ABC Targets Thursday with Comedy Block

ABC has announced the creation of a Thursday night comedy block and has scheduled airtimes for two of its midseason comedies.

Starting March 26, the network will air single-mom comedy "In the Motherhood" on Thursdays at 8 p.m. and move the Christina Applegate-starring sitcom "Samantha Who?" from Mondays to Thursdays at 8:30 p.m.

The usual occupant of that hour, "Ugly Betty," will take a rare hiatus, then will return to the slot later in the season after "Motherhood" and "Samantha" finish their short-order runs.

ABC also has scheduled the office sitcom "Better Off Ted," which will air Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. starting March 18, paired in the hour with "Scrubs."

The Thursday move puts ABC's comedy block head-to-head with NBC's "My Name Is Earl" and "Kath & Kim," which have slipped in the ratings in recent months. ABC is not the first competitor to see an opportunity in the hour. Just last week Fox moved medical drama "Bones" into the same slot and won first place.

The move also represents one of the first hints that ABC might be getting frustrated with the performance of "Betty," which has served as a dependable yet relatively modest lead-in for top-rated "Grey's Anatomy."

The network has yet to schedule one midseason comedy, Mike Judge's animated comedy "The Goode Family." It's considered a challenge because ABC does not have other animated shows with which to pair it.