ABC sets April premieres for 'Scandal,' 'Don't Trust the B----'

'Private Practice' will move to Tuesdays, while 'Cougar Town' remains homeless

By Daniel Fienberg Tuesday, Jan 10, 2012 8:37 PM

Kerry Washington of "Scandal"

Credit: ABC

Two key pieces of ABC's midseason puzzle found their places on Tuesday (January 10) morning at the Television Critics Association press tour.

ABC announced premiere dates for the comedy "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" and "Scandal," leaving "Cougar Town" as the network's lone homeless midseason entry.

"Scandal," Shonda Rhimes, will premiere on Thursday, April 5 at 10 p.m., airing after Rhimes' hit drama "Grey's Anatomy." The drama stars Kerry Washington as DC's top crisis manager and the ensemble cast also includes Henry Ian Cusick, Columbus Short, Guillermo Diaz and Tony Goldwyn.

In order to make room for "Scandal," Rhimes' other Thursday drama, "Private Practice," will shift to Tuesday nights starting on April 24 and running through May 15, a move that will allow ABC to assess its long-term viability away from the "Grey's Anatomy" teat.

"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" will launch on Wednesday, April 11 in the 9:30 slot currently occupied by "Happy Endings," which will have completed its second season. The comedy stars Krysten Ritter, Dreama Walker and James Van Der Beek, playing James Van Der Beek.

Regarding "Cougar Town," ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee was asked about the absent comedy and offered veiled optimism.

"[Y]ou're going to hear that within a couple of weeks. We have an idea where it is. We're not quite ready to announce it, but we will be doing it within a couple of weeks."

Lee continued, "We've got a good launchpad for it. It didn't have a place earlier on, but when it comes, we hope it will do extremely well, and by the way, this is maybe a bit of a dream, but I would love to have look, we don't know what's going to work with the new shows but if you look at 'Happy Endings,' if you look at 'Cougar Town,' and if you look at 'Apartment 23,' it will be great to have a group of young, irreverent comedies together. That's a little bit of a dream for the future, but I'd love to have 'Cougar Town' as a part of that."

Where would you schedule "Cougar Town"?

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.

Related Searches: TCA Press Tour, ABC, Cougar Town, scandal, Private Practice, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23

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DUH!

The show is Happy Endings, not Happy Town.
January 10, 2012 at 10:52PM EST Reply to Comment
- Yes. Duh, indeed. Fixed...
  
  -Daniel
  January 11, 2012 at 12:45AM EST
MC

While I like the idea of a Happy Endings, Cougar Town, Apt 23 block, I don't think anyone would watch it.
January 11, 2012 at 2:11AM EST Reply to Comment

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ABC sets April premieres for 'Scandal,' 'Don't Trust the B----'

'Private Practice' will move to Tuesdays, while 'Cougar Town' remains homeless