If you're wondering what's on abc tonight on tv, you’re likely staring at your remote trying to figure out if it’s a night for hard-hitting football or a cozy movie on the couch. Sunday, January 18, 2026, is a bit of a weird one. It's a mix of high-stakes sports and a total throwback film that feels a little out of place for mid-January, but hey, that's network television for you.
The Big Game: NFL Divisional Round
First things first. The late afternoon is dominated by the NFL Divisional Round. This isn't just a regular game; it's the playoffs. Specifically, the Houston Texans are taking on the New England Patriots.
Kickoff is set for 3:00 PM ET.
Because this is a simulcast with ESPN, you’re getting the full high-production treatment. Expect the usual crew, plenty of analysis about whether the Texans' young core can handle the freezing Foxborough air, and a lot of slow-motion replays of catches that definitely looked like catches in real-time. This game is scheduled to run until roughly 6:00 PM ET, but we all know how the NFL works. If it goes into overtime or the refs get "whistle-happy" with the flags, it’s going to bleed into the local news slot.
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Primetime Lineup: AFV and a Nanny in Disguise
Once the pads are put away and the post-game interviews wrap up, ABC pivots hard.
At 6:30 PM ET, you’ve got the standard ABC World News Tonight with David Muir. It’s usually a quick 30-minute hit on the day's global events, though in some markets, your local news might take this slot if the football game ran long.
Then, the "real" primetime begins:
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- 7:00 PM ET: America's Funniest Home Videos. Honestly, it’s impressive this show is still a juggernaut in 2026. Tonight’s episode (Season 36, Episode 4) is titled "Trick-or-Treat Tumbles, Workouts Gone Wrong, and Costume Calamities." Yeah, even though it's January, they're airing the Halloween-themed leftover clips. You’ll see kids getting scared by plastic skeletons and people falling off treadmills. It’s predictable. It’s safe. It’s what you watch while you’re ordering pizza.
- 8:02 PM ET: Mrs. Doubtfire. This is the "feature film" of the night. It’s a 1993 classic starring Robin Williams. Why is ABC playing a 30-year-old movie on a Sunday night in the middle of a busy TV season? Likely because the midseason heavy hitters like The Bachelorette and Scrubs aren't launching their Sunday blocks until March. It's a "comfort watch" to fill the gap.
Why the Schedule Looks a Little Thin
You might be looking at this and thinking, "Wait, where’s The Rookie or Will Trent?"
Those shows have moved. ABC shifted its heavy-hitting dramas to Tuesday and Thursday nights for the 2026 midseason. If you want Nathan Fillion, you’ll have to wait until Tuesday. Sunday nights right now are essentially being treated as "family night," which explains the heavy reliance on movies and clip shows.
It’s also worth noting that the NBA on ABC doesn't really kick into high gear for Saturday and Sunday primetime until next week, January 24th. So tonight is effectively the "calm before the storm" of the spring TV rush.
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What to Keep an Eye On
If you’re a fan of the new 9-1-1: Nashville or the Scrubs revival, those aren't part of the Sunday rotation. ABC is keeping Sundays relatively light until later in the spring when Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette takes over the 8:00 PM slot.
Basically, tonight is for the football fans and people who want to see Robin Williams put a wig on.
Actionable Insights for Viewers:
- Check your local listings: If you live in a city with a local team playing, the 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM hour might be replaced by local sports coverage or extended post-game analysis.
- Stream if you miss it: If the NFL game runs over (which it almost always does in the Divisional Round), America's Funniest Home Videos will likely start late. If you’re DVR-ing, add an extra 30 minutes to the end of your recording to ensure you don’t miss the end of the movie.
- Prepare for the Week Ahead: Remember that American Idol makes its season debut on Monday, January 26th, but for this Monday (tomorrow), the schedule is still largely local programming and repeats.