Which shows on U.S. network/broadcast television have had shortened or abbreviated seasons?

A "full" season usually consists of at least 20 episodes or more (22 is considered the average). A "shortened" season, or an "abbreviated" season usually consists of 19 episodes or less.

For example, most network TV shows that start out as midseason replacements usually have their first seasons be shortened, rarely running for more than 13 or so episodes due to the limited amount of time available before the broadcast TV season ends.

Which shows on U.S. network/broadcast television have had shortened or abbreviated seasons?

A "full" season usually consists of at least 20 episodes or more (22 is considered the average). A "shortened" season, or an "abbreviated" season usually consists of 19 episodes or less.

For example, most network TV shows that start out as midseason replacements usually have their first seasons be shortened, rarely running for more than 13 or so episodes due to the limited amount of time available before the broadcast TV season ends.

Barney Miller was a midseason replacement in January of '75 (13 shows), and so was Dynasty in January of '81 (13 as well, including a 3-hr. pilot).

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: season 1 (12 episodes)
Mama's Family: season 1 (13 episodes)
Mister Ed: season 6 (13 episodes)

Original Dallas in 1978 had its "miniseries" (referred to as season 1 in the DVD release of the first two seasons) to run for only 5 shows.

Three's company's 1st season only had 6 episodes.

Nanny and the Professor (Richard Long/Juliet Mills) -- Mid-season replacement. Season 1: only 15 episodes

NewsRadio - Season 1 (7 episodes)
Wings - Season 1 (6 episodes - though a 7th was made but aired in season 2)
The Office - Season 1 (6 episodes)
These Friends of Mine / Ellen - Season 1 (13 episodes)
Community - Season 4 (13 episodes)
Community - Season 5 (13 episodes)
Happy Days - Season 1 (16 episodes)

ALL IN THE FAMILY started as a mid-season replacement in 1971

The 3rd season of DALLAS on TNT has been split into 2 halves-they're currently showing the 2nd half. (and I think it's great that they're doing that-that guarantees that it won't get like the last couple seasons of the original one)

The Simpsons - Season 1
Married with Children - Season 1
21 Jump Street - Season

Practically every show on FOX during 1986-87 TV season since FOX started in April '87.

Grand - Season 1
Wings - Season 1
The Jeffersons - Season 1
Sanford and Son - Season 1

There a lot of shows which had shortened season.

The Facts of Life- Season 1: 13 episodes
The Facts of Life- Season 2: 16 episodes
Diff'rent Strokes- Season 8: 19 episodes
Two and a Half Men- Season 5: 19 episodes
Two and a Half Men- Season 8: 16 episodes

A rare example of midseason shows which managed to fit a full season's worth of episodes in the period between January and May:

Season 1 of 3rd Rock from the Sun had 20 episodes. The episodes ran (almost) uninterrupted on Tuesdays (except for one Sunday airing in April).

Seasons 4 to 8 of 24 had 24 episodes each. There were three special 2-hour airings for each of those seasons (two at the beginning of the season and one at the end).

L.A. Law had 20 and 19 episodes in seasons 2 and 3, respectively.

All of the five seasons of Moonlighting were abbreviated, and only 66 episodes were produced In total.

Season One had 6 episodes.
Season Two had 18 episodes.
Season Three had 15 episodes.
Season Four had 14 episodes.
Season Five had 13 episodes.

Rules of Engagement on CBS ran for seven seasons (early 2007-2013), but only one of its seasons (its fifth) was a full season. Only 100 episodes of that series were produced.

Season One had 7 episodes.
Seasons Two and Six had 15 episodes each.
Seasons Three, Four and Seven had 13 episodes each.
Season Five had 24 episodes.

Hart to Hart had 20 shows in No. 2 (1980-81) because of the 1980 actors' strike.

All of the five seasons of Moonlighting were abbreviated, and only 66 episodes were produced In total.

Season One had 6 episodes.
Season Two had 18 episodes.
Season Three had 15 episodes.
Season Four had 14 episodes.
Season Five had 13 episodes.

Rules of Engagement on CBS ran for seven seasons (early 2007-2013), but only one of its seasons (its fifth) was a full season. Only 100 episodes of that series were produced.

Season One had 7 episodes.
Seasons Two and Six had 15 episodes each.
Seasons Three, Four and Seven had 13 episodes each.
Season Five had 24 episodes.
I really liked Rules Of Engagement too bad the Network had no respect for the show it did well in the ratings and was still cancelled.

Season 4 of Desperate Housewives only had 17 episodes because of strike.

Christy had two seasons of 8 and 12 episodes for 20 episodes total, not even one full season's worth.

The A-Team had thirteen shows in its first season in early 1983 (the DVD count shows it as fourteen, if you break the pilot down into two parts).

^^The A Team's fifth and final season was also shortened (13 episodes). Declining viewership after a move to Fridays caused the series to be cancelled at midseason.

Comedyfreak: Rules of Engagement ended after season 7 because ratings had hit all-time lows and the cast's contracts had expired.

^^The A Team's fifth and final season was also shortened (13 episodes). Declining viewership after a move to Fridays caused the series to be cancelled at midseason.

Good catch on that! I forgot to mention it. That was where the focus of the storylines was radically changed from what it was for the first four seasons.

The 1st season of The Wonder Years only had 6 episodes. The 1st season of Castle had 10 episodes.

Original Five-O: only 19 shows in its final season (1979-80) (these were rerun as McGarrett on the CBS Late Movie).

Grey's Anatomy: 9 episodes in Season One (spring 2005); 17 episodes in Season Four (2007-08) due to writers strike.

Private Practice: 9 episodes in Season One (2007-08); 13 episodes in Season Six (final season; 2012-13)

Scandal: 7 episodes in Season One (Spring 2012); 18 episodes in Season Three (2013-14) due to pregnancy of star Kerry Washington.

Resurrection had 8 episodes in its 1st season and will only have 13 in its 2nd season. The 2 seasons combined are the equivalent of one full season.

Season 1 of Bob's Burgers (13 episodes) and Season 2 of Bob's Burgers (9 episodes)

Season 1 of Parks & Rec (6 episodes), Season 3 of Parks & Rec (16 episodes), and Season 7 of Parks & Rec (13 episodes).

Season 2 of 30 Rock (15 episodes because of the writers' strike) and Season 7 of 30 Rock (12 episodes)

Parenthood (2010 TV series) only had two full seasons during its original six-season run (2nd season and 5th season).

Season 1 - 13 episodes
Season 3 - 18 episodes
Season 4 - 15 episodes
Season 6 - 13 episodes

back in 2008 a lot of shows had shortened seasons because of a writers strike.

Bonanza - the NBC western's fourteenth and final season had only 15 episodes. NBC cancelled the show in November of 1972, and its final episode aired in January of 1973. Its ratings had declined badly following a move from Sundays to Tuesdays, and star Dan Blocker had died the previous May. Bonanza is the longest-running network TV show ever to be cancelled at midseason.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Gil Gerard & Erin Gray): Season 2 had only 11 episodes due to the 1980 actors' strike, then cancellation.

Some of these new "limited series" on network TV often have their seasons have cable-like episode orders (such as 13 per season) and usually don't get regular ~22-episode full-season orders. Examples of such shows include:

The Following (15 episodes per season)
Hannibal (13 episodes per season)
How to Get Away with Murder (15 eps per season)
Resurrection (8 eps in season 1, 13 eps in season 2)
Sleepy Hollow (13 eps in season 1, 18 eps in season 2)

Gotham was initially supposed to have its first season consist of 16 installments, but today it was given a regular full season of 22 episodes.

The 1st season of Blossom had 14 episodes. The 1st season of One Day at a Time had 15 episodes.

Glee's fifth and final season will only consist of 13 episodes and will air midseason. As opposed to the previous 4 seasons which consisted of 22 episodes and aired in full seasons from the fall to spring.

^^I think you mean "Glee's sixth and final season will only consist of 13 episodes and will air midseason. As opposed to the previous 5 seasons which consisted of 22 episodes and aired in full seasons from the fall to spring.". BTW, Season 5 had 20 episodes.

^^I think you mean "Glee's sixth and final season will only consist of 13 episodes and will air midseason. As opposed to the previous 5 seasons which consisted of 22 episodes and aired in full seasons from the fall to spring.". BTW, Season 5 had 20 episodes.

Oops, I meant sixth season. And your right about the 20 episodes in Season 5.

Two and a Half Men- Season 5: 19 episodes
Two and a Half Men- Season 8: 16 episodes

Update:

Two and a Half Men - Season 12: 16 episodes (final season)

I see CBS has FINALLY canceled that! They should have back when Charlie Sheen was fired from it!

The first season of Mr. Belvedere only had 7 episodes. Antenna TV will air the entire 1st season in the 1st 4 days of it airing. :lol:

Season 1 of Touched by an Angel - only 11 episodes.

Update: Sleepy Hollow was renewed for a third season last month, to air during the 2015-16 season, after they found a replacement showrunner. Season three will consist of 18 episodes (and I think all future seasons of Sleepy Hollow may have 18 episodes as well).

12 O'Clock High (Sept. 1964 - Jan. 1967): Only 17 shows in its final season (the only color eps, Season 3), due to mid-season cancellation.

The Sentinel, a drama which ran of UPN during the late 1990s, produced 65 episodes over four seasons, two of which were abbreviated:

Season One: 10 episodes
Season Four: 9 episodes

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries - only the 2nd season had a full-season run. The 1st season debuted in Jan. 1977 with only 12 episodes, while the 3rd and final season ended in Jan. 1979 with just 10 episodes.

The Hogan Family (originally Valerie and later Valerie's Family) - S1 and S6 each had abbreviated seasons. S1 began on March 1986 and only had 10 episodes and although the 6th and final season (its only season on CBS) began in the Fall of 1990 only produced 13 episodes and it was cancelled 9 episodes into the season and the rest of the episodes that season (4 that were held out) didn't air until the Summer of 1991.

The fifth season of RHODA had only 13 episodes - 9 of which aired on CBS (Sept-December, 1978). All 12 were finally aired in syndication.

The show moved to Saturday nights at 8 PM for season 5, focused on Brenda (who the network wanted to 'spin off' later that season) and lost viewers - so it was cancelled by the network after filming 13 eps.

Simon & Simon - Seasons 1, 7 and 8 all had abbreviated seasons.

S1 had 13 episodes due to the Actors' Strike that year and it almost faced cancellation as well due to low ratings. S7 didn't even start until the very end of 1987 and only had 16 episodes and S8 was delayed due to the Writers' Strike of '88 and only had produced 13 episodes, 2 of which were withheld until syndication after CBS abruptly cancelled the series midseason.

Magnum, P.I. - S8 had an abbreviated season because it was initially supposed to be cancelled in S7 but CBS changed their minds at the last seconds and commissioned a short 13-season for the 8th and final season.

Magnum, P.I. - S8 had an abbreviated season because it was initially supposed to be cancelled in S7 but CBS changed their minds at the last seconds and commissioned a short 13-season for the 8th and final season.

Magnum, P.I.'s first season (1980-81) was also abbreviated: 16 episodes. CBS was initially supposed to have Magnum, P.I. debut in the fall of 1980, but its debut was delayed to December of 1980. Production of the new series was significantly delayed by the 1980 actors strike.

the second season of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION was delayed until the end of November of 1987 because of a writers strike. Then for the premier that season they were forced to use a script from the aborted Star Trek revival series from 1976 (THAT series became STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE in 1979) and modify it. (that entire 2nd season is one that they're not proud of)

King Of Queens: 9th (Final Season) - 13 episodes.

Psych had 16 episodes its entire run through 8 seasons.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic had 13 episodes in its third seasons.

Laverne And Shirley had roughly 15 episodes in its 1st year
Macgyver had about 17 episodes in its 7th and final season
Wings- 5 episode 1st season
Happy Days - 16 episodes in its first year

Matlock Season 9(It had 3 Two-Part episodes)
Matlock Season 7(It had 4 Two-Part epsiodes)

Becker - Its sixth season, which was also the final season had 13 episodes.

the last couple seasons of FRIENDS only ad something like 15 original episodes.

the final season of mash only had 16 eos

the final season of mash only had 16 eos

And that last one, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" (2/28/83), has been often hailed as one of the greatest series finales in television history.

China Beach aired 62 episodes over four seasons from March 1988 to July 1991. Season One had 6 episodes; Seasons Two and Four had 17 episodes each; Season Three was China Beach's only full season, with 22 episodes.

back in 2008 a lot of shows had shortened seasons because of a writers strike.

Here is a complete list of the TV shows on the U.S. commercial broadcast networks that had their seasons shortened due to the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike, which left many of those shows unable to complete the full season initially ordered:

30 Rock: 15 of 22 episodes produced
Back to You (only season): 14 of 24 episodes produced
The Big Bang Theory: 17 of 22 episodes produced
Bones: 15 of 23 episodes produced
Boston Legal: 20 of 22 episodes produced
Brothers & Sisters: 16 of 23 episodes produced
Chuck: 13 of 22 episodes produced
Cold Case: 18 of 24 episodes produced
Criminal Minds: 20 of 25 episodes produced
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: 17 of 24 episodes produced
CSI: Miami: 21 of 24 episodes produced
CSI: NY: 21 of 24 episodes produced
Desperate Housewives: 17 of 23 episodes produced
Dirty Sexy Money: 13 of 22 episodes produced
ER: 19 of 22 episodes produced
Family Guy: 12 of 22 episodes produced
Friday Night Lights: 15 of 22 episodes produced
The Game: 20 of 22 episodes produced
Ghost Whisperer: 18 of 22 episodes produced
Girlfriends: 13 of 22 episodes produced, then series was cancelled with no series finale being produced
Gossip Girl: 18 of 22 episodes produced
Grey's Anatomy: 17 of 22 episodes produced
Heroes: 11 of 24 episodes produced
House, M.D.: 16 of 24 episodes produced
How I Met Your Mother: 20 of 22 episodes produced
King of the Hill: 21 of 22 episodes produced
Las Vegas: 19 of 22 episodes produced, then series was cancelled
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: 19 of 22 episodes produced
Life: 11 of 22 episodes produced
Lipstick Jungle: 7 of 13 episodes produced
Lost: 14 of 16 episodes produced
Medium: 16 of 22 episodes produced
NCIS: 18 of 24 episodes produced
The New Adventures of Old Christine: 10 of 13 episodes produced
Numb3rs: 18 of 24 episodes produced
The Office (U.S.): 19 of 30 episodes produced
One Tree Hill: 18 of 22 episodes produced
Prison Break: 13 of 22 episodes produced
Private Practice: 9 of 22 episodes produced
Pushing Daisies: 9 of 22 episodes produced
Reaper: 18 of 22 episodes produced
Rules of Engagement: 13 of 22 episodes
Samantha Who?: 15 of 22 episodes produced
Scrubs: 13 of 18 episodes produced
Shark: 16 of 22 episodes produced
The Simpsons: 20 of 22 episodes produced
Smallville: 20 of 22 episodes produced
Supernatural: 16 of 22 episodes produced
'Til Death: 15 of 22 episodes produced
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: 10 of 13 episodes produced
Two and a Half Men: 19 of 24 episodes produced
Ugly Betty: 18 of 23 episodes produced
The Unit: 11 of 22 episodes produced
Without a Trace: 18 of 24 episodes produced

Like we couldn't find that info online anywhere else :rolleyes:

I think most (if not all) shows nowadays have only 13-to-16 episode seasons because of the way they're produced, especially Netflix shows. I can't think of many (other than cartoons) shows that have 22-episode seasons. 13 to 16 episodes seasons are still full seasons, btw. There is no definition of a full season.

Everybody Love Raymond had an abbreviated 9th (final) season of 16 episodes. Can't recall why so few episodes were produced (several were clunkers, IMO), but I recall there was a flap over Romano's pay in comparison to the rest of the cast.

Good Times had a 13 episode 1st season, due to its mid-season debut in 2/1974.

Here is a complete list of the TV shows on the U.S. commercial broadcast networks that had their seasons shortened due to the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike, which left many of those shows unable to complete the full season initially ordered:

30 Rock: 15 of 22 episodes produced
Back to You (only season): 14 of 24 episodes produced
The Big Bang Theory: 17 of 22 episodes produced
Bones: 15 of 23 episodes produced
Boston Legal: 20 of 22 episodes produced
Brothers & Sisters: 16 of 23 episodes produced
Chuck: 13 of 22 episodes produced
Cold Case: 18 of 24 episodes produced
Criminal Minds: 20 of 25 episodes produced
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: 17 of 24 episodes produced
CSI: Miami: 21 of 24 episodes produced
CSI: NY: 21 of 24 episodes produced
Desperate Housewives: 17 of 23 episodes produced
Dirty Sexy Money: 13 of 22 episodes produced
ER: 19 of 22 episodes produced
Family Guy: 12 of 22 episodes produced
Friday Night Lights: 15 of 22 episodes produced
The Game: 20 of 22 episodes produced
Ghost Whisperer: 18 of 22 episodes produced
Girlfriends: 13 of 22 episodes produced, then series was cancelled with no series finale being produced
Gossip Girl: 18 of 22 episodes produced
Grey's Anatomy: 17 of 22 episodes produced
Heroes: 11 of 24 episodes produced
House, M.D.: 16 of 24 episodes produced
How I Met Your Mother: 20 of 22 episodes produced
King of the Hill: 21 of 22 episodes produced
Las Vegas: 19 of 22 episodes produced, then series was cancelled
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: 19 of 22 episodes produced
Life: 11 of 22 episodes produced
Lipstick Jungle: 7 of 13 episodes produced
Lost: 14 of 16 episodes produced
Medium: 16 of 22 episodes produced
NCIS: 18 of 24 episodes produced
The New Adventures of Old Christine: 10 of 13 episodes produced
Numb3rs: 18 of 24 episodes produced
The Office (U.S.): 19 of 30 episodes produced
One Tree Hill: 18 of 22 episodes produced
Prison Break: 13 of 22 episodes produced
Private Practice: 9 of 22 episodes produced
Pushing Daisies: 9 of 22 episodes produced
Reaper: 18 of 22 episodes produced
Rules of Engagement: 13 of 22 episodes
Samantha Who?: 15 of 22 episodes produced
Scrubs: 13 of 18 episodes produced
Shark: 16 of 22 episodes produced
The Simpsons: 20 of 22 episodes produced
Smallville: 20 of 22 episodes produced
Supernatural: 16 of 22 episodes produced
'Til Death: 15 of 22 episodes produced
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: 10 of 13 episodes produced
Two and a Half Men: 19 of 24 episodes produced
Ugly Betty: 18 of 23 episodes produced
The Unit: 11 of 22 episodes produced
Without a Trace: 18 of 24 episodes produced
Also the shows episodes shortened due to Writers Strike 2007:
iCarly: 25 episodes in season 1, not sure how many episodes season 1 initially ordered, 26?
Just Jordan: season 3 only has 3 episodes produced due to Writers Strike, and later on ended up cancelled. Season 3 episodes were added to season 2 episodes. Season 2 has 13 episodes produced.

I thought it was interesting that a lot of Norman Lear shows had spring debuts (thus shortened first seasons).

All in the Family
Sanford and Son
The Jeffersons
Good Times

I thought it was interesting that a lot of Norman Lear shows had spring debuts (thus shortened first seasons).

All in the Family
Sanford and Son
The Jeffersons
Good Times

Also One Day at a Time.

Also One Day at a Time.
Oh yeah you're right. I should have said "midseason" debuts since ODAAT debuted in December.

Also Perfect Strangers last season and first season has 6 episodes.
Nickelodeon's Legendary Dudas has six episodes produced in a season, or perhaps actually a series, due to low ratings.

Like we couldn't find that info online anywhere else :rolleyes:

I think most (if not all) shows nowadays have only 13-to-16 episode seasons because of the way they're produced, especially Netflix shows. I can't think of many (other than cartoons) shows that have 22-episode seasons. 13 to 16 episodes seasons are still full seasons, btw. There is no definition of a full season.

Then why do you think scripted TV programs on the U.S. commercial broadcast networks have been producing over 22 episodes per year?:confused:

Then why do you think scripted TV programs on the U.S. commercial broadcast networks have been producing over 22 episodes per year?:confused:

I know that especially dramas, maybe not sitcoms, have been doing 13-to-16 episode seasons. I'm just saying there's no strict definition by the FCC or stations about what a full season is. The 22 episode season hasn't been as prominent lately as it was decades ago.

I know that especially dramas, maybe not sitcoms, have been doing 13-to-16 episode seasons. I'm just saying there's no strict definition by the FCC or stations about what a full season is. The 22 episode season hasn't been as prominent lately as it was decades ago.There are still plenty of shows on the broadcast networks that have 22 episodes or more in a season.

One of the most egregious examples, IMHO, of abbreviated seasons, is Homicide: Life on the Street, which only had ran for nine episodes in its first season and four episodes in its second season. I find this to be especially egregious because the only reason why it had so few episodes initially was not because of any actors' or writers' strike or premiering mid season, but instead because of continued lack of faith from NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield, who continually felt that the show was both too highbrow and too downbeat to appeal to average viewers.

There are still plenty of shows on the broadcast networks that have 22 episodes or more in a season.

Just saying that someone said that broadcast networks have a strict rule on episode numbers, and the reality is they don't. They just order the number they deem appropriate and that differs through all networks. And 13-episode seasons, if you want to call them "full" or "abbreviated", are still full season " orders" by the network.

In the 1950s many shows had as many as 40 episodes a season. They only had eight minutes of commercials per hour. Shows that flopped only had 13 episodes, all of which were shown before they were cancelled. Today shows with low ratings may get yanked after one or two episodes are aired. A show with 13 episodes gets considered a "full" season, and there are 20 or more minutes of commercials shown each hour.

One thing I've noticed whenever reading an article about the TV Stations and Networks losing viewers SELDOM blame it on the number of commercials and/or what's on those ads as the cause for the loss of viewers and/or subscribers. It's as if they don't want to upset the advertisers, who would stop buying time for their commercials. Commercials are regarded as "The Elephant in the room".

In the 1950s many shows had as many as 40 episodes a season.

The second go of M Squad on NBC w/the late Lee Marvin (1958-59) had exactly that many (the first one [1957-58] had 38, and the last one [1959-60] had 39).

AfterMASH: The show's second season had only 8 episodes. There were only two seasons for this program.

AfterMASH: The show's second season had only 8 episodes. There were only two seasons for this program.
and the last show was supposed to be 2 episodes shown back-to-back. But CBS pre-empted the second one and it was never shown again.

Criminal Minds

Season 14 (2018-19): 15 episodes
Season 15 (2019-20): 10 episodes (Final Season)

The fifth season of Sex and the City only had 8 episodes due to Sarah Jessica Parker's pregnancy.

Modern Family: Only 18 eppies in its last year (Season 11, 2019-20).

Boston Legal: Season 5 had 13 episodes.

It's increasingly looking like most shows will have shortened 2019/2020 seasons, minus the ones that wrapped before early-March, like Modern Family or Brooklyn 99.

Of course, both of those have shorter than normal seasons anyway.

It's increasingly looking like most shows will have shortened 2019/2020 seasons, minus the ones that wrapped before early-March, like Modern Family or Brooklyn 99.

Of course, both of those have shorter than normal seasons anyway.

I've been expecting that ever since these isolations etc. started

Way too many shows have shortened seasons this year because of the lousy strikes. One of the worst cases though is Young Sheldon. Season 7 was announced today as the final season, which will be well under the standard 22 episodes. not the way CBS's ace sitcom should end