With most TV crime dramas approaching their midseason break, the holiday period is going to be unusually quiet for fans used to settling in front of the TV for nightly episodes. The twist this year is that CBS confirmed many of its shows won’t return until late February. January typically marks the start of the back half of their shows, but the network shifted its schedule for a good reason: the 2026 Winter Olympics.
While your favorite crime drama may not return as early as you hoped, true crime aficionados — and especially Harlan Coben fans — are in for a treat when the second half of the 2025/26 CBS season officially gets underway.
When is Harlan Coben's Final Twist premiering?
According to TV Insider, CBS will come back from the holiday break on Wednesday, Jan. 7, launching the first hour-long episode of its new true crime series, Harlan Coben’s Final Twist. It will be the only crime show airing in January. The only other Wednesday night programs on the schedule will be game shows Hollywood Squares and The Price Is Right at Night.
The remaining CBS lineup, including the entire NCIS franchise, has been pushed to late February, as the network is expected to cover at least some of the Winter Olympics 2026 competitions. With the Olympics officially starting on Friday, Feb. 6 — some events even beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 4 — and running through to Sunday, Feb. 22, CBS plans to resume its regular programming on Monday, Feb. 23.
While getting Harlan Coben’s Final Twist earlier than expected is a welcome surprise, it does raise a question: Is this a limited series meant to bridge the schedule until Olympic coverage takes over?
All we know about Harlan Coben's Final Twist so far
Harlan Coben's Final Twist brings the acclaimed novelist into the world of true crime television for the first time. In this unscripted series, CBS revealed that Coben "will guide audiences through gripping tales of murder, high-profile crimes, and life-altering surprises, each meticulously unraveled to reveal hidden truths, deceptions, and lies."
With over 90 million books sold worldwide — and numerous titles adapted into hit miniseries — Coben is known for his complex narratives, unexpected plot twists, and masterful red herrings. He'll bring his unique way to tell a story to hosting and narrating real-life crime tales on camera. True to the genre, each episode of the series will also feature exclusive interviews and archival footage to ground the narratives in authentic detail.
Though CBS’s winter calendar may look sparse, Harlan Coben’s Final Twist arrives at the perfect moment to keep crime drama fans engaged. Combining real-world cases with Coben’s flair for tension, the new series promises a captivating start to 2026. However long it runs, it’s set to bring exactly the kind of twisty storytelling viewers expect.