May 21, 2020
Updated September 16, 2020
by Carla Hay
ABC officially announced the lineup of the network’s shows for the 2020-2021 TV season. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the network’s upfront presentation, which traditionally takes place at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall in New York City, was cancelled this year. Instead, the announcement was made online. Most of the existing shows had previously been announced as renewed. However, the upfront presentation made it official that “Emergence,” “Fresh Off the Boat,” “Modern Family,” “How to Get Away With Murder,” “Bless This Mess,” “Schooled,” “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Kids Say the Darndest Things” and “Single Parents” have been cancelled. ABC has not yet announced the fates of “United We Fall,” “For Life,” “The Baker and the Beauty,” “Don’t” and “Family Food Fight.”*
New scripted shows include the drama “Big Sky” and the comedy “Call Your Mother” (formerly “My Village”). The network’s new unscripted show is “Supermarket Sweep,” hosted by Leslie Jones. Some of the stars of the new shows are familiar to TV audiences. Jones was previously a “Saturday Night Live” cast member. “Call Your Mother” star Kyra Sedgwick is best known for starring in “The Closer.” “Big Sky” star Katheryn Winnick was previously a series regular on “Vikings.”
The premiere dates will be announced at a later time. ABC has renewed the following shows: “American Housewife,” “Black-ish,” “The Conners,” “The Goldbergs,” “The Good Doctor,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Station 19,” “A Million Little Things,” “Mixed-ish,” “The Rookie,” ”Stumptown,”* “20/20,” “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “American Idol,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Holey Moley,” “Shark Tank,” “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette.”
*September 16, 2020 UPDATE: ABC has cancelled “Stumptown” after announcing that it was renewed for a second season. In addition, ABC has cancelled “The Baker and the Beauty” and “United We Fall.”
The following is an excerpt from an ABC press release:
ABC FALL 2020 SCHEDULE
All times listed are Eastern/Pacific Time.
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10-11 p.m. “The Good Doctor”
TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. “The Bachelorette”
10-11 p.m. “Big Sky”
WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 p.m. “The Goldbergs”
8:30-9 p.m. “American Housewife”
9:30-10 p.m. “The Conners”
9:30-10 p.m. “Call Your Mother”
10-11 p.m. “Stumptown”*
*September 16, 2020 UPDATE: ABC has cancelled “Stumptown” after announcing that it was renewed for a second season.
THURSDAY
8-9 P.M. “Station 19”
9-10 P.M. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10-11 P.M. “A Million Little Things”
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. “Shark Tank”
9-11 p.m. “20/20”
SATURDAY
8 p.m. “Saturday Night Football”
SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8-9 p.m. “Supermarket Sweep”
9-10 p.m. “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”
10-11 p.m. “The Rookie”
NEW DRAMA SERIES
“BIG SKY”
From visionary storyteller David E. Kelley (“Big Little Lies”) comes “Big Sky,” a thriller created by Kelley, who will write multiple episodes and serve as showrunner in its premiere season. Private detectives Cassie Dewell and Cody Hoyt join forces with his estranged wife and ex-cop, Jenny Hoyt, to search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. But when they discover that these are not the only girls who have disappeared in the area, they must race against the clock to stop the killer before another woman is taken. Based on the series of books by C.J. Box, “Big Sky” is executive produced by David E. Kelley, Ross Fineman, Matthew Gross, Paul McGuigan and C.J. Box and is produced by A+E Studios in association with 20th Century Fox Television. A+E Studios is the award-winning studio unit of the global media company A+E Networks, LLC. 20th Century Fox Television is a part of Disney Television Studios, alongside ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.
Cast: Katheryn Winnick as Jenny Hoyt, Kylie Bunbury as Cassie Dewell, Brian Geraghty as Ronald Pergman, Dedee Pfeiffer as Denise Brisbane, Natalie Alyn Lind as Danielle Sullivan, Jesse James Keitel as Jerrie, with John Carroll Lynch as Rick Legarski and Ryan Phillippe as Cody Hoyt.
NEW COMEDY SERIES
“CALL YOUR MOTHER”
From Kari Lizer (“The New Adventures of Old Christine”), this multicamera comedy follows an empty-nester mom who wonders how she ended up alone while her children live their best lives thousands of miles away. She decides her place is with her family and as she reinserts herself into their lives, her kids realize they might actually need her more than they thought. “Call Your Mother” is produced by Sony Pictures Television & ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, alongside 20th Century Fox Television and Fox 21 Television Studios.
Cast: Kyra Sedgwick as Jean Raines, Rachel Sennott as Jackie Raines, Joey Bragg as Freddie Raines, Patrick Brammall as Danny, Emma Caymares as Celia and Austin Crute as Lane.
NEW ALTERNATIVE SERIES
“SUPERMARKET SWEEP”
ABC has not yet announced details about this game show.