• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, 5 hours ago

Expectations that “60 Minutes” would be unrecognizable in its season premiere were not met on Sunday as the old warhorse news show returned for its 59th season.

The story lineup was par for the course for the show, which many feared would come out with a head-to-toe makeover under the reign of CBS News Editor-In-Chief Bari Weiss, who has vowed to “blow things up” at the venerable network news division.

But nothing was discernibly blown up on “60 Minutes” Sunday night. The show had three stories that were instantly recognizable in their nature and presentation as typical “60 Minutes” stories.

The first one, “Shot Down Over Iran,” was about the complex and ultimately successful mission to rescue a downed fighter pilot in Iran last April. 

In the piece, Norah O’Donnell interviewed the rescued pilot, who was not identified by name due to security issues. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was also interviewed.

The second story, titled “The Pardon Economy” and reported by Lesley Stahl, was about the processes and decision-making that go into presidential pardons. 

The Trump administration took center stage in the piece, which detailed how a new world of pardon lawyers and lobbyists have created a “pardon economy.” 

Popular opinion held that “60 Minutes” would go soft on Trump under the direction of Weiss. But that was not true Sunday night.

In the first piece on the Iran War rescue, O’Donnell referred to the war as “costly and unpopular.”

The presidential-pardon story accused the administration of granting pardons to “a string of unrepentant financial con men” and Capitol Hill “rioters.”

As of Monday afternoon, Trump had not responded personally to either of the stories.

The third story on “60 Minutes” on Sunday was “Battering Ram,” reported by Jon Wertheim. 

The story was a profile of the Los Angeles Rams. The lead interview was with head coach Sean McVay (photo above). 

The piece, which positioned the Rams as “an early favorite to win the Super Bowl,” aired four days after the Rams got drubbed 27-7 in their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in a game played in Melbourne, Australia.

The three correspondents who appeared in the “60 Minutes” 2026-27 season premiere -- O’Donnell, Stahl and Wertheim -- are all “60 Minutes” veterans.

O’Donnell became a full-time correspondent on the show after she was replaced as “CBS Evening News” anchor last winter by Tony Dokoupil. Previously, she was a “60 Minutes” contributor since at least 2013.

While some of their veteran “60 Minutes” colleagues left the show rather than work with Weiss and her handpicked executive producer, Nick Bilton, these three stayed.

In total, five veterans of the show left. Scott Pelley was fired after angrily confronting Bilton at the new producer’s first staff meeting.

Correspondent Cecilia Vega was also fired and correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi’s contract was not renewed. Anderson Cooper, who still works at CNN, simply quit. 

Executive producer Tanya Simon left after Weiss replaced her with Bilton, who happened to have had no prior experience in TV news of any kind when he was hired.

On the face of it, changes in the show, if any, were not the type that would have been noticeable to ordinary people who have watched and enjoyed “60 Minutes” for years. 

The ratings for the show’s 59th season premiere will likely be available on Tuesday.