On Tuesday, ABC hosted their spring Upfronts, a presentation traditionally given to advertisers and journalists that mostly serves as a big PR opportunity for the network’s new and returning shows in the fall.
ABC kicked off their presentation by showcasing one of their star actors, Priyanka Chopra, in an elaborate dance number set to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”. Then it was down to business, where they boasted about the continued success of Grey’s Anatomy (which will continue to anchor Thursday nights) and American Crime, which was much more successful with critics than with the public.
They also announced that they’ve agreed to extend Jimmy Kimmel’s contract for three more years with Jimmy Kimmel Live and Jimmy was on hand to crack jokes and charm the audience with a ten minute standup segment.
As far as the future goes, ABC made sure to highlight Designated Survivor, a new drama starring Kiefer Sutherland that focuses on a cabinet member who becomes President after a terrorist attack. ABC also took time to promote When We Rise, a gay rights miniseries from Dustin Lance Black as well as the re-imagining of Dirty Dancing.
The future looks bright for ABC, but considering the whole point of upfronts is to sell ad space to advertisers, the future should look phenomenal.
