Midseason Schedule 2016-2017: ABC

UPDATED MARCH 1

Monday

8:00 - The Bachelor (Beginning January 2)
8:00 - Dancing with the Stars (Beginning March 20)
10:00 - Big Fan (NEW - Beginning January 9)
10:00 - Quantico (New Timeslot - Beginning January 23)

 Quantico, which is averaging almost exactly the same ratings as Conviction (0.78 vs 0.75, respectively), will swap timeslots with the new drama in late January. I doubt this lateral move is to benefit the ABC sophomore, but perhaps a small attempt at restrengthening Sundays. It's preceded by back-to-back episodes of the new Andy Richter-hosted game show Big Fan for two weeks. After The Great Christmas Light Fight airs on Mondays in December, The Bachelor returns to its usual timeslot before Dancing with the Stars premieres its 24th cycle in March.

Tuesday

8:00 - The Middle
8:30 - American Housewife
9:00 - Fresh Off the Boat
9:30 - The Real O'Neals
9:30 - Imaginary Mary (NEW - Beginning April 4)
10:00 - People Icons (NEW - Beginning March 7)
10:00 - Marvel's Agents of SHIELD

For the foreseeable future, the Tuesday lineup remains unchanged. American Housewife received a full season order for its freshman run, and The Real O'Neals received an additional 3 episodes for its second season. It ends in March to make way for Imaginary Mary, which had its episode order reduced from 13 to 9 episodes back in September, following a sneak preview on Wednesday, March 29. The network will also debut a new, limited ABC News series hosted by Lara Spencer to run during the month of March called People Icons, which is "inspired by iconic People magazine covers that have made a lasting impact on American culture." It airs four episodes while Agents of SHIELD is on a mini-hiatus; the Marvel series returns on April 4.


Wednesday

8:00 - The Goldbergs
8:30 - Speechless
9:00 - Modern Familiy
9:30 - black-ish
10:00 - Match Game (New Timeslot - Beginning January 4)
10:00 - Designated Survivor (Beginning March 8)

Match Game, which had a successful revival this past summer, will air in Designated Survivor's timeslot while the freshman drama is on winter hiatus. The comedies return the first week in January.

Thursday

8:00 - Grey's Anatomy
9:00 - Scandal
10:00 - How to Get Away with Murder
10:00 - The Catch (Beginning March 9)

After The Great American Baking Show airs over the holiday season (beginning December 1), the full TGIT lineup returns on January 26 with Scandal's sixth season premiere. How to Get Away with Murder will finish its third season in February, making way for the second season of The Catch in March, sticking with the all-Shondaland theme from last spring.

Friday

8:00 - Last Man Standing
8:00 - The Toy Box (NEW - Beginning April 7)
8:30 - Dr. Ken
9:00 - Shark Tank
10:00 - 20/20

The Friday night lineup will remain unchanged through March. The Toy Box, a new reality competition series hosted by Eric Stonestreet which will search for the next great toy idea, premieres in April.


Sunday

8:00 - To Tell the Truth (New Timeslot - Beginning January 1)
8:00 - Once Upon a Time (Beginning March 5)
9:00 - Time After Time (NEW - Beginning March 5)
10:00 - Conviction (New Timeslot - Beginning January 1)
10:00 - American Crime (New Timeslot - Beginning March 12)

While Once Upon a Time is on hiatus and after Secrets & Lies wraps its second season, another successful game show revival, To Tell the Truth, returns to the ABC schedule in two-hour blocks through the winter. Conviction gets a brutal burn-off treatment for its final few episodes, airing against the Golden Globes and championship football games.Once returns after the Oscars, leading into the new time travel drama Time After Time, which will have a two-hour premiere on March 5, and then the third season of American Crime.

In a special event scheduling the 8-episode miniseries When We Rise will air in two-hour blocks on subsequent nights beginning Monday, February 27 and wrapping up on Friday, March 3. Still unscheduled are new drama Still Star-Crossed, which is expected to undergo a title change and debut either in summer or next season; and new sitcom Downward Dog, which is similarly expected to premiere over the summer. The network's remake of Dirty Dancing, starring Abigail Breslin and Debra Messing, will air on the last night of the broadcast season, Wednesday, May 24.

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