ABC Is Relying on a Trio of Established Dramas to Deliver Ratings
The Walt Disney Company held its annual upfronts presentation yesterday, giving advertisers a glimpse at its upcoming slate of television shows and movies.
When it came time for ABC to take center stage, the network’s fall schedule looked awfully familiar. Sure, there were some minor changes, including the debut of 9-1-1 Nashville and a new night for Shark Tank, but by and large, Disney’s flagship television station will rely on a trio of established dramas to bring in viewers.
Looking ahead to the 2025-2026 schedule, Grey’s Anatomy will return for a 22nd season, 9-1-1 will return for Season 9, and The Rookie will continue through Season 8.
The Dramas Continue to Deliver
While it is unusual for a trio of shows to have the kind of extended run that the ABC dramas have had, Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, says the series are still delivering results.
9-1-1 – ABC’s Ò9-1-1Ó stars Angela Bassett as Athena Grant. (Disney/Justin Stephens)
“Those may be quote-unquote ‘older shows’ in terms of how many seasons, but what we’re seeing is new generations of fans coming in and discovering these shows,” he said. “We have at Disney a very unique ecosystem where we have multiple platforms, but we’re able to create singular events. We’re better at it than anybody.”
Speaking specifically about Grey’s Anatomy, 9-1-1, and The Rookie, Erwich pointed to the Nielsen multiplatform season ratings.
Image Credit: ABC
“We have the top five shows in adults 18-49 on multiplatform viewers,” Erwich said. “We have the No.1 show this year so far with ‘High Potential.’”
Individually, The Rookie is #3 on the aformented Nielsen charts, while 9-1-1 is #4, and Grey’s Anatomy is #11.
“Those shows continue to recruit new viewers and stay fresh, and they stay current in the storytelling,” Erwich said of the trio. “So this we don’t really consider them older shows. They’re young and spry and vibrant and continue to deliver performance and a lot of joy and entertainment to those viewers.”
Photo: ABC
While Disney has found all kinds of streaming success with new series, especially those from FX, on linear television, the company will continue to play the hits.
