Two days after NBC picked up This Is Us for full season, ABC is doing the same with two of their shows. According to Variety, ABC has picked up the drama Designated Survivor and the comedy Speechless for full seasons.
“We’re very proud of the creative excellence in front of and behind the camera, and are thrilled to be giving our audience more episodes,” ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said.
Both shows received their back-nine pickup, meaning there’s going to be 22 episodes in their seasons instead of the traditional 13 episodes that networks first order when a new series is picked up.
For their first episodes, Speechless scored a 2.0 rating in the demographic and was watched by 7.38 million viewers. Designated Survivor scored a 2.2 rating and was watched by 10.04 million viewers. Both of the ratings came from TV by the Numbers.
The premiere numbers for the show grew when DVR ratings were factored in for the live and three-day viewing numbers. Designated Survivor grew to a 3.5 rating and Speechless grew to a 2.6 rating. That made Designated Survivor the third-highest watched show on Wednesday and Speechless was tied for eighth for all of Wednesday’s shows, according to TV by the Numbers.
For their second episodes, which aired two days ago, Speechless had a 1.8 rating and was watched by 6.43 million viewers and Designated Survivor had a 1.8 rating and was watched by 7.97 million viewers, both according to TV by the Numbers.
Speechless centers on the life of the DiMeo family, which includes son J.J. DiMeo, who has cerebral palsy. The show has been praised for casting Micah Fowler in the role, as he is an actor who has cerebral palsy. The show also stars Minnie Driver as Maya DiMeo and John Ross Bowie as Jimmy DiMeo. Kyla Kennedy, Mason Cook and Cedric Yarborough also star in the show.
Designated Survivor stars Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman, the secretary of housing and urban development, who becomes president after an attack on the Capitol during the State of the Union address. Kirkman becomes president after he’s named the designated survivor, the one member of the cabinet who stays behind during the address in case there’s something that happens to the other members in the presidential line of succession. Italia Ricci, Kal Penn and Maggie Q also star in the series.
Speechless airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on ABC. Designated Survivor airs Wednesdays 10 p.m. on ABC.