In 1938, the Federal Communications Commission began an investigation into the practices of radio companies in the United States. Their 1940 report concluded that the Radio Corporation of America should relinquish ownership of one of their broadcasting networks. NBC Blue was made into its own independent subsidiary, and eventually was completed separated from the parent company. The company was then sold to Edward John Noble. He was an entrepreneur who owned WMCA in New York City, Life Savers candy, and Rexall drugstore chains. Soon afterwards, the name of the network was officially changed to American Broadcasting Company.
Over the years, they expanded to include television networks and eventually merged with United Paramount. They also acquired Capital Cities Communications. In 1996, The Walt Disney Company purchased most of their assets. ABC has hosted some of the most riveting drama television in entertainment history. Receiving myriad accolades and honors, they are among the best of the drama genre released across all American networks. You may have seen some ABC dramas already (whether it was on Netflix or during the original run on cable). If you’re looking for another drama to watch, check out this list of the top 20 ABC dramas of the 2000s.
Brothers & Sisters
Brothers & Sisters, loosely based on a UK television series called The Brothers, was an ABC series that aired from 2006 to 2011. Running for five seasons, it was aired in the slot directly after Desperate Housewives every Sunday. This drama focuses on the problematic lives of the affluent Walker family after the death of their family patriarch — who also is the founder of the family company. This show was met with generally-positive reviews and was a fan-favorite. It was also recognized officially by nominations for several Emmys and other types of awards. Sally Field — who played Nora Walker in the show — also won a Primetime Emmy and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance in this excellent ABC drama.
Secrets and Lies
This show is a mystery anthology that originally aired in 2015. It was based on the Australian series of the same name and ran for two seasons on ABC. Secrets and Lies also has distinct dramatic elements to each episode, providing for a riveting viewing experience. The show follows the investigation of homicide cases by a detective named Andrea Cornell, with a new case and story told in every episode. Secrets and Lies is worth checking out if you enjoy murder mysteries, interesting characters, and following the development of a single main character as she navigates through each case. The show wasn’t on the air for long enough to receive any major recognition but was well-filmed and well-written. There were some interesting plot twists in each episode as well — one of the main reasons that this show makes our top twenty list.
The Catch
This comedy-drama series originally aired in 2016 and ran for two seasons. It followed private investigator Alice Vaughan who attempts to track down her fiancée after he defrauds her. It turns out that he is actually a member of an international crime operation and a master con artist. Myriad adventures ensue, marking The Catch as a great entry into the drama thriller category. The Catch got a lot of positive reviews, with particular praise given to Mireille Enos’ portrayal of Alice Vaughan. It was considered a fun show to watch, especially due to the creative writing and unexpected plot twists. Unfortunately, this show was cancelled after two seasons. Still, if you haven’t seen it, the creative direction alone makes it worth a watch.
American Crime
This 21st century anthology crime drama first came out in 2015 on ABC. It follows a different story every season and ran for three seasons until its cancellation in 2017. American Crime deals with some heavy themes — including race, gender politics, and class conflicts. For example, the first season followed a trial with a particular emphasis on how the participants were changed by the legal process. This anthology series met with widespread critical acclaim during its time being broadcast on ABC. It received ten Primetime Emmy nominations in 2015 alone, and even led Regina King to score a win for Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie. She repeated this victory the next year as well, serving as a strong testament to her skill as an actress. American Crime is worth a watch for anyone who enjoys this type of anthology drama or is willing to give this gritty show a try.
My So-Called Life
This is a show from before the turn of the century. My So-Called Life aired from 1994 to 1995, running on an afternoon slot on ABC. The show followed the lives of a few teenagers, all of whom were friends with the main character, Angela Chase. It dealt with some of the most prevalent themes of the 1990s — including violence, censorship, drug use, homophobia, and adultery (among many more). My So-Called Life was one show that deserved more than just the sequel novel (My So-Called Life Goes On by Catherine Clark). However, it was surprisingly cut short after only a single season. Interestingly, the very first online protest cancellation occurred at this time, with many fans attempting to sway ABC’s opinion. Clearly, the show was quite well-received. In fact, it is often considered one of the greatest series of all time, often acclaimed for its realistic portrayal of a teenage girl’s life in the mid-1990s.
Revenge
Inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, this drama series first aired in 2011. It instantly became well-known and was picked up for a full season right away. Revenge ended up airing for four seasons. Though a spin-off series was mentioned by ABC in 2015, an official announcement has yet to come — but we’re still holding out. Revenge has met with favorable reviews. It has been mentioned in Yahoo! TV’s list of the top television programs of 2011 — undoubtedly contributing to the series’ widespread media attention. It has even made the covers of magazines such as Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide. This show has also received many nominations for awards and was ABC’s highest-rated show since Lost.
Conviction
This ABC legal drama premiered in 2016. Each episode focuses on a team of forensic experts, lawyers, and detectives who re-open various criminal cases where wrongful conviction is suspected. They are only allowed five days to prove each case. It ran for a single season before it was cancelled in 2017. Conviction was not popular among all audiences. However, it appealed to some due to Hayley Atwell’s portrayal of the main character. While the show isn’t for everyone, people who are into classic political and legal dramas will find that this show is perfect for whiling away a few afternoons or evenings.
Once Upon a Time
This series premiered on October 23rd, 2011 on ABC. It possesses a revolutionary concept, featuring many fairy-tale characters who have crossed over into our modern-day world. They have had their memories wiped by a curse and lead their (generally-menial) lives in the town of Storybrooke. As the show goes on, various new characters and villains emerge for the main characters to fight. There are plenty of smaller subplots and lots of intrigue to keep the viewer’s interest as well. Once Upon a Time met with many positive reviews. It was even named “Most Promising Show’ by TV critic Gail Pennington after it was released. It was once placed at the top of USA Today’s list of the top ten shows on the air. This show has also been nominated for a few Emmy awards. All-in-all, Once Upon a Time is a great show for any fairy tale fan to watch.
Still Star-Crossed
This 2017 premier aired on ABC for just one season, yet it made a huge mark on the industry. Still Star-Crossed was an interpretation of what may have happened after the deaths of Romeo and Juliet from William Shakespeare’s famous play. It followed Rosaline Capulet who is engaged to Benvolio Montague — entirely against their respective desires. Each episode of the drama focused on how they were attempting to prevent the impending marriage while still managing to bring peace to their feuding families. The show received decent reviews and was praised for its solid dramatic writing. It also boasts incredibly elaborate set design and has even won a Visual Effects Society Award for an Outstanding Created Environment. If you like Shakespeare, Still Star-Crossed would be a fantastic show to watch. It gives some good answers to the questions that many people had at the conclusion of Romeo & Juliet.
Quantico
Quantico is a drama thriller series that originally premiered in 2015. It focuses on the exploits of an FBI agent called Alex Parrish who is accused of conducting a terrorist attack at Grand Central terminal. She must prove her innocence, and thus goes on the run from the FBI. It has ran for two seasons so far and has a third scheduled to premier on April 26th of this year. This drama has received a lot of praise during its time on the air. The series has been nominated for several awards, and lead actress Priyanka Chopra has received two People’s Choice Award — the first South Asian to do so. Overall, the acting, entertainment value, and diversity all lead Quantico to get a spot on this list — it’s a great show for anyone who is into dramatic thrillers with plenty of action and intrigue.
Grey’s Anatomy
This long-running medical drama premiered on ABC in 2005, replacing another show in the middle of its season. It takes its title from an old medical textbook written by Henry Gray called Gray’s Anatomy. The show follows a racially and culturally diverse cast as they deal with all sorts of medical situations, as well as their own personal issues at work and at home. Grey’s Anatomy has already run for fourteen seasons and has maintained incredibly high ratings the entire time. The show has many nominations for various awards, including thirty-eight Primetime Emmy Award nominations. This show will likely remain popular for quite some time. Plus, it has already achieved the status of the second-longest scripted show on ABC ever created.
Ten Days in the Valley
This series is concluded on January 6th, 2018 on ABC. Ten Days in the Valley is about a television producer who lost her young daughter in the middle of the night. It follows her actions as she finds herself trapped between two very different worlds. It has only had one season so far, and a second season has not yet been confirmed or denied. So far, Ten Days in the Valley has met with some pretty favorable reviews. The delivery, writing, and character development have all been praised by critics. It remains to be seen whether the show will get a second season or not. Perhaps it will even become extremely popular like some other shows, and turn into an award-winning, long-running drama.
Time After Time
This is a good show to check out if you like some of the more obscure dramas on ABC. Though it premiered quite recently, Time After Time has only been broadcast in full in Spain and Portugal. This show is based on a novel of the same name and follows 19th-century author HG Wells as he travels to 2017 to catch Jack the Ripper. This period drama, doubling as a sci-fi driller, was received relatively well. The acting of those portraying the main characters met with particular acclaim. The casting of the show was also praised consistently. There has not been any talk of a second season yet, and it may not happen due to the show being cut short. Either way, it’s worth checking out if you have an opportunity to see the full twelve episodes.
Lost
This is arguably the most famous show to ever be broadcasted on ABC. It has science fiction and supernatural elements and focuses on the survivors of a plane crash who wind up on an island in the middle of the Pacific. The show makes use of flashbacks and flashforwards quite frequently and is famous for doing so. Lost ran for six incredible seasons from 2004 to 2010. Lost has been a member of nearly every “best of” list regarding television dramas. It received worldwide acclaim, and the top-tier financial success that comes along with such recognition. The drama was also nominated for hundreds of awards and won several Emmys (including one for Outstanding Drama Series) and a Golden Globe, among many other awards. This show is one that will endure for quite a long time and be known well into the future as a classic American drama.
The Good Doctor
This series is a medical-drama that has its roots in a South Korean series that shares the same name. The actor Daniel Dae Kim decided that it needed an American reboot, and so he purchased the rights and got started with marketing the show. ABC picked it up starting in September 2017 and made a full commitment to it in October — signing up for an 18-episode season after the pilot got great ratings. The Good Doctor has met with critical acclaim. It has been praised for the solid performance given by the actors and actresses involved and is off to a pretty strong start. This type of medical drama is quite popular in the United States — and even on ABC, with Grey’s Anatomy. Thus, it is likely to become a long-running show if it reaches the right audience and remains on a focused track.
Scandal
This political drama originally debuted on ABC in 2012. It follows the exploits of the members of a crisis management firm headed by Olivia Pope. It also has its fair share of political intrigue, devious affairs, and even forbidden romances. The show is an edge-of-your-seat thriller with its fair share of dramatic aspects. It has already had six seasons and is renewed for a seventh. The next season is set to debut on April 19th, 2018. Scandal is appreciated by fans and critics alike. This show received a Peabody Award for Excellence in Television. It also was named Television Program of the Year by the American Film Institute. Besides these awards, Scandal has been nominated for several other awards and honors as well. Unfortunately, it will be coming to a close this year, with the seventh season already having been confirmed as the final time that Scandal will be broadcast.
Notorious
The crime and legal drama Notorious came on the air in 2016. It had a ten-episode run on ABC, concluding in 2016. The show is about a real criminal defense lawyer called Mark Geragos. Overall, the focus is on how criminal law and the media are interconnected. This drama was not received too well, but it has its place on this list due to the niche that it occupies. Notorious was occasionally panned but fans of the series will defend it to the end. It is unique on the network as it was based on a real person’s life, rather than a different work or an original creation. This alone is enough to secure it a spot on our list. Unfortunately, the series ended with a cliffhanger that will never be resolved due to the show being cancelled so early.
Nashville
ABC’s musical drama Nashville ran for four seasons from 2012 to 2016. Though ABC cancelled the show at this point, it was picked up for a fifth season by CMT. Nashville is about the lives of various fictional country musicians. It focuses on their rise to stardom or fade from the spotlight. This show also tackles deep themes of love, loss, betrayal, and acceptance. Nashville had millions of viewers when it was still playing on ABC. It was also nominated for a lot of awards during its time, including at the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Critics’ Choice Television Awards, and the Golden Globes. Overall, critics have praised the music, the focus, and the soap opera elements that characterize ABC’s Nashville.
Designated Survivor
This series started out with no pilot, and first came onto ABC’s airwaves in 2016. Designated Survivor is a political drama series, focusing on former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Thomas Kirkman. He was the last in the line of succession, as the rest were killed in an explosion. The successful show focuses on the aftermath of these events and the ones that came afterward. The show is currently in its second season. Designated Survivor has been receiving some incredible reviews ever since it first came out. In fact, it won two awards in 2016 — both for Most Exciting Series. The awards ceremonies were the Critics’ Choice and TV Guide Awards. The show has also been nominated for a couple of People’s Choice Awards and a single Saturn. If you like political shows, Designated Survivor is one that is certainly worth checking out.
How to Get Away with Murder
This recently-released drama series premiered in 2014 on ABC. Created by Peter Nowalk, it follows a law professor as she becomes involved with a murder plot (alongside five of her students). The show has already aired for four seasons, with the current season set to conclude by March of this year. The show is critically-acclaimed and gets great ratings. While How to Get Away With Murder has gotten great reviews, the biggest claim to fame it has is the Emmy win by Viola Davis. Davis plays the starring role in the show and became the very first black woman to earn an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She won a few other awards and received many nominations. Other cast members have been nominees as well — including for the GLAAD, Golden Globe, and Critics’ Choice Awards.
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