ABC Pulls 'Apartment 23' From Lineup

Net will double-run 'Happy Endings' on Tuesdays starting Jan. 29

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/22/2013 3:42:53 PM

Sophomore comedy Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 has been yanked from the schedule, an ABC spokesperson confirmed, with the network opting to air back-to-back original episodes of Happy Endings on Tuesdays starting Jan. 29.

Both comedies were already preempted on Jan. 22 for the two-hour premiere of new cooking competition show The Taste. Happy Endings will wrap its third season before the return of Dancing With the Stars on March 25.

ABC aired new episodes of both Apt. 23 and Happy Endings on Sundays at 10 p.m. this month to increase exposure to the struggling comedies, but scrapped a planned third Sunday airing on Jan. 20 because of low ratings.

After both launched out of the network's top-rated Modern Family, Happy Endings and Apt. 23 have failed to build a Tuesday comedy block for ABC this fall opposite comedic competition from Fox and NBC. Happy Endings has fared slightly better, averaging a 1.4 rating with adults 18-49 this season, while Apt. 23 averaged a 1.1.

No decision has been made on Apt. 23's unaired episodes, though they could be burned off in summer.