ABC hands out full-season orders to The Wonder Years & Home Economics

ABC has handed out full-season orders to one of its new series (although a revival of an old show) and a comedy series already in its second season. It has been announced that the network has picked up more episodes of The Wonder Years, currently in its first season, and sophomore Home Economics. Each received a nine-episode back order, bringing their pickups to a full season of 22 episodes.

The Wonder Years serves as a revival of the hit 1988 series of the same name and it follows the Black middle-class Williams family in Montgomery, AL during the turbulent late 1960s. Dean Williams (Elisha “E.J.” Williams) is the 12-year-old at the center of the coming of age story and Don Cheadle narrates as the voice of adult Dean. Per “Deadline“, the series is ABC’s strongest new comedy debut in two years in both Total Viewers (6.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.9 demo rating) after seven days of multiplatform viewing. The show averages 4.8 million total viewers after 7 days of viewing across all linear and digital platforms to tie The Conners as ABC’s no. 1 comedy this season among adults 18-49. Reviews of the revival have also been strong as the series currently sits with a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The show also stars Dule Hill, Saycon Sengbloh, Laura Kariuki, Amari O’Neil, Julian Lerner, and Milan Ray.

Home Economics began as a midseason series and debuted to very promising reviews (currently 82% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes). The first season ran seven episodes and because of Home Economics‘ short freshman season, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, ABC put extra marketing behind the comedy series’ September 22, 2021 Season 2 return, treating it as a first-year show. The pickup comes five episodes into Home Economics‘ second season run. The show is inspired by the real-life experiences of writer and executive producer Michael Colton, the show, developed by Colton and John Aboud, documents the uncomfortable yet heartwarming relationships of three siblings in very different situations: one in the ultra-rich, one in the middle class, and one scraping by. Home Economics has averaged 3.6 million total viewers and a 0.9 rating among adults 18-49 after 7 days of viewing across all linear and digital platforms. The series stars Topher Grace, Caitlin McGee, Jimmy Tatro, Karla Souza, and Sasheer Zamata.

Have YOU been watching Home Economics and The Wonder Years?