Nathan Fillion

ABC reduces orders for two series

Midseason dramas scaled back for inventory reasons

ABC is looking to reduce the order on two of its midseason drama series, "Castle" and "The Unusuals."

The network has cut the order for "Castle," which hails from its sister studio, from 13 to 10.

It also has approached Sony TV, producer of "The Unusuals," for the same type of episode cutback.

"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as a horror novelist who helps the NYPD solve crimes.

"The Unusuals" is an ensemble dramedy set in a New York police precinct co-starring Amber Tamblyn.

The order reductions came the same day ABC pulled the plug on midseason comedy series "Single With Parents."

Sources close to the network stress that the cutbacks are not for creative but for inventory reasons, as ABC has "Lost" as well as six new scripted series launching in midseason, "Castle," "Unusuals," hourlong "Cupid" and comedies "In the Motherhood," "Better Off Ted" and "The Goode Family." They could be joined by the Bill Lawrence/Courteney Cox comedy "Cougar Town," which was fast-tracked last week with a pilot order targeted for midseason.