NBC may be the year 2026 marks the return of pilot season to broadcast television, with the network ordering eight pilots, five dramas and three comedies, the most in a cycle since the pandemic. This is in the traditional January-May window for the most significant order since the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic. Early buzz has been strong about two pilots, The Rockford Files and Dan Goor/Luke Del Tredici, both with PIs at the center. There is speculation that if NBC ends up with more pilots worthy of a series order than the slots available on its schedule, at least one new show could be diverted to sibling streamer Peacock. The success of these pilots puts more pressure on NBC's bubble series, Beautiful Minds, The Hunting Party, Stumble, and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, which are likely to be renewed.