Questionable: The Wednesday move, which adds five new shows, all with big names. "Hank" (Kelsey Grammer), "The Middle" (Patricia Heaton), "Modern Family" (Ed O'Neill), "Cougar Town" (Courteney Cox) and "Eastwick" (based on the John Updike novel and movie, and starring Rebecca Romijn). The problem here is quantity, not quality. Plus, three family-based sitcoms? In a row? That's a lot. The assumption that viewers will hang out is a strained one.

http://lohud.com/article/20090620/ENTERTAINMENT/906200308/1164

I have to agree that their Wednesday is way to packed with too many similar shows.

The only thing I'll be tuning in for is The Middle (because of Patty). I'll have to DVR Hank because of Old Christine on CBS. I'll give Hank a few episodes but it is getting less and less appealing to me.

All of the other shows look good, but too similar to spend a whole Wednesday night watching.

I expect one or two of those shows will be gone by mid-season.

The biggest problem for ABC on Wednesday is that every single show is new. It isn't that they are all family sitcoms. If you go back to the 80's there were quite a few of those airing in a row and nobody thought anything of it.

That's true - but with no established show on that night it's hard to try to get into them when they all have a similar central element of family.

If there was a veteran show in the middle of the block, it would be easier to watch the shows in a row, because you'd be used to one of them.