Series Orders For ABC's 'Nashville,' '666 Park Avenue,' 'Last Resort,' and More

ABC has given series orders for eight shows – five dramas and three comedies. The pickups include Nashville starring Friday Night Lights alum Connie Britton and the Sarah Chalke comedy How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life.

No surprise the alphabet network picked up music soap Nashville, starring Connie Britton. The series was an early frontrunner and maintained that momentum throughout its testing. Described as a family soap set against the backdrop of the Nashville music scene, Nashville follows a fading country star (Britton) as she deals with the collapse of her career, competition from newer stars (Hayden Panettiere) and her complicated family life. ABC Studios and Lionsgate will produce the series from Oscar winning executive producer Callie Khouri, Steve Buchanan and R.J. Cutler. Jonathan Jackson (ex-Lucky, General Hospital), Eric Close, Powers Boothe, Sam Palladio, Clare Bowen, Robert Wisom and Charles Esten co-star. [Previous Articles – ABC Soaps it up with ‘Nashville,’ ‘Americana’ Pilots; ‘General Hospital’s Jonathan Jackson Cast in ABC’s Soapy Musical Pilot ‘Nashville’; ‘Friday Night Lights’ Connie Britton, ‘Heroes’ Hayden Panettiere To Star In ABC’s ‘Nashville’]

Zero Hour stars ER alum Anthony Edwards as a life-long skeptic drawn into a conspiracy. ABC Studios and di Bonaventure Pictures produces the hour-long drama from executive producers Paul Scheuring (who also wrote the pilot), Lorenzo di Bonaventure and Dan McDermott.

Red Widow, based on a Dutch series, stars Radha Mitchell as the widow of a murdered crime boss who is forced to take over her husband’s role in the business in order to protect her family. Lee Tergesen, Luke Goss, Rade Sherbedzija, Wil Traval, Suleka Mathew, Jaime Ray Newman, Sterling Beaumon, Jakob Salvati, Erin Moriarty and Mido Hamada also star. ABC Studios and Edemol Studios will produce the series. Melissa Rosenberg wrote the pilot and serves as executive producer with Alon Aranya and Howard Klein. Red was given an eight episode order.

666 Park Avenue, based on the novel by Gabriella Pierce,  stars Brothers and Sisters alum Dave Annabele and Rachel Taylor as a young couple who take over a historic apartment building in New York City, only to have unexplained supernatural occurrences endanger the lives of everyone in the building. Terry O’Quinn, Vanessa Williams, Mercedes Masohn, Robert Buckley and Helena Mattson also star. Warner Bros. Television and Alloy Entertainment produce the series. Dave Wilcox wrote the pilot and will serve as executive producer with Matthew Miller, Gina Girolamo and Leslie Morgenstein.

The Last Resort stars Andre Braugher as the leader of a renegade submarine crew on the run after refusing an order to fire their nuclear missiles. The crew escapes to a NATO outpost where they declare themselves to be the world’s smallest nuclear nation. Felicity alum Scott Speedman, O.C. alum Autumn Reeser, Daisy Betts, Jessy Schram, Daniel Lissing, Camille de Pazzis, Sahr Ngaujau and Dichen Lachman also star. Sony Pictures TV will produce the series from The Shield creator Shawn Ryan. Ryan and Karl Gajdusek wrote the pilot; both will executive produce the series with Marney Hochman Nash and Martin Campbell. The series received a 13-episode order.

Three comedies ordered were  – How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life starring Sarah Chalke, Elizabeth Perkins and Brad Garrett; Family Tools (formerly known as Comeback Jack, Red Van Man and White Van Man) starring Kyle Bornheimer, J.K. Simmons and Leah Remini; and Neighbors from Dan Fogelman.

Surprisingly the network passed on Marc Cherry’s Devious Maids. Deadline reports last-ditch efforts are taking place to get fashion-soap Americana picked up. [Previous Articles – Susan Lucci To Star in ABC’s ‘Devious Maids’; ABC Soaps it up with ‘Nashville,’ ‘Americana’ Pilots; ‘Twilight’s Ashley Greene to Star in ABC’s ‘Americana’]