Six ABC shows are getting early renewals for next season. And no surprise here: Top-rated hit  Modern Family is coming back next fall.

Great start for the new year!

Source: EW

While comedy rival “Glee” fell by more than 24% for its third episode of the season, “Modern Family” held fairly steady, easily winning the broadcast race Wednesday night.

The Emmy-winning comedy posted a 4.5 adults 18-49 rating with 11.34 million viewers. Save for “The Middle” (2.4 rating, 7.97 million viewers), the rest of ABC’s programming improved over last week, with “Better With You” ticking up slightly to a 2.3 with 6.89 million viewers, “Cougar Town” climbing to a 3.1 with 7.20 million viewers and “The Whole Truth” up to a 1.4 with 4.53 million.

Source: Headline Planet

Building on the success of Modern Family and The Middle, ABC continues spending big bucks on more comedies — thus its decision to order 12 half-hour pilots this year. Here is the list of comedy pilots coming from EW:

Awkward Situations for Men (Jeff Filgo & Jackie Filgo). Inspired by the Danny Wallace book of the same name, the series focuses on a British on-air personality who moves to America and clashes with local customs. Cast includes Wallace and Laura Prepon (That ’70s Show).

Freshmen (Greg Malins, Arianna Huffington). A multi-camera sitcom about three first-year members of Congress that stars Sarah Chalke (Scrubs).

Funny in Farsi (Nastaran Dibai, Jeffrey B. Hodes). Based on the novel of the same name by Firoozeh Dumas, which is a memoir of the author’s childhood.

Untitled David Caspe Project. A single-camera comedy about a couple who breaks up at the altar while their friends try to keep things copacetic. Cast includes Damon Wayans, Jr. (My Wife and Kids ).

How to Be A Better American (Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley). A single-camera comedy about a father who attempts to improve his life and the lives of his (not-so-amenable) family.

It Takes a Village (Casey Johnson & David Windsor). A single-camera comedy about two exes and their partners who come together to raise a 15-year-old boy.

Mr. Sunshine (Matthew Perry, Alex Barnow, Mark Firek). Perry (Friends) stars as a self-absorbed manager of a sports arena. Cast also includes Allison Janney (The West Wing) and Andrea Anders (Better Off Ted).

Untitled Couples Project (Shana Goldberg-Meehan). A multi-camera sitcom about two sisters in different stages of their romantic relationships. Cast includes Joanna Garcia (Privileged).

Untitled Dana Gould Project. A multi-camera comedy about a high school guidance counselor. Cast includes Gould and Brian Dennehy (Cocoon).

Who Gets the Parents (Joe Port & Joe Wiseman). A multi-camera comedy about three adult siblings who are grappling with their parents’ late-in-life divorce.

Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid (Howard Morris and Jenny Lee). A multi-camera comedy based on the book of the same name.

Wright Vs. Wrong (Stephanie Weir). A single-camera comedy about a conservative pundit who’s very different in private.

Do you see any new Modern Family here?

ABC has scheduled the return of the Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special to air the week before the Academy Awards and plans to give “The Middle” a “Modern Family” lead-in.

The Oprah special will air March 3. On Feb. 17 and Feb. 24, ABC will try out repeats of “The Middle” — which recently hit a season high in its usual 8:30 p.m. slot — at 9:30 p.m. after “Modern Family.”

Source: THR feed

ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson said he was renewing ABC’s freshman comedies Modern Family, The Middle and Cougar Town so all three will get a second season.

Great news! Now to will the Golden Globes…

Source: TV by the Numbers

It was a good night for the comedies with Old Christine, The Middle, Gary Unmarried and Modern Family all improved versus their season averages. Only Cougar Town, with a 2.8 rating with adults 18-49 was down from its prior average. Criminal Minds and CSI: NY were also up a bit from season averages on CBS.

Modern Family Ratings – 3.8/10 9.62.

Source: TV by the numbers.