ABC is entering the 2013-2013 season in third place, once again, and executives are hoping that some of their new shows debuting in the fall and spring will pick the Disney-owned network out of third place and help them battle CBS and Fox in the ratings. After seeing their schedule, and some of their new shows, I think ABC will still have to rely on current hits Modern Family, Castle, Grey’s Anatomy, and Dancing With the Stars to get them through another season. Some of their new shows may prove to be modest hits, but nothing that will catapult them from third place.
MONDAY
- 8p.m. - Dancing With the Stars / The Bachelor (January)
- 10p.m. - Castle
My biggest thing about Monday nights on ABC is that the network is still continuing to air two editions of DWTS a season. One is enough, especially since ratings aren’t what they used to be for the one-time ratings juggernaut. I wish they would cut one edition – probably the fall edition since The Voice kicked DWTS‘ butt in the ratings this spring – and open this night up for more dramas or comedies.
Castle has proved to be a sleeper hit for the network, averaging between 11-13 million viewers a week, and it also posts pretty good numbers in the demo. Why keep a show at 10p.m. when it would be a good 9p.m. tentpole and help a new show become a hit? I don’t understand
TUESDAY
- 8p.m. - Dancing With the Stars Results Show
- 9p.m. - Happy Endings
- 930p.m. - Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23
- 10p.m. - Private Practice
In January:
- 8p.m. - HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
- 830p.m. - THE FAMILY TOOLS
Next season, ABC seems to have things more together on Tuesdays than this season with its catastrophe-filled lineup of Last Man Standing, Man Up, Work It, and Cougar Town in the 8p.m. hour. The problem with ABC’s Tuesday night last season, and seasons before that, were that they lacked consistency. None of their shows flowed from one hour to the next. The multi-camera Last Man Standing (the only new show launched on ABC’s Tuesday to survive to a second season) didn’t flow well with single-camera comedy Man Up in the fall. Man Up‘s replacement, Work It, was just terrible no matter where it was going to land on the schedule. Things got much worse when ABC nonchalantly slid Cougar Town in at 830p.m. to die a slow, antagonizing death.
Next season, ABC will use what power is left in Dancing With the Stars to lead-in to the networks new comedy block, Happy Endings and Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 – a duo that was suppose to happen this mid-season, but Don’t Trust the B—- ultimately ended up on Wednesdays.
It’s going to be very interesting to see Happy Endings/Don’t Trust the B—- will go up against NBC’s new comedy 
lineup Go On and The New Normal, and Fox’s great companionship of New Girl/The Mindy Project. Neither of ABC’s new Tuesday comedy block have been ratings winners in their previous Wednesday night slots. I think Happy Endings is one of the most unappreciated comedies on TV, and Don’t Trust the B— as the potential to grow into a great show thanks to stars Krysten Ritter and James Van Der Beek, so we’ll see how this comedy duo goes up against its other comedy competition in the fall.
lineup Go On and The New Normal, and Fox’s great companionship of New Girl/The Mindy Project. Neither of ABC’s new Tuesday comedy block have been ratings winners in their previous Wednesday night slots. I think Happy Endings is one of the most unappreciated comedies on TV, and Don’t Trust the B— as the potential to grow into a great show thanks to stars Krysten Ritter and James Van Der Beek, so we’ll see how this comedy duo goes up against its other comedy competition in the fall.
Private Practice will stay put on this night after its trial run this past spring.
WEDNESDAY
- 8p.m. - The Middle
- 830p.m. - Suburgatory
- 9p.m. - Modern Family
- 930p.m. - THE NEIGHBORS
- 10p.m. - NASHVILLE
It’s most likely that The Middle and Modern Family will own their timeslots until both of these shows end, and Suburgatory has solidified itself as a viable Wednesday family comedy. As for ABC’s new Wednesday entry The Neighbors, I would have rather seen ABC’s more suitable comedy How To Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life go after Modern Family. I didn’t like the promo for The Neighbors, and I don’t plan on liking The Neighbors when it airs, so I wish this alien/family comedy would have ended up on another night (maybe Fridays) so a more promising comedy could prosper from the Modern Family lead-in.
At 10p.m., ABC is introducing their newest musical soap opera Nashville starring Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere. ABC has the opportunity to capture the 18-49 crown here since Nashville will be competing with the aging CSI, and new NBC drama Chicago Fire (which I don’t have high hopes for). I’m a HUGE Connie Britton fan from her roles on Friday Night Lights and American Horror Story, so i’ll definitely be checking this one out. Maybe this show will finally win her an Emmy!
THURSDAY
- 8p.m. - LAST RESORT
- 9p.m. - Grey’s Anatomy
- 10p.m. - Scandal
Again, ABC will try out a new drama in this timeslot – when will they learn? ABC has been unsuccessful in launching a 8p.m. show since the departure of Ugly Betty. Executives think Last Resort, a thriller drama starring Andre Braugher and created by The Shield‘s Shawn Ryan, about a submarine crew who has to follow their leader as he makes questionable decisions ordered straight from the White House. This show has the opportunity to succeed because there’s nothing else on like this at this hour. However, it does have to go up against The X-Factor Results Show and The Big Bang Theory/Two and a Half Men. So if ABC doesn’t want yet another failed 8p.m. Thursday drama, they’ll have to have a big promotional push for Last Resort over the summer.
Critics are already call Last Resort ABC’s best drama of the new season, as well as one of the best drama pilots of the season, so this show might actually have a chance.
There’s no surprise that Grey’s Anatomy is staying put at 9p.m., and second season drama Scandal has a great opportunity to grow in the ratings after its decent 7-episode run this spring.
FRIDAY
- 8p.m. - Shark Tank
- 9p.m. - Primetime: What Would You Do?
- 10p.m. – 20/20
In November
- 8p.m. - Last Man Standing
- 830p.m. - MALIBU COUNTRY
- 9p.m. - Shark Tank
- 10p.m. - Primetime: What Would You Do?
Nothing really exciting about ABC’s Friday night. Shark Tank will get a 22-episode season next season due to its 
great ratings this season. In November, ABC will debut the second season of Last Man Standing and the new Reba McEntire-led sitcom Malibu Country. These two multi-camera comedies are reminiscent of ABC’s classic TGIF days, and the network is banking that families who may not be planning a night on the town on Fridays will choose to watch these two family sitcoms.
great ratings this season. In November, ABC will debut the second season of Last Man Standing and the new Reba McEntire-led sitcom Malibu Country. These two multi-camera comedies are reminiscent of ABC’s classic TGIF days, and the network is banking that families who may not be planning a night on the town on Fridays will choose to watch these two family sitcoms.
I predict Last Man Standing/Malibu Country will outperform NBC’s Community/Whitney on this night die to their broader appeal to audiences.
SUNDAY
- 7p.m. - America’s Funniest Home Videos
- 8p.m. - Once Upon a Time
- 9p.m. - Revenge
- 10p.m. - 666 Park Avenue
I think this is THE BEST NIGHT ON TV next season (minus America’s Funniest Home Videos).
ABC struck gold this season with two of broadcast TV’s hottest and most talked about new shows with Once Upon a Time and Revenge, and now their back-to-back on the same night. Nothing can get better than this.
This night full of dark dramas is the perfect way to end the week, and its like nothing else on Sundays. ABC also
hopes that, even despite airing against Sunday Night Football on NBC, women and men who may not be watch football will flock to ABC for the second seasons of Once and Revenge.
ABC’s newest Sunday night entry, 666 Park Avenue,is full former ABC stars – Terry O’Quinn from Lost, Vanessa Williams fresh from Desperate Housewives, Dave Annable from Brothers and Sisters, and Rachel Taylor from Grey’s Anatomy/Charlie’s Angels. This supernatural drama focuses on a young couple (Annable, Taylor) who are hired to manage a mysterious upscale apartment buliding in New York City owned by O’Quinn and Williams.
Fairytales, revenge, and a supernatural building – should make a great night of television this fall.
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2 comments
Terrence
May 24, 2012 at 8:44 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Sundays are going to once again be a great night for ABC.
But “Last Resort” and “Nashville” should swap timeslots.
The former is does not seem like an 8pm show and the latter does not seem like a 9pm show.
TV Talk With JWalk
May 25, 2012 at 9:22 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That is really a good call, I never would have thought of that. But ABC is looking at “Last Resort” as counter programming for CBS and Fox. I think Nashville would get eaten alive at 8 on Thursday because of “X-Factor” since it also shews women and the 18-49 demo like “X-Factor.” I think ABC realized with “Revenge” this year what demos would watch at 10p.m., and “Nashville” is similar to “Revenge” in that aspect.
Also, if “Last Resort” went up against “CSI,” which bot skews men, “Last Resort” wouldn’t make it out alive.