We have great news for the 23% of the country that gets one of the the following ABC stations:
WABC-TV New York
KABC-TV Los Angeles
WLS-TV Chicago
WPVI-TV Philadelphia
KGO-TV San Francisco
KTRK-TV Houston
WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham
KFSN-TV Fresno
If one of those call signs came up on your local affiliate bingo card, congrats! You can now watch these ABC stations with Sling Blue or Orange + Blue. That means in addition to your local news, you get all of ABC’s programming, from Kelly and Ryan in the morning to primetime hits like The Bachelor. Here’s a starter pack of the best ABC shows and specials to watch in March; to subscribe to Sling Blue and start watching ABC (and, in select markets, NBC and/ or FOX), click the link at the bottom of this page.
The 95th Academy Awards
Jimmy Kimmel is set to host the Academy Awards for the third time this year. Best Picture nominees include hits like Top Gun: Maverick, Elvis and Avatar: Way of the Water, as well as arthouse fare like Tar, Women Talking, and The Fablemans (which was, ironically, directed by Steven Spielberg). However most experts think it will come down to a race between The Banshees of Inisherin and Everything Everywhere All at Once, which is now the odds-on favorite.
When to Watch: Live Sunday, March 12 at 8pm ET.
Live with Kelly and Ryan
Ryan Seacrest announced earlier this year that he would be leaving the show later this Spring after co-hosting with Kelly Rippa since 2017. But fear not, loyal viewers, as it was also announced that Kelly’s husband Mark Consuelos will be replacing Seacrest and the show will be rebranded – you guessed it – Live with Kelly and Mark. Consuelos has been a hit with audiences, at least on social media; The Daily Mail reports that Twitter traffic for the show spiked 243% during his last fill-in appearance on Jan. 30.
When to Watch: Weekdays at 9am in most markets; check your guide for times.
American Idol
Speaking of Ryan Seacrest, after 21 seasons and two networks, he’s still hosting American Idol. At the judges table, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Ritchie are returning for their sixth seasons. The show airs its third auditions episode on March 5, but you can catch up with the first two on-demand.
When to Watch: New episodes air Sundays at 8pm ET.
The Bachelor
After having his heartbroken by The Bachelorette's Rachel Recchia, Zach Shallcross will stop at nothing to find love (including a spat with COVID) on Season 27 of The Bachelor. Now entering Week 7, Zach is feeling confident that he is getting closer to finding "the one." But, dating multiple women at the same time isn't without its complications. Will Zach be riddled with choice, or the lack thereof on his journey to long lasting love? If you haven't started this season, catch up on demand.
When to Watch: New episodes air Mondays at 8pm ET.
Abbott Elementary
Lastly, with respect to The Connors, we have to call out our favorite ABC comedy, Abbott Elementary. Created by and starring Quinta Brunson, the show is about a teacher at a predominantly Black elementary school in Philadelphia. Brunson is terrific but, like all the best mockumentaries, the show’s strength is its deep bench of hilarious supporting characters, especially Sheryl Lee Ralph, who won an Emmy for her role as an old-school-minded kindergarten teacher.
When to Watch: New episodes premiere Wednesdays at 9pm ET.
https://main--sling--aemsites.aem.page/aemedge/fragments/try-sling-orange