Over at ABC headquarters today, the network renewed V for a second season and cancelled freshman shows FlashForward and Romantically Challenged alongside veteran comedies Scrubs and Better Off Ted. ABC has plenty of material to fill those slots, though, as the network officially picked up comedies Mr. Sunshine, Better Together, Happy Endings and dramas The Whole Truth, Detroit 187 and My Generation for their fall schedule. More on each item after the jump.
Both V and FlashForward--the much-hyped ABC sci-fi series of Fall 2009--premiered to great numbers, leading many to think "Hey, maybe ABC will finally be able to repeat the success of Lost after all." Unfortunately for ABC, such did not come to pass, as the ratings for each show steadily declined over the course of the season. V held up better--perhaps due to its Lost lead-in for the spring episodes--and The Live Feed reports it has been rewarded with another chance to prove itself in a second season. The ratings declines of FlashForward proved to be unforgivable, though, as ABC will cease production on the show after the finale airs on May 27.
At this time last year, neither Scrubs nor Better Off Ted were drawing particularly impressive numbers; but the ABC comedy well was rather dry, so each got another season. Cut to a year later, when Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town have established a solid comedic presence on Wednesday nights. Hence, ABC no longer has the need to keep Scrubs, Ted, or the mediocre freshman sitcom Romantically Challenged around: according to EW all three were cancelled today.
In addition to Wednesday night comedy block, The Live Feed reports that ABC picked up a trio of comedies today--Mr. Sunshine, No Happy Endings, and Better Together--and a trio of dramas--The Whole Truth, Detroit 187, and My Generation--today. They will join the recently ordered superhero drama No Ordinary Family on the fall schedule. Here are the details on all the pilots ABC has picked up so far:
NO ORDINARY FAMILY
Plot: “A seemingly normal American family one day finds that they have developed superabilities.”
Cast/Crew: co-created by Greg Berlanti (Green Lantern); stars Michael Chiklis (The Shield) and Julie Benz (Dexter)
DETROIT 187
Plot: “A documentary crew gives us an insider’s view of the homicide unit, capturing the professional crises, as well as the raw personal heartbreak and heroism of these inner-city cops.”
Cast/Crew: created by Jason Richman (Bangkok Dangerous); stars Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos)
MR. SUNSHINE
Plot: “The middle-aged manager of a mid-level sports arena, some juggles a wide variety of sports and entertainment acts, while handling his erratic boss and apathetic staff.”
Cast/Crew: co-created by star Matthew Perry (Friends); cast includes Allison Janney (West Wing), Andrea Anders (Better Off Ted), and Portia Doubleday (Youth in Revolt)
NO HAPPY ENDINGS
Plot: “For years, perfect couple Dave and Alex drew their friends in and held them together. Now that they've split, does this group have the stuff to stay together?"
Cast/Crew: cast includes Damon Wayans Jr. (My Wife and Kids), Elisha Cuthbert (24), Eliza Coupe (Scrubs), and Casey Wilson (Saturday Night Live)
BETTER TOGETHER
Plot: “Two couples, from two different generations, have very different outlooks on love."
Cast/Crew: created by Shana Goldberg-Meehan (Friends)
MY GENERATION
Plot: “A documentary crew captured Greenbelt High School's class of 2000 on film. Now, it's ten years later and as the former classmates return home."
Cast/Crew: created by Noah Hawley (Bones)
THE WHOLE TRUTH
Plot: “While victims and defendants wait breathlessly to learn their fate, lawyers are working behind the scenes and in the courtroom, making frantic moves and countermoves of complex legal wrangling to tilt justice in their favor."
Cast/Crew: produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (CSI), created by Tom Donaghy (Without a Trace); cast includes Rob Morrow (Numb3rs) and Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck)