Most scripted television series take a midseason break during the winter holidays, typically from late November through December, filling their schedules with reruns or holiday-themed specials in place of new episodes. For viewers who tune in weekly to shows like NCIS, the pause can feel lengthy.
January, however, signals a return to fresh episodes, as several shows come back from hiatus or launch new seasons shortly after the new year begins. With that in mind, here is a preview of seven programs set to return in January, each offering something to look forward to as the calendar turns.
Will Trent (January 6 on ABC; streaming on Hulu)
Will Trent returns for its fourth season on January 6, continuing the story of one of television’s most compelling crime dramas. The series centers on Will Trent (Ramón Rodríguez), a gifted yet deeply troubled special agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, whose investigative instincts are shaped by a traumatic childhood spent in the foster care system.
Despite struggling with dyslexia and frequently clashing with authority, Trent has become one of the GBI’s most effective agents, relying on an unconventional approach that allows him to see details others overlook. He works closely with his GBI partner, Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson), while also navigating a complicated relationship with Atlanta Police Department detective Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen). Throughout the series, Trent’s past and personal demons remain central to his relentless drive for justice.
Adding warmth and emotional balance to the story is Betty, Trent’s rescued Chihuahua. More than just a pet, Betty represents Trent’s longing for connection and provides a rare glimpse into his softer side, making their bond a meaningful and recurring element of the show.
Best Medicine (January 6 on FOX; streaming on Hulu)
Based on the internationally successful series Doc Martin, Best Medicine makes its network debut on January 6. The new drama stars Josh Charles as Dr. Martin Best, a talented surgeon who suddenly leaves behind a prestigious career in Boston to become a general practitioner in a small coastal fishing village where he spent summers as a child with his Aunt Sarah (Annie Potts).
Best quickly discovers that medical expertise alone is not enough to win over the locals. Though highly skilled, his blunt bedside manner and difficulty with personal connection create friction throughout the tight-knit community. As the series unfolds, Best must confront hidden phobias and long-standing emotional barriers while learning how to adapt to life far removed from the world he left behind.
The cast also includes Abigail Spencer and Josh Segarra, while Doc Martin star Martin Clunes appears in a guest role.
The Pitt (January 8 on HBO Max)
The Pitt returns for its second season on January 8. Set inside a contemporary Pittsburgh hospital, the series follows the doctors and nurses of a high-pressure emergency department as they navigate professional demands, personal struggles, and the cumulative weight of life-or-death decisions. The show places a strong emphasis on authenticity, capturing both the emotional toll of the work and the quiet, often uncelebrated heroism of frontline medical care.
The entire first season unfolded in real time across a single 15-hour day shift, spanning from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Season 2 will follow the same real-time format, tracking another 15-hour shift in the emergency department, this time set on July 4.
After its first season, The Pitt received 13 nominations at the 77th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards and won five Emmys overall.
The Night Manager (January 11 on Amazon Prime Video)
Nearly nine years after its acclaimed first season, The Night Manager returns with Season 2, bringing Tom Hiddleston back as former British intelligence operative Jonathan Pine. Now living a quieter life in London under the alias Alex Goodwin as a low-level MI6 officer, Pine’s attempt at normalcy is cut short when a chance encounter pulls him back into the dangerous world he once left behind.
That encounter leads Pine into the orbit of Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva), a powerful Colombian businessman with ties to an illicit arms operation. Encouraged by Angela Burr (Olivia Colman), Pine agrees to return to the field. His mission requires the cooperation of Roxana Bolaños (Camila Morrone), a businesswoman whose connections provide access to Dos Santos’ inner circle.
As Pine works to infiltrate the operation, he finds himself entangled in a far-reaching conspiracy involving arms trafficking and the training of a guerrilla force. With allegiances constantly shifting and betrayal looming at every turn, Pine must navigate a web of deception while deciding who, if anyone, he can trust. The stakes escalate as the plot threatens to destabilize an entire nation, forcing Pine to confront just how far he is willing to go before it is too late.
The first season, starring Hugh Laurie, earned widespread critical acclaim, receiving 36 award nominations and winning 11 honors, including two Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards.
Animal Control (January 15 on FOX; streaming on Hulu)
Animal Control returns for its fourth season on January 15, continuing its run as an easygoing workplace comedy built around a strong ensemble cast. Set in Seattle, the series follows a group of local animal control officers whose professional lives are complicated far more by unpredictable humans than by the animals they are tasked with handling.
The comedy leans into a traditional sitcom structure, finding humor in the chaos that unfolds when imperfect people collide with the unpredictable, sometimes untamed realities of city life.
The cast includes Joel McHale, Michael Rowland, Ravi Patel, Vella Lovell, and Grace Palmer.
Going Dutch (January 15 on FOX; streaming on Hulu)
Going Dutch returns for its second season on January 15. The series stars Denis Leary as Colonel Patrick Quinn, an outspoken and decorated U.S. Army officer whose career takes an abrupt turn after an unfiltered rant leads to his reassignment to the Netherlands. Once a commanding presence across global war zones, Quinn now finds himself in charge of Stroopsdorf, a base routinely described as “the least important army base in the world.”
Complicating matters further is Quinn’s estranged daughter, Maggie (Taylor Misiak), who has been serving as the base’s interim commander. Maggie defends the base’s unconventional culture, such as lavender picking and silent discos, repeatably clashing with her father’s rigid worldview and blunt leadership style.
The upcoming season also features Emmy winner Kristen Johnston in a heavily recurring role opposite Leary.
Shrinking (January 28 on Apple TV+)
Shrinking returns on January 28 with an 11-episode third season, continuing its character-driven exploration of grief, healing, and emotional honesty. Jason Segel stars as Jimmy Laird, a therapist whose life unravels following the death of his wife, leading him to abandon professional boundaries and traditional ethics in his work with patients.
Rather than maintaining clinical distance, Jimmy begins telling his clients exactly what he thinks, an unfiltered approach that produces dramatic and often unintended consequences. As his unconventional methods begin to reshape the lives of those around him, Jimmy must also confront his own grief and his strained relationship with his daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell).
The series balances sharp humor with emotional depth, examining how vulnerability, truth, and connection can both heal and complicate lives.
The cast includes Harrison Ford, Christa Miller and Jessica Williams.
Together, these returning series, along with one highly anticipated debut, span crime, comedy, drama, and character-driven storytelling, offering viewers a diverse slate to anchor their January viewing.
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