ABC's 2014-15 primetime schedule: 12 new series, 19 returning favorites

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- ABC announced its 2014-2015 primetime schedule Tuesday, unveiling a total of 12 new shows, including another drama from powerhouse producer Shonda Rhimes.

"Our schedule reflects a judicious mix of boldness and stability," said Paul Lee, ABC Entertainment Group president. "This season we set out to develop passion projects from world-class storytellers and showcase the faces and voices of America."

Rhimes, creator of the ABC hit shows "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal," is coming out with a legal thriller called "How to Get Away With Murder." The story follows a professor, played by Viola Davis, who gets entangled with four law students from her class, titled "How to Get Away With Murder."

The show will air on Thursdays in the 10 p.m. slot, with "Scandal" being bumped to 9 p.m. and "Grey's Anatomy" to 8 p.m. Lee said the change will bolster what has been a weak 8 p.m. slot for ABC and give the new drama a strong launching pad.

While the lineup for Sunday and Monday night remain intact, Tuesday will introduce three new shows, including "Selfie" at 8 p.m., a comedy about a woman with 263,000 online followers and no real friends; "Manhattan Love Story" at 8:30 p.m., a comedy that exposes the unfiltered thoughts of men and women; and "Forever" at 10 p.m., starring Ioan Gruffudd as a New York City medical examiner with a secret: He's immortal.

The network, known for its multi-ethnic casts, is adding shows focused primarily on non-white characters or with minority creators - something often missing from major broadcast networks. "Black-ish," starring Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross as a suburban family trying to embrace their African-American identity, will fill the Wednesday 9:30 p.m. slot. Laurence Fishburne, who plays dad to Anderson's character, called the sitcom "authentic and relevant" during an appearance at ABC's presentation of new shows.

"Fresh off the Boat," which has not yet been given a premiere date, is a new series about an immigrant Chinese family pursuing the American dream in the 1990s. It's based on chef Eddie Huang's memoir with the same title. Another comedy, "Cristela," is about an ambitious law student (Cristela Alonzo) at odds with her traditional Mexican-American family. That show will air Fridays at 8:30 p.m.

On the genre front, "Marvel's Agent Carter," starring Hayley Atwell, will air midseason between runs of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Other new shows include "American Crime," a drama about a murder with racial overtones that features former "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman; "Secrets and Lies," starring Ryan Phillipe as a murder suspect trying to prove his innocence; "The Whispers," an alien invasion story with Steven Spielberg as an executive producer; and "Galavant," a musical fairytale.

In addition to the new shows, ABC is renewing 19 series, including "America's Funniest Home Videos," "The Bachelor," "Castle," "Dancing with the Stars," "Grey's Anatomy," "Last Man Standing," "The Middle," "Modern Family," "Nashville," "Once Upon a Time," "Revenge," "Scandal," "Shark Tank," "The Taste" and "20/20."

"Trophy Wife," "Mixology," "The Neighbors," "Super Fun Night" and "Suburgatory" were all canceled.

ABC's new fall primetime schedule:

Monday

8 p.m. - "Dancing With the Stars"

10 p.m. - "Castle"

Tuesday

8 p.m. - "Selfie"

8:30 p.m. - "Manhattan Love Story"

9 p.m. - "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

10 p.m. - "Forever"

Wednesday

8 p.m. - "The Middle"

8:30 p.m.- "The Goldbergs"

9 p.m. - "Modern Family"

9:30 p.m. - "Black-ish"

10 p.m. - "Nashville"

Thursday

8 p.m. - "Grey's Anatomy"

9 p.m. - "Scandal"

10 p.m. - "How to Get Away with Murder"

Friday

8 p.m.: "Last Man Standing"

8:30 p.m.: "Cristela"

9 p.m.: "Shark Tank"

10 p.m.: 20/20

Saturday

8 p.m. - "Saturday Night College Football"

Sunday

7 p.m. - "America's Funniest Home Videos"

8 p.m. - "Once Upon a Time"

9 p.m. - "Resurrection"

10 p.m. - "Revenge"

Fall premiere dates will be announced at a later time. Shows picked up but not listed on the schedule will debut later in the 2014-15 season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.