"The Conners" Live Special; Premieres, Finales, and More from ABC TCA Winter Press Tour

Today’s Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour featured a wave of new announcements from ABC including live specials, series finale dates and more.

What’s happening:

During the TCA Winter Press Tour, ABC shared several announcements about their 2020 programming including:
- Two Live Specials
- Series Finales for Modern Family and How to Get Away with Murder
- Series Premiere for The Baker and the Beauty
- New Air Dates and Times for Shark Tank and American Housewife

Scripted Announcements

REID EWING, ARIEL WINTER, TY BURRELL, JULIE BOWEN, ERIC STONESTREET, NOLAN GOULD, AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS, JESSE TYLER FERGUSON, JEREMY MAGUIRE, SARAH HYLAND, SOFIA VERGARA, RICO RODRIGUEZ, ED O'NEILL

Modern Family

The Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan are ready to say goodbye but not before giving fans one final night of belly laughs as one of television’s great family comedies.
Currently in its 11th and final season, ABC announced today that Modern Family will air its series farewell episode on Wednesday, April 8, on ABC.
In addition, ABC is giving fans the power to program an entire night filled with their favorite Modern Family episodes that will air Wednesday, March 11 (8:00-11:00 pm EDT).
The night will kick off with the episode that started it all – the Modern Family series premiere – followed by five additional fan-chosen episodes, giving viewers a chance to gather their families for the ultimate Modern Family binge and relive some of the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan’s most hilarious, jaw-dropping and monumental moments.
Voting for your favorite Modern Family episodes will begin Monday, February 3, via a daily Twitter poll from the show’s Twitter handle and concludes Friday, February. 7.
Each day, a different selection of episodes will be available for fans to choose from for a curated night of Modern Family fun!
Modern Family is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television in association with Steven Levitan Prods and Picador Productions.

The Baker and the Beauty

ABC has announced it’s new romantic dramedy, The Baker and the Beauty will debut on April 6, 2020. The series based on the hit Israeli show created by Assi Azar, originally for Keshet Broadcasting.

Live Specials

MICHAEL FISHMAN, JAYDEN REY, LECY GORANSON, SARA GILBERT, EMMA KENNEY, AMES MCNAMARA, JOHN GOODMAN, LAURIE METCALF

The Conners

ABC will air a special live episode of top-rated comedy The Conners the night of the New Hampshire primary, Tuesday, February 11 (8:00-8:30 pm EST).
The cast will perform the episode live for both the East and West coast broadcasts.
ABC News coverage of the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary will be incorporated into the story in real time as the results roll in during the evening.

Episode synopsis:

The live episode will find Mark (Ames McNamara) watching the results of the primary for a school report with Harris (Emma Kenney), who is apathetic to the electoral process and believes money’s influence in politics means real change is impossible. The rest of the Conners share their differing takes on why they all think everyone should vote, including their working-class perspective that you may have to vote for a candidate you don’t love but one that will “screw you the least.” All of this happens against the backdrop of romance when Louise (guest star Katey Sagal) gets an opportunity that might send her away from Lanford, prompting the family to interfere in Dan’s (John Goodman) complicated relationship with her by throwing Louise a surprise going-away party, creating major new tensions between Dan and his daughters.

Young Frankenstein Live!

ABC today announced that the network will debut its latest live musical event this fall with Young Frankenstein Live! (working title), produced by the legendary director, writer, actor, comedian, producer and composer, Mel Brooks.
The announcement comes on the heels of the network’s most recent hit musical spectacular, The Wonderful World of Disney presents The Little Mermaid Live!
Based on the Broadway stage version of Young Frankenstein, Young Frankenstein Live! will follow Mel Brooks’ and Gene Wilder’s comedic reimagining of the Mary Shelley classic novel.
The live production will feature music from the stage adaptation, originally composed by Brooks.
An airdate and cast announcement will be made at a later date.

Emmy Awards

ABC and the Television Academy today announced the return of the 72nd Emmy Awards to ABC, airing LIVE coast to coast from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 20 (8:00-11:00 pm EDT/5:00-8:00 pm PDT).
Host(s) and producers for the telecast will be announced at a later date.
Nominations for the 72nd Emmy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, July 14.
The 2020 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, honoring outstanding artistic and technical achievements in television, will take place over two consecutive nights on Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
The Television Academy seeks to expand the horizons of television excellence. It strives to empower storytellers who shape the evolving television space through the programs, publications and events of the Academy and its Foundation. And it celebrates those who have led excellence by recording their stories and recognizing their achievements through accolades and awards, including television’s most coveted prize, the Emmy Award.

Spring Scheduling Announcements

BILLY BROWN, CHARLIE WEBER, AMIRAH VANN, VIOLA DAVIS, ROME FLYNN, MATT MCGORRY, AJA NAOMI KING, CONRAD RICAMORA, LIZA WEIL, JACK FALAHEE

How to Get Away with Murder

ABC today announced the explosive series finale of How to Get Away with Murder will air Thursday, May 14 (10:01-11:00 pm EDT).
The critically acclaimed series, which will return for its six-episode killer farewell event on Thursday, April 2, is currently in its sixth and final season.
In July, it was announced that season six of How to Get Away with Murder would be its last.
This season follows Professor Annalise Keating’s (Viola Davis) class through their final semester in law school – while the deception, fear and guilt-binding Professor Keating to her students proved deadlier than ever. The fall finale ended on a cliffhanger as Wes Gibbons (Alfred Enoch), who was previously presumed dead, was seen in a flash-forward at Annalise’s funeral, fueling further speculation of “Who Killed Annalise?”
The back-half of the season will pick up where the fall finale left off in the present-day storyline as Michaela Pratt (Aja Naomi King) and Connor Walsh (Jack Falahee) are arrested for the murder of Asher Millstone (Matt McGorry). Meanwhile, Annalise was last seen fleeing Philadelphia after the news broke that she is under criminal investigation.
Shondaland’s How to Get Away with Murder is created and executive produced by Pete Nowalk (Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy). Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers and Stephen Cragg also serve as executive producers. The show is produced by ABC Studios.

DANIEL DIMAGGIO, JULIA BUTTERS, DIEDRICH BADER, KATY MIXON, MEG DONNELLY, CARLY HUGHES, ALI WONG

Shark Tank; American Housewife

Friday nights are about to see some shark-infested waters when Shark Tank, the entrepreneurial-themed reality show currently in its 11th season, returns to its Friday time slot on February 28 (8:00-9:01 pm EST).
Meanwhile, ABC’s hit comedy American Housewife moves to a new spot on the ABC comedy block beginning Wednesday, April 15 (9:00-9:30 pm EDT).
American Housewife will air at 9:30 pm EDT starting March 18 before moving to 9:00 pm EDT on April 15.

DAYMOND JOHN, BARBARA CORCORAN, MARK CUBAN, LORI GREINER, KEVIN O'LEARY, ROBERT HERJAVEC

Friday, February 28

8:00-9:01 pm Shark Tank (New Day/Time)

Wednesday, April 15

9:00-9:30 pm American Housewife (New Day/Time)