# Early Edition
**Early Edition** is an American fantasy comedy-drama television series that aired on CBS from September 28, 1996, to May 27, 2000, running for four seasons and 90 episodes.[1](https://cbs.wiki.gg/wiki/Early_Edition) Created by Ian Abrams, Patrick Q. Page, and Vik Rubenfeld, it stars [Kyle Chandler](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyle-chandler) as Gary Hobson, a Chicago stockbroker who mysteriously receives the next day's edition of the *Chicago Sun-Times* at his door each morning, delivered by a cat, and uses the advance knowledge to prevent tragedies.[2](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/early-edition-television-reboot-cbs) • [3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-15-tv-9134-story.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Network and run | CBS, September 28, 1996 to May 27, 2000; 4 seasons, 90 episodes[1](https://cbs.wiki.gg/wiki/Early_Edition) |
| Creators | Ian Abrams, Patrick Q. Page, and Vik Rubenfeld[2](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/early-edition-television-reboot-cbs) |
| Premise | A cat delivers tomorrow's *Chicago Sun-Times* to Gary Hobson, who has 24 hours to avert the tragedies it reports[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-15-tv-9134-story.html) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187823/) |
| Lead cast | Kyle Chandler (Gary Hobson), Shanésia Davis-Williams (Marissa Clark), Fisher Stevens (Chuck Fishman, seasons 1–2)[5](https://epguides.com/EarlyEdition/) |
| Early success | The top-rated new dramatic show of the 1996 season, regularly winning its Saturday night time slot[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-15-tv-9134-story.html) |
| Setting | Filmed and set in Chicago; Gary later runs a pub called McGinty's[6](https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/early_edition) |
| Reboot | CBS ordered a gender-swapped reboot pilot in February 2022, written by Melissa Glenn[7](https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2022/2/9/22924788/early-edition-reboot-pilot-cbs-kyle-chandler) |
## Premise
Gary Hobson is a newly divorced Chicago stockbroker living in a hotel room when a mysterious yellow (or ginger) tabby cat appears at his door at 6:30 am with the next day's edition of the *Chicago Sun-Times*.[8](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/early-edition/details/) At first skeptical, he begins using the paper's headlines to save lives and stop disasters, even though he does not know why or how the paper reaches him.[8](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/early-edition/details/) When he intervenes, the timeline changes and the relevant articles in the paper change or disappear; the future editions present him with moral dilemmas as he works to avert deaths, explosions, and fires.[6](https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/early_edition)
The rationale behind the deliveries is never fully explained, though later episodes reveal a group of mysterious people behind them, the existence of other recipients, and that the gift can be transferred from one person to another.[6](https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/early_edition)
## Cast and characters
Kyle Chandler, previously known for the series *Tour of Duty* and *Homefront*, played Gary Hobson.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-15-tv-9134-story.html) Shanésia Davis-Williams played Marissa Clark, Gary's blind co-worker and one of the few people aware of the early editions.[5](https://epguides.com/EarlyEdition/) [Fisher Stevens](https://www.edgepedia.org/fisher-stevens) played Chuck Fishman, Gary's friend and partner, in seasons 1 and 2 with guest appearances later; Billie Worley joined as Patrick Quinn in seasons 3 and 4, [Kristy Swanson](https://www.edgepedia.org/kristy-swanson) played Erica Paget in season 3, and Luis Antonio Ramos played Miguel Diaz in season 4.[5](https://epguides.com/EarlyEdition/)
The orange tabby cat was played by Panther, a shelter rescue cat adopted by trainer Bill Casey, and the part went uncredited.[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187823/) Guest stars who went on to larger careers included [Michael Shannon](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-shannon), Louis Gossett Jr., Jane Krakowski, Felicity Huffman, Robert Picardo, and [Cynthia Nixon](https://www.edgepedia.org/cynthia-nixon).[2](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/early-edition-television-reboot-cbs)
## Production and broadcast
The series was produced by CBS Productions and TriStar Television for CBS, with production companies including Three Characters and Angelica Films.[8](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/early-edition/details/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187823/) Executive producers included Bob Brush, Ian Abrams, Lillah McCarthy, and Michael Dinner.[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/early_edition) All four seasons were filmed in Chicago, and the series was a cornerstone of the city's television production industry in the late 1990s.[10](https://screenmag.com/could-cbs-early-edition-be-returning-to-chicago/) The *Chicago Sun-Times* printed the prop newspaper for each episode.[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187823/)
**Saturday night success.** The show took over the 9 p.m. Saturday slot previously occupied by *Touched by an Angel*, which moved to Sunday nights.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-15-tv-9134-story.html) Few observers projected success for a series about a man who gets the next day's newspaper, but viewers immediately took to the series and its star.[11](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Radio-Programming/Radio-Programming/The-Encyclopedia-of-American-Television-Lackman-2002.pdf) By December 1996 it was the top-rated new dramatic show of the season.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-15-tv-9134-story.html) Season 1 holds a 73% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, with a critics consensus crediting "an affable Kyle Chandler saving the day" for elevating the concept.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/early_edition/s01)
The series crossed over with the [Sammo Hung](https://www.edgepedia.org/sammo-hung)-led CBS series *Martial Law* in the season 3 episode "Play It Again, Sammo," which aired May 8, 1999.[13](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1098/early-edition/episodes)
## Availability and reboot
The series is not currently available on any streaming platform in the United States.[14](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/early-edition/)
In February 2022, CBS ordered a pilot for a gender-swapped reboot in which the recipient would be an ambitious woman journalist, "changing the news instead of reporting it."[7](https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2022/2/9/22924788/early-edition-reboot-pilot-cbs-kyle-chandler) The pilot was written by Melissa Glenn, with executive producers including [DeVon Franklin](https://www.edgepedia.org/devon-franklin) and original series developer Bob Brush; [Charles Michael Davis](https://www.edgepedia.org/charles-michael-davis), Jay Ali, and [Fiona Rene](https://www.edgepedia.org/fiona-rene) later joined the cast.[2](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/early-edition-television-reboot-cbs) • [14](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/early-edition/)
## References
1. [Early Edition – CBS Wiki](https://cbs.wiki.gg/wiki/Early_Edition)
2. [Proving print isn't quite dead yet, CBS orders reboot of '90s fantasy series 'Early Edition', SYFY WIRE](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/early-edition-television-reboot-cbs)
3. ['Early' Stock Is Rising, Los Angeles Times (December 15, 1996)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-15-tv-9134-story.html)
4. [Early Edition (TV Series 1996–2000), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187823/)
5. [Early Edition (a Titles & Air Dates Guide), epguides.com](https://epguides.com/EarlyEdition/)
6. [Early Edition, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction](https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/early_edition)
7. [Yesterday's show tomorrow: 'Early Edition' may return on CBS, Chicago Sun-Times](https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2022/2/9/22924788/early-edition-reboot-pilot-cbs-kyle-chandler)
8. [Early Edition details, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/early-edition/details/)
9. [Early Edition, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/early_edition)
10. [Could CBS' 'Early Edition' Be Returning to Chicago?, Screen Magazine](https://screenmag.com/could-cbs-early-edition-be-returning-to-chicago/)
11. [The Encyclopedia of American Television (Lackman, 2002)](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Radio-Programming/Radio-Programming/The-Encyclopedia-of-American-Television-Lackman-2002.pdf)
12. [Early Edition: Season 1, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/early_edition/s01)
13. [Early Edition – Episode List, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1098/early-edition/episodes)
14. [Early Edition – CBS Series, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/early-edition/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Genre and subject-scripted series › Fantasy, supernatural, and horror series*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license