When does In the Heat of the Night return?

The TV series starred Carroll O'Connor as police chief Bill Gillespie and Howard Rollins as police detective Virgil Tibbs. The series was broadcast on NBC from March 6, 1988 to May 19, 1992 before moving to CBS, where it aired from October 28, 1992 to May 16, 1995. The show is a sequel to the 1967 film, whose events are said to have occurred "a few years ago"
The show is a sequel to the 1967 film, whose events are said to have occurred "a few years ago" despite the show being set in the 1980s-1990s contemporary to its broadcast. In the premiere episode, Virgil Tibbs has returned to his hometown of Sparta, Mississippi for his mother's funeral. He is persuaded by Mayor James Findlay to remain in Sparta as Chief of Detectives under Bill Gillespie. Tibbs takes a leave of absence, moving to Jackson, Mississippi to complete his law degree on a compressed schedule. He begins practicing law upon accepting a position in Ben Taylor's law office.