ABC Picks Up Second Season of 'Motive'

Well, I can honestly say I didn't see this one coming. After a season spent mostly below the 1.0 ratings threshold, Canadian import drama 'Motive' has been picked up for a second season by ABC. With the previous renewals of 'Mistresses' and fellow Canuck drama 'Rookie Blue,' ABC has now renewed their entire scripted summer line-up. This follows 'Motive's original renewal by CTV back in May. I guess the fact that ABC doesn't have to cover the cost of production makes up for the low demo numbers.

'Motive' stars Kristin Lehman ('Poltergeist: The Legacy,' 'The Killing') as working class detective Angelika "Angie" Flynn as she investigates homicides. Helping her are her partner Oscar Vega (Louis Ferreira), and lead medical examiner Dr. Betty Rogers (Lauren Holly, who I'll always think of as Mary Swanson from 'Dumb and Dumber'). The supporting cast also includes Roger Cross, Brendan Penny, and Cameron Bright as Angie's teenage son.

The show's format follows the "inverted crime story" template popularized by the classic Peter Falk series 'Columbo.' Each episode begins by clearly establishing the crime, the perpetrator, and the victim. The remainder of the episode follows the investigation and reveals the circumstances that led up to the crime via flashbacks.

Season two of 'Motive' will first air on Canada's CTV in February of next year, with the 13 episodes making their USA debut on ABC by early next summer. Will you be tuning in?