ABC makes rare network history with 'R.J. Decker' Season 2 renewal
Following a period of uncertainty, ABC has finally picked up its private detective series 'R.J. Decker' starring Scott Speedman for Season 2. The renewal completes the network's scripted series slate, which will be rerun in its entirety for the upcoming 2026-2027 programming schedule. ABC is currently holding on to all 10 of its scripted shows, making this the first time the network has had no cancellations as it turns over from one broadcast calendar to the next. This is quite rare, as other networks underwent an overhaul in the aftermath of the 2023 Hollywood strikes, and the last time this happened at ABC was way back in 2012.
'R.J. Decker' is inspired by the novel 'Double Whammy' written by author Carl Hiaasen. The debut season premiered in March and received mostly positive reviews. The nine episodes of the debut season amassed approximately 15.2 million viewers across 35 days of multiplatform viewing, according to Nielsen data. However, over seven days of linear-only viewing, the show drew just under 5 million viewers and was slightly behind the other two leading titles in the same category, 'High Potential' and 'Will Trent.' The freshman series consistently posted positive viewership ratings on Hulu, especially in the days following its initial broadcast on ABC, and frequently ranked in the Top 10 on the streaming platform.
The official logline for the show reads, "R.J. Decker is a former newspaper photographer and ex-con who starts over as a private investigator in the colorful-if-crime-filled world of South Florida. The series follows him tackling cases that range from slightly odd to outright bizarre with the help of his journalist ex, her police detective wife, and a shadowy woman from his past who could be his greatest ally … or his one-way ticket back to prison". Speedman stars in the titular role, and is supported by Jaina Lee Ortiz as Emilia 'Emi' Ochoa, Kevin Rankin as Aloysius 'Wish' Aiken, Adelaide Clemens as Catherine Delacroix, and Bevin Bru as Detective Melody 'Mel' Abreu.
Robert Doherty of 'Elementary' fame returns as the writer, showrunner, and executive producer. Hiaasen himself executive produces, in association with Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, and Jason Tracey. Speedman himself is a producer along with 20th Television. ABC has reportedly renewed both of its '9-1-1' drama shows, along with 'Grey’s Anatomy,' 'High Potential,' 'Scrubs,' 'Will Trent', 'The Rookie', and 'Shifting Gears'. 'The Rookie: North' is currently the only pilot that remains on the table waiting to be picked up. It has also been reported that the network turned down the comedy pilot 'Do You Want Kids?', starring Dan Gregor and Rachel Bloom, last week.
