Thursday, September 22
8-Grey's Anatomy
10-Notorious
ABC should really consider doing a two-hour premiere of Grey's Anatomy in order to take away a bit of Chicago Med's premiere audience, which will already have it tough based on the time slot change. Then, premiere Notorious out of what will probably be one of Grey's highest-rated episodes of the season instead of the declining and serialized How to Get Away with Murder.
Sunday, September 25
7-America's Funniest Home Videos
8-Once Upon a Time
9-Secrets & Lies
10-Quantico
This is a lineup of all veteran shows (unless you count Secrets & Lies), and judging by early promotion none of them are top-priority. I don't think any show would benefit from a special premiere behind one of the Sunday shows, so why not just premiere them as is during what is typically premiere week?
Wednesday, September 28
8-The Goldbergs
8:30-Speechless
9-Speechless
9:30-Speechless (R)
This would be a great way for ABC to give Speechless some more exposure by airing two episodes back-to-back. Also, I'm holding off the Modern Family premiere, which I'll explain below. This will basically be Speechless' night, but with The Goldbergs starting it off so ABC can at least say they tried if it fails.
Thursday, September 29
9-Notorious (time slot premiere)
10-How to Get Away with Murder
Monday, October 3
8-Dancing with the Stars
10-Conviction
Conviction has a pretty awesome spot on the schedule, so no need for a special premiere. If it does OK, ABC won't be worrying about Monday. Would have wanted to premiere this a week earlier, but there's a presidential debate.
Er...can't do anything here. Presidential debate will get in the way of premiering the Tuesday block now. It should either premiere before The Voice or several weeks after, which is what I think ABC should do. Premiering the block on the 27th only to have it take a week off seems like a bad flow to me.
During the presidential debate, there should be a HUGE push for Designated Survivor.
Wednesday, October 5
9-Modern Family
10-Designated Survivor
Designated Survivor is definitely the show ABC wants and needs to succeed the most, and I think this would be the perfect day to premiere it after the presidential debate. And having its lead-in be a super-sized Modern Family will also lead to more exposure. Big push for the Tuesday block in this one.
Friday, October 7
8-Last Man Standing
8:30-Dr Ken
9-Shark Tank
I think this would be the perfect time to premiere the Friday comedies + Shark Tank because not only can the comedies be promoted a little during the prior Wednesday's premieres of Modern Family and Designated Survivor, both of which have potential to have big numbers, but also in order to promote the new Tuesday block, which ABC needs to work.
Tuesday, October 11
8-The Middle
9-Fresh Off The Boat
9:30-The Real O'Neals
10-Marvel's Agents of SHIELD
The Middle, unlike some other comedies on the network, is not gimmicky or flashy, and rarely makes
Wednesday, October 12
9:30-American Housewife
ABC used Modern Family to help out the second episodes of Fresh Off The Boat and The Real O'Neals, so why can't it help out American Housewife before the show is thrown on Tuesday? Blackish will get to spend an entire season behind Modern Family, and I think ABC should prioritize launching new shows successfully more.
Tuesday, October 18
8:30-American Housewife (time period premiere)
Wednesday, October 19
9:30-Blackish
Now that Designated Survivor got that one-hour Modern Family premiere behind it and launched American Housewife, it's finally time for Blackish. Under the assumption that Modern Family will be 22 episodes again and Blackish 24, this will actually free Blackish of having to air too many times (if at all) with its lead-in as a repeat. Plus, as mentioned above, Blackish gets a full season behind Modern Family, let's make sure that other shows that the best chance possible before, right?