The first freshman comedy of the 2018-19 season is ABC’s Single Parents.


The sitcom, from New Girl scribes JJ Philbin and Liz Meriwether, has scored a back-nine order after nearly a month on the air. It is among the few early green lights of the season and the first for ABC. Previously, NBC tapped New Amsterdam for a full order, and CBS did the same with FBI.


Single Parents trails only Tuesday’s debut of ABC's The Conners in comedy premieres this season, though that doesn’t say a whole lot. New half-hours have struggled particularly hard this fall. Still, the show has netted an average 5.6 million viewers and a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49 through its first three episodes.


This thumbs-up is not terribly surprising, given the coming conclusion of ABC parent Disney’s purchase of Single Parents studio 20th Century Fox TV. Though it’s technically already a co-production with ABC Studios, the project originated at Fox, where Meriwether recently renewed her overall deal after the end of New Girl’s seven-season run.


Single Parents, which stars Taran Killam, Leighton Meester, Kimrie Lewis, Jake Choi and Brad Garrett, airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT, following perennial performer Modern Family.


The series’ vote of confidence is good news for ABC’s family comedy brand, one that is looking to a future without anchor Modern Family. The show is in its tenth season and many signs point to the idea that it will be its last.