ABC Family Orders 22 More Episodes Of 'Switched At Birth'

ABC Family has ordered 22 more episodes of its new drama series Switched at Birth. The network calls the pickup “back-season”, bringing the total first-season order to the show to 32 episodes. Switched at Birth, which debuted on June 10 with for an initial run of 10 episodes, will air its summer finale Aug. 8 and will return with originals in early 2012. Following a strong start, Switched at Birth hit series highs in viewers 12-34 in its most recent airing July 25. It is currently pacing as ABC Family’s No. 2 freshman season ever in total viewers and the 18-34 and 18-49 demos, behind only the freshman season for The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Switched at Birth, starring Katie Leclerc and Vanessa Marano, tells the story of two teenage girls who discover they were accidentally switched as newborns in the hospital. Lizzy Weiss, Paul Stupin and John Ziffren serve as executive producers. There is no word yet on ABC Family’s freshman drama series The Nine Lives of Chloe King, whose ratings performance has not been as strong.