ABC: Postpone fall gameshows, reschedule Shark Tank and restore Bachelorette for Fall 2026
The Issue
1. The hook: Why this matters to millions of viewers
The fall television season is the cornerstone of network broadasting, a time when viewers expect compelling, narrative-driven content to anchor their weekly television schedules. However ABC's initial broadcast strategy for the Fall 2026 television season has left a massive hole in its primetime lineup. By prioritizing short-form, low-stakes game shows like Celebrity Jeopardy! and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, ABC has alienated one of the most loyal and active fanbases in television history: Bachelor Nation.
We are launching this petition to demand that ABC Television Network executives optimize their schedule. We call on network programmers to postpone these celebrity game shows until the Midseason 2027 slate, solidify Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette, originally cancelled on March 19, 2026, editing has since been continued, in a dedicated Fall 2026 timeslot, and strategically realign Shark Tank to maximize ratings across the entire week.
2. The background. The flawed May 2026 upfronts and rising speculation
In May 2026, ABC announced a Fall schedule heavily over-indexed on casual game show iterations. The network announced that Celebrity Jeopardy! would air on Wednesdays at 9:00PM (leading into Shark Tank at 10:00 PM), while Celebrity Wheel of Fortune claimed the Friday 8:00PM anchor spot. Shockingly, The Bachelorette-a multi-decade ratings juggernaut, was left in scheduling limbo following the March 19, 2026 shelving of Taylor Frankie Paul's season, with editing continued and intention for mid-July 2026, which has since been delayed due to the DCFS petition that exes ripped her-was left completely in scheduling limbo, with no official premiere date or guaranteed slot.
Recent industry speculation suggests that ABC programmers are experiencing internal hesitation regarding this lineup. Rumors indicate that the network is considering shifting Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette (currently shelved) into a two-hour Wednesday block from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM, following the comedies Scrubs (8:00 PM) and Abbott Elementary (8:30PM), while shuffling Shark Tank to Friday nights before 20/20 (9:00-11:00PM).
While moving The Bachelorette back to Wednesdays is a vital first step, keeping a bloated slate of celebrity game shows on the fall schedule remains a critical error. Broadcast television is facing intense competition from streaming platforms; filling scarce autumn primetime real estate with repetitive game show formats oversaturates the schedule and dillutes the network's premium brand identity.
3. The clear demands: The optimal fall 2026 lineup
To protect the network's autumn ratings momentum and satisfy the core demographics of these distinct fanbases, we urge ABC Entertainment Executives to enact a three-part scheduling restructure before the Fall 2026 premiere dates and/or the television season are locked in.
- Postpone the celebrity game shows to midseason 2027: Move both Celebrity Jeopardy! and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune entirely out of the Fall 2026 block. Hold these short-run series back as high-utility winter midseason replacements. They are perfectly suited to fill scheduling gaps during the post-holiday winter lull when primary scripted series are on hiatus.
- Anchor Wednesday nights with The Bachelorette (9:00-11:00PM): Officially lock in Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette for a two-hour block on Wednesday nights. A high-drama, narrative reality show is the ultimate companion to ABC's comedy hour. It will serve as an incredibily strong ratings lead-out for the highly-anticipated Scrubs revival at 8:00 PM and the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary at 8:30 PM.
- Permanently transition Shark Tank to Friday nights (8:00-9:00PM): Move Shark Tank to the Friday 8:00 PM opening slot. Shark Tank possesses a highly loyal, multi-generational, and family-friendly audience. This makes it the ideal, established, lead-in to capture viewers before handing the night over to ABC's premium two-hour 20/20 newsmagazine broadcast from 9:00PM to 11:00PM.
4. The high stakes: Save our fall TV experience
If ABC proceeds with a fragmented game-show-heavy fall schedule, it risks a significant drop-off in linear viewership. The Bachelorette relies on the cultural zeitgeist, social media engagement, and community watch parties that naturally thrive during the autumn months. Pushing a flagship romance franchise aside or delaying it into late-night formats damages the show's momentum and shortchanges the fans.
ABC Executives: listen to our viewers, respsect the structure of your most successful franchises, and fix the Fall 2026 grid.
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The Issue
1. The hook: Why this matters to millions of viewers
The fall television season is the cornerstone of network broadasting, a time when viewers expect compelling, narrative-driven content to anchor their weekly television schedules. However ABC's initial broadcast strategy for the Fall 2026 television season has left a massive hole in its primetime lineup. By prioritizing short-form, low-stakes game shows like Celebrity Jeopardy! and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, ABC has alienated one of the most loyal and active fanbases in television history: Bachelor Nation.
We are launching this petition to demand that ABC Television Network executives optimize their schedule. We call on network programmers to postpone these celebrity game shows until the Midseason 2027 slate, solidify Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette, originally cancelled on March 19, 2026, editing has since been continued, in a dedicated Fall 2026 timeslot, and strategically realign Shark Tank to maximize ratings across the entire week.
2. The background. The flawed May 2026 upfronts and rising speculation
In May 2026, ABC announced a Fall schedule heavily over-indexed on casual game show iterations. The network announced that Celebrity Jeopardy! would air on Wednesdays at 9:00PM (leading into Shark Tank at 10:00 PM), while Celebrity Wheel of Fortune claimed the Friday 8:00PM anchor spot. Shockingly, The Bachelorette-a multi-decade ratings juggernaut, was left in scheduling limbo following the March 19, 2026 shelving of Taylor Frankie Paul's season, with editing continued and intention for mid-July 2026, which has since been delayed due to the DCFS petition that exes ripped her-was left completely in scheduling limbo, with no official premiere date or guaranteed slot.
Recent industry speculation suggests that ABC programmers are experiencing internal hesitation regarding this lineup. Rumors indicate that the network is considering shifting Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette (currently shelved) into a two-hour Wednesday block from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM, following the comedies Scrubs (8:00 PM) and Abbott Elementary (8:30PM), while shuffling Shark Tank to Friday nights before 20/20 (9:00-11:00PM).
While moving The Bachelorette back to Wednesdays is a vital first step, keeping a bloated slate of celebrity game shows on the fall schedule remains a critical error. Broadcast television is facing intense competition from streaming platforms; filling scarce autumn primetime real estate with repetitive game show formats oversaturates the schedule and dillutes the network's premium brand identity.
3. The clear demands: The optimal fall 2026 lineup
To protect the network's autumn ratings momentum and satisfy the core demographics of these distinct fanbases, we urge ABC Entertainment Executives to enact a three-part scheduling restructure before the Fall 2026 premiere dates and/or the television season are locked in.
- Postpone the celebrity game shows to midseason 2027: Move both Celebrity Jeopardy! and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune entirely out of the Fall 2026 block. Hold these short-run series back as high-utility winter midseason replacements. They are perfectly suited to fill scheduling gaps during the post-holiday winter lull when primary scripted series are on hiatus.
- Anchor Wednesday nights with The Bachelorette (9:00-11:00PM): Officially lock in Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette for a two-hour block on Wednesday nights. A high-drama, narrative reality show is the ultimate companion to ABC's comedy hour. It will serve as an incredibily strong ratings lead-out for the highly-anticipated Scrubs revival at 8:00 PM and the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary at 8:30 PM.
- Permanently transition Shark Tank to Friday nights (8:00-9:00PM): Move Shark Tank to the Friday 8:00 PM opening slot. Shark Tank possesses a highly loyal, multi-generational, and family-friendly audience. This makes it the ideal, established, lead-in to capture viewers before handing the night over to ABC's premium two-hour 20/20 newsmagazine broadcast from 9:00PM to 11:00PM.
4. The high stakes: Save our fall TV experience
If ABC proceeds with a fragmented game-show-heavy fall schedule, it risks a significant drop-off in linear viewership. The Bachelorette relies on the cultural zeitgeist, social media engagement, and community watch parties that naturally thrive during the autumn months. Pushing a flagship romance franchise aside or delaying it into late-night formats damages the show's momentum and shortchanges the fans.
ABC Executives: listen to our viewers, respsect the structure of your most successful franchises, and fix the Fall 2026 grid.
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Petition created on July 17, 2026