ABC's Family Comedy SPEECHLESS Renewed For 22-Episode Third Season

ABC has ordered a 22-episode, full-season third season of family comedy Speechless. The news was confirmed Thursday night by series star Minnie Driver.

Speechless is an American sitcom television series that debuted on ABC on September 21, 2016. Created by Scott Silveri and co-executive produced with Christine Gernon, Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar, the 20th Century FOX Television/ABC Studios co-production was greenlighted to series order on May 13, 2016. A first-look trailer was released on the same day. Starring Minnie Driver, John Ross Bowie and Micah Fowler, the sitcom explores both the serious and humorous challenges a family faces with a teenager who is disabled.

The series follows the DiMeo family, each with a unique personality: Maya, a take-charge British mother with a no-holds-barred attitude; her husband Jimmy, who does not seem to care what others think; Dylan, their no-nonsense athletic daughter; Ray, their scholarly middle child who acts as the "voice of reason" in the family; and their oldest son, JJ-a high schooler with cerebral palsy who has a biting wit and sense of humor. Unable to speak himself, JJ communicates by using headgear with a laser pointer to indicate various words, letters, and numbers on a board attached to his wheelchair, while others read aloud what he "says". The DiMeos move frequently in an attempt to find a good educational environment for JJ. They believe they have found an optimal choice when they discover a school that prides itself on being inclusive and where JJ will have an aide to speak for him. Because the school is in an upscale part of town, Jimmy and Maya move THE FAMILY into the cheapest, most rundown house in an otherwise nice neighborhood. Though they quickly find that not everything is as good as it could be, JJ enjoys having Kenneth, a likeable, well-meaning school groundskeeper with a deep and resonant speaking voice, work as his aide.

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