Ahead of their upfront presentation next week, ABC has renewed midseason family comedy The Real O’Neals for a second season. The renewal makes O’Neals the sixth ABC laffer to make it to next season, with the fates of Friday comedies Last Man Standing and Dr. Ken still to be determined.
Starring Noah Galvin (Welcome to the Wayne), The Real O’Neals tells the story of the O’Neal family, a Midwestern Catholic family harboring secrets from one another in an attempt to keep up the image of the “perfect family.” The furthest reaching of the secrets belongs to 16-year-old Kenny (Galvin), who comes out of the closet at the most inopportune moment possible. Not only does Kenny have to deal with being one of the only gay kids at his high school, he has to begin repairing his relationship with his devoutly religious mother Eileen, the family member he’s closest to and the family member having the hardest time with the idea of Kenny being gay.
The show has been unique in a number of ways. Kenny is one of the only LGBT teenagers on television in recent memory to have a positive relationship with religion, his discomfort with being gay stemming less from fear of eternal damnation beaten into him as a child and more from stepping into a world through which he has no knowledge of. While his family has been fairly supportive, with his relationship with his father being strained only due to his parents divorcing and his mother beginning to make positive strides toward acceptance, the show has delved into topics that we don’t often see on family comedies, both in terms of content and perspective. For instance, episodes this season have dealt with bigoted grandparents, the subcultures within the gay community, and the joy (and pain) associated with gay kickball leagues.
Before the season, there was some concern about how the show would be portraying religion and those who openly practice. But impressively, the show’s portrayal of religion has been sensitive and nuanced, as Eileen’s discomfort at Kenny’s sexuality only stems from her fear of change and the insecurity at how her family is publicly perceived, not some belief that her son is doomed for eternity because of who he is. And where the two of them have the strongest relationship on the show, she’s already shown her willingness to begin working through said fears and discomfort and work toward being a better mother for her son.
Though not a powerhouse since it debuted, The Real O’Neals has been enviably steady in the ratings, having recently retained 100% of its Fresh Off the Boat lead-in. It’s one of only two already renewed comedies fully owned by ABC and with a little nurturing, could turn into quite the asset for a network whose strongest comedies are nearing the end of their respective life spans.
In addition to Galvin, The Real O’Neals stars Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope), Jay Ferguson (Mad Men), Bebe Wood (The New Normal), and Matt Shively (True Jackson VP).
The Real O’Neals airs Tuesdays at 8:30 on ABC. You can check out why we think the show’s success is important here.
