NBC’s New Crime Thriller Series Debuts To Stellar Rotten Tomatoes Score

NBC Universal Published Sep 22, 2026, 4:01 PM EDT Abdullah Al-Ghamdi joined Screen Rant in August 2019 and is now one of the leading contributors of the TV News team. Having written over 4000 news stories in that time , with his work cited in Buzzfeed and TV Insider, he's always bemoaning that there's too many shows and not enough time. You can contact him at: aalghamdi@hey.com. Sign in to your ScreenRant account A new crime thriller is off to a stellar start. NBC is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, and it's done so with a renewed focus on pilot season. Once a cornerstone of the television business, pilot season has somewhat lost its luster in the streaming age. But it can be a very helpful process, as broadcast networks commission an episode to see what works and what doesn't. It's out of that process that NBC is moving forward with a reboot of The Rockford Files with David Boreanaz and a private investigator comedy headlined by Jake Johnson. Both of those are slated to premiere early next year, but the first test of NBC's revamped pilot season is the Peter Krause and Hope Davis family crime drama Line of Fire. So far, it looks to be greeted with positive reviews. Line of Fire has debuted with an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. The score is currently based on 9 reviews, and it's subject to change as more critics add their assessments in the coming days and weeks. But as of now, 8 eight of the reviews lean positive. Only one review leans negative. The Average of Rated Reviews, which can be seen by clicking on the Tomatometer, sits at 6.30 out of 10. Line of Fire hails from creator and writer Joshua Safran, a veteran of Gossip Girl, who executive produces alongside Jenna Bush Hager and her producing partner Ben Spector. The project hails from Universal Television, and it follows a family of law enforcement agents. The family is headed by Mike, played by Krause, in his first role since exiting 9-1-1, and Jane (Davis) The Hollingsworth family deals with personal differences and the tendency to cross professional boundaries in their respective jobs for the FBI, the U.S. Marshals, the Secret Service, and the Department of Justice. But they're soon drawn into a conspiracy where their expertise may prove key to saving lives and identifying the killer. Kat Cunning, Tommy O’Brien, Taylor Bloom, and Charlie Barnett also star in the Line of Fire cast, with veteran actors such as Sam Waterston (Law & Order), Campbell Scott (Royal Pains), and Chris Chalk (Perry Mason) also making appearances. It was likewise recently announced that Teen Wolf alum Tyler Posey is set for a multi-episode recurring arc. ScreenRant's review of Line of Fire by Ana Dumaraog was complimentary of the conspiracy drama, albeit noting the narrative does take some time to find its footing. Several of the reviews so far are in the same vein, offering measured praise. But in a throwback to the heyday of network TV, perhaps Krause's latest series will evolve into a hit that excels as it goes along. Line of Fire airs Mondays at 10 PM ET on NBC and streams on Peacock. Release Date September 21, 2026 Network NBC Showrunner Joshua Safran Directors Rebecca Thomas Writers Joshua Safran Cast Peter Krause Mike Thornhill Tommy O'Brien Micah Thornhill Kat Cunning Clare Thornhill