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ABC's Modern Family makes for the funniest TV Wednesday ever?
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According to the ratings, ABC has a Wednesday night full of hit shows on their hands.
The Middle, Modern Family, and Cougar Town have all been picked up for a full season. By my count, ABC has now officially produced the funniest Wednesday night ever.
Modern Family appears to be the breakout hit of the night for ABC, averaging more than nine million viewers a night. Since Wednesday isn't usually a major programming night, the numbers are even more encouraging. The show seemed to hit the ground running, as if we're watching the comfortable middle run of the series and not the awkward first few episodes that usually set the tone and characters.
The Middle is a low-key comedy that's grown on me, a Malcolm in the Middle based around the mom. Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn are hilarious in their roles as parents who try, but just don't get it.
Cougar Town isn't as funny as I was hoping it would be, but it's good enough to survive for now. The show seems to have moved away from the easy jokes of the first weeks and moved more towards character-driven comedy. It's certainly funny enough to give a second chance.
Hank, the Kelsey Grammer comedy, may not survive past the year. It's funny, but not at the level of the other comedies. Grammer's trying to play off his Frazier image, but it's just a standard sitcom setup.
Just taking onto account the first two hours of the night, ABC's current lineup may be the funniest Wednesday night ever.
Perhaps because of Wednesday church services, but it's never been a strong night for humor. Here's my personal top five Wednesday night 7-9pm (Central time) lineups ever in terms of comedy, feel free to disagree.
ABC 95-96: Ellen/Drew Carey Show/Grace Under Fire/The Naked Truth - A night of underrated comedies.
FOX 92-94: Beverly Hills 90210/Melrose Place - Okay, not technically comedy, but pretty funny in retrospect.
ABC 86-87: Perfect Strangers/Head of the Class/MacGyver - Balkie, Howard Hesseman, and MacGyver. What else could you ask for?
ABC 88-89: Growing Pains/Head of the Class/Anything But Love/Doogie Howser MD - I loved the acclaimed-but-rarely-watched Anything But Love, and Doogie gave us Neil Patrick Harris. That's enough to rate.
ABC 09-10: Hank/The Middle/Modern Family/Cougar Town - Four new shows, three new legitimate hits. That's a batting average the major networks haven't hit in a while.
For more on TV: Check out the guide to the Seinfeld reunion on Curb Your Enthusiasm,and follow Reid on Twitter or Facebook.
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