Nathan Fillion

ABC announces fall premiere dates

ABC is getting a head start on firming up its fall premiere dates.

The network has announced when nearly all of its primetime shows will debut in a few months. ABC wants to get the word out to potential advertisers, and plans to use the dates in summer marketing campaigns to promote the shows.

The roll out has a pretty standard formation, with the network firing most of its big guns during the usual broadcast premiere week that starts Sept. 21.

Once again, ABC will have three nights of "Dancing With the Stars" before reducing the reality show to its usual two-night pattern. The added evening of "Dancing" also helps stagger the debut of the network’s Wednesday night comedy block, which will feature “Modern Family” and “Cougar Town” debuting Sept. 23 during premiere week, then 8 p.m.-hour additions “Hank” and “The Middle” completing the block the following week.

Also getting a late start, “Ugly Betty” on Friday nights, which will have a two-hour premiere Oct. 9.

There’s also still a few ABC premieres to be filled in — "Brothers & Sisters," "Eastwick" and "Private Practice."

Monday, September 21
8:00-10:00 p.m. “Dancing With the Stars”
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Castle”