ABC Family Gives the Go-Ahead for New Reality Series “The Letter”

In January 2016, ABC Family is becoming Freeform–but as it turns out, that’s not the only change coming to the network. Karey Burke, the Executive Vice President of Programming and Development, announced today that ABC Family has decided to proceed with developing a bold new reality series called The Letter as part of the network’s reality expansion. The series, which begins production in 2016, comes from Sirens Media and is described as a groundbreaking new relationship show that asks a simple question: “If you could, without identifying yourself, tell your best friend something that she or he needed to hear, what would you tell them?”

In each stand-alone episode, four people close to one another draw names and anonymously write to the selected person a thoughtful and honest letter outlining what, in their opinion, needs to be changed in order to improve and transform for the better the life of the recipient. For one week, each reader must follow all the rules and instructions dictated in the letter, culminating in a dramatic and emotionally charged meeting where the authors of each letter reveal themselves to their best friends.

The pickup of The Letter comes on the heels of the network renewing the docuseries Monica the Medium, which chronicles the life and activities of 22-year-old college student and medium Monica Ten-Kate, for a second season. With its novel pitch and innovative approach to exploring human relationships, however, The Letter has the potential to be one of ABC Family’s–soon-to-be Freeform’s–standout series of 2016. It’s definitely one that viewers should keep their eye out for–and maybe even write home about!