TV Corner Notes: Reboots, Revenge, and the Road to Fall TV

 

NBC just gave us our first real look at next season—and honestly? Broadcast TV might finally be getting interesting again.

This week’s TV Corner Notes is all about fresh starts, risky bets, and the shows networks are hoping we’ll be talking about this fall. NBC officially unveiled four new series ahead of upfronts, ranging from private-eye throwbacks to family conspiracy dramas, and it already feels like the network is leaning harder into personality-driven TV again. Between a rebooted Rockford Files, a neon-soaked new comedy lineup, and Peter Krause heading back into high-stakes drama territory, there’s a lot to unpack. Plus, I finally checked out Peacock’s revenge thriller M.I.A., which might be one of the most bingeable “messy crime saga” shows of the year.

NBC Bets on Reboots, Mysteries, and Midlife Romance

On Friday, NBC announced four new series for its 2026–2027 schedule (the Fall upfronts take place on Monday).

What can we expect this fall? A rebooted Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files, the drama Line of Fire starring Peter Krause, and two new comedies: Sunset P.I. and Newlyweds, starring Téa Leoni and Tim Daly.

The Rockford Files, starring David Boreanaz, is a modern update of the classic series. Paroled after a wrongful conviction, James Rockford becomes a private investigator in Los Angeles, using charm and wit to solve cases. His pursuit of legitimacy soon puts him at odds with both the police and organized crime. The series also stars Michaela McManus, Felix Solis, and Jacki Weaver.

Sunset P.I., created by Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici, continues the proud tradition of Los Angeles private eyes that began with Philip Marlowe and (as the logline jokes) will end with this show. The series stars Jake Johnson (New Girl), along with Jane Levy, Langston Kerman, Mary Shalaby, and Keith David.

These two shows were reportedly the top contenders to be picked up.

The other new comedy, Newlyweds, is a later-in-life love story about a free-spirited woman and a buttoned-up professor who marry impulsively after a whirlwind courtship. Leoni and Daly star, with Jamie Lee Curtis, also an executive producer, set to play a recurring guest role.

Line of Fire, from Josh Safran, follows a family of law-enforcement agents working for the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Secret Service, and the Justice Department. When a routine case becomes a deadly conspiracy, they rely on their protective skills to safeguard each other and catch the killer, even if it means betraying their code. The series stars Krause, Hope Davis, Kat Cunning, Tommy O'Brien, Taylor Bloom, and Charlie Barnett, and is executive-produced by Jenna Bush Hager.

Based on reporting from Deadline and other outlets, all eight NBC pilots have been solid, from casting to the creative teams behind them. I was really hoping Key Witness, starring Emily Deschanel, and What the Dead Know, starring Taylor Schilling, would make the cut (maybe they’ll land on a midseason slate, since Key Witness comes from Dean Georgaris of The Brave and WTDK is produced by Wolf Entertainment). For now, Deadline says the Deschanel series is being shopped around—come on, Peacock, you need more weekly series on the slate—and that WTDK is being retooled.

But with only two new dramas, I wonder what the network will decide with The Hunting Party, since the show's renewal hasn't been made yet. 

What do you think of the four new shows from NBC? Are you interested? Leave a comment. 

What I Watched This Week

Peacock’s M.I.A.: Neon‑Drenched Revenge in Miami’s Underworld

If you’re looking for a binge that mashes up Miami Vice with a high‑octane telenovela, Peacock’s crime thriller M.I.A. might be your next obsession. It’s a revenge story set in Florida’s criminal underworld—hitting plenty of familiar beats, but delivering a wild, stylish ride. Here’s my Season 1 breakdown.

The series kicks off in the Florida Keys, following Etta “Tiger” Jonze (Shannon Gisela), a 21‑year‑old whose family runs a boating and tourism company. The catch? It’s a front for the ruthless Rojas cartel. When Etta refuses to let her family’s boats be used for human trafficking, the cartel doesn’t just get mad—they get lethal, slaughtering her entire family in one brutal sweep.

Left with nothing but a grudge and a list of names, Etta flees to Miami. She sheds her naïve tour‑guide persona and begins her transformation into a self‑made queenpin. Her mission is simple, if nearly impossible: systematically hunt down and kill the 12 men responsible for her family’s murder. It’s a trope we’ve seen before, but Gisela’s performance makes Etta’s descent into the underworld feel raw, credible, and earned.

Etta isn’t going at it entirely alone. She finds much‑needed backup in Lovely (Brittany Adebumola) and her cousin Stanley (Dylan Jackson). Their lived‑in chemistry gives the show a grounded emotional core that balances out the otherwise brutal proceedings.

On the villain side, the Rojas siblings are the ones to watch. While brothers Mateo and Samuel handle the muscle, it’s their sister Caroline (Marta Milans) who’s the real threat, running the cartel’s white‑collar real‑estate fronts with a terrifyingly cool head. Adding to the tension is Tim Kincaid (Cary Elwes), a private eye (who's a mix between Sonny Crockett and Magnum PI), who starts out working for the Rojas family but eventually uncovers the truth and finds his way back to the MPD to take the cartel down the “right” way.

By the end of the nine episodes, Etta has crossed a few names off her list, but the sheer scale of the Rojas empire proves to be more than she anticipated. The season wraps with a massive betrayal and a brutal cliffhanger that completely reshuffles the board for a potential Season 2.

The problem? We don’t actually know if there will be a Season 2. Ending a debut season on such a huge “to be continued” without a renewal in sight is a risky move that might leave fans more frustrated than excited.

M.I.A. may not be groundbreaking, but it squeezes everything it can out of its style. Shannon Gisela’s breakout turn is the show’s beating heart, charting Etta’s journey from raw grief to icy determination. The aesthetic is absolutely stunning—the cinematography leans hard into that neon‑drenched Miami vibe, making everything feel both luxurious and dangerous. Even when the plot gets predictable, the set pieces are crisp, and the emotional stakes for Etta stay high enough to keep you locked in from beginning to end.

Overall, it’s an easy 8/10 for me. I just hope Peacock doesn’t leave us hanging on that cliffhanger forever.

What To Watch This Week

This week’s watch list is stacked with finales, big franchise returns, and enough streaming drops to completely wreck your weekend plans.

Monday, May 11

The Brokenwood Mysteries Season 12 finale (Acorn TV)

Everyone Is Doing Great Season 2 (Netflix, eight-episode binge)

The Great American Baking Show Season 4 (The Roku Channel, six-episode binge)

Pop Culture Jeopardy! Season 2 (Netflix)

8/7c American Idol Season 24 finale (ABC and Disney+, three hours)

8/7c The Neighborhood series finale (CBS)

8:30/7:30c DMV series finale (CBS)

9/8c BBQ Brawl Season 7 (Food Network)

9/8c Tucci in Italy Season 2 (NatGeo)

Untold UK: Jamie Vardy (Netflix documentary): From part-time footballer to Premier League legend, this is the story of Vardy's unprecedented path and his rise to the top against all odds.

Tuesday, May 12

Eurovision Song Contest Semifinal (Peacock & YouTube)

Devil May Cry Season 2 (Netflix, eight-episode binge)

Tyler Perry's Zatima Season 4B (Paramount+, two-episode premiere)

8/7c Celebrity Jeopardy! Semifinal, Night 1 of 3 (ABC)

8/7c NCIS Season 23 finale (CBS)

9/8c Chopped Castaways (Food Network) Hosted by Ted Allen, the eight-episode series strands 12 elite chefs on a remote island, where survival skills are just as critical as culinary talent.

9/8c NCIS: Sydney Season 3 finale (CBS, two episodes)

9/8c Neighborhood Wars Season 9 (A&E)

9/8c The Punisher: One Last Kill (Disney+ special): As Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) searches for meaning beyond revenge, an unexpected force pulls him back into the fight. 

10/9c Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny, Season 2 finale (History)

Marty, Life is Short (Netflix documentary): From director Lawrence Kasdan comes the definitive Martin Short documentary, combining never-before-seen archival footage and exclusive interviews with a star-studded list of friends and collaborators. 

Wednesday, May 13

Good Omens series finale (Prime Video)

Off Campus (Prime Video, eight-episode binge): The Elle Kennedy adaptation centers on an opposite-attract romance between a quiet songwriter (Ella Bright) and a college hockey star (Belmont Cameli)

Perfect Match Season 4 (Netflix, five-episode premiere)

Celebrity Jeopardy! Semifinal, Night 2 of 3 (ABC)

8/7c One Chicago season finale (Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D.) (NBC)

9:30/8:30c America's Culinary Cup Season 1 finale (CBS)

Thursday, May 14

Eurovision Song Contest Semifinal (Peacock & YouTube)

Nemesis (Netflix, eight-episode binge): Two men on either side of the law collide when an expert criminal (Y'lan Noel) meets a brilliant police detective (Matthew Law).

On the Roam Season 2 (HBO Max)

8/7c After the First 48 Season 12 (A&E)

8/7c Celebrity Jeopardy! Seifinal, Night 3 of 3 (ABC)

8/7c Law & Order Season 25 finale (NBC)

9/8c Law & Order: SVU Season 27 finale (NBC)

9/8c Fear Factor: 48 Hours of Fear (Fox, two-week event): Six contestants will compete in five epic challenges, with one critical catch...absolutely no sleeping!

9/8c Welcome to Wrexham Season 5 (FXX, two-episode premiere)

Friday, May 15

Couples Therapy Season 5 (Paramount+, nine-episode binge)

Dutton Ranch (Paramount+, two-episode premiere): In this "Yellowstone" spinoff, Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler collide with brutal new realities and a ruthless rival ranch that will stop at nothing to protect its empire. 

Rivials Season 2 (Hulu, three-episode premiere)

8/7c Celebrity Jeopardy! Season 4 finale (ABC)

8/7c Outlander series finale (Starz)

9/8c The Last Woodsmen Season 3 (Discovery Channel)

10/9c The Unbelievable With Dan Aykroyd, Season 3 finale (History)

Lisa Ann Walter: It Was an Accident (Hulu comedy special)

Saturday, May 16

Eurovision Song Contest Final (Peacock & YouTube)

8/7c Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano (Netflix live event)

9/8c Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever docuseries finale (CNN)

10/9c 48 Hours Season 39 finale (CBS)

11:30/10:30c Saturday Night Live Season 51 finale (NBC & Peacock)  

That’s it for this week’s TV Corner Notes. Between NBC reshuffling the board for fall and streamers continuing to flood the zone with new premieres, TV season is definitely heating up. 

Whether you’re planning to dive into M.I.A., preparing emotionally for the One Chicago finales, or already eyeing one of NBC’s new series, there’s no shortage of things to add to the queue. 

Until next week, happy watching!

Adam