ABC Picks Up Two Family Comedy Pilots

ABC has picked up two family-centric comedy pilots from ABC Studios, the network announced Monday.

“Chunk and Bean,” which is written and produced by Ed Herro and Brian Donovan, centers on the unlikely friendship of two misfits, Chunk and Bean, who benefit from having two very different sets of parents living next door to each other. The single-camera comedy is also exec produced by Dave Hemingson.

Herro and Donovan previously wrote for ABC’s alien comedy “The Neighbors,” while Hemingson has served as consulting producer on the network’s “Black-ish” and exec produced the shortlived but critically beloved “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23.”

“Square Roots,” written and exec produced by “Black-ish” and “The Middle” producer Vijal Patel, focuses on a man from a family of logic driven engineers who is determined to use his “gift” to help the people he loves with their everyday issues — whether they like it or not.

ABC‘s drama pilots for the 2016-17 season include Romeo and Juliet sequel series “Still Star-Crossed” which hails from Shondaland; “The Jury,” produced by Carol Mendelsohn; “Presence” from “American Crime” creator John Ridley; and the “Agents of SHIELD” spinoff, “Marvel’s Most Wanted.”

On the comedy side, ABC has picked up a pilot from “The Goldbergs” creator Adam F. Goldberg about an imaginary friend; “Downward Dog,” starring “Fargo” breakout Allison Tolman; cancer-themed comedy “Pearl;” and “Speechless,” which revolves around a family with a special-needs child.

For detailed information on all of this year’s pilots, see Variety’s Pilot Scorecard.