Analysis: ABC Announces its 2012-2013 Schedule

Upfront week 2012 continues with ABC's announcement of its 2012-2013 schedule. The schedule and my analysis of the schedule are after the jump.


Monday:
8-10PM: Dancing with the Stars
10PM: Castle


Thoughts: I'm surprised that ABC isn't using DWTS to act as a lead-in for a new series, but, I guess, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Tuesday:
Fall:
8PM: Dancing with the Stars: Results Show
9PM: Happy Endings
9:30PM: Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
10PM: Private Practice

Midseason:
8PM: How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life*
8:30PM: The Family Tools*

9PM: Happy Endings
9:30PM: Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
10PM: Private Practice


Thoughts: I have been saying all season that Happy Endings, Don't Trust the B-, and Cougar Town would make an awesome, low-rated comedy block. Now, that's a reality (without Cougar Town, of course). I don't know how this block is going to catch on, but it should be a very funny hour of TV. It certainly makes the Tuesday at 9PM hour much more intriguing, with 3 comedy hours going against each other. It will be interesting to see how the four comedy block will perform. Also, Private Practice did well enough this spring to merit a return in the same timeslot in the fall.


Wednesday:

8PM: The Middle
8:30PM: Suburgatory
9PM: Modern Family
9:30PM: The Neighbors*
10PM: Nashville*

Thoughts: The first half of the night is stable. This block has been performing very well for ABC and there's no reason to mess with that. At 9:30, ABC will finally try a family comedy behind Modern Family. This should be the true test of Modern Family's lead-in capabilities. The other series ABC has tried behind it are high quality, but they haven't appeared to be compatible with Modern Family. At 10, ABC is slotting a new soap, trying to replicate the success of Revenge. If the new show, which stars Connie Britton, is as good as I hear Revenge is, they should have no problem with this move.

Thursday:
8PM: Last Resort*
9PM: Grey's Anatomy
10PM: Scandal


Thoughts: The last 2 hours of the night feature stability. Grey's is still strong enough to provide a strong lead-in to Scandal, which has done decently following Grey's this spring. ABC is taking a massive risk putting Last Resort in the 8PM timeslot. This timeslot has given ABC many problems over the past several years, so I don't know if Last Resort can succeed here. What it has in its favor is that it's one of the most highly anticipated series of the new season and it's co-created by Shawn Ryan. These elements, and a massive marketing campaign, could lead to success but I don't think that's likely to happen.

Friday:
September:
8PM: Shark Tank
9PM: Primetime: What Would You Do?
10PM: 20/20

November:
8PM: Last Man Standing
8:30PM: Malibu Country*
9PM: Shark Tank
10PM: 20/20


Thoughts: Paul Lee has wanted to resurrect the TGIF block for since he became president of the network, and this year he's actually resurrecting it. These comedies appear to be compatible with one another. The question will be if they can find an audience. I'm not sure that enough of the audience that was watching Last Man Standing on Tuesdays will follow it to Fridays. A November premiere for these series should allow ABC to milk the star power of Tim Allen and Reba for all it's worth.  Later in the night, ABC is airing Shark Tank and 20/20, which have done very well this season.

Saturday:
8-11PM: Saturday Night College Football


Thoughts: Unsurprising. It's the same as the past several years.

Sunday:
7PM: America's Funniest Home Videos
8PM: Once Upon a Time
9PM: Revenge
10PM: 666 Park Avenue*

Thoughts: ABC has a major hit Once Upon a Time, now it's time for them to see if they can build from it and create a successful night of programming. To do this, the network is moving Revenge into Desperate Housewives's old timeslot. If the show is given enough promotion and new viewers are given an opportunity to watch the first season, this could work out very well for them. This show has the potential to become a much bigger hit than it is, and ABC is trying to exploit that. They are following Revenge with the supernatural soap 666 Park Avenue. This could work, provided Revenge remains a hit in that crowded Sunday timeslot.

Midseason: Body of Proof, Mistresses*, Red Widow*, Wife Swap, Zero Hour*

*New Series are marked with an asterisk

What do you all think about ABC's schedule?