Thursday, December 01, 2016
CBS Midseason 2017 Schedule; Remembering Grant Tinker
CBS announced several winter and spring scheduling moves, including the series premieres of dramas Ransom, Training Day and Doubt. The Network will begin rolling out its new scripted programming on New Year's Day with the launch of Ransom, a crime drama about a world-renowned crisis and hostage negotiator whose team is brought in to resolve the most difficult kidnap and ransom cases. The new drama debuts on Sunday, Jan. 1 after a football doubleheader, and moves to its regular Saturday time period of 8:00PM ET/PT on Jan. 7. Luke Roberts, Sarah Greene, Brandon Jay McLaren and Nazneen Contractor star. CBS will launch two dramas in February, beginning with Training Day, premiering Thursday, Feb. 2 at 10:00PM, ET/PT after freshman drama Pure Genius completes its season order. The series is a crime thriller starring Bill Paxton and Justin Cornwell that begins 15 years after the events of the feature film, about a young, idealistic police officer who is tapped to go undercover in an elite squad of the LAPD where he partners with a morally ambiguous veteran detective. Katrina Law, Drew Van Acker, Lex Scott Davis, Julie Benz, Christina Vidal and Marianne Jean-Baptiste also star.
Doubt will premiere Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 10:00 PM ET/PT following the season finale of Code Black the week prior. The new drama stars Katherine Heigl as a brilliant attorney at a boutique firm who starts to fall for her charismatic client, an altruistic pediatric surgeon recently accused of murdering his girlfriend 24 years ago. Dulé Hill, Steven Pasquale, Elliott Gould, Dreama Walker, Laverne Cox and Kobi Libii also star. As previously announced, the new competition series Hunted premieres Sunday, Jan. 22, immediately following the NFL's AFC Championship game (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/7:00-8:00 PM, PT - time is approximate after post-game coverage). The series moves to Wednesdays on Jan. 25 with a special two-hour episode, 8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT, and then in its regular 8:00PM ET/PT slot in subsequent weeks. Also, in the second half of the year, the eighth season of two-time Emmy Award-winning alternative series Undercover Boss will premiere with a special two-hour episode on Wednesday, Dec. 21 from 8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT. It moves to Wednesdays at 8:00PM ET/PT) on Dec. 28, until the time period premiere of Hunted on Jan 25. The next season of Survivor debuts with a two-hour premiere on Wednesday, March 8 from 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT, one week after the conclusion of Hunted. The series moves to its regular Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET/PT) time period on March 15. The reality series The Amazing Race returns on Friday, April 21 from 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT, with a two-hour premiere one week after the season finale of MacGyver the week prior, then moving to its regular Friday at 8:00-PM ET/PT time period on April 28. The premieres of new comedy Superior Donuts and sophomore drama Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders will be announced at a later date.
Television producer and executive Grant Tinker, who served as Chairman and CEO of NBC from 1981 to 1986, has died. He died at his Los Angeles, California home on November 28. Mr. Tinker was 90.
Tinker married actress Mary Tyler Moore in 1962. They formed the television production company MTM Enterprises in 1969. Tinker hired James L. Brooks and Allan Burns to create and produce the company's first television series, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in 1970. MTM produced hit series such as Rhoda, The Bob Newhart Show, Lou Grant, The White Shadow, WKRP in Cincinnati, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere. Tinker left the company in 1981 after his divorce from Moore.
He became the Chairman and CEO of NBC in 1981. NBC was in last place in the ratings at the time. During his tenure from 1981 to 1986, NBC developed hits like The Cosby Show, Family Ties, The Golden Girls, Cheers, Night Court and Hill Street Blues.
He later formed GTG Entertainment (Grant Tinker-Gannett). They produced the syndicated newsmagazine USA Today: The Television Show and the CBS dramas TV 101 and WIOU.
Tinker was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1997. He received a personal Peabody Award "for recognizing, protecting, and fostering creativity of the highest order" in 2004.
The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive interview with him in 1998.
Survivors include his wife, Brooke Knapp; his sons, Mark, John and Michael; his daughter, Jodie DiLella; his sister, Joan Swift; 10 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. Mark and John Tinker work as television producers, directors and writers.
Mr. Tinker was a TV giant. He made NBC a ratings powerhouse in the 1980s. We thank him for the many great sitcoms he brought us during his career. He will be greatly missed.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Sunday, April 28
The Simpsons - "Frinkenstein's Monster" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Professor Frink secretly helps Homer land a high-level position at a state-of-the-art nuclear plant; since Homer lacks the skills to actually perform the job, Frink comes to fear he's created a monster.
Krapopolis - "Prince Hippo" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Atlanteans approach Krapopolis, Shlub reveals that Hippocampus is technically the king of Atlantis; a priestess visits Deliria and offers her services.
The Great North - "Any Court in a Storm Adventure" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When a blizzard snows the Tobin family in, Beef struggles to avoid cabin fever by running the household like the Royal British Navy.
Grimsburg - "And the Winner Is… Murder!" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Marvin finds himself at the judging table of the town's talent show when a serial killer targets the winner.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 22)
Friday, April 26
- Ernie Hudson (Grace and Frankie/The Last Precinct/Highcliffe Manor) - Ernie and Bill Murray are guests on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Steve Buscemi (Miracle Workers) - Steve appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Jerrod Carmichael (The Carmichael Show) - Jerrod is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred sits in with The 8G Band on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Retta (Parks and Recreation) - Retta talks about HGTV's Ugliest House in America on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Janet Jackson (Diff'rent Strokes/Good Times) - Drew and Ross are surprised by Janet whose telling them all about her new tour, some of her most iconic moments and fashion looks and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jessica Capshaw (Odd Man Out) and Camilla Luddington (Californication) - Jessica and Camilla are guests on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD/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)
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
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