Entertainment

‘The Night Shift’ Isn’t In A State Of Emergency Just Yet

John Britt/NBC

The Night Shift is shutting down, at least temporarily. The Season 4 finale airs Aug. 31. And amidst the betrayals and medical mishaps that make the show what it is, the series itself also hangs in the balance. Will The Night Shift return for Season 5? NBC has not yet renewed the series for another year. And while there is a hashtag moment on Twitter to #RenewNightShift, fans of the NBC drama shouldn't consider the lack of news an emergency.

According to Deadline, NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke said in early August that a decision about renewal isn't coming in the very near future. However, creator/executive producer Gabe Sachs promised fans, "We still have a lot of stories to tell." The series hunkered down on the military aspects of its plot in Season 4, which opened up a wealth of material that the show can use going forward.

Were the series to return for Season 5, two characters might have a lot more screen time. According to TVLine, both Rachel Lefevre and Missy Peregrym could potentially recur as their guest star characters, Major Natasha Anthony and Reagan, respectively. Just the fact that the show is thinking that far into the future is a positive sign.

If that renewal does come through, The Night Shift will probably keep to its schedule. Three of the four previous seasons aired in the summer. Only Season 2 premiered in February. So it's likely that if Season 5 happens, it will start around May or June 2018. As for the decision itself, expect that in a few months. Season 4 was announced in November of 2016. There's plenty of time for NBC to lock that down.

Basically, just hang tight for a little while. If the The Night Shift does indeed come back, fans probably won't know until a few months after the finale. Until then, its fate is up in the air.