May has just been getting started and here’s what you need to know so far ahead of the upfronts later this month on Tuesday 14th, which we will be able to know which of your favourite shows – both existing and new ones – to tune in for next season’s prime-time TV schedule on ABC.
Drama
So far they’ve got two new drama shows onboard for this Fall (September/October) – one is High Potential (A show adapted from France about a mother of three and cleaner who has an outstanding IQ with a tremendous ability to solve crimes) & another is Dr. Odyssey (a Doctor relying on charms to get what he wants).
High Potential as we know was originally picked up just a year ago that was supposed to start late last year but then the strikes have unexpectedly put the scripted world on hold for months before everyone in the industry were able to return to work after a much needed agreement between the studios and unions. So a pushback to this October to begin fall would be most appropriate rather than rushing things up to fit in this ongoing shortened prime-time TV season. Meanwhile, Dr. Odyssey – one of the new Ryan Murphy projects who oversees 9-1-1 – is a straight-to-series order that was made a little over last month by the network. We didn’t see this coming when ABC decided to take a different approach to bringing new shows that usually takes a year of development before looking to bring onto a pilot or straight-to-series stage & it seems the network wanted to expand its tried and tested relationship with Murphy by bringing one of his new shows onboard right away on top of 9-1-1 since Station 19 is wrapping up its own story soon. And yes, I can assure you it’s 100% happening since the social media accounts has been popping up ABC’s typeface on it just like High Potential as the other new drama.
As said with Station 19 having its own finish line soon, Dr. Odyssey will be expected to be a like-for-like replacement in between 9-1-1 and Grey’s Anatomy at 9pm on Thursdays. In regards to High Potential, I can see them replace A Million Little Things (a show that already finished after six seasons at the end of the 2022-23 season) as it should be from the beginning when they were originally progressed from a pilot into a series order on Wednesday nights at 10pm. And Will Trent will be able to enjoy a full season in place of The Good Doctor whose stint will also be finishing up soon after seven seasons.
Comedy/Sitcoms
Now on the comedy side, we will finally get at least one new sitcom if not two in a while since early last year. Although it will most likely go into air for the mid-season cycle (early 2025). I guess the network will increase a bit more reality TV content going forward like another revival of Extreme Makeover to start off Wednesdays at 8pm alongside back-to-back 30 min sitcoms and High Potential. The two sitcoms (both multi-camera which is the direction ABC wants to go for the first time in a while that is more affordable than the single camera ones) are up for contention are Shifting Gears (something to do with a car restoration owner undergoing his own transformation with his daughter back moving in alongside her kids) and Forgive and Forget (it’s about a father wanting to reconnect with his son to make new memories while he can who has dementia).
Abbott Elementary has been the shows’s biggest hit since 2021, so that’s guaranteed for them to stay on as long as they like. Meanwhile, there were doubts as to whether or not if The Conners might be exiting Season 6 early when they wanted one more season to finish things off their way. However, this is certainly going to happen since they have a great relationship with the show after years of huge recovery away from Roseanne Barr when the Roseanne revival was short-lived back in 2018.
Then I’m sure Shifting Gears will almost be like a straight-to-series order despite being yet to start production until next month, with veteran actor Tim Allen back onboard alongside 2 Broke Girls star Kat Dennings. But again, it depends on how they go after the network chose to skip any new sitcom pilots where they performed below expectations during last year’s pilot intake. And Forgive and Forget’s fate regardless of its pilot performance next month will depend on Not Dead Yet’s renewal status. As long as they come out strong, they will get a series order since Not Dead Yet’s ratings kept going downhill over the past two seasons and we would be surprised if NDY stays on for a third season whose audience isn’t suited to TV.
Post Notes
Confirmed: two new drama shows replacing The Good Doctor and Station 19 with all other existing dramas staying on for next season such as Grey’s Anatomy, The Rookie, Will Trent and 9-1-1 alongside one existing sitcom in Abbott Elementary
Prediction: two new half-hour sitcoms with Not Dead Yet being axed after two seasons due to continuous falling ratings and The Conners getting their wish to finish their story at season seven on a high.
It seems like that’s all ABC will do to finalise their 2023-24 prime-time TV schedule with no further new drama and/or sitcom pilots to consider until at least mid-season if not in a year’s time. I guess ABC Signature is not putting forward with any proposed pilots for the network other than High Potential at least for the first half prime-time TV season that would mean they are undergoing a brand refresh with an updated logo like the current on-air TV bug that has been running for three years now alongside a whole new ident, having not heard any jingles on any of their produced content as of late since last year.
