ABC’s fall primetime lineup will be more diverse its ever been.
On top of favorites like Scandal and Greys Anatomy, which both have minority leads, a new slew of diverse shows will be joining the network. Black-ish (a sitcom based on a Black suburban family), Cristela (a show about a Hispanic family), Fresh Off the Boat (a show about an Asian community), and How to Get Away with Murder (starring Viola Davis) are all bringing a much-needed array of stories/experiences to prime time.
“If you look at shows now that seem to lack diversity, they actually feel dated, because America doesn’t look like that anymore,” ABC president Paul Lee said at the Television Critics Association press tour Tuesday.
Lee also acknowledged that while they are making good strides, TV is still not “there yet” when it comes to accurately reflecting American demographics.
“I think we’re taking a very good step along that journey,” he added. “But to be able to pull this off, you need not just stars on air… [y]ou need the storytellers and you need the executives. I’m very proud of the fact that if you look at the executives who do development and do programming and marketing, across ABC, it’s a very diverse group of people.”