Coming off a difficult fall, ABC is shaking things up at midseason.
On Tuesday (November 19), ABC announced its full midseason schedule, which includes a time period shift for “Revenge,” the return of “Suburgatory” to a familiar home, season premieres for “The Bachelor” and “The Taste,” plus series launches for “Killer Women,” “Mind Games,” “Mixology,” “Resurrection” and “The Assets.”
Let’s look at things chronologically, shall we?
On Thursday, January 2, ABC is pairing the return of “The Taste” with the CIA drama “The Assets,” an eight-part limited series featuring Jodie Whittaker and Harriet Walter and focusing on the race to track down notorious mole Aldrich Ames. Those will obvious fill what would have been a repeat cycle for “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal.”
The following Monday, on January 6, “The Bachelor” returns with a dose of much-needed diversity as Juan Pablo Galavis looks for love after his rejection by Desiree Hartsock on “The Bachelorette.”
“Killer Women,” starring Tricia Helfer and executive produced by Sofia Vergara, will take over the Tuesday 10 p.m. slot on January 7, filling an hour that has been fallow since the quick cancellation of “Lucky 7” this fall.
On January 15, “Suburgatory” will return to the Wednesday 8:30 time period in which it had some previous success. And no, I don’t quite get why ABC didn’t want to stick with “Back in the Game,” at least given the order of additional episodes for “Super Fun Night.”
Speaking of “Super Fun Night,” its plum time period after “Modern Family” will be handed to the Ryan Seacrest-produced “Mixology” starting on February 26. So yes, ABC has five-plus family sitcoms available to try after “Modern Family,” but it’s going with its fractured narrative about pretty people trying to hook up in the meat-packing district for its best available comedy time periond.
On March 9, “Resurrection” was still premiere as planned, but rather than airing on Sundays at 10 p.m. as was previously planned, ABC is airing the not-quite-zombie drama — Think “The Returned” only without the pesky French people — at 9 p.m. and will shift “Revenge” to 10 p.m.
Finally, ABC has set the Kyle Killen-created “Mind Games” for Tuesday, March 11 at 10 p.m. after “Killer Women” completes its run.
When will the Thursday shows return? Why aren’t “Trophy Wife” and “The Goldbergs” getting samplings in different time periods? Is “The Neighbors” going to continue to air on Fridays regardless of its ratings?
Good questions all!
Anyway… Here’s the premiere slate in handy list form:
THURSDAY, JANUARY 2
8:00-10:00 p.m. “The Taste”
10:00-11:00 p.m. “The Assets”
MONDAY, JANUARY 6
8:00-10:00 p.m. “The Bachelor”
TUESDAY, JANUARY 7
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Killer Women”
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15
8:30-9:00 p.m. “Suburgatory”
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
9:30-10:00 p.m. “Mixology”
SUNDAY, MARCH 9
9:00-10:00 p.m. “Resurrection” (New Time)
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Revenge” (New Time)
TUESDAY, MARCH 11
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Mind Games”
Thoughts?