Friday, March 23, 2007

TV Land Upfront 2007, Original Series Announced, Scrubs and Just Shoot Me Coming in 2008; ABC Pilots for 2007-08 Season; SOAPnet April Line-Up

This is an unusually busy Friday. We have lots of news for you. So much that we will have to hold off on some news until a later date...but we will give you the biggest ones today. Let's start off with TV Land, of course. TV Land had its upfront presentation today. Upfront is where networks showcase their programming plans for the year. Bill Clinton was on hand at Madison Square Garden as the keynote speaker for the TV Land Upfront. The theme of the upfront for TV Land was catering to the baby boomers. Let's start off with the original programming. They detailed some of the major awards for the TV Land Awards. Hosted by Kelly Ripa and premiering April 22 at 9, TV Land will honor Roots, which will feature the reunion of several cast members in honor of the epic's 30th Anniversary; Lucille Ball, whose Legacy of Laughter Award will be accepted by her children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr.; The Brady Bunch, which will be feted with the Pop Culture Award in an on-stage reunion of the cast; and Hee Haw, which will be honored with the Entertainer Award. TV Land Confidential season two will launch on July 11. Each 30-minute episode of this returning TV Land series is filled with anecdotes, interviews and clips, bringing viewers the tales behind their favorite TV shows, musical performers and movies. High School Reunion will premiere on August 8. TV Land reunites more than a dozen alumni from a 1986 high school class. As announced before August is Elvis month and TV Land is developing an original special to go along with the hours of acquired programming for the month. TV Land Myths & Legends: Elvis Presley, thirty years after his death, TV Land takes an in-depth look at some of the most popularly held notions about the "King of Rock and Roll" and dissects them to separate fact from fiction, premieres August 16, 2007. Coming this fall is Back to the Grind, where classic TV stars take on their professions of their classic TV characters. Loni Anderson and Harry Anderson are among the stars participating. Premieres October 10. Entertainment Weekly & TV Land Present: The 50 Greatest TV Icons, a new-two-hour special. TV Land partners with America's premier entertainment magazine to create a comprehensive look at the 50 Greatest TV Icons, all culled from over 50 years of television. As we announced a few days ago Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams will be back in...Penny & Cindy. This scripted buddy comedy reunites actresses and real-life friends Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams, who gained fame and prominence on their enduring sitcom, Laverne & Shirley. There are MUCH more originals in development. Click HERE to view them all. Originals were not the only thing announced. Acquired programming includes Just Shoot Me coming in early 2008 and Scrubs in October 2008. TV Land also announced more titles for its Movie Land block on Friday nights. The Blues Brothers Movie; Beetlejuice; Caddyshack; Fletch; National Lampoon's Vacation; Pleasantville; White Men Can't Jump; Working Girl; Young Frankenstein are some of the titles we will see. They announced some other non-programming related material that sounds interesting, but you will just have to read the huge press release they issued for the upfront. Again click HERE. And it is that time of the year again--our 5th annual previewing the pilots in development for ABC! They have 16 sitcoms and 13 dramas for consideration for 2007-08 season. The pilots sound great, especially the dramas. Which will make the cut and which won't? We will find that out in mid-May, but for now you can see who is starring in the pilots, what the pilots are about, and more! 12 of the 16 sitcoms are single camera. I hope we get all four multi-camera sitcoms on the schedule at some point because they are lacking now and most single camera sitcoms have never found an audience. Among the stars in the sitcom pilots are Danny Comden, Faith Ford, Jerry O'Connell, Fred Goss, Jennifer Coolidge, Robert Vaughn, Wendie Mallick, Ricki Lake, Brooke Burns, Rachel Boston, Jay Harrington, Amy Yasbeck, Barry Bostwick, Jane Curtin, Gregory Itzin, Jayma Mays, Christina Applegate, Jean Smart, Kurt Fuller, Oliver Platt, Michael McKean, Michael Boatman, Orlando Jones, Ben Savage, Ashley Williams, and Scott Wolf. For the list of the 16 ABC sitcoms in development, click HERE. As for the dramas, the pilots all sound good. ABC usually has the best drama pilots, especially the last 2-3 seasons. 13 drama pilots are in development, which include the Grey's Anatomy spin-off starring Kate Walsh. The pilot will premiere May 3 and if it works, we might see it as a series this fall, if it makes it. Among the stars in the drama pilots are Lucy Liu, Frances O'Connor, Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland, Jill Clayburgh, Victor Garber, Natasha Henstridge, Eddie Cibrian, Holly Robinson-Peete, Lucy Lawless, Ving Rhames, James Van Der Beek, Gabrielle Union, Kiele Sanchez, Louise Lombard, Jason O'Mara, Chi McBride, Charles Dutton, Michael Vartan, Christopher Titus, Dylan McDermott, Alyssa Milano, Mary Steenburgen, Angie Harmon, Laura Harris, and the all-star cast of the Grey's Anatomy spin-off: Kate Walsh, Paul Adelstein, Taye Diggs, Tim Daly, Amy Brenneman, Merrin Dungey, and Chris Lowell. For the list of the 13 ABC drama pilots in development, click HERE. On those preview posts please also discuss what shows you want to see and what shows you want to see make it on the air! SOAPnet has announced its April 2007 line-up that starts April 9. The O.C. and One Tree Hill are joining the line-up, as we mentioned some time back, but now we have the full line-up. Highlights include One Tree Hill @ 1 & 5p; The O.C. @ 2 & 6p; Dallas moving to 11a & 12p with repeats @ 5a and 6a; 90210 moves to 3p & 4p; Days of Our Lives moves to 7p and 12a; Young & the Restless moves to 11p with repeats @ 4a & next day at 10a; Port Charles (Sat) & Ryan's Hope (Sun) move to the weekends @ 6/6:30a; Melrose Place will just air on Saturday mornings 7p-10a; and Another World is off line-up. Click HERE to view the full line-up.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, March 19

Night Court - "The Duke's a Hazard" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Gurgs' royal boyfriend pays a surprise visit, she questions their compatibility; Dan defends his family's honor after he discovers a feud that dates back centuries.

Extended Family - "The Consequences of Being Irish" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Jim learns of Trey's St. Patrick's Day fundraiser plans, he offers his expertise in an effort to save Trey and the Celtics from embarrassment.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 18)

Tuesday, March 19

  • Tracy Morgan (The Last O.G./30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Catch Tracy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Brendan Hunt (Ted Lasso), Marc Maron (GLOW/Maron) and Zainab Johnson (Upload) - Brendan, Marc and Zainab are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Hilary Swank (Camp Wilder) - NBC's Today catches up with Hilary in the 10am hour.
  • The cast of Girls5eva) - Busy Philipps, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Paula Pell and Sara Bareilles are guests on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Jesse talks about his podcast Dinner's On Me on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Annie Potts (Young Sheldon/Over the Top/Love & War/Designing Women/Goodtime Girls) - Annie talks about her legendary career and new film, Ghostbuster: Frozen Empire, on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Joe stops by Tamron hall to chat about hosting the new Deal or No Deal Island, so check your local listings.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Father Knows Best - The Complete Series The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


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