Monday, October 11, 2010
ABC Family Orders More Melissa & Joey, More Pilots, and 2010 Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas
ABC Family has given the production greenlight to four more pilots as well. The pilots are Untitled Brenda Hampton Project, What Would Jane Do, The Lying Game and The Great State of Georgia. The latter, The Great State of Georgia, is a half-hour multi-camera sitcom about an exuberant plus-sized performer from the south and her science geek best friend who try to make headway in New York City. Pilot writers are Jennifer Weiner (author of the best-selling novels Good in Bed, and In Her Shoes (Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette starred in the feature film version by the same name)) and Jeff Greenstein (Desperate Housewives, Friends, Will & Grace). No casting has been announced yet. The other three pilots are scripted one-hour dramas. In What Would Jane Do, the series follows 16 year-old Jane, who lands a job at a hip retail company when they mistake her for an adult. Jane soon finds herself juggling life as a regular teenager in high school and as an assistant to a high powered executive in the cutthroat world of fashion... all while trying to keep her true identity a secret. Executive producer is Gavin Polone (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Gilmore Girls); writer is April Blair (Christmas Caper).
In The Lying Game, the series follows Emma, a kind-hearted foster kid who can't catch a break. She finds out she has an identical twin sister, Sutton, who - unlike Emma - was adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. After their initial meeting, Sutton talks Emma into stepping into her life for a few days while she pursues a lead on their birth mother. Initially excited to do this favor for her sister, Emma soon learns that Sutton has gone missing and could be in trouble. Now, Emma must decide whether to come clean to Sutton's family and risk her own safety in the hope of uncovering her twin sister's true whereabouts, along with the truth about why they were separated in the first place. Charles Pratt, Jr. (Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives) serves as executive producer and writer; Leslie Morgenstein (Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl) and Gina Girolamo will serve as executive producers. Produced by Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television, the series is based on the upcoming novel by Pretty Little Liars author Sara Shepard.
And in the Untitled Brenda Hampton Project, it is executive produced by Brenda Hampton (The Secret Life of the American Teenager, 7th Heaven), and is a groundbreaking and heartfelt look at the lives and families of four ethnically-diverse teenage girls at a private school in California. The pilot follows the girls and the challenges they face at home -- challenges that include a parent with terminal cancer, a brother with a behavioral disorder, and a father who parents with an unwaveringly strict hand.
And today it is an all ABC Family news day on this Columbus Day holiday, so we will give you their November 2010 highlights, which includes the "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas." The countdown starts Sunday, November 21, 2010. Among the movies airing are Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Holiday in Handcuffs, A Carol Christmas, Aladdin, Ice Age, Dumbo, Mary Poppins, A Boy Named Charlie Brown, Snoopy Come Home, Home Alone 2, Home Alone 4, Richie Rich, Happy Feet and the ABC Family original movie premiere of The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation on Sunday, Nov. 28. Holiday episodes include America's Funniest Home Videos Thanksgiving & Christmas episodes and Boy Meets World Christmas episodes. The countdown airs Nov. 21-30, then the actual stunt starts Dec. 1 through 25. As we mentioned earlier, Melissa & Joey has its fall season finale on Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 8pm. Leading into the finale will be the first 14 episodes of the season, so you can catch-up with any missed episodes or get hooked for the first time! The marathon airs from 1-8pm. Other November 2010 highlights includes the ABC Family premieres of Evan Almighty, Trading Places and Cheaper by the Dozen. And when the Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas airs on weeknights, My Wife & Kids will have its evening airings at 6pm aired at 1pm instead of 8 Simple Rules.
View the full list of movies and episodes airing on ABC Family's 2010 Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas (Nov. 21-30).
And finally we leave you today reminding you to watch the launch of new network The Hub! The Hub is replacing Discovery Kids and will feature sitcoms starting at 8pm every weeknight. We get Family Ties, The Wonder Years, Doogie Howser, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and Batman, as we mentioned! Holy classic TV, Batman indeed! Watch tonight on The Hub!
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Saturday, April 27
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 22)
Friday, April 26
- Ernie Hudson (Grace and Frankie/The Last Precinct/Highcliffe Manor) - Ernie and Bill Murray are guests on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Steve Buscemi (Miracle Workers) - Steve appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Jerrod Carmichael (The Carmichael Show) - Jerrod is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred sits in with The 8G Band on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Retta (Parks and Recreation) - Retta talks about HGTV's Ugliest House in America on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Janet Jackson (Diff'rent Strokes/Good Times) - Drew and Ross are surprised by Janet whose telling them all about her new tour, some of her most iconic moments and fashion looks and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jessica Capshaw (Odd Man Out) and Camilla Luddington (Californication) - Jessica and Camilla are guests on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD/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)
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
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