The Neighbors | experience it all.

Bet you weren’t expecting to hear this news before the TV season started. Today ABC handed out back-nine orders to Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal and (wait for it) Dan Fogelman’s The Neighbors. Scandal, starring Kerry Washington, is currently in its second season but the Alphabet network was hesitant and only gave it a 13-episode order to see how it would fare following its so-so rated first season. Averaging 8.1 million viewers and a 2.5 ratings share in the adults 18-49 demo, the political drama has proven itself to be a worthy contender on Thursday nights and will get to play with a full season consisting of 22 episodes this year.

Also given a full season is the alien-family sitcom The Neighbors. Before it premiered critics widely panned the pilot, and following the episode viewers flocked to Twitter to discuss how bad it really was. I guess the word of mouth actually helped it because it has been performing modestly in the ratings, good enough for ABC to let it finish its first season with 22 episodes aired. The bizarre Wednesday night comedy averages 6.8 million viewers and a 2.0 in 18-49 and on the schedule it shall remain for now.

We are still waiting on the fates of Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue; ABC recently upped their script orders. The network has more time to decide on Nashville since it got a late start.

Today ABC showed signs of confidence for two of its new fall dramas. Instead of giving its full vote with full season orders (or “back nine” episodes), the Alphabet network ordered two additional scripts for political thriller Last Resort and the sexy, seductive, and intriguing 666 Park Avenue. That bumps their initial order of 13 episodes to 15. We’ll take it! And just for the record, earlier this month ABC ordered three more scripts for the wacky alien comedy The Neighbors.

Elsewhere, FOX must really like The Mindy Project because shortly after granting it the back nine, today the network ordered two more episodes of the Mindy Kaling comedy bringing its grand total to 24 episodes. Also, The Mob Doctor is safe for now. After airing four episodes with rather dismal ratings (the most recent ep attracted 3.4 million viewers and a 0.9 demo rating), FOX has decided to let the medical drama return from a short hiatus on November 5 and let its 13-episode order play out. This was the show most thought would be the first to go (Made in Jersey and Animal Practice beat it to the punch), so we’ll see if it can even last that long.

[Via Deadline 1, 2, 3; EW]

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Tag Archives: The Neighbors

ABC grants full season orders to ‘Scandal’ & ‘The Neighbors’

ABC orders additional scripts for ‘Last Resort’ & ‘666 Park Avenue’, FOX extends ‘The Mindy Project’s full season order and holds onto ‘The Mob Doctor’