Saturday, February 22, 2014

SitcomsOnline Digest: The Simpsons to Air Lego Episode; Special Features Update for CBS Classic TV Blu-rays


Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Today, we've got news about The Simpsons 550th episode, updates on some Blu-ray releases of classic TV series from CBS Home Entertainment, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • The Simpsons is approaching yet another milestone in May, with the 550th episode of the series, and in honor of this amazing achievement, the 550th episode will be a special episode that will be created with Lego building blocks. (Reuters)
  • Barney Miller isn't celebrating a milestone anniversary just yet (although it will be 40 years old next year), but even so, International Business Times has a nice interview about the series with a communications professor at Fordham University who discusses the complicated dynamics of the series, which he considers to be "the most intelligent, literate US sitcom ever." (International Business Times)
  • It may not be a sitcom, but the CSI franchise has been big thing for CBS since 2000, eventually expanding into three series (but now back down to just the original). Now, it appears CBS wants to expand the franchise once again with a series that would focus on international cyber crime. (Entertainment Weekly)
  • What happens when you cross the sitcom Community with The Walking Dead? One truly devoted Community fan answers that question (as well as what it would look like if you cross it with The Wonder Years) by creating some rather creative (but well done) opening credits for Community. (Huffington Post)
  • Three's Company and Too Close for Comfort, two series that helped the Antenna TV lineup (but left over a year ago), will be returning to that lineup in April. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

    RECENT HOME MEDIA REVIEWS ON SITCOMSONLINE

    FEBRUARY 23 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00GT7GYVW/ref=nosim/happydaysonline5-20
    • Mama's Family - The Complete Third Season (DVD, $29.98): The classic Vicki Lawrence sitcom returns to DVD for another season, this one being the first season of the retooled version of the series that aired in first-run syndication.
    • The Middle - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD, $44.98): The ABC series that lagged behind a season on DVD releases finally gets caught up with this release.
    • L.A. Law - Season One (DVD, $29.93): The groundbreaking NBC legal drama that began in the '80s comes to DVD for the very first time (at least for the first time in the United States).

    FOLLOW ME

    Who to Follow: Danielle Brisebois (Twitter), "here and now"
    Claim to Fame: Danielle Brisebois is probably not a huge household name to every sitcom fan out there. However, as a child, she gained significant prominence in her regular role of Stephanie on the series All in the Family (as well as spinoff Archie Bunker's Place). After that series ended, her acting career turned to Knots Landing for a while, then went on single episode guest roles in series such as Mr. Belvedere, Hotel, Murder She Wrote, and other series. While her acting career essentially ended before 1990, her attention has turned to music where she has found major success, beginning as a member of the New Radicals (best known for their 1998 single, "You Get What You Give") and later going on to write songs for many prominent artists, such as Natasha Bedingfield (Brisebois was actually the writer for Bedingfield's "Pocketful of Sunshine" and "Unwritten"), Kelly Clarkson, Donna Summer, Clay Aiken, Kylie Minogue, and more. Despite all of this success, she still looks back very fondly at her acting career, particularly working with Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton.
    Pick of the Tweets: "Me and #jeanstapleton good memories pic.twitter.com/71QyTXEAVb" (June 1, 2013)
    Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 2:00 PM
    Labels: , , , , ,

    New on DVD/Blu-ray (September)

    The Big Bang Theory - The Complete Ninth Season Newhart - The Complete Sixth Season 2 Broke Girls - The Complete Fifth Season Family Matters - The Complete Eighth Season Modern Family - The Complete Season 7

    09/06 - Coach - Season One (Mill Creek) / Season Two / Seasons One and Two
    09/06 - South Park - The Complete Ninteenth Season (Blu-ray)
    09/13 - The Big Bang Theory - The Complete Ninth Season (Blu-ray)
    09/13 - Newhart - The Complete Sixth Season
    09/20 - 2 Broke Girls - The Complete Fifth Season
    09/20 - Family Matters - The Complete Eighth Season
    09/20 - Modern Family - The Complete Season 7
    09/20 - Veep - Season 5
    09/27 - The Wonder Years - Season Six
    More TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest

    Sitcoms Airing Tonight

    Monday, September 26

    The Big Bang Theory - "The Military Miniaturization" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
    Colonel Williams (Dean Norris), an Air Force representative from the Department of Material Command sits down to talk with Wolowitz.

    Kevin Can Wait - "Sleep Disorder" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
    Kevin rearranges the house to his liking after his buddies convince him that Donna makes all their decisions and has taken over the house for her own benefit. Also, Kendra enlists her Uncle Kyle (Gary Valentine) to help toughen up Chale.

    Complete TV Listings

    Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 26)

    Monday, September 26

    • Zach Galifianakis (Baskets) - Watch Zach on on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
    • Rob Lowe (The Grinder/Parks and Recreation) - Rob appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He also talks about Code Black on CBS This Morning sometime between 7-9am and on LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings. He will be on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
    • Kal Penn (We Are Men/How I Met Your Mother) - Kal is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
    • Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth) - Will visits Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
    • Norm Macdonald (Norm) - Norm stops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
    • Johnny Pemberton (Son of Zorn) - Johnny is a guest on Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
    • Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) - Margaret appears on @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
    • Jaleel White (Family Matters/Grown Ups) - Jaleel is a guest on @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
    • Patton Oswalt (The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton visits Conan at 11pm on TBS.
    • Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi/Bagdad Cafe) - Whoopi drops by Harry, so check your local listings.
    • Kristin Chenoweth (Kristin) - Kristin performs live on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. She also talks about her new album on the AOL Build Show at 3pm.
    • Sutton Foster (Younger) - Sutton talks about Younger on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
    • The Cast of Younger) - Sutton Foster, Debi Mazar, Hilary Duff, Nico Tortorella, Peter Hermann, Miriam Shor and Molly Bernard are guests on the AOL Build Show at 2:15pm.