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A 1990s-set spinoff of “The Goldbergs” — but not quite the version viewers saw in an episode of the show earlier this season — has earned a series pickup at ABC



The spinoff will focus on the teachers at William Penn Academy, the school Adam Goldberg (Sean Giambrone) and his siblings attend in the ’80s on “The Goldbergs.” Tim Meadows and Bryan Callen will continue their roles from the parent show, and AJ Michalka will play an older version of her character Lainey Lewis, now a teacher at her former school.

The spinoff initially filmed a pilot for consideration last year, but ABC passed. “Goldbergs” creator Adam F. Goldberg and exec producer Marc Firek kept the idea alive, however, and ABC aired the pilot as an episode of “The Goldbergs” in January.

That show focused not just on the teachers, but also on Mr. Glascott’s (Meadows) sister and nieces, played by Nia Long, Rachel Crow and Summer Parker (Olivia Spencer narrated the episode as an adult version of Crow’s character).

In between the filming of the pilot and its airing, however, Long landed a series-regular role on “NCIS: Los Angeles.” With Long unavailable, Firek, Goldberg and fellow EP Doug Robinson reworked the premise some. That reworked premise, plus solid ratings for the January episode (1.7 in adults 18-49, 6 million viewers), helped land the spinoff a series pickup.

The spinoff, which still doesn’t have a title, is the first comedy pickup for 2018-19 at ABC. The network handed out two straight-to-series orders for dramas “The Rookie,” starring Nathan Fillion, and “Take Two,” starring Rachel Bilson.