Those who regularly watch network television surely have a general understanding of how scheduling works for scripted programming. The TV season begins in the fall, with a number of major shows either premiering or returning between September and November. When it comes to ABC, its planning to bring back a number of notable shows for the 2023-2024 circuit. However, things are going to look somewhat different this coming fall, and it means that fans of The Conners, Grey’s Anatomy and more are going to have to wait longer than usual for new seasons.
How Does ABC’s Fall Schedule Look Different This Time Around?
As is usually the case for this time of the year, the alphabet network unveiled its schedule for the upcoming TV season. However, anyone who checked it out was probably surprised to see that it doesn’t include new episodes of returning or premiering scripted shows. Instead, there’s a plethora of reality TV series and game shows. Among those titles are Dancing with the Stars, Celebrity Jeopardy!, Bachelor in Paradise and Judge Steve Harvey. You can see the schedule in its entirety down below:
Monday
8 p.m. Dancing with the Stars
10 p.m. The Golden Bachelor
Tuesday
8 p.m. Celebrity Jeopardy!
9 p.m. Bachelor in Paradise
Wednesday
8 p.m. Judge Steve Harvey
9 p.m. Abbott Elementary (Encore)
9:30 p.m. Abbott Elementary (Encore)
10 p.m. What Would You Do?
Thursday
8 p.m. Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
9 p.m. Press Your Luck
10 p.m. The $100,000 Pyramid
Friday
8 p.m. Shark Tank
9:01 p.m. 20/20
Saturday
7:30 p.m. College Football
Sunday
7 p.m. America's Funniest Home Videos
8 p.m. The Wonderful World of Disney
Interestingly, the one piece of scripted content that still appears to be in the mix is Abbott Elementary, but even those will simply be reruns of the Emmy-winning workplace comedy. To be fair, all of that probably looks incredibly appealing for anyone who loves reality TV or competition-centric fare. But it’s honestly weird to see the lack of sitcoms and dramas. Upon the schedule’s release, Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich had this to say:
We are proud to be home to beloved series and meaningful narratives that audiences continue to embrace, and we’re fortunate that our solid, stable roster continues to leverage the enormous success of our established hits, with originals airing every night of the week.
So some of you may be wondering what the hold-up is when it comes to the other various series. Well, it more than likely has to do with an ongoing situation in Hollywood.
What’s Led To This Change In ABC’s Schedule?
The key factor at play here is the ongoing WGA writers strike, which kicked off earlier this month. It’s the first protest of its kind to take place in 15 years and, at this point, there’s no telling just how long it might last. The previous one began in 2007 and lasted more than three months. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that this current situation will have that kind of longevity, it’s still a possibility. With all of that in mind, this new schedule indicates that Disney is bracing for that scenario. In its press release, the company mentioned that other dates would be confirmed at a later date.
I suppose that if there’s any positive that fans can derive from this, it’s that there are a number of shows that have been renewed. For instance, The Good Doctor is returning for Season 7, while The Conners has a sixth season on the way. The long-running Grey’s Anatomy, meanwhile, is looking towards its 20th. On top of all this, Fox drama 9-1-1 is moving to the network for its seventh season. So there’s still a lot to look forward to – it’s just going to take longer for all of it to arrive.
For now, keep an eye on the 2023 TV schedule for any changes, and know that you can stream Grey’s, The Conners, Abbott Elementary and many of the other shows on hold using a Hulu subscription.
