TUESDAY
CRAIG: 8:00 The Middle; 8:30 Fresh off the Boat; 9:00 Black-ish; 9:30 Raised by Wolves; 10:00 Marvel’s Inhumans
SHILO: 8:00 The Middle; 8:30 American Housewife; 9:00 Black-ish; 9:30 The Mayor; 10:00 Marvel’s Inhumans
CRAIG: For the first hour of Tuesdays, I have two shows that ABC has been running on Tuesdays already: The Middle and Fresh off the Boat. For the second hour, I’ve moved Black-ish to lead the 9PM hour as I think it’s developed its own following outside of Modern Family that it could thrive and possibly grow the hour. For 9:30, I’ve placed a second family comedy: Raised by Wolves, from writer/EP Diablo Cody and the ever-present Berlanti Productions. These shows would lead to Marvel’s Inhumans, which probably would have more impact at an earlier time slot, but I’m pretty sure will stay at 10. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. can return at midseason, riding the wave of [hopeful] Inhumans promotion.
SHILO: I absolutely think ABC should use Inhumans at 9:00. This Is Us will be peaking in the ratings for the first episodes of its upcoming second season and that show had a very blatant impact on Fresh Off the Boat and The Real O’Neals, so lining up two more family comedies to the slaughter would be kind of dumb when you have a male-skewing drama from a brand name just ready to go. Inhumans would also give a nice boost to either a new drama (which ABC needs) or SHIELD, which would help ABC’s drama depth issues. However, I just don’t see ABC delaying that second comedy hour for that long, so we’ll likely end up with four comedies and Inhumans giving way to (possibly) SHIELD come midseason. The Middle and American Housewife have done well together and where the latter is owned by ABC, they’ll nurture it for at least another season behind a good lead-in. Black-ish was able to stand on its own without Modern Family this past week, so it should lead into Daveed Digs (Hamilton, Black-ish) vehicle The Mayor, as ABC is looking for an office comedy/comedy with office elements and it’s been described as “Spin City with music” on Deadline.
