Thursday, March 10, 2016

GSN Upfront 2016 with New Shows Including with Donald Faison; George Lopez Star Joins Sharknado 4

GSN

Following four consecutive years of growth, driven by an increasingly aggressive original programming slate and new youthful brand refresh, GSN introduced at its upfront presentation in New York City a slate of new innovative and original greenlit series, specials and pilots. The announcement of new programming follows GSN's most-watched year ever (2015), a year in which the network also added more than 16.5 million new viewers to its air. Additionally, the popularity of the network's skill-based, competitive entertainment shows provided the perfect, organic platform to bolster its social media strategy, with GSN originals enjoying more than 18 million social engagements. Over the past three years, GSN has more than doubled its original programming output, and is introducing another creative slate of originals in 2016. The network will also add a second screen participation aspect to selected original programming later this year. This real-time platform will engage viewers and connect them with the content, allowing them, through their second screen devices, to interact directly with the show and play along in real time.

The executives were joined by GSN talent, including Rebecca Romijn, host and executive producer of hit series Skin Wars; master of transformation RuPaul Charles, who serves as judge on Skin Wars and will now host and executive produce the new spinoff, Skin Wars: Fresh Paint; comedian and actor Donald Faison (Scrubs), host of the new Winsanity; comedian Ben Gleib, host and executive producer of GSN's hit series Idiotest and new spinoff Political Idiotest; and Jen and Sylvia Soska, aka the Twisted Twins, who serve as masterminds behind the scenes on the horror-themed game show Hellevator, returning for a second season.

Going into detail about the Faison series, Winsanity is GSN's latest innovation on the play along game show format. Each half-hour episode features a contestant attempting to rank ten compelling and surprising facts in numerical order, from highest to lowest (i.e.: Which is greater: the number of times a man thinks about sex in a day, or the number of words a woman speaks in a day?). Every time a contestant is correct and wins a prize, so does a randomly selected portion of the studio audience. However, if a contestant gives a wrong answer at any point, they, and the audience lose everything, and a new contestant takes his or her place and continues the game, trying to win prizes that increase in value with each round. Hosted by comedian and actor Donald Faison (Clueless, Scrubs), the series has a 40-episode order.


Sharknado 4

Syfy and The Asylum announced that Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills, 90210) will slay again in Sharknado 4 (working title), reprising his role as shark-fighting hero Fin Shepard, while Tara Reid (American Pie) is set to return as April Wexler to reveal the outcome of the fan-voted #AprilLives or #AprilDies social campaign. The fourth addition to the hit global franchise also sees the return of David Hasselhoff (Baywatch) as Gil Shepard and Ryan Newman (See Dad Run) as Claudia Shepard. Set to premiere on Syfy this July, Sharknado 4 (wt) will take place five years after the East Coast was ravaged in Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! Fin, his family and the cosmos have been blissfully sharknado-free in the intervening years, but now sharks - and 'nados! - are being whipped up in places (and ways) least expected...

Joining the franchise for Sharknado 4 are:

· Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon, Celebrity Apprentice), as Wilford Wexler, April's father and a lead scientist at Astro-X. He's at the forefront of advances in the field of robotics.
· Tommy Davidson (Black Dynamite, In Living Color), as Aston Reynolds, playboy tech billionaire. Aston is the CEO of tech company Astro-X, developers of a revolutionary energy system that can stabilize the atmosphere and prevent the formation of tornadoes.
· Imani Hakim (Everybody Hates Chris), as Gabrielle, Matt's best friend and a fellow soldier. Gabrielle is tough and no-nonsense, can take care of herself and isn't afraid to show what she's capable of doing.
· Cody Linley (Hannah Montana, Melissa & Joey), as Matt, Fin and April's eldest son. After surviving the first Sharknado, Matt finished flight school and joined the Army. He's experienced the events of the last six years from afar and longs to reunite with his American Hero father.
· Masiela Lusha (George Lopez), as Gemini, Fin's cousin. Ever resourceful, Gemini is chock full of shark-busting attitude and is ready to dive into the fight once the sharks hit the fan.
· Cheryl Tiegs (The Apprentice), as Raye, Fin's mother and Col. Gil Shepard's ex-wife. Raye is a little bit of a former flower child, but not afraid to speak her mind or protect her family.

Currently filming, Sharknado 4 (wt) will include a plethora of additional outrageous and surprising cameos to be announced soon. Stay tuned...


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, March 28

The Conners - "Keep On Truckin' Six Feet Apart" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Conners are dealing with the pandemic and life's financial troubles.

The Conners - "Halloween and the Election vs the Pandemic" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Halloween has been canceled, so the family works to create an unforgettable experience.

Son of a Critch - "Airing Out" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The Critches are doing their annual airing-out-the-house ritual; some family secrets are uncovered.

Son of a Critch - "Cabaret" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Mark finally gets the chance to take the stage as a stand-up comedian.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 25)

Thursday, March 28

  • Joey King (Bent) - Joey talks about We Were the Lucky Ones on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
  • Giancarlo Esposito (Bakersfield P.D.) - Giancarlo discusses his starring role in the AMC crime-thriller series Parish on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Niecy Nash-Betts (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy stops by to talk about her upcoming starring turn in Ryan Murphy's horror drama Grotesquerie on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks about Abbott Elementary on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Lorraine Toussaint (Where I Live) - Lorraine is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Father Knows Best - The Complete Series The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (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)

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

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03/08 - Amazon Freevee Gets New Comedy Series; Apple TV+ Loot Returns April 3
03/07 - Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik Reprising Their Characters from Big Bang; Monsters at Work Returns for Season 2
03/06 - CBS Orders Multi-Camera Spin-off of Young Sheldon; FETV Acquires Highway Patrol
03/05 - Fox Summer 2024 Schedule, In-Season Finales; CBS Renews Tracker for Season 2
03/04 - Laff Acquires Matthew Perry and Will Arnett Sitcoms; Lisa Whelchel Returns for MeTV Series
03/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 4, 2024)
03/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Pluto TV Adds More Channels Including Universal Action; CBS Renews Young and the Restless for Four More Years
03/01 - Lopez vs Lopez Season 2 Brings Out the Stars; Prime Video's Música Drops April 4
02/29 - Season 3 of Hacks Adds Star Power; Remembering Richard Lewis
02/28 - BUZZR Celebrates Women's History Month in March; 10th Anniversary of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
02/27 - Little House on the Prairie Big 5-0 Stunt on COZI TV; Netflix Orders Tires Starring Shane Gillis