Saturday, January 24, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: John Stamos and Shaquille O'Neal Looking at Comedy Pilots; New Multicast Networks Devoted to Comedies and Game Shows in the Works

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! We're now at the point of the year where everybody is working hard to get their pilots on the air, and we have news of those, news of some new over-the-air broadcast networks, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • It seems like only yesterday when John Stamos was in his 20s on Full House, and now, he may be playing a grandfather soon if a comedy pilot for Fox is picked up. (People)
  • TruTV has become a little less true and a little more scripted lately, and now they have ordered a workplace comedy pilot starring Shaquille O'Neal. (Entertainment Weekly)
  • The New England Patriots are currently in the news for many reasons, some good and others not so good. But since we're a sitcoms blog and not a sports blog, we think it is worth noting that a Growing Pats video, a "Throwback Thursday" about the team done in the exact same style as the Growing Pains opening credits, was posted on Twitter this week by wide receiver Julian Edelman. (Fox Sports)
  • In most cities these days, you'll find just as many (if not more) more broadcast TV networks as you would find on cable about two decades ago. Now, Buzzr TV, a digital network devoted to game shows, would like to join those ranks. (SitcomsOnline)
  • Meanwhile, comedy fans will be pleased to know that there is going to be another digital TV network coming in April devoted to all things comedy, LAFF. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

JANUARY 27 HOME MEDIA RELEASES 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00Q5998BM/ref=nosim/happydaysonline5-20
  • Mama's Family - Mama's Favorites: Season 4 (DVD, $12.98): StarVista brings more episodes of the classic Vicki Lawrence series to DVD in a value-priced "best of" collection for those who have no desire to own the entire series.
FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Geri Jewell (Twitter), "Actress/Comedian, Motivational Speaker, and Author of I'm Walking as Straight as I Can - Transcending Disability in Hollywood and Beyond."
Claim to Fame: We're still having Facts of Life fever (so to speak) this week, and this week, we're featuring one of the cast members who wasn't exactly a regular, but appeared in many episodes,  Geri Jewell, best known for playing Blair's cousin Geri on the series. Jewell was born with cerebral palsy, and even though TV had been around for three decades by the time Facts of Life debuted, she was the first actress with cerebral palsy to be featured on a TV series. While she had some difficulty finding roles following the end of the series, she did appear in a few guest roles, as well as a role in the HBO series Deadwood. Much of her work these days is that of a motivational speaker these days, and she maintains a positive attitude about life by having a sense of humor about her challenges that she deals with.
Pick of the Tweets: "I'm walking as straight as I can...and driving better than I ever walked - and dancing....okay, I will never make DWTS - bummer~" (November 7, 2011)
Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 3:00 PM
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New on DVD/Blu-ray (June/July/August)

Father Knows Best - Season Six Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Sixth Season Alice - The Complete Fifth Season Rhoda - Season Four Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Season Four

06/13 - The Andy Griffith Show - Return to Mayberry
06/13 - That's My Mama - The Complete Series
06/20 - Workaholics - The Final (Seventh) Season
06/20 - Workaholics - The Complete Series
06/27 - The Jamie Foxx Show - The Complete Third Season
07/04 - Superstore - Season Two
07/18 - Father Knows Best - Season Six
07/25 - Diff'ernt Strokes - The Complete Sixth Season
07/25 - Girls - The Final (Sixth) Season (Blu-ray)
08/01 - Alice - The Complete Fifth Season (WBShop.com)
08/01 - Crashing - The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)
08/15 - Rhoda - Season Four
08/22 - Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Season Four
08/29 - Will & Grace - Season One (Universal)
More TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Saturday, September 23

Henry Danger - "Live & Dangerous: Part 2" (Nickelodeon, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Frankini announces his plan to unmask Kid Danger and Captain Man, Charlotte, Schwoz, Jasper and Piper must snap into action to stop him.

Game Shakers - "The Trip Trap" (Nickelodeon, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Babe and Kenzie are suspicious of Trip's new fame-hungry girlfriend and are determined to find out if she's using him to get closer to Double G.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 18)

Friday, September 22

  • The Cast of Will & Grace - Watch Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
  • Bobby Moynihan (Me, Myself & I) - Bobby visits The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He will also be on People Now at 8:30am.
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Seinfeld) - Julia is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) - Ray appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Lake Bell (Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later/How to Make It in America/Childrens Hospital) - Lake is a guest on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
  • Andrea Savage (I'm Sorry) - Andrea appears on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
  • Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) - Drew stops by Steve, so check your local listings.
  • Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace, Jodie and Andrea are guests on Steve, so check your local listings.
  • Bob Saget (Fuller House/How I Met Your Mother/Surviving Suburbia/Full House) and Dave Coulier (Fuller House/Full House) - Bob and Dave stop by the People Now studio at 8:30am.
  • Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/The Office) and Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/30 Rock) - Ellie and Jane talk about Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • John Carroll Lynch (The Drew Carey Show) - John is a guest on the AOL Build Show at 3pm.
  • Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Vice Principals) - Kimberly appears on the AOL Build Show at 4pm.