'Once Upon a Time,' 'Revenge,' 'Castle' lead early ABC renewals

'Modern Family,' 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Suburgatory' will also be back

By Daniel Fienberg Thursday, May 10, 2012 9:15 PM

Emily Van Camp of "Revenge"

Credit: ABC

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For over a month now, ABC has sat back and let the other four networks go about the business of early pre-upfronts renewals. The network broke its silence on Thursday (May 10) night with seven of its most obvious series pickups.

All of the ABC pickups were essentially no-brainers, led by Emmy-winning juggernaut "Modern Family," which has spent much of this season in the race for TV's most watched comedy and has held its own opposite "American Idol" this spring.

Also earning unsurprising renewals were freshman drama hits "Once Upon a Time" and "Revenge," as well as the successful first-year comedy "Suburgatory."

"The Middle" earned a third season pickup, joining "Suburgatory" and "Modern Family" from ABC's Wednesday comedy block.

With "Desperate Housewives" coming to an end this weekend, ABC worked to shore up a few of its longest-running dramas.

One day after it was announced that long-time stars Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, Ellen Pompeo and Justin Chambers were close to deals to return to "Grey's Anatomy," ABC gave them something to return to, picking up a ninth season of the still-popular medical soap opera.

And "Castle," suddenly one of the network's more venerable offerings, also earned a renewal, with the fifth season following up on the major emotional developments from this week's finale.

While ABC has already parted ways with "Cougar Town," setting that cult favorite free for TBS, the network is still looking at a slew of bubble shows awaiting their fates next week.

"Happy Endings," "Private Practice," "Missing," "Last Man Standing," "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," "GCB," "Scandal," "The River" and "Body of Proof" are all still floating in various degrees of limbo.

Stay tuned...

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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.

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'Once Upon a Time,' 'Revenge,' 'Castle' lead early ABC renewals