8 Highlights From the ABC TCA Panels: Scoop on 'Agent Carter,' 'Castle,' and More
The Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour is underway and Moviefone sat in for the panels at ABC's day to present their upcoming roster of programming. We got some scoop on new shows and returning favorites -- here are the highlights!
1. "Dancing With the Stars" Will Be Back...
March 16th to be exact. It's the reality competition's 20th season and Erin Andrews, Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tanioli, and Julianne Hough are all returning.
2. The Future of "Revenge"
When asked about the fate of the soapy series, ABC Prez seemed confident that the show will go on. "I've always loved the show and it's a critical brand for us," he explained. "We have some great story lines coming up. And there are ways to reinvent it too."
3. "Nashville" Love
"We're loving Nashville. We're going to have some great announcements about people who are going to appear on Nashville. It's a very good brand for us, so we love that show," Lee remarked on the country music series.
4. No More Singing Competitions... For Now
"Rising Star" wasn't exactly a hit, so the network will be staying away from the singing competition format for the foreseeable future. Lee did tease that some really exciting new reality shows are set to arrive this summer.
5. But Things Are Looking Good For "Castle"
"We love Castle. We love those two, and we want to see Castle on the air for many years to come," Lee said of a Season 8 possibility.
ABC Prez Paul Lee: "Least objectionable television is dead ... Social conversation is important." #TCA15
- moviefone (@moviefone) January 14, 2015
6. "Fresh Off the Boat" Is Midseason's Buzziest Comedy
The new sitcom based on chef Eddie Huang's memoir about moving to Orlando with first generation Taiwanese-American parents looks promising for the network, though it recently garnered some attention due to Huang's critical first-person essay in New York Magazine. Things got off to an awkward start when one audience member asked, "I love the Asian culture, with the chopsticks and everything. Will there be more chopsticks?" But the panel deflected (not without making some jokes about the question later...) and talked about the show's significance. "This show to me is historic," Huang said. "I don't think you've seen a TCA with this many Asian faces in a long time... or ever."
7. High Hopes for "American Crime"
The 11-episode gritty crime drama is stacked with a stellar cast -- Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton, Regina King, Benito Martinez, to name a few... And it comes from "12 Years a Slave" writer John Ridley. Ridley discussed how the show, which touches on issues of class, race, and gender as the investigation unfolds, reflects that of recent racially charged events. "When we originally started working on the show, there were times where we thought maybe we were not relevant anymore. Maybe we've moved past certain things. Then as the show was moving along, very sadly we realized that we were actually pre-dating some things. The reality is that unfortunately these events remain cyclical in this country."
8. "Agent Carter" / "Agents of SHIELD" Crossover?
When asked about "Agent Carter" and "Agents of SHIELD" joining forces, producer Jeph Loeb hinted, "The safest thing I can say is, hashtag it's all connected." Yup -- he actually used the word hashtag. BUT he kept quiet when it came to any crossovers related to the upcoming "Avengers: Age of Ultron" film.
#AgentCarter Exec Producer: "Marvel is all about the hope" so at the end of every episode you feel like Peggy will be okay. #TCA15
- moviefone (@moviefone) January 15, 2015
Stay tuned for more news from the Winter TCA panels as the week goes on!