upfronts 2016

ABC Picks Up Minnie Driver Comedy Speechless, Renews Last Man Standing

MASON COOK, KYLA KENEDY, JOHN ROSS BOWIE, MINNIE DRIVER, MICAH FOWLER, CEDRIC YARBROUGH
Speechless. Photo: Kevin Foley/ABC

ABC spent Thursday canceling a whole bunch of shows; it’s spending Friday announcing some of the projects that will replace them, including Speechless, a family sitcom that stars Minnie Driver as “a mom on a mission who will do anything for her husband Jimmy, her kids Ray, Dylan, and JJ, her eldest son with special needs.” (The title comes from Driver’s character’s desire to help JJ “find his ‘voice.’”) Joining Speechless on ABC’s schedule will be Last Man Standing, which the broadcast giant just picked up for a sixth season. That show stars Tim Allen as a conservative family man befuddled by an America he no longer recognizes, and — little bit of trivia — it actually got more votes in the Republican primaries than Jeb Bush. 

ABC Orders Speechless, Renews Last Man Standing