NBC has canceled nine shows ahead of the 2026-27 season, ending everything from a long-running Law & Order spinoff and a hit medical drama to daytime staples including Access Hollywood and The Kelly Clarkson Show.
The cancellations come as the network reshapes its programming lineup across scripted dramas, syndicated talk shows and entertainment news.
Newsweek has contacted NBC via email for comment.
Here’s a look at the shows leaving NBC, what they were about and how audiences and critics rated them.
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 84 Percent
One of the highest-profile cancellations is Law & Order: Organized Crime, the franchise spinoff built around Christopher Meloni’s detective Elliot Stabler.
The series premiered in 2021 and ran for five seasons and 75 episodes, following Stabler’s work taking down organized crime networks through longer, season-spanning storylines rather than the standalone cases typically seen elsewhere in the franchise.
Following the cancellation, Meloni thanked fans in a video posted to social media, saying they had helped give the character “life and longevity.”
The show also holds a 7.7/10 rating on IMDb.
Brilliant Minds
Rotten Tomatoes: 88 Percent Critics | 81 Percent Audience
Medical drama Brilliant Minds has been canceled after two seasons despite strong reviews.
Starring Zachary Quinto, the series was inspired by the works of neurologist Oliver Sacks, including The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars.
Created by Michael Grassi, the show premiered in September 2024, with its second and final season airing this year.
It also holds a 7.8/10 rating on IMDb.
Stumble
Rotten Tomatoes: 82 Percent Critics | 96 Percent Audience
Mockumentary series Stumble earned some of the strongest audience reviews of any canceled NBC show this year.
The mockumentary followed the world of junior college cheerleading and starred Jenn Lyon in the lead role.
It premiered in November 2025 and lasted one season consisting of 13 episodes.
The series also holds a 7.4/10 IMDb rating.
The Hunting Party
Rotten Tomatoes: 18 Percent Critics | 81 Percent Audience
Procedural crime drama The Hunting Party centered on an investigative team tracking dangerous killers who escaped from a secret prison.
The series debuted in January 2025 and returned for a second season in January 2026 before being canceled.
The show’s reception highlighted a notable split between critics and viewers, earning one of the lowest critics’ scores among NBC’s canceled programs while maintaining a relatively strong audience rating.
It also holds a 6.6/10 IMDb score.
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Daytime Emmy Winner Ending After Seven Seasons
The Kelly Clarkson Show will conclude after seven seasons and more than 1,000 episodes.
Hosted by the American Idol winner since 2019, the daytime program became one of NBC’s most successful talk shows and won 22 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Clarkson announced earlier this year that she planned to step away from the daily program to spend more time with her children.
“This was not an easy decision,” she wrote at the time.
Access Hollywood
Ending After 30 Years
Access Hollywood is set to end after three decades on air.
The entertainment news program first launched in 1996 and is currently hosted by Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Zuri Hall and Scott Evans.
NBCUniversal said the cancellation is part of a broader strategy to better align syndicated programming with local station preferences.
New episodes will continue airing through September.
Access Daily
Companion Show Also Ending
Access Daily will end alongside Access Hollywood.
The lifestyle and entertainment show evolved from Access Hollywood Live before being rebranded in 2019.
It combined celebrity interviews, entertainment coverage, fashion, food and lifestyle segments.
Like Access Hollywood, it will continue producing episodes through September.
The Steve Wilkos Show
Ending After Nearly Two Decades
The Steve Wilkos Show is coming to an end after nearly 20 years and more than 2,000 episodes.
Hosted by former Jerry Springer Show security guard Steve Wilkos since 2007, the syndicated talk show became a fixture of daytime television.
Although production has wrapped, original episodes will continue airing throughout the summer.
Karamo
Ending After Four Seasons
Karamo, hosted by Queer Eye star Karamo Brown, has been canceled after four seasons.
The syndicated daytime talk show premiered in 2022 and aired more than 400 episodes.
The program focused on conflict resolution, family issues and personal development, combining traditional talk-show elements with advice and support segments.
New episodes will continue airing through September.
Why NBC Is Canceling So Many Shows
NBC has not given a single explanation covering all nine cancellations.
Television networks typically weigh a combination of factors when making renewal decisions, including ratings performance, production costs, advertising revenue and broader programming strategy.
In several cases, the cancellations may be tied to NBCUniversal’s decision to wind down original production for parts of its syndicated programming business.
For scripted series, performance, audience growth and long-term scheduling priorities are often the deciding factors.
The cancellations come as NBC prepares its lineup for the 2026-27 season and continues investing in new scripted, sports and entertainment programming.
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