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Jimmy Kimmel At ABC 2013-2014 Upfront: Full Transcript

By JEN YAMATO | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 3:20pm PDTTags: ABC, Jimmy Kimmel

UPDATED: Jimmy Kimmel kicked off ABC‘s upfront presentation Tuesday at NYC’s Lincoln Center with a filmed bit alongside Scandal‘s Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and Disney/ABC TV President Anne Sweeney. The potshots at NBC also came quickly: “[ABC Entertainment President] Paul Lee isn’t really British – he’s Mexican. We think this is why Univision is beating NBC.” Here’s Kimmel’s full network-roasting upfront monologue:

Jimmy Kimmel ABC Upfront 2013“You’ve seen what we have so far. By show of hands, we’re going to let you vote one new show off our schedule. Which will it be? I’m happy to be here. I really do enjoy seeing a lot of you every year coming to New York, but I’d really rather not do the whole song and dance number again so listen, you don’t know if these shows are going to work. I don’t know if these shows are going to work. Just throw your money in these bags, we’ll pass them around and be done with it. It’s time to stop calling this an upfront and start calling it what it really is. Throwing a bunch of shit at a wall to see what sticks. And guess what, you guys are the wall.

Related: Live-Blog: ABC’s Upfront Presentation
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ABC Pitches Streaming And Audience Measurement Plans To Ad Buyers

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 2:06pm PDTTags: ABC, Upfronts, WATCH ABC

UPDATE, 3:00 PM: ABC has released some additional info about its role in the trial to expand Nielsen Online Campaign Ratings to mobile devices. The pilot will run through the summer, and t… Read More »

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ABC New Series Trailers Unveiled: ‘Back In The Game’, ‘Betrayal’, ‘The Goldbergs’, ‘Killer Women’, ‘Lucky 7′, ‘Mind Games’, ‘Mixology’, ‘Once Upon A Time In Wonderland’, ‘Resurrection’, ‘Super Fun Night’, ‘Trophy Wife’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 1:39pm PDTTags: ABC, Upfronts

ABC has released first looks at its new series as it kicks off its upfront presentation right now in NYC. The network unveiled its 2013-2014 schedule earlier today.

Related: Joss Whedon Unveils ‘Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.’

Back In The Game– Comedy
Produced by from 20th Century Fox Television and Kapital Entertainment. From writers/executive producers Mark and Robb Cullen, director/executive producers John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, and executive producer Aaron Kaplan:

Betrayal — Drama
Produced by ABC Studios. From writer/executive producer David Zabel and executive producers Rob Golenberg and Alon Aranya:

Read More »

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Live-Blog: ABC’s Upfront Presentation

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 1:29pm PDTTags: ABC, Upfronts
Nellie Andreeva

ABC has the hottest broadcast drama series at the moment, Scandal, and the network didn’t waste any time to flaunt it to advertisers. ABC’s upfront presentation opened with a pre-taped skit featuring Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope summoned to the Oval Office to do damage control for Disney-ABC Group president Anne Sweeney and her henchman, played by Jimmy Kimmel. The skeletons in ABC’s closet:

1. “Dancing With the Stars … they’re not really stars. We pick them up at the bus station”. (Kimmel)

2. [ABC president] “Paul Lee isn’t really British – he’s Mexican. We think that’s why Univision is beating NBC”. (Kimmel)

3. “ABC Family is adopted” (Kimmel)

4. “I steal Diane Sawyer’s clothes… and eyelashes”. (Sweeney).

Pope’s advice — “Own it; go out there and admit everything” is met with objections from Kimmel. “I think we lie about everything except Good Morning America,” he says. And with that, Sweeney comes out onstage, greeted with scorning gestured by Sawyer. The highlight in her opening remarks is when she acknowledged Barbara Walters and her announcement yesterday that she will retire next year. A huge standing ovation brought down the house. Sweeney continued with the Scandal theme with a “gladiators” reference in her speech.

Related: ABC 2013-14 Schedule

“Hola,” Lee greets advertisers, drawing laughs. He is elaborating on the plan to introduce 8- to 12-episode limited series and splitting some of its serialized dramas into cycles running all originals from September to Christmas and then in the new year. “That will create buzz and lower repeats,” Lee said, also highlighting the switch to launches throughout the year to get away from the “September slugfest.”

Related: ABC New Series Trailers

Of the new ABC series, a supersized trailer for 1980s throwback The Goldbergs gets a very warm reaction as it plays heavily (and sweetly) on nostalgia. Also getting big laughs is the Bad News Bears-in-tone Back In The Game.

Hot Aussie comedian Rebel Wilson was on hand to introduce her new Wednesday comedy series Super Fun Night, which launches after Modern Family. The audience loved her raunchy monologue, which included lines like “Super Fun Night is the anti-Sex And The City: when these three ladies eat at night, they’re not talking about dick”, and “Don’t worry, I won’t be doing a Lena Dunham. I’ll only put my boobs out if it’s necessary for the storyline… or a Wednesday.” She received a big applause, with the trailer for her show also getting good reaction sans her American accent, which irked some. “Isn’t she great,” Brit Lee said seeing her off. “I have no idea why my ancestors sent her ancestors to prison.” Read More »

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ABC’s Paul Lee On ‘Happy Endings’ & ‘Body Of Proof’s Cancellations

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 11:12am PDTTags: ABC, Body of Proof, Happy Endings
Nellie Andreeva

ABC president Paul Lee did the inevitable post-mortem today on the cancellation of two bubble shows, comedy Happy Endings and drama Body Of Proof. Both are still in play, with Happy Endings a possibility … Read More »

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Tuesday “Comedy Sigalert” Back With Fox, NBC & ABC Again Doing 9-10 PM Block

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 10:06am PDTTags: ABC, Fox, NBC, Upfronts
Nellie Andreeva

Here we go again. Last May, Fox, NBC and ABC all scheduled single-camera comedies from 9-10 PM on Tuesday, a move CBS’ scheduling czar Kelly Kahl called a “comedy sigalert.” Of the comedies scheduled in the hour … Read More »

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ABC To Air Some Dramas In Two Batches Of 12 Episodes Next Season

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 9:32am PDTTags: ABC, Grey's Anatomy, Once Upon a Time, Paul Lee, Revenge, Scandal
Nellie Andreeva

ABC is changing things up in scheduling some of its serialized dramas. Taking a page from the cable model, the network will air what ABC president Paul Lee called “a selected group” of dramas in two uninterrupted runs, one in the fall and one in the spring, bridged by limited series. The series that will follow the new scheduling pattern include Once Upon A Time, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and likely Revenge, with others TBD. So far, the network only has set up a bridge series for Once, new adventure reality series The Quest. Lee said such bridge series won’t necessarily be all unscripted. Two cycles of 12 episodes would bring the total orders for the shows to 24, which is hard on a complex, serialized drama, but Lee indicated that number has not been set in stone. He said that the network is looking to further shake up the traditional broadcast scheduling model with “quality launches” throughout the season. Lee also said that new fall drama Betrayal is designed as a limited series, airing 12-13 episodes a season. The same applies to midseason drama Resurrection, which will replace it in the Sunday 10 PM slot in midseason.

Related: ABC 2013-14 Schedule Read More »

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ABC 2013-14 Schedule: Rebel Wilson Gets Post-‘Modern Family’ Slot, ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ On Tuesday, ‘Dancing’ Shrinks To One Night

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 9:00am PDTTags: ABC, Dancing With The Stars, Super Fun Night
Nellie Andreeva

ABC is launching eight new series in the fall and taking some big swings, including a Tuesday lineup of all-new series, anchored by Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Rebel Wilson’s hot streak continues, with the rising star landing the post-Modern Family slot for her comedy Super Fun Night. ABC is looking to stem Dancing With The Stars‘ ratings decline by eliminating the Tuesday edition, with the Monday 8-10 PM show incorporating both performances and results. Dancing, as well as The Bachelor, Shark Tank and The Taste have been formally renewed for next season. Here is ABC’s fall schedule, analysis and descriptions of all 13 new series for next season, including newly picked up adventure reality series The Quest from The Amazing Race creators Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri:

Related: ABC To Air Some Dramas In Two Batches Of 12 Episodes

ABC FALL 2013-2014 SCHEDULE
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8 PM – Dancing With The Stars
10 PM – Castle

TUESDAY
8 PM – MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
9 PM – THE GOLDBERGS
9:30 PM – TROPHY WIFE
10 PM – LUCKY 7

WEDNESDAY
8 PM – The Middle
8:30 PM – BACK IN THE GAME
9 PM – Modern Family
9:30 PM – SUPER FUN NIGHT
10 PM – Nashville

THURSDAY
8 PM – ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND
9 PM – Grey’s Anatomy
10 PM – Scandal

FRIDAY
8 PM – Last Man Standing
8:30 PM – The Neighbors
9 PM – Shark Tank
10 PM – 20/20

SATURDAY
8 PM – Saturday Night College Football

SUNDAY
7 PM – America’s Funniest Home Videos
8 PM – Once Upon A Time
9 PM – Revenge
10 PM – BETRAYAL

From ABC’s returning series, left off the schedule are comedy Suburgatory and reality series The Bachelor, which comes on in midseason, and The Taste.

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Tara Butters & Michele Fazekas To Run New ABC Drama ‘Resurrection’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 7:22am PDTTags: ABC, Michele Fazekas, Resurrection, Tara Butters
Nellie Andreeva

Reaper creators Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas have joined new ABC drama series Resurrection as showrunners. Written by Aaron Zelman and directed … Read More »

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Will ABC’s ‘Body Of Proof’ Find Cable Home?

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 5:39am PDTTags: ABC, ABC Studios, Body of Proof, WGN America
Nellie Andreeva

Despite improving its ratings in the second half of its recent midseason run and getting good marks creatively, crime drama Body Of Proof couldn’t avoid the retool curse, getting a pass from ABC on Friday after three seasons, the latest series to get cancelled after being reworked. But the show is not as cold as the corpses on Megan Hunt’s (Dana Delany) table yet. I’ve learned that producer ABC Studios is actively shopping the drama series. In addition to the usual suspects for such a character-driven procedural with a strong lead — TNT and USA Network — I hear also in the mix is Tribune’s WGN America, which is in building mode, looking to join the ranks of cable networks offering original programming. With its average of 11 million viewers and 2.0/6 in 18-49 this season, Body Of Proof would bring a sizable audience to a cable network. (It ranked as the third-most-watched ABC drama this season, behind only Dancing With The Stars-buoyed Castle and flagship Grey’s Anatomy). The prospect of WGN America is particularly intriguing as the network only signaled its intention to get in the original scripted game in March, and acquiring an existing show is the fastest way of doing that. On the superstation, Body Of Proof would fit with the current off-network drama offerings, all crime procedurals, particularly the only contemporary hourlong series Bones.

Related: Matt Cherniss To Run WGN, Newly Formed Tribune Studios Read More »

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Barbara Walters Retirement Official: Video

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday May 13, 2013 @ 9:52am PDTTags: ABC, Barbra Walters, Bob Iger, The View

UPDATED: This is one our Nellie Andreeva told you was going to happen back in March. It became official this morning on The View, the show Barbara Walters co-created. “In the summer of 2014, a year from now, I plan to retire from appearing on television … Read More »

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Barbara Walters To Announce Retirement Tomorrow

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Sunday May 12, 2013 @ 7:00pm PDTTags: ABC, Barbra Walters, The View
Nellie Andreeva

I’ve learned that Barbara Walters will announce her retirement on The View tomorrow. As we first reported in March, the TV icon this spring made the decision to get off the air after 52 years, and had been mulling the timing of her announcement. It will come tomorrow, in the middle of May sweeps. Walter is expected to leave her duties as The View co-host and ABC News contributor in summer 2014 but will keep some behind-the-camera presence, including serving as executive producer of The View, which she co-created. But before she hangs up her microphone, Walters will host one more 10 Most Fascinating People special and another Oscar special, among other appearances on ABC and her hosting duties on The View. Walters will be given a big sendoff on the network culminating with a retrospective special, likely next May. Read More »

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TV Teaser: ‘Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Sunday May 12, 2013 @ 6:05pm PDTTags: ABC, Joss Whedon, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

UPDATE: Here’s the full 30-second first look at ABC‘s Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. unveiled tonight:


Read More »

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ABC To Launch First Live Broadcast Streaming App On Tuesday

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Sunday May 12, 2013 @ 5:35pm PDTTags: ABC, Streaming Film and TV, WATCH ABC

The network will launch its new “WATCH ABC” live-streaming service on Tuesday during upfronts, available first to users in NY via WABC-TV and in Philadelphia via WPVI. Owner Disney launched three successful branded services last summer … Read More »

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UPDATE: ABC Renews ‘The Neighbors’, ‘The Middle’, ‘Last Man Standing’, Modern Family’, ‘Once Upon A Time’, ‘Revenge’, ‘Suburgatory’, ‘Scandal’ ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, Castle’, ‘Nashville’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Saturday May 11, 2013 @ 7:45pm PDTTags: ABC, Nashville, The Neighbors
Nellie Andreeva

UPDATE SATURDAY 7:40 PM: It’s official, the deal has closed and The Neighbors has been renewed for next season.

PREVIOUS FRIDAY PM: Two members of ABC‘s freshman class, drama Nashville and … Read More »

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ABC’s ‘Family Tools’ Officially Cancelled

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Saturday May 11, 2013 @ 6:04pm PDTTags: ABC, Family Tools
Nellie Andreeva

Amidst the flurry of cancellations yesterday, one show seemingly escaped the axe, ABC‘s midseason comedy Family Tools. It was more of a stay of execution, and I’ve learned that the low-rated recent addition is … Read More »

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UPDATE: ABC Picks Up ‘Once Upon A Time’ Spinoff, ‘Mixology’, ‘The Returned’, ‘Killer Women’, ‘Lucky 7′, ‘Betrayal’, ‘Trophy Wife’, Cullen Bros, ‘Influence’, ‘The Goldbergs’, ‘Super Fun Night’, ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ To Series

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 10, 2013 @ 6:13pm PDTTags: ABC, Disney, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Rebel Wilson
Nellie Andreeva

When all was said and done tonight, ABC picked up a total of 12 new series — seven dramas and five comedies. All comedies are single-camera as ABC passed on both of its multi-camera pilots. Here is how it all came down today as the network opened the pickup process with one Disney-friendly shoo-in pilot, Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D., and closed it with another, the Once Upon A Time spinoff. Descriptions of all ABC series and first-look photos at the bottom of the post.
ABC’s Once Upon A Time is officially a franchise as the network just ordered spinoff Once Upon A Time In Wonderland to series, joining the original series, which also was renewed.

Also picked up at ABC are ensemble comedy Mixology, which had been heating up, drama The Returned, now called Resurrection, said to be one of Paul Lee’s favorite pilots, and female procedural Killer Women, executive produced by Sofia Vergara and Ben Silverman. The Malin Akerman starrer Trophy Wife also has gotten a series pickup.

It’s a great day for David Zabel, who just got a pickup call for both of his ABC pilots, dramas Lucky 7 and Betrayal.

Two more series pickups at ABC to two 20th TV pilots, the Cullen Bros. comedy starring James Caan and executive produced by Aaron Kaplan, titled Back In The Game, and the Steve Zahn-Christian Slater procedural Minds Games (formerly Influence).

Also getting a series pickup at ABC is comedy frontrunner Adam Goldberg, whose autobiographical 1980s dysfunctional family comedy is now called The Goldbergs. 

ABC wants to be in the Rebel Wilson business. The network’s first new comedy series pickup went to Wilson’s Super Fun Night. The pilot was not perfect, but with Wilson’s star rising so fast, the network couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have her on its air.

No surprise here — ABC’s first new series order for next season has gone to Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D., from The Avengers’ Joss Whedon. The network will air a first-look at the series, officially titled Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., during the season finale of Once Upon A Time on Sunday. This marks the first pilot and first series for Disney-owned Marvel on ABC.
Read More »

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ABC Notifies Pilots That Didn’t Make It

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 10, 2013 @ 6:00pm PDTTags: ABC, Gothica, Keep Calm And Karey On, King John, Murder In Manhattan
Nellie Andreeva

4TH UPDATE 6 PM: Also getting a pass is nearly frontrunner and Disney-friendly drama Big Thunder, based on the Disney Parks ride, and dramas Reckless and Doubt.  Venice aka Westside is not going forward either. It started off well but was eventually overshadowed by fellow soap … Read More »

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ABC Cancels ‘How To Live With Your Parents’, ‘Body Of Proof’, ‘Red Widow’, ‘Malibu Country’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 10, 2013 @ 5:52pm PDTTags: ABC, Primetime Pilot Panic
Nellie Andreeva

This a costly cancellation for Disney-ABC. Despite OK ratings and a financial windfall for sibling ABC Studios from international sales, ABC pulled the plug on procedural Body Of Proof after three seasons. The network is replacing it with … Read More »

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