Primetime Pilot Panic: ABC DECISIONS… Orders 'The Associates', 'Eastwick', 'The Forgotten', 'Awesome Hank', 'The Middle', 'Cougar Town', 'Happy Town', Renews 'Scrubs', 'Castle', 'Better Off Ted'; Nixes 'Canned', 'Best Thing Ever'; Wants 6 Eps Of 'V' But Warner Balks (For Now)

MONDAY UPDATE: ABC Sends Shonda Rhimes’ ‘In The Box’ Into Redevelopment

9TH UPDATE: ABC is not renewing The Unusuals.

8TH UPDATE: ABC has ordered EASTWICK. And, after some negotiating with Twentieth Century Fox TV, ABC has now ordered 13 episodes (up from 5 + pilot) of THE ASSOCIATES (formerly the UNTITLED DAVE HEMINGSON LEGAL SHOW).

7TH UPDATE: ABC has officially picked up Jerry Bruckheimer’s pilot THE FORGOTTEN to series.

6TH UPDATE: I’m told ABC just picked up THE MIDDLE with a 13 episode order. The pilot starring Patricia Heaton had come on strong in the final days. Same with the pilot that Kelsey Grammar was exec-producing and starring in, AWESOME HANK (formerly The Pryors), which ABC also picked up tonight.

5TH UPDATE: I just heard that ABC offered to pick up 6 episodes of V — but Warner Bros has not accepted. Either a heavy negotiation will take place, or this will be a limited event series. ABC also has ordered the hour-long HAPPY TOWN.

4TH UPDATE: ABC has officially renewed Better Off Ted.

3RD UPDATE: I’ve just learned that ABC has picked up to series the UNTITLED DAVE HEMINGSON LEGAL SHOW (which may now be called THE ASSOCIATES). The network is offering five plus pilot. But my sources say Twentieth Century Fox TV has not accepted the order yet though I hear it’s probably a go.

2ND UPDATE: I’m told that no other comedies beyond what I’ve already reported (including below) will be picked up today by ABC, and likely not before upfronts. Or so my sources have been told.

ABC TV Studios pilots still in the mix: UNTITLED JEFF STRAUSS, THE LAW with Cedric The Entertainer, THIS LITTLE PIGGY.

ABC has officially passed on these ABC TV Studios pilots: CANNED, BEST THING EVER (formerly The New 20) with Eric McCormack, NO HEROICS, PULLING.

UPDATE: The comedy COUGAR TOWN starring Courtney Cox is an ABC TV Studio and Doozer/Coquette production. As I previously reported, it was always considered one of AMC’s hotter pilots. It was expected that ABC would renew its ABC TV Studios production Scrubs after taking over the veteran sitcom after NBC didn’t renew it last season. Appealing newcomer Castle won a second season from ABC.