ABC Unveils Fall Schedule: "Doctor Odyssey" Cruises into Cancellation, Ryan Murphy Scores Nashville Spinoff
ABC has announced its fall television schedule, revealing a mix of returning favorites, fresh faces, and strategic time slot shifts aimed at capturing a broad audience. The announcement came with the news that freshman drama "Doctor Odyssey," starring Joshua Jackson and Don Johnson, has been canceled after just one season. The show, which followed a new doctor aboard a luxury cruise ship, failed to find its footing despite its high-concept premise and recognizable cast.
While "Doctor Odyssey" departs the schedule, mega-producer Ryan Murphy isn’t leaving empty-handed. ABC has greenlit a spinoff of the popular first-responder drama "9-1-1," titled "9-1-1: Nashville." The new series, set to premiere in the Thursday 9 PM slot vacated by "Doctor Odyssey," boasts a star-studded cast including Chris O’Donnell, Jessica Capshaw, LeAnn Rimes, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. This marks another expansion of the "9-1-1" universe, capitalizing on the established franchise’s strong viewership and dramatic appeal.
In other scheduling changes, "Shark Tank," a mainstay of ABC’s Friday night lineup for 16 seasons, is moving to Wednesday nights at 10 PM for its 17th season. The move positions the entrepreneurial-themed reality show directly after the second season of "The Golden Bachelor," starring former NFL player-turned-lawyer Mel Owens. This strategic pairing aims to create a compelling Wednesday night block that appeals to a broad demographic, blending romance and competition with proven audience appeal.
Disney is further leveraging its sports assets by giving ESPN’s "Monday Night Football" a permanent berth on ABC. This move reinforces ABC’s position as a major player in live sports programming, capitalizing on the immense popularity of the NFL. Additionally, ABC is introducing a movie night on Sundays this fall, branded as "The Wonderful World of Disney," harkening back to the network’s legacy of family-friendly entertainment.
Ryan Seacrest is expanding his role at ABC, adding hosting duties for "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" alongside Vanna White on Friday nights. This move comes after Seacrest took over hosting the flagship "Wheel of Fortune" from Pat Sajak, who retired in June 2024 after a remarkable run as the face of the syndicated game show. Seacrest’s established presence and affable personality are expected to seamlessly transition to the celebrity version, providing a familiar and entertaining Friday night option.
The full ABC fall schedule reflects a strategic mix of established hits, promising newcomers, and calculated scheduling adjustments designed to maximize viewership and appeal to a wide range of audiences.
Here’s a breakdown of the ABC Fall 2024 Schedule:
Monday:
- 8:00 PM: "NFL Monday Night Football" (Live)
Tuesday:
- 8:00 PM: "Dancing with the Stars"
- 10:00 PM: "High Potential" (New Series)
Wednesday:
- 8:00 PM: "Shifting Gears" (New Series)
- 8:30 PM: "Abbott Elementary"
- 9:00 PM: "The Golden Bachelor"
- 10:00 PM: "Shark Tank" (New Time Slot)
Thursday:
- 8:00 PM: "9-1-1"
- 9:00 PM: "9-1-1: Nashville" (New Series)
- 10:00 PM: "Grey’s Anatomy"
Friday:
- 8:00 PM: "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" (Ryan Seacrest Host)
- 9:00 PM: "20/20"
Saturday:
- 7:30 PM: College Football (Live)
Sunday:
- 7:00 PM: "America’s Funniest Home Videos"
- 8:00 PM: "The Wonderful World of Disney" (Movie Night)
Key Takeaways:
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Cancellation of "Doctor Odyssey": The network decided to cut ties with the freshman drama after one season, indicating that it failed to meet viewership expectations despite its cast and concept.
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"9-1-1: Nashville" Spinoff: Ryan Murphy’s successful first-responder franchise expands with a Nashville-based spinoff, demonstrating ABC’s continued confidence in the "9-1-1" brand.
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"Shark Tank" Time Slot Change: Moving the long-running reality show to Wednesdays after "The Golden Bachelor" aims to capitalize on a compatible audience and strengthen ABC’s Wednesday night lineup.
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Increased Sports Programming: Giving "Monday Night Football" a permanent slot on ABC underscores the network’s commitment to live sports, a major draw for viewers and advertisers.
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"Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" with Ryan Seacrest: Expanding Seacrest’s role to include the celebrity version of the game show leverages his popularity and familiarity with the franchise.
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New Series: "High Potential" and "Shifting Gears" are the network’s new series.
