Network TV showsincluded plenty of exciting moments throughout 2024, but 2025 also has much to look forward to for network TV. Indeed,some long-awaited spinoffs will finally see the light of day in 2025, and other established TV series will end, with their final seasons concluding decade-spanning franchises too, promising dramatic developments. Characters returning after years they had been absent from TV shows and entire franchises or even less will spice up the rest of the 2024-2025 TV season and the next, along with theIt’s Always Sunny In PhiladelphiaandAbbott Elementaryexciting crossoveruniting staple TV shows.
The first part of the 2024-2025 TV season already included impressive events in the form of cameos, character exits and well-established network TV shows ending. Indeed, police proceduralBlue Bloodsconcluded its 14-year run with season 14. CBS nonetheless explored also the potential expansion ofFire Country’s franchise with Jared Padalecki’s Camden being fundamental for Bode’s development as a firefighter inFire Countryseason 3.Grey’s Anatomykept its viewers on their toes with its season 21 fall finale, which simultaneously led to heartbreaking departures and two doctors’ fates hanging in the balance that won’t be solved until 2025.
12Suits' Franchise Revival Via Suits LA
Suits LA Is Poised To Keep What Made Suits Great
Suits LAfinally debuting on NBC on June 18, 2025, revitalizes theSuitsfranchise years after the end of the parent series and the sad cancelation of its first spinoff,Pearson. The more is known about the West Coast-based spinoff of the successful legal procedural,the greater the hype forSuits LAbecomes, especially so afterSuits’ Gabriel Macht was confirmed to return as Harvey Specterin a recurring role forSuits LA.
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Despite the difference in setting, the spinoff is poised to bring back many of the things that madeSuitsgreat. FromSuits’ costume designer Jolie Andreatta working onSuits LAtoo to the spinoff’s teaser trailer takingSuits’ opening credits song and transposing it in the new LA setting,the spinoff seems to be keeping what madeSuitsstand outas a legal procedural and for the focus on its central characters’ personal and professional lives.Suits LA’s potential to showcaseSuits’ best qualities and make them their own thus makes its upcoming release in 2025 even more exciting.
11Matthew Gray Gubler’s Return As Spencer Reid In Criminal Minds: Evolution
Reid Will Return For Part Of An Episode In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3
Criminal Mindseffectively continuing with its revivalEvolutionmade it possible for most key characters in the police procedural to return. The absence of Matthew Gray Gubler’s Spencer Reid and Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan fromCriminal Minds: Evolutionwas nevertheless felt, but while the latter’s absence was fully explained by Morgan leaving the Behavioral Analysis Unit inCriminal Mindsseason 11,Reid’s absence was more puzzling, due to his never leaving the unit. With scheduling conflicts reportedly behind Reid never appearing in the revival before, his return happening inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 marks a significant moment.
Reid’s brief appearance in part of an episode ofCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 will likely have to do with the profiler on which the spotlight is put.
It’s unclear why Matthew Gray Gubler’s Spencer Reid will return forCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3, but it will likely be meaningful and for personal reasons, as showrunnerErica Messner revealed that as a condition for Reid or Morgan’s return. Reid’s brief appearance in part of an episode ofCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 will likely have to do with the profiler on which the spotlight is put. Itwould have to happen for a good reason, especially after Reid’s absence for two seasons due to a special assignmentas still part of BAU, making his return even more intriguing.
10The NCIS Franchise Bringing Back Tony & Ziva
The Spinoff Can Right An Original NCIS Mistake At Last
NCIS: Tony & Zivabeing set for a 2025 release on Paramount+ expands theNCISfranchise beyond its network TV roots, despite the parent series still going strong with its 22nd season on CBS.Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo returning as Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David respectively makes theNCISspinoff all the more interesting, especially after they weren’t simultaneously onscreen inNCISfor a decade.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva Is Finally Making Amends For The Original CBS Series' Biggest Missed Opportunity
Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo reunite in the NCIS spinoff NCIS: Tony & Ziva, redeeming one of the original TV show’s biggest mistakes.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva’s focus on the two key characters from the parent series also makes the spinoff exciting. Their relationship following the well-trodden Will They/Won’t They pattern made their pairing extremely lovable toNCISfans through the years, but not seeing their love blossom onscreen always undercut their story in the parent series.NCIS: Tony & Zivaputting a spotlight on the couple and their daughter Tali can right that mistake,finally givingNCISfans the full story of Tony and Ziva’s love.
9Madeline & Olympia’s Deepening Friendship In Matlock
The Development Will Likely Hinder Madeline’s Revenge Plan
Matlock’s entire premise threatens the bond between Madeline and Olympia, making their deepening friendship particularly interesting in the second part of the 2024-2025 TV season. Indeed,Madeline Matlock’s true reasons for joining Jacobson Moore revealed inMatlock’s series premiere’s ending twist puts betraying Olympia in her future if Madeline wishes to pursue her revenge planagainst those she sees at fault for her daughter’s death.
While Madeline’s purpose had always been clear throughoutMatlock, her revenge plan also inevitably puts her at odds with Olympia, a boss she genuinely likes and someone who could be considered a friend.
Olympia’s anger inMatlockepisode 8after learning about Julian’s requests to Madeline about her proved how important loyalty is to her and even led to the two patching up by the episode’s end,making the deepening of Madeline and Olympia’s friendship a given. This can makeMatlockall the more interesting for the conundrum it leaves Madeline in, having to choose between her purpose and Olympia.
8The Abbott Elementary Crossover Event With It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
The First Part Airs On ABC On July 02, 2025
Abbott Elementary’s return will already introduce its long-awaited crossover event withIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, making it one of the few things happening sooner rather than later in this list.The crossover event will see key characters fromIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiaappear as volunteers at Abbott inAbbott Elementaryseason 4, episode 9, and centralAbbott Elementarycharacters appear in the future onIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, hinting at upcoming chaotic events, given both the characters and the wildly different comedy styles.
Abbott Elementaryseason 4, episode 9’s traileroffered a glimpse of what’s to come, highlighting the pairings that will form as a result of the crossover, including the seemingly hilarious of Frank and Mr. Johnson, and Mac and Ava. Their common setting in Philadelphia always made aIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia/Abbott Elementarycrossover make sense, but their completely different approach in their comedy also paints it as unusual,setting up the scene for a memorable crossover likely filled with outrageous antics.
7Fire Country’s Spinoff Sheriff Country Releasing Later In 2025
Sheriff Country Will Begin During The 2025-2026 TV Season
Fire Countryseason 2, episode 6 introduced Mickey ahead ofSheriff Country, and theFire Countryspinoff will finally be released in the 2025-2026 TV season. This makesSheriff Countryeffectively come right after the events inFire Countryseason 3,making the second half of the firefighting drama’s season 3 even more important, as keySheriff Countrycharacters like Mickey’s father will show up inFire Countryahead of their appearance in the police procedural spinoff.
It’s unclear whatSheriff Countrywill focus on beyond following Mickey’s dedication to protecting Edgewater from criminals, asFire Countryseason 2, episode 6 already proved with Mickey’s unwavering focus on finding the real culprit behind the sheriff’s murder. However, given howFire Countryalready introduced a difficult relationship between Mickey and her father and her preoccupation with her daughter,Sheriff Countrywill undoubtedly focus as well on Mickey’s private life.
6More Young Sheldon Characters In Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
More Characters Are Set To Return Besides The Coopers & Pastor Jeff
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriageseason 1 setting up the titular characters’ different roles in the comedy series already made it possible for many characters fromYoung Sheldonto appear in the secondThe Big Bang Theoryspinoff. Georgie and Mandy’s initial move away from the McAllisters and Thanksgiving made it possible for all the Coopers but Sheldon to appear twice, with Dale even appearing once.Georgie and Mandy still living in Medford nonetheless makes multiple cameos possible inGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’s future.
WheneverGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriagereturns,theYoung Sheldonspinoff is already set to welcome back Pastor Jeffin a bid to help mediate the continuing fight between Mary and Audrey. However, news aboutCoach Wilkins’ appearance inGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriageshow it keepingYoung Sheldon’s legacy alive while also revealing more and moreYoung Sheldoncharacters will appear in the spinoff.It’s unclear why Coach Wilkins will appear on theYoung Sheldonspinoff, but doing so can nevertheless connect his late best friend George to the spinoff’s storyeven more, making the appearances more impressive.
5The Interns' Reshuffle In Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 After Yasuda’s Departure
Mika’s Departure Upends The Interns’ Balance In The Medical Drama
After being a relatively stable and close-knit group of interns sinceGrey’s Anatomyseason 19 when they first appeared,Mika Yasuda’s heartbreaking departure inGrey’s Anatomyseason 21threatens the group’s balance. Mika was the glue of the group of interns, connecting with each and every one of the others, being friends with all of them in different ways. The death of Chloe understandably rattled her, butMika’s willingness to do everything possible to start rebuilding her life away from Seattle inevitably affects the interns, from Jules who finally admitted her feelings for Mika, to Lucas losing his best friend.
Grey’s Anatomyseason 21’s midseason finale also set up other potentially major scares for the interns, as it ended with the armed robbery Jo and Lucas were witness to quickly deteriorating, with shots fired during Lucas and the robber’s physical struggle for the gun.All of this leaves the balance among the interns completely up in the air for whenGrey’s Anatomyseason 21 returns, making for a compelling storyline that will need to show where that brings the interns after such major events.
4Alexander Hamilton Appearing In Ghosts
Ghosts Season 4 Cast Isaac’s Longstanding Rival At Last
CBS’sGhostshad plenty of gags running in its four-season run, but few among them were as hilarious as what Isaac viewed as a feud between him and fellow revolutionary and Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton.Isaac’s tendency to measure his contributions to the American Revolution to Hamilton’s obviously more sizeable ones always caused many laughs, even more so after Isaac and the other ghosts came into contact with the famous Lin-Manuel Miranda Broadway musical about the Founding Father.
Hamilton’s appearance inGhostsseason 4 can also let Isaac work through his sense of inferiority in relation to the Founding Father, potentially giving Isaac peace at least about one of the holdups plaguing him.
Ghostsfinally casting Alexander Hamiltonthus hints at Isaac’s story taking once again center stage in season 4, in an even more hilarious way asit will bring Isaac’s rival to the screen afterGhosts’ previous seasons all built up Isaac’s disdain for Hamiltonand his sense of not being enough compared to him. Hamilton’s appearance inGhostsseason 4 can also let Isaac work through his sense of inferiority in relation to the Founding Father, potentially giving Isaac peace at least about one of the holdups plaguing him.
3The Conners Ending
Season 7 Brings To An End The Conners & Roseanne
The Connersreturning one last time with season 7’s six episodes also marks a momentous event. The six-episode farewell event, as it was dubbed in ABC’sThe Connersseason 7 poster, marksthe final season of theRoseannespinoff and will have to conclude its characters’ storylines as established throughoutThe ConnersandRoseanne, bringing 35 years’ worth of storylines to an end, as it will also effectively conclude theRoseannefranchise.
It’s unclear what the focus ofThe Connersseason 7will be, especially as theRoseannespinoff will only have six episodes to provide satisfying endings to characters who have been around for decades.Whether the focus will be on the younger members of the Conners family or those who have been around for much longer,The Connersseason 7 will nonetheless have to end with a bang, making its last installment all the more precious and long-awaited as a result.
