7 NBC shows canceled so far in 2026 — and why they got the axe

Brianna ZiglerFri, May 29, 2026 at 3:32 PM UTC

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Mario Lopez on 'Access Hollywood'; Zachary Quinto on 'Brilliant Minds'; Christopher Meloni on 'Law & Order: Organized Crime'
Credit: Matt Sayles/NBC via Getty; Pief Weyman/NBC; Virginia Sherwood/PEACOCKKey Points -

NBC has canceled seven shows so far in 2026.

Notable cancelations include Brilliant Minds and Law & Order: Organized Crime.

The network is also ending all of its first-run syndicated programs.

As the 2025-2026 network season winds down, we're saying goodbye to a handful of shows that won't be returning next year.

A number of NBC shows have not been picked up for renewal this fall, from scripted TV series to daytime talk shows. Among them are the Law & Order spinoff Organized Crime, the Zachary Quinto-led medical drama Brilliant Minds, and The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Additionally, NBCUniversal will no longer produce any first-run syndicated TV programming, such as Access Hollywood and The Steve Wilkos Show.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter explaining the decision, NBCUniversal's Frances Berwick said, “NBCUniversal is making changes to our first-run syndication division to better align with the programming preferences of local stations.”

Keep reading for everything we know about the NBC shows that won't appear in the fall lineup this year.

Brilliant Minds

Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf on 'Brilliant Minds'
Credit: Pief Weyman/NBC via Getty

After only two seasons, NBC is saying goodbye to Brilliant Minds.

Inspired by the work of famed doctor and writer Oliver Sacks — specifically his books The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars — Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto as New York City neurologist Dr. Oliver Wolf, a gifted practitioner who also suffers from face blindness.

Brilliant Minds couldn't cultivate a devoted audience, per Deadline, which reported that it was NBC’s lowest-rated drama series on the linear TV lineup. It didn’t help that the show had “the steepest double-digit year-to-year declines,” despite maintaining its same Monday time slot after The Voice.

Some of the cast took to Instagram to react to their show’s fate. “I’m really going to miss getting to work with these people. Not just the ones you see on screen, but the hundreds of other people that worked on this production," wrote Brian Altemus, who played Dr. Charlie Porter, in a post on Instagram.

Meanwhile, director and executive producer DeMane Davis shared a cast photo with the caption: “This was my family for two seasons. What a privilege. The pure joy of working with these people is something I will and already carry with me daily.”

Stumble

Stumble got the boot after only one season, which ended in March.Broadway icon Kristin Chenoweth led the series — a mockumentary about a junior college cheerleading team — alongside Jenn Lyon, Taran Killam, Jarrett Austin Brown, Anissa Borrego, and Arianna Davis.

The comedy debuted in November and received positive reviews from critics. Sadly, viewership reportedly didn’t match the strong reviews, and the show failed to find a large enough audience to justify a renewal.

Karamo

'Karamo' promotional image featuring Karamo Brown
Credit: NBCUniversal

Hosted by Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown, Karamo was a conflict-resolution daytime talk show intended as a successor to Maury, with Brown promising to take a less sensationalist approach to the show.

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Unfortunately, the syndicated series will not be returning for a sixth season. Brown, who also recently said goodbye to Queer Eye, seems to be keeping busy with motivational videos, per his Instagram.

The Steve Wilkos Show

Steve Wilkos for 'The Steve Wilkos Show'
Credit: Heidi Gutman/NBC

After debuting in 2007 and airing for 19 seasons, The Steve Wilkos Show is coming to a close. The series is hosted by Wilkos, a former police officer and director of security on The Jerry Springer Show.

The series will continue to air new episodes throughout the summer before switching to reruns upon its conclusion in the fall.

Law & Order: Organized Crime

Chris Meloni as Elliot Stabler on 'Law & Order: Organized Crime'
Credit: Virginia Sherwood/PEACOCK via Getty

Law & Order: Organized Crime, which saw Christopher Meloni reprise his role of Elliot Stabler, ran for five seasons before getting the axe.

The cancelation came in April, nearly a year after the June 2025 conclusion of season 5.

In 2025, Meloni admitted to PEOPLE that he wasn’t sure if Organized Crime would be getting a sixth season. "I don't know if there's going to be another. You're asking for America." he said.

Meloni posted an emotional video to Instagram following the cancelation news. “Hey everyone, I just saw that they announced OC, Organized Crime, won’t be coming back,” he said. “So I wanted to take this moment to say thank you to the fans, who not only helped give the character of Elliot Stabler life and longevity, but for sticking with him and welcoming him back.”

Access Hollywood and Access Daily

'Access Hollywood' promotional image featuring Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Zuri Hall, and Scott Evans
Credit: NBCUniversal Syndication Studios

The iconic Hollywood news show hosted by Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Zuri Hall, and Scott Evans will soon take its final bow after roughly three decades on the air. Its companion series, Access Daily, was also canceled.

Access Hollywood will wrap in September 2026. The announcement came in March as part of NBCUniversal’s decision to end all first-run syndicated programming.

The Kelly Clarkson Show

Kelly Clarkson on Season 6 of 'The Kelly Clarkson Show'
Credit: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty

The Kelly Clarkson Show is coming to an end after seven seasons, but the host claims it was entirely her decision and not related to NBCUniversal's choice to end all first-run syndicated programming.

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Clarkson said the decision was driven by her desire to spend more time with her children. “This was not an easy decision, but this season will be my last hosting The Kelly Clarkson Show. Stepping away from the daily schedule will allow me to prioritize my kids, which feels necessary and right for this next chapter of our lives," she wrote in a February 2025 Instagram post.

In August of last year, Clarkson’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, died after a battle with skin cancer. His illness had led Clarkson to cancel several Las Vegas residency dates.New episodes of The Kelly Clarkson Show will continue to air through the fall.

on Entertainment Weekly

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