ABC Announces 12 Pickups for the 2009-10 TV Season
Private Practice's Kate Walsh, Ugly Betty's America Ferrera
ABC has announced a dozen early pickups for the 2009-10 TV season.
The renewed scripted series are Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Lost (whew, that was a nailbiter!) and Ugly Betty.
On the reality front, Dancing with the Stars, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Supernanny, Wife Swap, The Bachelor and, yes, America's Funniest Home Videos are all officially coming back.
The biggest "news" here is perhaps that Private Practice made the cut. Some considered the sophomore drama to be on the "bubble," though its numbers have been strong-ish ever since its multi-week crossover with mothership Grey's.
Also of note: Although Ugly Betty is definitely back, Samantha Who? — which recently and unsuccessfully co-opted Betty's Thursday berth — thus far is MIA from ABC's future plans.
As for new fare, ABC has ordered 13 episodes of Copper, which is described as a "youthful and heartfelt" workplace drama about five rookie cops fresh out of the police academy. Production on that series, which is being shared with Canada's Canwest Global, kicks off in June, in Toronto.
ABC's official May upfronts presentation to advertisers is slated for May 19, in New York City.