1 month ago
Here is immoderate encouraging news successful nan ongoing manufacture contraction amid nan gloom and punishment predictions astir nan broadcast business: ABC is poised to grow its original scripted portfolio for a 2nd twelvemonth successful a row.
That is because nan web appears apt to prime up astatine slightest 1 of its 2 pilots while besides renewing each of its existent scripted series.
Looking promising for a bid order is The Rookie spinoff aviator The Rookie: North, starring Jay Ellis. ABC took a different way pinch nan project, from The Rookie creator/executive shaper Alexi Hawley, than it did pinch spinoff The Rookie: Feds, which originated arsenic a two-episode arc connected nan original bid that served arsenic a backdoor pilot. The Rookie: North, which moves nan conception of a patrol show pinch a middle-aged rookie bull to nan agrarian wood of Pierce County, produced a standalone pilot, which was filmed successful February and was precocious delivered to ABC.
I perceive nan aviator has been good received astatine web screenings, pinch conversations astir its early ongoing.
Hawley referenced nan affirmative feedback in an question and reply pinch Deadline astir nan Season 9 renewal of The Rookie.
“The aviator came retired great,” he said. “The web seems ace happy pinch it. You ne'er cognize until you cognize but we person a really astonishing cast, led by Jay Ellis who’s a star; it was a joyousness to make that pinch him and nan remainder of them. You cognize me, I’m conscionable an optimistic personification successful general, truthful I’m hopeful and optimistic that we could beryllium talking astir that successful nan adjacent future.”
While The Rookie: North is looking good, guidance to ABC’s drama pilot, the Sliding Doors-style Do You Want Kids?, co-written by and starring Rachel Bloom, has been much mixed. The pickup likelihood of nan single-camera project, astir a joined mates (Bloom, Rory Scovel) who successful 1 beingness person a babe and successful nan different do not, are considered 50-50.
Co-created and executive produced by joined duo Bloom and Dan Gregor, Do You Want Kids? is from 20th Television; The Rookie: North is produced by Lionsgate Television successful relation pinch 20th TV.
Even if only 1 of them is picked up to series, ABC has a very bully chance of having 1 much scripted bid connected nan 2026-27 schedule than it had connected nan 2025-26 one.
As Deadline noted successful nan 2026 ABC renewal report, nan web had been connected way to bring backmost each of its existent scripted shows. That includes nan past remaining returning bid that has not been renewed, multi-camera drama Shifting Gears, which is getting a 3rd season, arsenic good arsenic basking drama “newcomer,” Scrubs, pinch caller procedural R.J. Decker starring Scott Speedman besides trending successful nan correct guidance toward a apt pickup.
Last year, ABC added 3 caller scripted bid for nan 2025-26 season, nan already renewed for 2026-27 play 9-1-1: Nashville, R.J. Decker and nan Scrubs revival, while not returning two, play Doctor Odyssey and drama The Conners, making for a nett summation of 1 drama.
That whitethorn again beryllium nan lawsuit pinch The Rookie: North as nan nett 2026-27 addition. But we don’t unrecorded successful nan roar clip of nan 1990s and 2000s erstwhile broadcast was printing money. So, to accomodate an other (likely drama) scripted bid and enactment wrong budget, ABC whitethorn trim nan orders of immoderate returning shows. Still, nan upside of a pickup should outweigh nan downside of mini section reductions arsenic a afloat formed of actors, a room of writers and a unit would summation employment.
Also, pinch each nan turmoil surrounding The Bachelor franchise, who knows, a reality spot whitethorn unfastened up for adjacent season, freeing up immoderate rate successful nan programming budget…
