“Stitchers is new ground for us and I’m excited to bring procedurals to the network,” said Tom Ascheim, President, ABC Family. “We think our fans will love the intricate mysteries that Stitchers will solve week to week as much as they love our relationship-driven dramas. We are also going back for seconds of our new comedy, Young & Hungry. Good food, good laughs – of course we want more.”

From Jeffrey A. Schechter (Overruled!), Stitchers tells the story of a young woman recruited by the government to be “stitched” into the minds of the recently deceased. She’ll use the memories of each person she finds herself in to help investigate their murders and decipher mysteries that wouldn’t have had a chance to be solved. Executive produced by Jonathan Baruch and Rob Wolken, Stitchers stars Diane Farr (Numb3rs), Emma Ishta (I Smile Back), Felix Gomez (Un lugar en el mundo), Kyle Harris (The Carrie Diaries), and Minni Jo Mazzola (Parks and Recreation).

Over the course of its 10-episode first season, which concluded late last month, Young & Hungry ranked as basic cable’s #1 telecast in its time period in Adults 18-34, and Women 18-34, as well as other key demos. From David Holden (The War at Home), the series follows the impact of a young entrepreneur (Jonathan Sadowski) hiring a feisty personal chef (Emily Osment). The series also stars the likes of Rex Lee (Suburgatory), Kym Whitley (I Love You, Man), and Aimee Carrero (The Americans), though there’s no word on when the second season would actually premiere.

Per Deadline, ABC Family has also formally cancelled Young & Hungry‘s lead-out Mystery Girls, confirming reports surfacing that the Tori Spelling comedy wouldn’t continue following its own 10-episode first season. A decision on fellow newbie Chasing Life, however, should be made sometime in early 2015, as the show will continue its first season this coming January.

Will you be watching Stitchers? Do you think the ABC Family audience will accept a procedural when it’s been conditioned to watch relationship dramas? When do you think Young & Hungry will return for its second season?

The post ABC Family Picks Procedural Stitchers Up to Series, Renews Young & Hungry appeared first on TVHackr.

“Fans will be clamoring for season four and to know what happens with Daphne and Bay after the season three finale next week,” said Tom Ascheim, President ABC Family.

Switched at Birth is the first renewal decision ABC Family has made this month. While The Fosters and Chasing Life likely won’t have their fates determined until 2015, as they have the second halves of their second and first seasons, respectively, still to air, the fates of Twisted, Young & Hungry, and Mystery Girls are still up in the air. The former finished its first season this past April, while the latter two will culminate their first seasons later this month. There’s also the matter of the network’s three drama pilots, which include a brother-sister tennis story and the journey of an addict, with the shows going to series likely to be announced this month, as well.

The third season finale of Switched at Birth is set to air Monday at 9:00 on ABC Family. You can check out a sneak peek from the finale below.

What have you thought about the third season of Switched at Birth? Where would you like the show to go during its fourth season? Should ABC Family move the show after its ratings softened this summer?

The post Switched at Birth Renewed for Season 4 by ABC Family appeared first on TVHackr.

The former stars Emily Osment (Hannah Montana) as excitable food blogger Gabi, who gets hired on as the personal chef to tech magnet Josh (Jonathan Sadowski). However, Josh’s personal assistant Elliot (Rex Lee) doesn’t think that she’s qualified enough for the job, preferring a celebrity chef to work with his client rather than a young amateur, and Gabi is forced to prove her talents and give herself enough cushion to learn on the job. Young & Hungry also stars Aimee Carrero (The Americans) as Gabi’s best friend Sofia and Kym Whitley (Animal Practice) as Josh’s housekeeper Yolanda.

The latter tells the story of Charlie Contour (Jennie Garth) and Holly Hamilton (Tori Spelling), former co-stars of a detective series who have gone their separate ways since the show wrapped. While Charlie has settled into the suburbs, becoming a wife and mother, Holly is still hanging on to the notion that she can regain the fame she’s lost. Both of their lives are disrupted, though, when they’re called in on a real crime, as a superfan of their series (Miguel Pinzon) who witnessed a crime will only confide in them. Will this be the catalyst for Holly and Charlie to put decades of silence behind them and fall back into their old dynamic? Or is Charlie simply too far removed from the Hollywood scene to be willing to engage her former friend?

Young & Hungry is set to premiere Wednesday, June 25th at 8:00 on ABC Family, with Mystery Girls following at 8:30. You can check out an additional preview for each series here.

Will you be watching Young & Hungry and/or Mystery Girls? Do the extended previews give you a better idea about what to expect from each series? Should ABC have paired their upcoming summer comedies with both Baby Daddy and Melissa & Joey, creating a full night of comedy?

The post ABC Family: Watch Extended Previews for Young & Hungry and Mystery Girls appeared first on TVHackr.

The first, based on Mexican telenovela Terminales, tells the story of April, an ambitious 20-something journalist whose life seems to be coming together. She’s landed her dream job at a local newspaper; her relationships with her family have strengthened since she made it out of her teens and struck out on her own, finding herself while in college; and she’s begun a relationship with a co-worker that seems like it could turn into something special. However, once she discovers she has cancer, her world crashes in around her and she realizes that there’s a chance she might lose everything she’s worked so hard for.

The second stars Emily Osment (Hannah Montana) as enthusiastic food blogger Gabi, who gets hired as the personal chef of tech whiz Josh (Jonathan Sadowski). Gabi must then prove that her knowledge of food extends beyond the internet and that she, not the celebrity chef that Josh and his personal assistant Elliot (Rex Lee) want, is the right person for the job.

Finally, Mystery Girls tells the story of Charlie (Jennie Garth) and Holly (Tori Spelling), two former co-stars of a mystery series who are reunited after decades apart by a real life crime. The witness, a fanatic of the show Charlie and Holly starred in, will only speak to them and the two will have to use their crime-solving skills to help bring the culprit to justice and repair their friendship in the process.

Chasing Life premieres Tuesday, June 10th at 9:00 on ABC Family, with Young & Hungry debuting Wednesday, June 25th at 8:00 and Mystery Girls following at 9:00.

Which new ABC Family shows will you be watching this summer? Do you think Chasing Life can find an audience on a network known for its sudsier fare? Are you excited to see Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling reunited on television?

The post ABC Family: Watch Previews of Chasing Life, Young & Hungry, and Mystery Girls appeared first on TVHackr.

The network also revealed that it’s ordered three drama pilots in contention for next year. With disappointing ratings performances from the likes of Twisted, The Lying Game, and Ravenswood, ABC Family has veered away from the teen mystery genre, as this latest development cycle features three shows removed from the Pretty Little Liars vein.

Based on the novel of the same name by Blake Nelson, Recovery Road tells the story of party girl Maddie, who spends her nights living with other addicts in a rehab facility and her days pretending everything is okay while at school. The pilot was written by Bert V. Royal (Easy A) and Karen DiConcetto (Ruby & The Rockits). Exploring the world of professional tennis is Unstrung, which focuses on siblings Luke and Ellie Holt as they fight to move up the rankings and stave off the pressure from fans, reporters, opponents, and themselves. Emily Whitesell (Life Unexpected) will executive produce. Finally, Alice in Arabia, from former US Army Cryptologic Linguist Brooke Eikmeier, details a kidnapping of an American girl by her Saudi Arabian extended family and how she handles being held captive in her grandfather’s royal compound.

Melissa & Joey airs Wednesdays at 8:00 on ABC Family, with Baby Daddy following at 8:30. You can check out spoilers from the latter here.

What have you thought about this season of Melissa & Joey? How long do you think Baby Daddy should continue? Which new project has the most potential for ABC Family?

The post Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy Renewed by ABC Family appeared first on TVHackr.

On Tuesday, June 10th, the fifth season of Pretty Little Liars premieres at 8:00, with new drama Chasing Life to follow at 9:00. The series, which already received a back order and will have a 20-episode first season, follows April (Italia Ricci), an ambitious 20-something journalist whose life is looking up. She’s got the career that she wants; she has an excellent relationship with her family; and she’s formed a connection with a co-worker that could turn into something special. However, the life path that she had in mind becomes all the more twisty when she learns that she has cancer from her oncologist uncle. In addition to Ricci, Chasing Life stars Mary Paige Keller, Rebecca Schull, Richard Brancatisano, Steven Weber, and Scott Michael Foster.

Monday, June 16th will see the return of Switched at Birth at 8:00 and the second season premiere of The Fosters at 9:00. The former will pick up the day after the events of the winter finale, with Kathryn dealing with the reality of being a herotica novelist and Regina feeling torn between her old neighborhood and her new life, while the latter finds Callie and Jude adjusting to their new roles in the family.

The network will be premiering two new comedies this summer in Young & Hungry and Mystery Girls. The former, to debut Wednesday, June 25th at 8:00, follows Gabi (Emily Osment), a food blogger who becomes the personal chef of wealthy young entrepreneur Josh (Jonathan Sadowski). The series also stars Rex Lee, Aimee Carrero, and Kym Whitley. At 8:30 will be Mystery Girls, the tale of two former TV detectives brought back together by a real life mystery. Starring on Mystery Girls will be Tori Spelling as Holly, a starlet longing for her glory days; Jennie Garth as Charlie, a suburban wife and mother who has put her days of fame behind her; and Miguel Pinzon as Nick, a Mystery Girls super fan who witnesses a crime and will only speak to Holly and Charlie.

Do you think Twisted‘s absence from the summer schedule is a sign of cancellation? Will you be watching either Young & Hungry or Mystery Girls? Is Chasing Life going to be a good fit behind Pretty Little Liars?

The post ABC Family Announces Premiere Dates for Pretty Little Liars, Chasing Life, Switched at Birth, and The Fosters appeared first on TVHackr.

“We are excited to expand our comedy brand with two new series that build on our already solid comedy block of hits, Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy. Viewers are excited to see Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth back on television together again, and will fall in love with Young & Hungry star Emily Osment in these comedies that bring us fun, new characters with which to laugh out loud.” said Kate Juergens, Chief Creative Officer and Executive Vice President of Programming and Development, ABC Family.

The comedies join Melissa & Joey, which was recently renewed through its 100th episode, and Baby Daddy in ABC Family’s promising roster of comedies, with a summer premiere seemingly likely for the two multi-cams. It’s unclear how the network will be airing each series, though, as the options are to either expand into the 9:00 hour on Wednesday nights, an hour that has been difficult for ABC Family to find footing in, or move comedies into Thursdays, a night they haven’t had original scripted programming on.

In addition to Spelling and Garth, Mystery Girls will star Miguel Pinzon, while Young & Hungry features the likes of Jonathan Sadowski, Rex Lee, and Kym Whitley.

Will you be watching either Mystery Girls or Young & Hungry? Do you think that either sound like potential successes for ABC Family? What type of comedies would you like to see the network go after in the future?

The post ABC Family Picks Comedy Pilots Starring Tori Spelling and Emily Osment Up to Series appeared first on TVHackr.

Listed below are the episode titles and descriptions for the winter premieres of Switched at Birth and The Fosters.

Switched at Birth – “Drowning Girl”
Senior year means big changes for Bay and Daphne, as the Carlton School for the Deaf receives an influx of hearing students who are not happy to be there. Daphne begins working at a free clinic as part of her probation from the Senator Coto blackmail scandal, and bonds with a pre-med student (guest star RJ Mitte, Breaking Bad) with a spinal injury. Bay is inspired by her art teacher (guest star Sandra Bernhard, Roseanne) and surprised by her jock classmate (guest star Max Adler, Glee), when she takes an art class at a local college. Toby tries to unite a divided Carlton by coaching girls’ field hockey, and Kathryn dips her toes into new territory when she makes friends with a gregarious tap dancer (guest star Alec Mapa, Ugly Betty).

The Fosters – “The Honeymoon”
The repercussions of Callie’s decision to run away impact every member of the Foster family, including newlyweds Stef and Lena, who had offered to adopt the troubled teen.  Both Jude and Brandon struggle with their own personal guilt about her running away.  Mariana inadvertently discovers the whole story about Lexi’s upcoming trip to Honduras.

The winter premiere of Switched at Birth is set to air Monday, January 13th at 8:00 on ABC Family, with the winter premiere of The Fosters following at 9:00.

Will working at the free clinic do Daphne a lot of good? Is Toby’s new position as field hockey coach going to unite a severely fragmented Carlton? How will Mariana react to the news of Lexi’s trip to Honduras?

The post Switched at Birth and The Fosters Winter Premiere Spoilers appeared first on TVHackr.

Listed below are the episode descriptions for the winter premieres of Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy.

Melissa & Joey – 8:00
In picking up where the summer cliff-hanger left off, Joe rushes home to tell Mel that he has feelings for her after their romantic night together in New Jersey. When he arrives, he’s shocked to find Austin (guest star Trevor Donovan) has shown up and wants to give his relationship with Mel another try. Deciding he can’t stay and watch them fall in love all over again, Joe quits. Meanwhile, Lennox plots to get Joe and Mel together and Ryder gets sick from his own cooking.

Baby Daddy – 8:30 (“The Naked Truth”)
Ben and Riley try to transition from friendship to being a couple, which results in a hugely embarrassing moment for Riley. Ben is still angry with Bonnie for bringing Emma’s mom Angela (guest star Mimi Gianopulos) back into their lives. Angela tries to show Bonnie she’s a capable mother while hoping for a fresh start with Ben. Meanwhile, Tucker tries to help Danny get over Riley and Amy with his five-step “T.U.C.K.E.R.” break-up recovery system.

In addition to Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy, the likes of Pretty Little Liars (January 7th), Ravenswood (January 7th), Switched at Birth (January 13th), and The Fosters (January 13th) will be having their winter premieres in the first month of 2014. The following month, Twisted returns for the second half of its first season. You can check out a recap of the Baby Daddy summer finale here.

The post Melissa & Joey, Baby Daddy to Premiere Wednesday, January 15th on ABC Family appeared first on TVHackr.

Listed below are the titles and descriptions of the winter premieres of Pretty Little Liars and Ravenswood.

Pretty Little Liars – “Who’s in the Box?”
Trying to put the pieces together Hanna comes up with the idea that if they find out who is really buried in Ali’s grave it may lead to much needed answers. But as the girls search, Emily has trouble dealing with how she feels about Alison being alive. Meanwhile, Caleb returns to Rosewood, and Ezra has clandestine meetings with Mona and Aria.

Ravenswood – “Revival”
Fresh off his trip to Rosewood, Caleb struggles to deal with the aftermath of his brief time with Miranda on the other side.  Remy realizes her dreams may be the best clue they have into understanding the pact, but she unwittingly attracts something that is determined to make sure Remy doesn’t wake up.  And Miranda decides to haunt Mrs. Grunwald for answers but discovers Grunwald may have a ghostly friend of her own. Meanwhile, Luke and Olivia are unnerved by Collins’ increasing attention towards their mother, and Olivia makes a major decision about Dillon, without realizing his true motivations.

The winter premiere of Pretty Little Liars is set to air Tuesday, January 7th at 8:00, with Ravenswood returning to finish out its initial 10-episode order at 9:00. You can check out a preview of Ravenswood’s winter premiere here.

Who do you think is really buried in Ali’s grave? What will we find out from Ezra’s meetings with Mona and Aria? Why is Collins focusing so much attention on Rochelle?

The post Pretty Little Liars and Ravenswood Winter Premiere Spoilers appeared first on TVHackr.