ABC has made their last pickup decisions for next season, as the network has given Friday mainstay Last Man Standing a sixth season while picking up new comedy Speechless along the way.
With the renewal of Dr. Ken and The Fluffy Shop being passed on, Last Man Standing getting another season isn’t a surprise. The show’s renewal typically comes at the tail end of ABC’s decision-making due to haggling over licensing fee and stacking rights, while its performance this season has been solid, making Friday one of the least problematic nights for ABC. Since the network has major work to do earlier in the week, they needed to keep Friday stable for at least one more season and Last Man Standing is a key piece toward the night’s consistent performance.
From Scott Silveri (Friends), Speechless follows the DiMeo family, as fearless mom Maya (Minnie Driver) does everything she can to help J.J. (Micah Fowler), her son with special needs. The series will chronicle the struggles the DiMeo family deals with after moving to a new neighborhood and the changes that result from J.J. going to mainstream school for the first time.
In addition to Driver and Fowler, Speechless stars John Ross Bowie (The Big Bang Theory), Mason Cook (Legends), Kyla Kenedy (The Walking Dead), and Cedric Yarborough (Reno 911!). The series is one of four new comedies ABC picked up for next season, joining Imaginary Mary, Downward Dog, and the series formerly known as The Second Fattest Wife in Westport, whose new title will be unveiled soon.
ABC will unveil their 2016 fall schedule on Tuesday, May 17th. You can check out what KSiteTV thought the network could do next season here, as well as a first look at Speechless below.
