the repercussions of the Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Status: This show may not count as a breakout hit for The CW, but it is currently their second-highest-rated series and is on track for a second season renewal.
Black Lightning (CW, Monday 9-10 PM) Returns from Hiatus Jan 20
About: Jefferson Pierce continues his crusade against crime as Black Lightning, though the changes to his world due to the Crisis on Infinite Earths cross-over will come into play during the second half of the season.
Status: The ratings have not been great for this show, but it might make up some of the slack with digital viewing and its encore runs on Netflix. Once a CW show has made it past its second season, the network usually keeps it around for at least 70 episodes, so I expect another season and possibly more from Black Lightning.
Charmed (CW, Friday 8-9 PM) Returns from Hiatus Jan 17
About: After the death of their mother, two sisters discover that they have a third sister they did not know about and that they are the “Charmed Ones”, possessing magical abilities. They must put their powers together to fight the dark forces that threaten humanity.
Status: The same day ratings for this show have been low this season, but that is in part because it airs on low-viewership Fridays. It should continue to do well in digital viewing (The CW network has adapted better to the 21st century than the other broadcasters), and I would expect it to stick around for a third season and more.
Crisis on Infinite Earth (CW, Multiple Nights) EVENT SERIES Concludes Jan 14
About: This year’s big event for the Arrow-verse wraps up in January as the remaining heroes must deal with the devastation caused by the Anti-Monitor and attempt to undo the damage he has done.
Status: The final two parts will air January 14th, first with an episode of Arrow and then wrapping up with Legends of Tomorrow.
Dispatches from Elsewhere (AMC, Monday 9-10 PM) NEW SERIES Premieres Mar 1
About: This is a semi-anthology series that will follow an over-arching theme. A group of ordinary people discover a puzzle hiding just behind the veil of everyday life and that this mystery has deep implications.
Status: AMC continues to add scripted genre entries to its schedule, and if this one finds its own little nitch audience (the best basic cable can hope for these days) then it might stick around for a second season.
Dracula (Netflix, Streaming) NEW SERIES Premieres Jan 4
About: This series is a joint BBC / Netflix production that comes from Stephen Moffat and revives the classic vampire first introduced by Bram Stoker.
Status: This one has been billed as a mini-series and only had three episodes in its first season. But if viewership is strong enough, expect it to return for a second season and more.
Doctor Who (BBC America, Sunday 8-9 PM) Season 12 Premieres Jan 1
About: The ever-changing doctor, currently played by Jodi Whittaker, returns for more adventures in time and space in the show’s twelfth season.
Status: After the initial curiosity of seeing the first female doctor faded last season, the numbers for this show dropped both in America and in Britain. But don’t expect a cancellation as they will almost certainly change doctors and give it another shot if the viewership remains low.
Emergence (ABC, Tuesday 10-11 PM) Returns from Hiatus Jan 7
About: After a mysterious accident, a police chief takes in a young child–who is suffering from amnesia–and learns that she is at the center of a conspiracy that hinges on the identity of the child.
Status: The same-day ratings were not great for this show in Fall, though it did see notable improvements with delayed-viewing. I currently consider it to be On the Bubble and fans should make a Call to Action on the social networks to show their support.
Evil (CBS, Thursday 10-11 PM) Returns from Hiatus Jan 7
About: A skeptical female psychologist and a priest-in-training investigate unexplained mysteries, including supposed miracles, demonic possessions and hauntings as this series promises to examine the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion.
Status: The same-day numbers for this show were not great in Fall, but good enough for CBS to greenlight a second season. Only thirteen episodes were planned for its first year and the remaining eps begin airing in January.
The Flash (CW, Tuesday 8-9 PM) Returns from Hiatus Feb 4
About: This series returns with new episodes early in February and will deal with the repercussions of the Crisis on Infinite Earths cross-over event.
Status: The Flash remained The CW’s top-rated show in Fall and I expect it to stick around for at least a few more seasons.
The Good Place (NBC, Thursday 9-9:30 PM) Season 4 Premieres Sep 26
About: This afterlife comedy continues its fourth and final season as it goes back to the beginning as we see a repeat the grand experiment of Michael’s neighborhood revisited with new people (and with the show’s regulars in tow as well).
Status: This show’s fourth season has been announced as its last and creator Michael Schur claims that was his intention and he feels like this is the right time to wrap up the story.
Legacies (CW, Thursday 9-10 PM) Returns from Hiatus Jan 16
About: The legacy of the Mikaelson clan continues in this spin-off from The Originals. When this show returns from hiatus, Hope makes her a way out of Malivore and is trying to find her way back to Mystic Falls.
Status: The numbers for this show have been decent for a CW entry and it even out-performed its lead-in Supernatural several times in the Fall. Consider this one pretty much a lock for a third season renewal.
Legends of Tomorrow (CW, Tuesday 9-10 PM) Season 5 Premieres Jan 14
About: On January 14th, the fifth and final chapter of the Crisis on Infinite Earths will air as an episode of Legends of Tomorrow at 9 PM EST. Then the fifth season proper will begin the following week as the Legends must deal with the repercussions of the Crisis.
Status: The numbers were down for Legends of Tomorrow in its fourth season, but since a final season announcement has not been made for the show yet, I would expect it to return for at least one more year if not more.
Locke and Key (Netflix, Streaming) NEW SERIES Premieres Feb 7
About: Based on the comic book of the same name created by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, this series follows three siblings of the Locke family who discover mysterious keys in their ancestral home that hold great powers.
Status: As with any Netflix series, this show has a very good chance of getting renewed for a second season. But then the streamer tends to cap off its shows around the third or fourth season mark.
MacGyver (CBS, Friday 8-9 PM) Season 4 Premieres Feb 7
About: The inventive and quick-thinking MacGyver returns for a fourth season of spy adventure.
Status: This show has reached the fourth season mark which means that it has enough episodes for a syndication run (where shows really turn a profit). If its number are down this year (as they were last year), CBS may decide to let this one end at four seasons.
The Magicians (Syfy, Wednesday 10-11 PM) Season 5 Premieres Jan 15
About: This show returns for its fifth season as the students of Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy who were close to Quentin Coldwater must deal with the fate that he suffered at the end of the fourth season.
Status: No scripted series on Syfy (or the Sci Fi Channel before it) has ever gone more than five seasons on the network (the first five seasons of Stargate: SG-1 aired on Showtime). The numbers for The Magicians were down last season and Syfy seems to be shying away from scripted programming of late. Fans may want to make a Call to Action on the social networks to give this show a boost as it heads directly towards the network’s five-season wall.
Manifest (NBC, Monday 10-11 PM) Season 2 Premieres Jan 6
About: The survivors of Flight 828 have gone through an ordeal after returning from their five-year disappearance. But as the second season begins, they may find themselves right back where they started.
Status: NBC has kept this show in the Monday 10 PM EST timeslot with America’s Got Talent as its lead-in, and it should continue to do well enough in that hour. If its numbers do not slip too much from last year, it should fly right into a third season.
Nancy Drew (CW, Wednesday 9-10 PM) NEW SERIES Returns from Hiatus Jan 15
About: The famous female super-sleuth gets a modern update with a supernatural twist as Nancy Drew returns from hiatus and once again finds herself solving mysteries.
Status: The same-day numbers for this show were not great in the Fall, but it may still be doing well enough for a CW show. If it slips any when it returns, though, it could find itself On the Bubble.
NeXt (FOX, Timeslot TBD) NEW SERIES Premieres Early 2020
About: This series will follow an elite cyber-security team trying to deal with a powerful rogue AI that has the ability to keep improving itself.
Status: FOX has still not given this show a premiere date which is never a good sign. If it ends up getting shuffled off to late Spring or to Summer, that may be an indication that the network has lost faith in the show.
Outlander (Starz, Sunday 8-9PM) Season 5 Premieres Feb 16
About: This time-traveling romance returns for its fifth season with Claire and Jamie facing new adventures and adversaries in the New World.
Status: This series has remained one of Starz’s top-rated shows, even though its numbers did slip this past season. But I would expect it to be back for at least one more season if not more.
Primal (ADSW, Not Scheduled Yet ) Returns Early 2020
About: This animated series comes from Samurai Jack‘s Genndy Tartakovsky and follows a caveman at the dawn of evolution who bonds with a dinosaur on the brink of extinction.
Status: This series performed well for Adult Swim in its Fall run and will return with five more episodes in early 2020. At this point, I like its chances of getting a second season renewal.
Project Blue Book (History, Tuesday 10-11 PM) Season 2 Premieres Jan 21
About: The investigations into UFO encounters continue in this series based on the real-life studies carried out by the Airforce in the 50’s and 60’s. And as they dig deeper, Dr. Hynek and Captain Quinn try to determine who is really shots behind the scenes.
Status: This series performed well for the History Channel in its first season. But we have seen a tendency for second season shows on the cable networks to experience notable viewership losses. If it can buck that trend, though, it should be okay.
Riverdale (CW, Wednesday 8-9 PM) Returns from Hiatus Jan 22
About: Archie and the gang return from hiatus in this dark take on the comic book series and they continue to explore the mysteries of their odd little town known as Riverdale.
Status: While never a huge hit based on the same day ratings numbers, this show has continued to draw high digital viewership for The CW and has done quite well in encore runs on Netflix. It is pretty much a lock for a fifth season renewal at this point.
Roswell New Mexico (CW, Monday 9-10 PM) Season 2 Premieres Mar 16
About: This series returns for its second season as the aliens hiding out in Roswell, New Mexico continue to try and keep their existence a secret while also developing interpersonal relationships with the humans around them.
Status: This show was not a big hit in the ratings for The CW, but it did very well in digital viewing and the fifth place network pays more attention to those stats than the Big Four broadcast nets. If it can hold mostly steady year-over-year, expect it to return for a third season.
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access, Streaming) Season 3 Premiere Early 2020
About: Season 2 of this Star Trek prequel series ended with the Discovery jumping 1000 years into the future. The upcoming season will be about the exploration of this distant timeline.
Status: Season 3 has not received a premiere date yet, but expect it to debut in February or March. Word is that viewership improved for the show in its second season, so if it at least holds steady this year then it should be returning for a fourth season.
Star Trek: Picard (CBS All Access, Streaming) NEW SERIES Premieres Jan 23
About: Jean-Luc Picard, former captain of the USS Enterprise, is coaxed out of retirement to lead a desperate, secret mission. And he must rely on some old friends to help him out.
Status: This highly-anticipated continuation of the Picard’s story finally arrives in January. CBS All Access has already renewed it for a second season, and I would expect more after that.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Disney+, Streaming) Season 7 Premieres Feb 17
About: The long-running animated series is back for a seventh and final season with the return of Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and more. It promises to provide a satisfying conclusion for the show that was cancelled after Disney bought the Star Wars franchise.
Status: Only the seventh season of this show is planned at this point, but don’t be surprised if Disney+ picks up a spin-off (possibly focusing on Ahsoka) should it prove popular in its return.
Star Wars Resistance (Disney, Sunday 10-10:30 PM ) Continues from Fall
About: The second season of this show finds Kaz and team deep in space after having escaped from the First Order. The heroes face many dangers including bounty hunters, a suspicious Hutt, General Hux, and Supreme Leader Kylo Ren as they try to spark hope across the galaxy.
Status: This Star Wars Anime series did not prove to be a huge hit in its first year and perhaps that influenced the decision to announce its second season as its last. But at least it will get the opportunity to wrap up its storylines.
Supergirl (CW, Sunday 9-10 PM) Returns from Hiatus Jan 19
About: When Supergirl returns from hiatus, the consequences of the Crisis on Infinite Earths will factor into the storylines for the remainder of the season.
Status: The numbers have been down for Supergirl in its fifth season, but The CW rarely cancels its shows without a final season announcement in advance. Expect this one to return for at least one more season.
Supernatural (CW, Thursday 8-9 PM) Returns from Hiatus Jan 16
About: This show heads into the final part of its record-busting fifteenth season with Sam and Dean preparing for the ultimate battle against God himself.
Status: After a long and successful run, this show will be wrapping up with its fifteenth season. But don’t be surprised if The CW has a Supernatural spin-off on its schedule next season, and perhaps Sam and Dean will make appearances on that show.
>Keep up with the sci fi and fantasy shows airing each week with our Weekly Listings
The Walking Dead (AMC, Sunday 9-10 PM) Returns from Hiatus Feb 23
About: AMC’s zombie drama returns from hiatus as Alexandria, Hilltop, and the other communities find themselves on the verge of war with the Whisperers.
Status: The Walking Dexit continues for this series as it slipped to series-low ratings levels in Fall. But it is still one of the most-watched shows on television and it has already been renewed for an eleventh season. More on that at this link.
War of the Worlds (EPIX, Sunday 9-10 PM) NEW SERIES Premieres Feb 16
About: This French production is an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds which is set in modern times (and is not to be confused with the BBC production set in the same time period as the novel).
Status: This series originally aired in France in October of last year. It was billed as a mini-series and there is no word on whether it might carry on the story for a second season.
More from CancelledSciFi.com:
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Check out our Sci Fi TV Schedule for debut and season finale dates and follow our Weekly Listings for a rundown of the shows airing in the current week.
Check back each Saturday for Sci Fi TV Retrospectives: A look back at cancelled, classic, forgotten, and more genre shows from the past.
