ABC Orders ‘The Goldbergs’ Spinoff

ABC is officially giving the 1990s-set The Goldbergs spinoff a second chance, putting in a series order for the project after the pilot aired in January.

According to Variety, the alphabet network put in the series order on Monday. Although once known as Schooled, the project is now untitled.

The series follows the action at William Penn Academy after Adam, Barry and Erica Goldberg graduated. Principal Glascott (Tim Meadows) and Coach Mellor (Bryan Callen) are still at the school. Lainey Lewis (AJ Michalka) will also be in the new series.

ABC had hoped to air the spinoff during the 2017-2018 TV season, but ultimately passed on it in favor of Zach Braff’s Alex Inc. Now, the spinoff will air during the 2018-2019 season.

In January, ABC aired the pilot as a special Goldbergs episode called “The Goldbergs: 1990-Something.” Surprisingly, the episode attracted 6.06 million viewers and a 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic. It was the highest-rated episode of the season at that point.

The new series is based on a story by Goldbergs creator Adam F. Goldberg and Marc Firek, who are also executive producers with Doug Robinson. Like the mothership series, it will be a co-production by Sony Pictures TV and ABC Studios.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in January, Goldberg said he was very surprised that ABC passed on it the first time.

“It just kind of came and went,” Goldberg said. “It’s really bizarre to us. I was told they wanted a workplace show. Ours was a family meets the work place. That fit into what they wanted to do. It had a diverse cast they were looking for, and it had two of the most popular characters from its No. 2 show.”

The Goldbergs is now in its fifth season and will be back for a sixth next season. The series is inspired by Adam F. Goldberg’s life and recent episodes have ended with interviews of his real-life friends and family about the crazy antics in the show.

Sean Giambrone stars as Adam, alongside Jeff Garlin as his father and Wendi McLendon-Covey as his mom. Troy Gentile and Hayley Orrentia play his older siblings and George Segal plays his maternal grandfather. Patton Oswalt narrates the show from adult Adam’s perspective.

Although the show is not a critical favorite, it is beloved by viewers and has been a consistent performer to start Wednesday nights on ABC. According to TV Series Finale, the show has averaged 5.7 million viewers and a 1.49 18-49 rating this season.

New episodes of The Goldbergs air on ABC Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

Photo credit: ABC/ Ron Tom