Not much new programming from ABC to look forward to next season, as far as shows with black actors in lead/starring roles are concerned. 

Of course both Shonda Rhimes series – Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal – are returning. But both are already in ABC’s arsenal. 

Ashley Madekwe and Toks Olagundoye will return to their respective supporting roles in Revenge and The Neighbors, respectively.

There’s also Robert Wisdom in Nashville.

One new series of note is Resurrection, which stars Omar Epps in the the top role, in the serial adaptation of author Jason Mott’s debut novel, The Returned. Although it’s a mid-season replacement, so don’t expect to see it until sometime in early 2014. 

There are a couple of new shows with black actors in them, although not necessarily front-and-center. 

Isiah Whitlock Jr. is a member of the ensemble cast of Lucky 7, which revolves around seven employees of a service station in Queens whose lives are changed in many unexpected ways when they win a lottery jackpot. The series is written by David Zabel and Jason Richman who wrote Detroit 187. 

The new hour long series is based upon a British television drama entitled The Syndicate written by Kay Mellor.  

Whitlock plays Bob Harris, a gas station attendant who is injured prior to finding out he is one of 7 lottery winners.

Meanwhile Craig Frank is one member of another ensemble cast dramedy series titled Mixology, which follows 10 single New York-based friends and their relationship highs and lows. 

Frank plays Cal, who’s described as confident when it comes to the ladies.

Mixology was written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (The Hangover), executive produced by Lucas, Moore, Ryan Seacrest, Nina Wass and Adam Sher. Larry Charles (Seinfeld, Entourage, Borat) directs.

This is also a mid-season replacement, as is Mind Games, which will see Megalyn Echikunwoke and Cedric Sanders in supporting roles. The series follows brothers Clark and Ross Edwards (played by Steve Zahn and Christian Slater) who are partners in a unique agency committed to solving clients’ problems using “psychological manipulation.”

Megalyn and Cedric play Megan and Latrell, who both work in the agency.

And finally, we know that J. August Richards will appear in Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., but there’s a lot of mystery around what his contribution to the new series will be. We don’t even know with certainty what role he’s playing, nor whether he’ll be a series regular, or only appear in the pilot, or maybe it’s a recurring role. 

We’ll find out eventually.

That’s about it for ABC primetime during the upcoming 2013/2014 season, where *blackness* is concerned. If I missed any, feel free to mention in the comments section, and I’ll update. But I think I got them all.

Although, one thing I can guarantee is that black folks will be very well represented on Saturday nights on ABC! 

Up next, looks at CBS, FOX and NBC…