The network upfronts continue, and ABC is the latest to peddle its upcoming wares to potential advertisers. Considering last week’s cancelation frenzy, during which ABC let go of a number of series, like Designated Survivor, Alex Inc., Inhumans (naturally), and Quantico, it’s no surprise that the network would have a number of newcomers ready to fill the programming void. What is surprising, however, is that quite a lot of ABC’s new shows actually look more than capable of replacing the series that got the ax. 

Perhaps the most promising of the new shows is Whiskey Cavalier, aka, the show that has all but sealed Maggie’s fate on The Walking Dead. The fun, bubbly trailer features Lauren Cohan and Scott Foley as a pair of mismatched government agents in an action-comedy that actually looks capable of delivering on both laughs and action. Couple that with some fun dialogue and two attractive leads and ABC may be looking at a surefire hit come the fall. 

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The rest of the lineup feels like less of a sure thing, but there are some standouts. Chief among them are comedies Single Parents and The Kids Are Alright. A pair of single camera series that appear to be following in the footsteps of Modern Family, black-ish, and Fresh Off the Boat, though, for what it’s worth, The Kids Are Alright has more in common with The Wonder Years and The Goldbergs than the other series. Nevertheless, both boast strong casts (with The Kids Are Alright bringing yet another Walking Dead alum to ABC with Michael Cudlitz) and there are some actual laugh-inducing moments in the trailers. The comedy in Single Parents is a little broader, but that may help it appeal to a wider audience initially. 

Take a look at the other series coming to ABC in the fall:

The Fix

Grand Hotel

The Kids Are Alright 

A Million Little Things

The Rookie

Single Parents

Whiskey Cavalier

Overall, it looks like a strong lineup with at least one series, The Fix, destined to get people talking. Written and executive produced by Marcia Clark (yes, that Marcia Clark), the series makes some fairly overt references to the O.J. Simpson case throughout the nearly three-minute trailer. A lot of those references result in some cringe-worthy dialogue, but even then this will be a tough one to pass up, at least initially. 

Otherwise, there’s Nathan Fillion’s The Rookie, which ABC apparently feels so strongly about the trailer was released several days ahead of the others, as well as the soapy Grand Hotel and A Million Little Things, which has a very impressive cast and was giving off way more This Is Us vibes than expected. 

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Source: ABC