When does In the Heat of the Night return?

In the Heat of the Night is a sequel to the 1967 film and 1965 novel of the same title. It starred Carroll O'Connor as police chief Bill Gillespie and Emmy and Oscar-nominated actor Howard Rollins as police detective Virgil Tibbs. The show dealt with a variety of issues, including racism, police brutality, interracial relationships, drug trafficking, drug addiction, alcoholism, child abuse, sexual harassment, euthanasia, and prostitution.
The show itself is a sequel to the 1967 film, set several years in the future. In the premiere episode, Virgil Tibbs has returned to his hometown of Sparta, Mississippi, for his mother's funeral. Tibbs is persuaded by the mayor to remain in Sparta as Chief of Detectives. The two senior police officials find that they get along excellently, in both professional and personal spheres. The show dealt with a variety of issues, including racism, police brutality, interracial relationships, hate crimes, drug trafficking, drug addiction, alcoholism, child abuse, incest, and prostitution.