ABC gives 'Murder,' 'Black-ish' full-season orders

ABC has thrown its support behind two new series by picking up drama How to Get Away with Murder and comedy Black-ish for the full TV season, ABC entertainment chief Paul Lee announced Thursday.

The two are among the stronger ratings performers among series newcomers at the start of the TV season.

Murder (Thursday, 10 p.m. ET/PT), a legal mystery that stars Viola Davis and features Shonda Rhimes as an executive producer, has drawn more viewers than its strong lead-in, Rhimes' Scandal. Black-ish (Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET/PT), a family comedy that stars Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, has performed better than its predecessors as a time-slot partner for five-time Emmy winner Modern Family.

Broadcast networks typically order 13 episodes for new series, adding nine more for a full-season pickup of 22 episodes. That's the case with Black-ish. Murder, which was scheduled for a shorter episodic run, has been increased by two episodes, going from 13 to 15.