Speechless

**Speechless** is an American sitcom created by Scott Silveri, that debuted on ABC on September 21, 2016 and concluded on April 12, 2019.

On May 10, 2019, ABC cancelled the series after three seasons.

## Plot

DiMeo (Minnie Driver) is a mom on a mission who will do anything for her husband Jimmy (John Ross Bowie), her kids Ray, Dylan, and JJ, her eldest son with cerebral palsy. As Maya fights injustices both real and imagined, the family works to make a new home for themselves, and searches for just the right person to give JJ his "voice."

## Cast

### Main

* Minnie Driver as Maya DiMeo
* John Ross Bowie as Jimmy DiMeo
* Kyla Kenedy as Dylan DiMeo
* Mason Cook as Ray DiMeo
* Micah Fowler as JJ DiMeo
* Cedric Yarbrough as Kenneth

### Recurring

* Marin Hinkle as Dr. Miller
* Jonathan Slavin as Mr. Powers
* McKaley Miller as Claire
* David Lengel as Tad
* Sedona James as Taylor

## Production

### Development

On January 11, 2016, it was announced that ABC had given the production a pilot order as *Speechless*. The episode was written by Scott Silveri who was expected to executive produce alongside Christine Gernon, Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar. Production companies involved with the pilot include Silver and Gold Productions, The Detective Agency, ABC Studios and 20th Century Fox Television. On May 13, 2016, ABC officially ordered the pilot to series. A few days later, it was announced that the series would premiere on September 21, 2016 and air on Tuesdays at 9:30 P.M. EST. On September 23, 2016, ABC picked up the series for a full season of 22 episodes and on December 13, they get only one episode. On May 12, 2017, ABC renewed the series for a second season which premiered on September 27, 2017. On May 11, 2018, ABC renewed the series for a third season and announced it would air on Fridays at 8:30 P.M. EST and premiered on October 5, 2018.

### Casting

On February 24, 2016, it was announced that Cedric Yarbrough had been cast in the pilot. In March 2016, it was reported that Minnie Driver and John Ross Bowie had also joined the pilot's main cast.

## Reception

### Critical response

*Speechless* received largely positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has a rating of 98%, based on 41 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "*Speechless* speaks to a sensitive topic with a heartfelt lead performance and a fine balance of sensitivity and irreverence." On Metacritic, the series has a score of 79 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

The editors of *TV Guide* placed *Speechless* seventh among the top ten picks for the most anticipated new shows of the 2016-17 season. In its review from writer Liam Matthews, "ABC has another worthwhile addition to its strong lineup of modern families with *Speechless*," adding "It's a clear-eyed and empathetic exploration of life in a special-needs family that makes plenty of room for hilarity."

## Home media

### DVD Release

 *Speechless: The Complete Second Season* | 18

## External links

* Speechless on ABC Wikia (Fandom)
* Speechless on Television Fandom
* Speechless on Facebook
* Speechless on Twitter