Upfronts: ABC Fills Holes

Every year it is always interesting to see ABC have to fill so many holes in its schedule, yet rarely does anyone ever bring up the fact. Not to mention ABC having the worst success:failure ratio for new series of any network this season… yes, even worse than NBC.

ABC keeps its returning shows where they are and have basically used new shows to plug holes.

Here are ABC’s new offerings for next season which include six dramas and three comedies.


The most promising new drama is No Ordinary Family led by Michael Chiklis about an ordinary family that becomes extraordinary after a plane crash in the Amazon. Charming and fun from the looks of the trailer and it will be interesting to see what the week to week stories will be. I hate the talking to the camera though. Hopefully that is only for the trailer and not part of the series.


The rest of ABC’s dramas range from dull to sort of dull. Detroit 1-8-7 about a documentary crew following detectives around Detroit feels too much like it’s trying to be Southland, The Shield and or The Wire.


Legal drama The Whole Truth with Rob Morrow and Joely Richardson seems pretty run of the mill.


My Generation seems too much like Fox’s Reunion without the murder mystery. And again, the documentary gimmick is really played out.


Dena Delaney definitely deserves her own show. Body of Proof feels like a show that needs to be carried by her and what should be a big character from the looks of it.


I’m not a fan of Shonda Rhimes series in general, so I’m already not inclined to watch Off the Map. The trailer doesn’t help. I’d probably watch a drama about people going on medical missions than what seems to be the stereotypical three doctors with issues bumbling their way to life lessons from the native people in an exotic locale.


With the comedies, Better Together boasts a great cast of JoAnna Garcia, Jennifer Finnigan, Josh Cooke, Jake Lacy, and the awesome Kurt Fuller and Debra Jo Rupp. But the material doesn’t seem to catch up with the talented of its cast.


Matthew Perry’s Mr. Sunshine looks alright and could be interesting. I liked Happy Endings more than some of the other relationship/Friends-type shows we’ve seen so far.

So, maybe a few interesting offerings from ABC, but nothing very earth shattering.

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