The Spin-off
Shakeup at ABC and Family Comedies Dominate Pilot Season
In a surprisingly-timed move, Paul Lee is out at ABC, and Channing Dungey is in. And in the midst of pilot season, all the major networks have family comedy fever.
By Michael Schneider • • 35m ListenThere's been a shakeup at ABC. It was no secret that Paul Lee and his boss Ben Sherwood didn't always see eye to eye, but no one expected an ouster in the middle of pilot season. Lee did have some misses during his tenure, but on balance, he'll be remembered as a strong network president with a bold creative vision and an ability to truly increase diversity on ABC's shows.
His replacement is Channing Dungey, the former head of drama at ABC, and now the first African American to head a major broadcast network. She's known for her strong relationship with showrunner superstar Shonda Rhimes.
And to the dismay of many, pilot season does indeed still exist, and this year, among the 87 new pilots hoping to get series pickups, the family comedy is king. On the drama side, legal and crime thrillers are proving popular following the success of shows like The Jinx and Making a Murderer.
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