For the first time ever, ABC today announced plans to premiere a new drama out of “The Oscars.” The network said it will air a sneak preview of the Scott Foley-led drama “Whiskey Cavalier” on Oscar Sunday, February 24, immediately following local news coverage on ABC affiliates. The pilot episode will be re-aired on Wednesday, February 27 at 10:00 p.m ET, which is when the series was originally scheduled to launch.
In previous years, with the exception of 2017 and 2018, ABC aired a post-Oscars late night special edition of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” In 2017, Anthony Anderson (“black-ish”) hosted an aftershow and ABC previewed the pilot of “The Alec Baldwin Show” last year. It’s unclear if the network might return to a Jimmy Kimmel aftershow next year, or if this is the beginning of a trend by the network.
In addition to previewing “Whiskey,” ABC also announced that they’ll provide all-day coverage of “The Oscars,” beginning at 1:00 p.m. EST/10:00 a.m. PST with a two-part, three-hour “Countdown to Oscars” special and the annual “Live from the Red Carpet” coverage from 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST to 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST, immediately leading into “The Oscars” from 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST to 11:00 p.m. EST/8:00 p.m. PST. Of course, this is all contingent on the awards show ending on time.
“Whiskey Cavalier” follows the adventures of tough but tender FBI super-agent Will Chase (codename: “Whiskey Cavalier”), played by Foley. Following an emotional breakup, Chase is assigned to work with badass CIA operative Frankie Trowbridge (codename: “Fiery Tribune”), played by Lauren Cohan. Together, they lead an inter-agency team of flawed, funny and heroic spies who periodically save the world – and each other – while navigating the rocky roads of friendship, romance and office politics. Ana Ortiz plays Susan Sampson, Tyler James Williams is Edgar Standish and Vir Das appears as Jai Datta.
The ABC schedule on Oscar Sunday, February 24, is as follows:
EASTERN STANDARD TIME
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. – “Countdown To Oscars, Live! Part 1”
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. – “Countdown To Oscars, Live! Part 2”
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – “Oscars Opening Ceremony: Live From the Red Carpet”
8:00 – 11:00 p.m. – “The Oscars”
11:35 p.m. – 12:39 a.m. – “Whiskey Cavalier” Sneak Peek
PACIFIC STANDARD TIME
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – “Countdown To Oscars, Live! Part 1”
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – “Countdown To Oscars, Live! Part 2”
3:30 – 5:00 p.m. – “Oscars Opening Ceremony: Live From the Red Carpet”
5:00 – 8:00 p.m. – “The Oscars”
10:00 – 11:04 p.m. – “Whiskey Cavalier” Sneak Peek