Upfronts 2012: ABC Moves ‘Revenge,’ Creates TGIF Block

ABC is reviving TGIF and moving its freshman darling Revenge to Desperate Housewives’ former home.

“Last year was about stability and ambition, this year is about growth and continuing momentum, with strong programming that will stake ABC’s claim on more nights as the home of quality entertainment,” ABC entertainment group president Paul Lee said ahead of his network’s afternoon upfront presentation.  

Unlike NBC’s Thursday comedy block, which offers no new shows, ABC’s Wednesday block will give the new alien-community comedy The Neighbors from Dan Fogelman the coveted post-Modern Family spot. The music-infused Connie Britton drama Nashville will follow at 10 p.m., a slot in which Revenge thrived a year earlier.

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And by November, Lee will get his Friday multicamera comedy block, with the complimentary combo of Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing and Reba McEntire‘s new Malibu Country. In total, ABC will have three nights of comedy, compared with NBC’s four and Fox’s two (including animation).

For its part, Revenge will join the net’s new soapy, femme-focused Sundays, being positioned between the popular returning fairytale drama Once Upon a Time and new addition 666 Park Avenue. 

Here’s a look at the Disney-owned network’s 2012-13 schedule, with 10 new shows including Mark Gordon’s family comedy Family Tools and Shawn Ryan’s more male-skewing Last Resort in boldface:

MONDAY

8 p.m. Dancing With the Stars

10 p.m. Castle

(In January)

8 p.m. The Bachelor

10 p.m. Castle

TUESDAY

8 p.m. Dancing With the Stars Results Show

9 p.m. Happy Endings

9:30 p.m. Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23

10 p.m. Private Practice

(In January)

8 p.m. How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)

8:30 p.m. The Family Tools

WEDNESDAY

8 p.m. The Middle

8:30 p.m. Suburgatory

9 p.m. Modern Family

9:30 p.m. The Neighbors

10 p.m. Nashville

THURSDAY

8 p.m. Last Resort

9 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy

10 p.m. Scandal

FRIDAY

8 p.m. Shark Tank

9 p.m. Primetime: What Would You Do?

10 p.m. 20/20

(In November)

8 p.m. Last Man Standing

8:30 p.m. Malibu Country

9 p.m. Shark Tank

10 p.m. Primetime: What Would You Do?

SATURDAY

8 p.m. Saturday Night College Football

SUNDAY

7 p.m. America’s Funniest Home Videos

8 p.m. Once Upon a Time

9 p.m. Revenge

10 p.m. 666 Park Avenue