With the network upfronts coming next week, all of the broadcast stations are making their final decisions on what will and won’t be allowed on the air in the fall. Luckily, ABC just announced that a trio of their most promising projects have been ordered to series, and audiences can expect to find The Muppets, Ken Jeong’s medical comedy Dr. Ken and the Martha Plimpton comedy The Real O’Neals hitting the network later this year.
The Muppets, developed by Big Bang Theory’s Bill Prady and Anger Management’s Bob Kushell, will give a more adult, behind-the-scenes mockumentary-style look at the Muppets putting together a TV series. (Think 30 Rock with slightly less cartoonish personalities.) But it’s not just about their work environment, as this project will also delve into the characters’ personal lives, where audiences can follow their romances, break-ups, joys and downfalls. Whatever it takes to get Fozzie and Gonzo back on my TV on a weekly basis, I’m definitely down for.
Dr. Ken, starring the medical practitioner-turned-superstar Ken Jeong, casts the Hangover and Community star as a doctor who has a markedly noticeable lack of couth both in the hospital and at home. The half-hour comedy will also star Suzy Nakamura (Go On), Tisha Campbell-Martin (The Protector), Dave Foley (Newsradio), Jonathan Slavin (Better Off Ted), Albert Tsai (Trophy Wife), and Krista Marie Yu (The Thundermans).
The first creation from Galavant and Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 writer/producers David Windsor and Casey Johnson, The Real O’Neals centers on a Catholic family whose seemingly perfect life is completely upended when the youngest son, played by newcomer Noah Galvin, reveals he’s gay. But instead of falling apart, the family comes together in a new and surprisingly genuine way. This show also stars Raising Hope’s Martha Plimpton, Jay R. Ferguson (Mad Men), Matt Shively (Jessie), and Bebe Wood (The New Normal).
As far as TheWrap’s report goes, ABC hasn’t announced how many episodes of each series have been ordered, and nor are we aware of when these series will hit the air. But you can be sure they’ll try to fit the shows into their schedule in just the right spots. So long as no one tries to get them into Shonda Rhimes Thursday night lineup, everything could go quite smoothly.
