Searching for a way out of its slump, ABC said Tuesday it would introduce a whopping 11 new series next season, all but three of them in the fall.
They include two reality series, seven dramas and only two new comedies, something of a shift for a network that has tried to build behind comedies with limited success the past few years.
A spinoff series, titled “The Practice: Fleet Street,” is set for Sunday nights. ABC will start a suburban soap, called “Desperate Housewives,” and a drama for teenage boys described as a male version of “My So-Called Life.”
The two reality shows are “Wife Swap,” about real-life women who switch families, and “The Benefactor,” in which Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will give away $1 million.
“We feel like we really have the pieces to start in the right place,” said ABC entertainment president Stephen McPherson, who’s been on the job for 29 days.
ABC, a fourth-place place network for much of this year, cleared out its management team a month ago.
The network canceled the comedies “It’s All Relative,” “Married to the Kellys,” “I’m With Her” and “Life With Bonnie.” The drama “The D.A.” also was canceled.
The John Ritter-less “8 Simple Rules” will move to Fridays as part of the TGIF comedy lineup geared to families. Ritter died in September.
ABC News announced that Elizabeth Vargas will replace Barbara Walters as co-host of “20/20” with John Stossel. Walters was the show’s original co-host since 1979. The newsmagazine also has hired British celebrity interviewer Martin Bashir as part of its team.
The Thursday newsmagazine is being renamed “Primetime Live” and will go back to its roots as a live broadcast.