Here's when ABC midseason shows such as 'The Catch' will debut
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
ABC has announced air dates for new shows like the anticipated Shonda Rhimes program, 鈥淭he Catch,鈥� as well as the dates on which hit shows such as 鈥淥nce Upon a Time鈥� will come back after their winter hiatuses.聽
Network shows often debut in the fall and take a brief break around the holidays before returning sometime in the beginning of the new year. Some wait longer than that, however 鈥� ABC鈥檚 鈥淢arvel鈥檚 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,鈥� for example, won鈥檛 be coming back until March.聽
ABC鈥檚 new show, 鈥淭he Catch,鈥� which is produced by Rhimes of 鈥淕rey鈥檚 Anatomy鈥� and 鈥淪candal鈥� and centers on a woman who works in fraud detection who herself is fooled, will premiere on March 24. The family comedy 鈥淭he Real O鈥橬eals,鈥� which is produced by columnist Dan Savage, will officially premiere on March 8 but will debut as part of a preview for viewers the week before on March 2.聽
The biblical series, 鈥淥f Kings and Prophets,鈥� will debut on March 8, as well. The political drama, 鈥淭he Family,鈥� will air as a sneak peek for viewers on March 3, then officially debut on March 6.
Meanwhile, the fantasy musical series, 鈥淕alavant,鈥� will debut its second season on Jan. 3. The second season of the superhero show, 鈥淢arvel鈥檚 Agent Carter,鈥� will bow on Jan. 5. The second season of the anthology series, 鈥淎merican Crime,鈥� will debut on Jan. 6.聽
As for reality shows, a new program, 鈥淢y Diet Is Better Than Yours,鈥� will debut on Jan. 7. The show, 鈥淏eyond the Tank,鈥� will debut a new season on Jan. 7 and the newest season of 鈥淭he Bachelor鈥� will debut on Jan. 4.
Shows that have already aired episodes this fall and will return in February are 鈥淭he Muppets鈥� and 鈥淔resh Off the Boat,鈥� which will both come back on Feb. 2, and the Rhimes lineup (鈥淕rey鈥檚,鈥� 鈥淪candal,鈥� and 鈥淗ow to Get Away with Murder,鈥� all of which are created or produced by Rhimes), which will air new episodes, beginning Feb. 11.
鈥淥nce Upon a Time鈥� will begin airing new episodes on March 6, as will the show 鈥淨uantico.鈥�
鈥淪.H.I.E.L.D.鈥� will return for new episodes on March 8 and the music drama 鈥淣ashville鈥� will be back on March 16.聽
This schedule allows ABC to promote some of its shows that are premiering episodes for the first time in 2016, rather than having debuted this past fall. 鈥淕alavant,鈥� for example, will be airing during the time 鈥淥nce Upon a Time鈥� usually airs. Both are fantasy shows, so ABC is no doubt hoping viewers who like 鈥淥nce,鈥� already a proven hit, will stick around for 鈥淕alavant,鈥� giving more support to the comparatively junior show.聽
How is ABC doing in general? One of the biggest stars in ABC's lineup is Rhimes, who is behind the network鈥檚 top-rated shows. In addition, the network seems to be succeeding at airing content for multiple demographics. Family shows such as 鈥淥nce Upon a Time鈥� and 鈥淢odern Family鈥� are proven hits and other programs for a wide range of ages like 鈥淏lack-ish鈥� and 鈥淔resh Off the Boat鈥� have also performed well.
Of course, strong performers from other networks mean better competition. Fox鈥檚 鈥淓mpire鈥� was the highest-rated scripted program in the valued 18 to 49 demographic last year, with CBS鈥檚 comedy, 鈥淭he Big Bang Theory,鈥� behind it. ABC鈥檚 鈥淢odern Family鈥� came in behind those programs. But ABC's 鈥淪candal鈥� also appeared on the list of the 10 top-rated programs among 18 to 49-year-olds with 鈥淢odern,鈥� which is good.
CBS鈥檚 heavy hitters like 鈥淣CIS鈥� and 鈥淭heory鈥� dominated in the season ratings for total viewers, with ABC ranking far lower on the total viewers list with its show, "Dancing With the Stars."
