SitcomsOnline Digest: Gilmore Girls to Return on Netflix; The X-Files a Solid Ratings Performer

Saturday, January 30, 2016

SitcomsOnline Digest: Gilmore Girls to Return on Netflix; The X-Files a Solid Ratings Performer

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Revivals are the big thing still, with Gilmore Girls returning to Netflix and maybe more of The X-Files (beyond the current miniseries) on Fox. Also this week, CBS has announced more details for their post-Super Bowl timeslot, and NBC is preparing for a Trump-less Celebrity Apprentice. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

Gilmore Girls is the latest series to get a revival (on Netflix), and it will include the original cast. (TV Guide)
The return of The X-Files as a miniseries has brought in ratings that are on par with the original series when it had the best ratings, and there is already talk of more of series in some similar limited fashion. (Entertainment Weekly)
CBS will be airing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in the post-Super Bowl timeslot this year, and now the guests have been announced, with Tina Fey and Will Ferrell among them. (Variety)
NBC has announced which celebrities (or, as is the case with most of them, "celebrities") will be competing on the next run of The Celebrity Apprentice (with Arnold Schwarzenegger taking over as host, of course). (Hollywood Reporter)
The FCC is considering making some changes regarding the cable box that could change the way that you view television, in particular, allowing consumers to buy their own cable box. (The New York Times)
The website isabevigodadead.com changed their status to "yes" this week, as Abe Vigoda, after erroneously being reported as dead at least two times in the 1980s, actually did die this week, and Antenna TV has a tribute to the actor with a special Barney Miller marathon. (SitcomsOnline)

TUESDAY (FEBRUARY 2) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - The Complete Season 2 (DVD, $24.98): Previously released as a complete series set, Warner Home Video is now continuing to bring the series to DVD as individual seasons.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: John Amos (Twitter), "Actor. Director. Author. Philanthropist."

Claim to Fame: If you don't know who John Amos is, then you haven't watched any classic TV. He got his start by playing Gordy the weatherman on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Of course, he became better known when he was cast as James Evans on the series Good Times. He only appeared on Good Times for 61 episodes before he was fired from the series. He then went on to one of his other most well-known roles, playing Kunta Kinte in the miniseries Roots. In the 1980s, he appeared in a recurring role in the first season of Hunter. In the 1990s with the playing the guy just like Archie Bunker living in Archie Bunker's old house in the short-lived All in the Family spinoff (of sorts), 704 Hauser. These days, he makes occasional appearances on TV series and movies, but is also taking more time to relax.

Pick of the Tweets: "Okay my daughter and granddaughter are getting me caught up on this twitter thing! Guess I'm on the late freight!!!" (September 17, 2014)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Friday, April 19

I Love Lucy - "I Love Lucy Funny Money Special" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
I LOVE LUCY FUNNY MONEY SPECIAL, a new one-hour special featuring two back-to-back colorized episodes of the classic series, will be broadcast Friday, April 19 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

The two episodes, “The Million-Dollar Idea” and “Bonus Bucks,” are newly colorized with a nod to the 1950s period in which they were filmed. As with previous “Lucy” specials, the main titles and end credits are seamlessly combined into one set at the beginning and end of the hour, with no interruption between the episodes.

In “The Million-Dollar Idea,” Lucy and Ethel attempt to get rich quick by bottling Lucy’s homemade salad dressing. A commercial pitch on a local TV program results in hundreds of orders, but Ricky soon determines that the girls are not charging enough to cover the cost of production and distribution. They decide to fill the initial orders and get out of the business fast, but a second TV appearance, designed to discourage additional sales, results in even more orders!

In “Bonus Bucks,” it’s the Ricardos vs. the Mertzes when both couples claim ownership of a dollar bill worth three hundred dollars in a newspaper’s “Bonus Bucks” contest. To save their friendship, they decide to split the winnings, each couple keeping half the actual bill until it can be redeemed. Unfortunately, Ricky puts the Ricardos’ half of the dollar in his pajama pocket – and Lucy sends those pajamas to the laundry!

Last Man Standing - "Yass Queen" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
In an effort to help get her clothing line off the ground and into stores, Mike invites Mandy to sit in on a business meeting with an aggressive sales rep; Ed hires Kyle to transcribe his life story.

The Cool Kids - "Indecent Proposal" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
In an attempt to date a guy who is way out of her league, Margaret pretends to be someone she's not.

Sydney to the Max - "Little Shop of Reynolds" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sydney and Olive decide to help Max at the bike shop's biggest sale of the year; when Leo's dad hires a girl to work at the arcade, Max and Leo compete to see who can impress her the most.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 15)

Friday, April 19

Beth Behrs (The Neighborhood/2 Broke Girls) - Watch Beth on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Happy Days) - Henry appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Billy Crystal (Soap/The Comedians) - Billy is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Sarah Chalke (How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)/Mad Love/Scrubs/Roseanne) - Sarah appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood/Survivor's Remorse/Happily Divorced/Everybody Hates Chris/Martin) - Tichina guest co-hosts The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Keke Palmer (True Jackson, VP/Scream Queens) - Keke guest co-hosts ABC's Strahan & Sara at 1pm.
Bill Hader (BarrY) - Bill talks about Barry on Access Live, so check your local listings.
Rick Fox (The Game/Mr. Box Office) - Rick talks about Morning Show Mysteries: Countdown to Murder on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
Jake Choi (Single Parents) - Jake talks about Single Parents on the BUILD Series at 11am.