TCA Winter 2023 Press Tour: ABC/Freeform; Antenna TV's Designing Women Super Belle Special

Thursday, January 12, 2023

TCA Winter 2023 Press Tour: ABC/Freeform; Antenna TV's Designing Women Super Belle Special

On the heels of its three wins at the Golden Globe(R) Awards ceremony, ABC has renewed hit comedy series Abbott Elementary from Warner Bros. Television and 20th Television for a third season. It was announced at the 2023 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour. Abbott Elementary delivers a 3.58 rating in Adults 18-49 after 35 days of viewing across platforms, growing 31% over its prior season and ranking as ABC's No. 1 series this season. In addition, the sophomore ABC sitcom averages 9.1 million Total Viewers in its second season after 35 days of cross-platform viewing, marking an increase of 13% over last season. New episodes air Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. EST. In last night's episode, "Fight," during a day of touchdowns and missed plays, the Abbott Elementary faculty find themselves learning lessons in teamwork. Two of Janine's students aren't getting along in class, leading her to seek advice from her colleagues on how to help repair their friendship. Meanwhile, Melissa and Ava plot to bring down Mr. Johnson in fantasy football.

ABC has ordered an embedded pilot episode of The Good Doctor called The Good Lawyer, from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Signature. In the episode airing March 6, Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) seeks legal representation to help him win a case and puts his faith in a promising, young lawyer who has obsessive compulsive disorder. The episode is written by co-showrunners David Shore and Liz Friedman, and directed by Ruben Fleischer. Kennedy McMann ("Nancy Drew") is set to guest star as Joni DeGroot, the brilliant, funny and self-aware lawyer who is relatively new to her prestigious law firm when she takes Shaun's case. Emmy(R) Award-winning Felicity Huffman (American Crime) is set to guest star as Janet Stewart, a highly regarded attorney and partner at the law firm with a fierce intellect and dry wit.

ABC's Emmy(R) Award-winning daytime drama General Hospital will celebrate its 60th anniversary on April 1, 2023. To honor the milestone, the network is set to present the cast and crew with a stage dedication on the Prospect Studios lot, permanently commemorating the show's legacy and serving as a reminder of the history that has been made in that very spot. The show will kick off its anniversary programming at the end of March with a special episode honoring the late Sonya Eddy, who played GH head nurse Epiphany Johnson on the series since 2006. Then, the beloved Nurses Ball returns starting the week of April 3, a fictional glamorous charity event complete with red-carpet fashion and musical performances from the illustrious citizens of Port Charles dedicated to HIV/AIDS awareness. This marks the first time the Nurses Ball has aired since 2020. The festivities will then continue as icons of Port Charles unite to stop a legendary threat from the past. Jane Elliot is set to reprise her role as the legendary Tracy Quartermaine in April.

The second season of the critically acclaimed comedy Single Drunk Female will debut on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, at 10:00 p.m. EDT/PDT, with the entire 10-episode second season available on Hulu and on-demand platforms the next day, Thursday, April 13. Ian Gomez (Cougar Town) has been elevated to series regular as Carol's boyfriend, Bob. Busy Phillipps (Cougar Town) and Ricky Velez (The King of Staten Island) will recur as new people in Sam's life, and Charlie Hall (The Sex Lives of College Girls) will once again recur as Sam's ex, Joel. As previously announced, Molly Ringwald will guest star as Carol's sister-in-law Alice. Emmy(R)-nominated grown-ish is being picked up for a sixth season. The series returns for the second half of its fifth season on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 10:30 p.m. EST/PST, next day on Hulu. And finally, Cruel Summer, the highest-rated series in Freeform history, will return for its second season in Summer 2023. The anthology series features a brand new cast and mystery. The series now stars Sadie Stanley, Lexi Underwood, Griffin Gluck, KaDee Strickland, Lisa Yamada and Sean Blakemore. Paul Adelstein will recur.

Designing Women Super Belle Sunday

If you are fed up with football and have had it with halftime shows, Antenna TV calls time out with the all-day "Designing Women's Super Belle Sunday" special, starting Sunday, February 12 at 5am Eastern on Antenna TV. The "Designing Women's Super Belle Sunday" special features a "best of collection" from the sitcom that follows a group of successful women working at an interior design firm in Atlanta. Designing Women originally aired from 1986 to 1993 over seven seasons with 163 episodes. The original cast included Delta Burke, Jean Smart, Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, and Meshach Taylor. Guest stars included Jonathan Banks, Tony Goldwyn, Hal Holbrook, and Gerald McRaney. You can catch Designing Women regularly Mon-Fri 11pm ET | 8pm PT only on Antenna TV!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, March 12

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Big Birthday and Tequila Shots" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Mandy struggles to celebrate Georgie’s 21st birthday after hitting a rough patch in her career.

Ghosts - "St. Hetty’s Day 2: The Help" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
A St. Patrick’s Day staffing emergency gives Hetty the chance to step into an unlikely role at the restaurant as she regains her once-a-year ability to be seen and heard by the living. Meanwhile, Kyle returns to watch over the ghosts and finds himself caught in an amusing supernatural dynamic.

Animal Control - "Squirrels and Fat Cats" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Frank uncovers Emily and Shred's secret romance during a break-in at city supply; Victoria and Patel confront his daughter's school bully.

Going Dutch - "Tinker, Tailor, Colonel, Spy" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Rick takes a sabbatical from the CIA and returns to the base, hoping to rekindle his strained relationship with Capt. Maggie; paranoia runs high when a mole is suspected to be operating inside the base.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 9)

Thursday, March 12

Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Catch Will on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Minnie Driver (Emily in Paris/Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Robert stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Kristin Chenoweth (Stumble/Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Jennifer Tilly (Out of Practice) - Andy Cohen interviews Jennifer on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo.
Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan talks about Broadway's Death of a Salesman with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!) - Ariana joins Tamron to talk about her fashion evolution and her role in the all-star cast of the new series Scarpetta on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Lauren Graham (The Z-Suite/M.Y.O.B./Conrad Bloom/Townies/Good Company) - Lauren talks about Reminders of Him on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - NBC's Today catches up with Valerie in the 10am hour.
Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Phil and Lily Rosenthal join Drew for a taste test of weird foods and talk about their children's book Just Try It! Someplace New! (A Phil & Lil Book) on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.