NATPE 2011: Day 2 Has Original Sitcoms; CBS Moves Up Mad Love Premiere

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

NATPE 2011: Day 2 Has Original Sitcoms; CBS Moves Up Mad Love Premiere

It's day two of the 2011 NATPE and still it is pretty light in terms of updates, but we have some sitcom updates! But first, THR reports that Father Alberto Cutie, a bestselling author of self-help books and radio talk show host as well as a former Roman Catholic priest, will join the ranks of talk shows and host a daily syndie strip devoted to life matters. The show is being licensed by Debmar-Mercury and the first station group to step up for a launch test is Fox. The show will preview on a number of as yet unspecified Fox stations this summer. The Fox test markets will include N.Y. and L.A., the country's top two markets. Other non-Fox outlets may be invited to join the test as well.
Sitcom wise, CABLEready is entering the scripted programming arena for the first time, offering up two sitcoms, including one with Married... with Children's David Faustino! The two original comedies are being produced by Dan Garcia Productions. Things We Do For Love is a half-hour multi-camera sitcom with a cast that includes Alfonso Ribeiro, Maria Conchita Alonzo, Tamara Mowry and James Avery. Darren (Alfonso Ribeiro) and his lovely wife Lourdes (Tamara Mowry) have recently been married. They struggle with life as newlyweds sustaining a family owned business. Once their zany in-laws move in (Lourdes' mom and Darren's father), their lives change forever. 5 episodes have been ordered and taped. Clunkers is a half-hour semi-scripted, single-camera comedy with Carl Anthony Payne, David Faustino, Katherine Rose and Sherman Hemsley. The comedy reunites high school best friends Ritchie (Carl Anthony Payne) and Shaun (David Faustino) at a used car lot in the deep south. With a feel of Curb Your Enthusiasm meets Sanford and Son, the show revolves around a former local baseball star, Ritchie, who must swallow his pride and return to his hometown after an injury keeps him from making it in the major leagues. 9 episodes have been ordered and shot. Hopefully more news on these two potential sitcoms will come soon, including what cable networks will pick these up. Our buddy Sean Compton, President of Programming at Tribune, wants original sitcoms in first-run syndication, so these two would be a great start for that even though they are being offered for cable. Stay tuned for further updates!
We hope to have our annual list of what is available for Fall 2011 by tomorrow.

Meanwhile, CBS has moved the premiere date of mid-season sitcom Mad Love to Valentine's Day (Monday, Feb. 14) at 8:30pm. The series was originally slated to premiere a week later on Monday, Feb. 21. This means Rules of Engagement will have its last Monday airing on Feb. 7 now but it will still move to Thursdays at 8:30pm starting Feb. 24. 13 episodes of Mad Love will air, while Rules of Engagement will have 9 episodes to air (from its 24 episode order) on its new night of Thursday.
The sitcom stars Jason Biggs, Sarah Chalke, Tyler Labine and Judy Greer. Matt Tarses and Jamie Tarses are executive producers for Sony Pictures Television in association with CBS Television Studios. Look for our review of the pilot closer to premiere date.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Tuesday, July 17

The Middle - "Bat Out of Heck" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Frankie is surprised but relieved when Dr. Goodwin (Jack McBrayer) agrees to buy all of the peanut brittle that Brick needs to sell for school. But the good doctor displays a bit of Mr. Hyde behavior when Frankie doesn’t deliver the product in an expeditious manner. Meanwhile, Axl is getting sick and tired of having Mike tell him how to run his life; and things go off the rails when Axl attempts to trade in the Winnebago and buy a car. Sue is more determined than ever to win a very prestigious and competitive hotel scholarship; and Frankie swears that she’s seeing something mysterious flying through the house.

The Middle - "Great Heckspectations" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Frankie has to force Brick into asking Cindy to the high school prom but worries that his quirkiness could spoil the happy event; Lexie talks a clueless Axl into giving Sue a belated 21st birthday present; and Mike becomes frustrated over how to get used to a new TV remote.

black-ish - "Things Were Different Then" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dre reluctantly helps Junior plan Pops’ 65th birthday party and starts to see his dad’s past in a new light. Meanwhile, Bow decides to say “yes” to everything for a whole year and Jack & Diane take advantage of her.

black-ish - "Elder. Scam." (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ruby gets scammed and Dre begins to suspect that she isn’t as sharp as she used to be, particularly because she was the one who used to scam other people. Zoey’s friend Aaron visits and Diane develops an instant crush on him.

Younger - "Sex, Liza and Rock & Roll" (TV Land, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Liza is called in for reinforcements when Charles runs into trouble with a rock-star author on Shelter Island. Maggie reaches a career milestone.

Teachers - "Wake and Blake" (TV Land, 10:30PM ET/PT)
Ms. Bennigan tries to win over Blake on a camping trip, and Ms. Snap decides to give back to the community.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 16)

Tuesday, July 17

David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me!) - Catch David on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
Joel McHale (Community/The Great Indoors) - Joel appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Eva Longoria (Telenovela) - Eva is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS. She will also be on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
Tichina Arnold (Survivor's Remorse/Happily Divorced/Everybody Hates Chris/Martin) - Tichina visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Niecy Nash (Getting On/The Soul Man/Reno 911!) - Niecy stops by LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Sherri Shepherd (Trial & Error: Lady, Killer/Sherri/Less Than Perfect - Sherri appears on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Jon is a guest on a repeat of Harry, so check your local listings.
Deon Cole (grown-ish/black-ish/Angie Tribeca) - Deon guest co-hosts a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
Eddie Griffin (Malcolm & Eddie) and Boris Kodjoe (The Last Man on Earth/Second Time Around) - Steve's favorite Hollywood hunks are featured on Steve, so check your local listings.
Melissa Leo (I'm Dying Up Here) - Melissa talks about The Equalizer 2 on Chatter on PeopleTV at 8pm.
Daveed Diggs (black-ish) - Daveed will be on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Vivica A. Fox (Mr. Box Office/Getting Personal/Out All Night) - Vivica talks about The Last Sharknado: It's About Time on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace talks about her health secrets on The Doctors, so check your local listings.
Bobcat Goldthwait (Unhappily Ever After/Capitol Critters) - Bobcat talks about Bobcat Goldthwait’s Misfits & Monsters on the BUILD Series at 3pm.
Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/Welcome to New York) - Jim will be on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.