Upfronts 2014: ABC

If nothing else, ABC's quick hook makes for fun upfront recaps. So here we go again!

What's Cancelled?Everything. OK, maybe not everything but a lot of things. Trophy Wife, Super Fun Night, Suburgatory, and The Neighborsall got the axe, as did anything that was mid-season that's not Resurrection.

Starting this Fall

Monday - Dancing With the Stars leading into Castle. Easily their strongest night of the week.

Tuesday - Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. moves back and hour to open up the first hour for two new sitoms. The first is Selfie, which by name alone makes me hope it gets cancelled during its first episode. It's about a woman who is Internet famous and realizes she'd rather be an actual person, and hires a guy to help her. It's apparently based on My Fair Lady, and as much as one may like Karen Gillian and John Cho, they aren't exactly Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.

That leads to Manhattan Love Story, about the start of a relationship where we can apparently hear the couple's thoughts. I think. Can't say I care.

The night closes with Forever, the story of an immortal medical examiner who uses his current cases to try to discover why he hasn't died. We're apparently not done with TV shows about people who can't die.

Wednesday - mostly returning shows (The Middle, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, and Nashville), with the new sitcom Black-ish at 9:30. It's about an African-American family whose dad (Anthony Anderson) is concerned that he's assimilated too much. Helping him address this is his father (Laurence Fishburne). Worried about the potential for devolving into cliche, but given who is involved there's hope.

Thursday - Grey's Anatomy moves to 8 - too early! - and is followed by Scandal and the new drama How to Get Away with Murder. The latest from Shonda Rhimes, it's about a law professor (Viola Davis) who gets involved with four of her students in applying what they learn in class to real life cases. Kind of meh, though having Viola Davis around is promising.

Friday - Last Man Standing returns, leading into Cristela, about a woman whose six year law school career is finally leading to a big job. But at what cost to her ethnic identity? Not feeling it. Shark Tank and 20/20 finish the night.

Saturday - college football

Sunday - America's Funniest Home Videos, Once Upon a Time, Resurrection, and Revenge all return. A good night of shows that are still growing.

And then at midseason

OK, I'm not going to go through all of the shows. Most notable are:

American Crime - a killing with racial overtones begins to tear a town apart. Some notable names here (Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton), making this the show that will probably get the biggest push.

Galavant - a musical about a knight who loses his princess and is going to get her back. Just goofy enough to work? Alan Menken is involved, so the songs should be pretty good.

Marvel's Agent Carter - ABC's required new show based on a comic book, the former girlfriend of Captain America has to balance a reduction in work now that men are coming back from WWII, the occasional secret mission, and her newly single status. This will work well once something gets cancelled and they can put it after Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Secrets & Lies - a man (Ryan Phillipe) discovers a dead boy and is arrested for the killing. He has to prove his innocence while the investigator on the case (Juliette Lewis) starts to reveal the town's... secrets and lies. It's apparently based on Australian show, even if sounds like a neatened up version of Twin Peaks.

The Whispers - aliens have invaded, but are using children to unwittingly set things up for their final assault. I actually like this twist for what is a pretty hoary subject.

Outlook

Not sure some of the time slot moves are going to work - well, Grey'sat least - and there's enough high concept stuff here to be worried about midseason shows sticking around as well.