From the Upfronts: ABC Officially Picks Up SHIELD and Also Orders Once Upon A Time Spin-Off and Resurrection

It looks like the picture for next season is coming into focus now as most all of the pickups and renewals have been announced and the upfronts this coming week will be mostly about unrolling the official schedules for each of the broadcast networks.  ABC was the last of the networks we were waiting to hear from and they have now officially picked up Joss Whedon's Marvel's Agents of SHIELD (which will bring back Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson) and also ordered the spin-off series to Once Upon A Time titled Once Upon A Time in Wonderland (plus the pickups of SHIELD and Resurrection, more on those at this link).  In addition, they have picked up the supernatural series Resurrection as well as the Christian Slater starring Mind Games which may have some genre elements.  The descriptions for each of these series can be found below.  And ABC also announced the official renewal of Once Upon A Time for a third season which would be expected with its spin-off getting a series pickup.  CBS has announced its series pickups for the coming season as well which include no new genre entries.  That's no surprise for that network as they move forward with only one (quasi) genre series on their schedule, Person of Interest.  At this point, the only remaining question is whether NBC will renew Hannibal.  We should know that by tomorrow evening as they will likely release their schedule then to precede their upfront presentation on Monday morning.  I will pass that along on the Cancellation Watch Twitter Site as soon as any news is available.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Phil Coulson from Marvel’s feature films as he assembles a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D.

Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary. Coulson’s team consists of Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), highly trained in combat and espionage, Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) expert pilot and martial artist, Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker); brilliant engineer and Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) genius bio-chemist. Joining them on their journey into mystery is new recruit and computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet).

From Executive Producers Joss Whedon (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” ”Buffy the Vampire Slayer”); Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” pilot co-writers (“Dollhouse,” “Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”); Jeffrey Bell (“Angel,” “Alias”); and Jeph Loeb (“Smallville”) comes Marvel’s first TV series.  “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is produced by ABC Studios and Marvel Television.

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
Logline: In Victorian England, the young and beautiful Alice (Sophie Lowe) tells a tale of a strange new land that exists on the other side of a rabbit hole.  An invisible cat, a hookah smoking caterpillar and playing cards that talk are just some of the fantastic things she’s seen during this impossible adventure.  Surely this troubled girl must be insane and her doctors aim to cure her with a treatment that will make her forget everything.  Alice seems ready to put it all behind her, especially the painful memory of the genie she fell in love with and lost forever -- the handsome and mysterious Cyrus (Peter Gadiot).  But deep down Alice knows this world is real and just in the nick of time, the sardonic Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha) and the irrepressible White Rabbit (John Lithgow) arrive to save her from a doomed fate. Together, the trio will take a tumble down the rabbit hole to this Wonderland where nothing is impossible.
Cast: Sophie Lowe, Peter Gadiot, Michael Socha, Emma Rigby, John Lithgow Paul Reubens (voicing the White Rabbit)
Team: W/EP Eddy Kitsis, Adam Horowitz; EP Jane Espenson, Zack Estrin, Steve Pearlman
Studio: ABC Studios

Resurrection
Logline: What happens when the people you have mourned and buried suddenly appear on your doorstep as if not a day's gone by? The lives of the people of Aurora Arcadia are forever changed when their deceased loved ones return. Based on a novel by Jason Mott.
Cast: Omar Epps (House), Devin Kelley (Covert Affairs), Matt Craven, Frances Fisher, Samaire Armstrong, Sam Hazeldine, Nicholas Gonzalez, Mark Hildreth, Kurtwood Smith, Landon Gimenez
Team: W/EP Aaron Zelman (Criminal Minds); EP JoAnn Alfano, Jon Liebman, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner; D Charles McDougall
Studio: ABC Studios, Brillstein Entertainment, Plan B

Mind Games
Logline: Provocative workplace ensemble centered on the complicated relationship between two brothers (SteveZahn, Christian Slater) who head a unique agency designed to attack their clients’ problems using the real science of human motivation and manipulation.
Cast: Steve Zahn, Christian Slater, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Cedric Sanders, Gregory Marcel, Wynn Everett, RonRifkin (guest star)
Team: W/EP Kyle Killen (Awake); EP Keith Redmon; D Miguel Sapochnik
Studio: 20th Television

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