After extensive negotiations with 20th Century FOX, ABC has officially renewed acclaimed comedy Modern Family for a ninth and tenth season, both set to last 22 episodes. The series has been the second highest rated comedy on broadcast this season, the cornerstone upon which ABC has built its lucrative family comedy brand, but where the show is produced by an outside studio that ABC works with regularly (e.g. Last Man Standing, Fresh Off the Boat, and Speechless), its renewal was a little more complicated than one might expect.
“We are beyond thrilled that we get to spend more time with these characters, these amazing actors, our ridiculously talented writers and our incredible crew — all of whom are like family to us. And the good kind of family, not the kind that argues with you all the time,” co-creator/co-showrunner Steve Levitan said.
From Christopher Lloyd and Steve Levitan (Back to You), Modern Family follows an extended Los Angeles family comprised nuclear, step-, and same-sex subsets to its overarching structure. The series, a mockumentary in the vein of Parks and Recreation, is meant to comment on the changing definition of family in the modern age and how despite expansive the definition of family has become, there’s more shared experiences than people realize.
Having won 22 Emmys, including 5 for Outstanding Comedy Series, Modern Family stars Ty Burrell (Out of Practice), Julie Bowen (Boston Legal), Ed O’Neill (Married…with Children), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (The Class), Eric Stonestreet (CSI), and Sofia Vergara (Madea Goes to Jail).
Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9:00 on ABC. The network will be revealing its plans for fall 2017 on Tuesday, May 16th.
