What’s Worth Watching: ABC’s comedy line-up for Wednesday, October 28

Matt Roush October 25, 2015, 3:00 am

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Black-ish – Michael Strahan, Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross - 'Jacked o' Lantern' — Michael Ansell/ABC

BLACK-ISH - "Jacked o' Lantern" - Ever since he was a kid, Dre has loved Halloween. Now that he lives in one of those "good candy neighborhoods," kids come from all over the city to trick-or-treat, including Dre's own nieces and nephews. The cousins are known for roughhousing and The Johnson kids aren't happy when they come around, but Dre feels his kids could use some toughening. Meanwhile, Dre gets a surprise visit from his own cousin, June Bug, who used to torment Dre as a kid, on "black-ish," WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 (9:31-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Michael Ansell) MICHAEL STRAHAN, ANTHONY ANDERSON, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS

The Middle, “Halloween VI: Tick Tock Death,” Wednesday, Oct. 28, 8/7c, ABC

The Goldbergs, “Couples Costume,” Wednesday, Oct. 28, 8:30/7:30c, ABC

Modern Family, “Halloween 3: Awesomeland,” 9/8c, ABC

black-ish, “Jacked o’Lantern,” 9:30/8:30c, ABC

ABC has pretty much cornered the market on superior family TV comedy, with its best shows (excepting Tuesday winner Fresh Off the Boat) concentrated on Wednesdays, where this week ’tis the season for Halloween themes to rule. Though Modern Family gets most of the attention and—until this year—Emmy accolades, it’s sitting this year out, repeating last October’s episode in which Phil (Ty Burrell) took charge of the house decorations, shirking horror for an “Awesomeland!” design.

Most Wednesdays, the highlight for me comes early with the truly awesome The Middle, and this week is no exception, as the show pays homage to a personal favorite, The Twilight Zone, featuring each of the Hecks in their own macabre vignette, while Brick (Atticus Shaffer) narrates in Rod Serling mode. This sounds very promising. It’s followed by the nostalgic The Goldbergs, in which Adam (Sean Giambrone) must face his fears when girlfriend Dana (Natalie Alyn Lind) loses her promise ring in a haunted house.

Currently enjoying a very strong sophomore season, black-ish celebrates Halloween with Dre (Anthony Anderson) reflecting on life in the upscale suburbs, where the reputation of his “good candy neighborhood” attracts the family’s more ornery members, including Dre’s cousin June Bug (Michael Strahan), who used to bug Dre as a kid. Using Halloween to put a spotlight on class divisions within a family is the sort of ambitious leap black-ish executes masterfully, even between holidays. This series is a treat all year long.