Shark Tank Season 18 starts Wednesday, September 30, with two episodes on ABC. The first, “Beast Mode,” begins at 9:02 p.m. ET with MrBeast and Jeff Housenbold in guest seats. “Favorite Daughters” follows at 10:01 p.m. ET, bringing Erin and Sara Foster into the Tank. Both episodes are set to stream the next day on Hulu in the United States.
That is a bigger launch than the show’s usual one-hour slot. ABC lists the premiere night as a two-episode event after Scrubs. The following Wednesday, October 7, Shark Tank moves to its regular 10:01 p.m. ET slot.
Who is in the first episode?
Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, and Jeff Housenbold appear in “Beast Mode.” Donaldson is the creator behind the MrBeast channel and the founder of Beast Industries; Housenbold is the company’s CEO. The official photos show them at the panel as founders make their pitches.
They are guest Sharks, not permanent replacements for the regular investors. ABC’s current roster includes Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Daniel Lubetzky, Kevin O’Leary, Kendra Scott and Rashaun Williams. Different combinations of Sharks appear from episode to episode.
What about Erin and Sara Foster?
The second premiere episode, “Favorite Daughters,” features sisters Erin and Sara Foster. ABC says the entrepreneurs pitching to them bring an electric stroller wagon, an indoor ball for children, a kelp facial oil and a plastic-free liner for leggings. The sisters are producers, entrepreneurs and co-founders of the Favorite Daughter brand.
It is easy to mix the two September 30 episodes together: MrBeast and Housenbold are in the first hour, while the Fosters are in the second. The episode titles make that division clearer than the season-wide guest list does.
More guest Sharks are coming
ABC has announced Mindy Kaling, J.J. Watt and Steven Bartlett for other Season 18 episodes. Bartlett is specifically listed for the October 7 episode, “Diary of a Shark.” The network has not put all those guests in the premiere. Regular Sharks and guests will share the panel through the season.
The show keeps its familiar format: founders pitch a product or business, ask for an investment and negotiate with the Sharks. ABC also says episodes will return to some past deals to show what happened after the cameras stopped. That follow-up can matter as much as the pitch itself, because a deal made on television is only the start of a business relationship.
When and where can you watch?
In the U.S., watch the two-episode premiere September 30 at 9:02 and 10:01 p.m. ET on ABC. ABC says its new original shows stream the next day on Hulu, so the premiere episodes should arrive there October 1. From October 7, the regular TV slot is Wednesdays at 10:01 p.m. ET. Hulu also carries earlier seasons in its U.S. catalog; future Season 18 episodes are not available before they air.
