Tim Doyle’s Pilot ‘The Kids Are Alright’ Picked Up To Series By ABC As Network Sticks To Its Family Comedy Brand

ABC ordered a mix of comedy pilots this season —  most revolved around families but some ventured into workplace and even the superhero genre. In the end, the ones that made the cut to series are the 1970s-set The Kids Are Alright (fka untitled Tim Doyle), which just got the nod, and Single Parents, which was picked up earlier today. Both are family comedies, as are all renewed ABC half-hour series.

ABC last year tried to broaden up its comedy field with The Mayor, its most profile new comedy series and the only one to get a fall launch. It fizzled as did another comedy that had a strong workplace component, Alex Inc. Meanwhile, the revival of ABC’s classic family comedy Roseanne had a blockbuster premiere. The family-themed new comedy Splitting Up Together, which launched behind Roseanne, was the only freshman ABC comedy to make it to Season 2.

The Kids Are Alright and Single Parents join ABC’s renewed family comedy series — Modern Family, The Goldbergs, Black-ish, American Housewife, Speechless, Fresh Off the Boat and Splitting Up Together. All but Roseanne are single-camera. The only exception to ABC’s family theme next season would be the upcoming Goldbergs spinoff, which is set in a high school.

Fun fact — ABC next season will have a comedy series set in 1970s (The Kids Are Alright), 1980s (The Goldbergs) and 1990s (The Goldbergs spinoff)

Written and executive produced by former Last Man Standing showrunner Doyle, The Kids Are Alright, set in the 1970s, is an ensemble comedy that follows a traditional Irish-Catholic family, the Clearys, as they navigate big and small changes during one of America’s most turbulent decades. In a working-class neighborhood outside Los Angeles, Mike and Peggy raise eight boisterous boys who live out their days with little supervision. The household is turned upside down when oldest son Lawrence returns home and announces he’s quitting the seminary to go off and “save the world.” Times are changing and this family will never be the same. There are 10 people, three bedrooms, one bathroom and everyone in it for themselves. The series is inspired by the childhood of writer/executive producer Tim Doyle.

The series stars Michael Cudlitz as Mike Cleary, Mary McCormack as Peggy Cleary, Sam Straley as Lawrence, Caleb Martin Foote as Eddie, Sawyer Barth as Frank, Christopher Paul Richards as Joey, Jack Gore as Timmy, Andy Walken as William and Santino Barnard as Pat.

Randall Einhorn directed and was an executive producer on the pilot. The series hails from ABC Studios.

ABC recently had a single-camera comedy series about an Irish-Catholic family, The Real O’Neals, also from ABC Studios, which ran for two seasons.