SitcomsOnline Digest: Will and Grace to Air in Fall; Rhoda Season 5 to Arrive on DVD in August

Saturday, May 06, 2017

SitcomsOnline Digest: Will and Grace to Air in Fall; Rhoda Season 5 to Arrive on DVD in August

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's sweeps month and networks are getting prepared for the new fall season, so we've got a very busy week of news this week, including news about the Will and Grace reboot, a new job (or two?) for Ryan Seacrest, and some great announcements from Shout! Factory. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

As much as we've been talking about it, it still feels weird to say that the new season of Will and Grace will air this fall on NBC, something that was indirectly confirmed this week. (New York Daily News)
It literally went down to the very last second (and even a little bit beyond), but the great looming threat of a strike of the WGA was averted, meaning that your favorite TV shows will go on without interruption. (LA Times)
The cast of Happy Days (minus Henry Winkler) reunited this week for the memorial of Erin Moran. (Us Weekly)
After an extensive search, Kelly Ripa finally got a new co-host, Ryan Seacrest, for the newly titled Live with Kelly and Ryan on Monday, just coincidentally in time for sweeps. (Variety)
Speaking of Ryan Seacrest, we knew that American Idol wasn't gone for good when Fox aired the "final season" just over a year ago, and while we last heard that NBC may be the one reviving it, it now looks very likely that ABC will be the network that brings it back. (Variety)
Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy have been renewed (along with the contracts of their respective hosts) through 2020. (Hollywood Reporter)
As we've mentioned before, specifically in regards to the NBC series This is Us (which performed very well in the first season), it's very important for TV series writers and producers to find ways to maintain those viewers and not just assume they'll stick around, and Fox is learning that as the audience for series Empire continues to erode and reach new ratings lows seemingly every week. (Deadline)
MeTV brings back their annual "Summer of Me" lineup beginning May 29, and a highlight of that lineup is ALF. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

It seemed unlikely that it would ever happen, but this week, Shout! Factory announced that the fifth season of Rhoda would arrive on DVD on August 15 with the release of Rhoda - The Final Season. This leaves only one season of Lou Grant (which had been announced but temporarily pulled from the Shout! Factory schedule) and both seasons of Phyllis as the only unreleased items from The Mary Tyler Moore Show chronology.
Another surprise announcement from Shout! Factory this week was the announcement of Just Shoot Me - The Complete Series, which will arrive on August 22.

TUESDAY (MAY 9) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

ALF - The Complete DVD Collection (DVD, $54.98): While it is essentially just a repackaging of the previously released DVDs from Lionsgate, fans who didn't pick up these DVDs before can pick them up now in this release.
Mannix - The Complete Series (DVD, $129.98): The classic Mike Connors series comes together in one set on this release.
Orange is the New Black - Season 4 (DVD, $34.98; Blu-ray, $34.97): The fourth season of the Netflix series arrives in this release, just weeks before the debut of the fifth season.
The Streets of San Francisco - The Complete Series (DVD, $89.98): The classic Karl Malden and Michael Douglas series arrives in one complete set with this release.
The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Second Season (DVD, $29.99): With the first season released over a decade ago by Warner Home Video, Warner Archive (finally) brings this series back to DVD with the second season.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Nicole Richie (Twitter), " I invented post-it's"

Claim to Fame: Some people may be surprised to see us featuring Nicole Richie, because the daughter of musician Lionel Richie is probably best known as being famous for being famous (sort of like Paris Hilton, with whom she even co-starred on the reality show The Simple Life), but she recently evolved from being a reality star to being a sitcom star, as she is in the main cast of NBC's Great News. It isn't her first time appearing in scripted television, as she has had guest roles in series such as 8 Simple Rules, American Dreams, and Chuck, but it is her first time having a regular role as a cast member in a sitcom, and who knows? Maybe she has found her non-reality show calling.

Pick of the Tweets: "2 supermodels talking all things @nbcgreatnews #FallonTonight (pic)" (April 5, 2017)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Friday, February 15

Fresh Off the Boat - "Cupid's Crossbow" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On Valentine’s Day, the mood is anything but romantic as Jessica competes with Louis to see who can give Evan the best advice on how to celebrate with new girlfriend, Sicily. Meanwhile, Eddie asks Honey for help to find out who his secret admirer is after he’s passed a love note on a Cattleman’s delivery run.

Speechless - "J-I-- JIMMY V-A-L-VALENTINE" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
JJ’s love-match with Izzy becomes a cage match with Kenneth. Maya and Jimmy dismiss Valentine’s Day as a holiday for suckers until they find a way to profit from it. Unable to find a date to a prepaid romantic night out, Ray brings Dylan.

Last Man Standing - "The Best Man" / "Sibling Quibbling" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Chuck and Carol decide to renew their vows; Mike plans to take his officiating to the next level.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 11)

Friday, February 15

Tracy Morgan (The Last O.G./30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Watch Tracy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Rosie O'Donnell (Gimme a Break!) - Rosie appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken/Community) - Ken is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS. He talks about Fox's The Masked Singer and Netflix's You Complete Me, Ho on Access Live, so check your local listings.
Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) - Brian appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris talks about The Enemy Within on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Jerry O'Connell (We Are Men/Cavemen/My Secret Identity) - Jerry guest hosts The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings. Jerry and his wife Rebecca Romijn talk about the 2019 American Rescue Dog Show on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Happy Days) - Henry stops by The Real, so check your local listings.
Lori Loughlin (Fuller House/Hudson Street/Full House) - Lori talks about When Calls the Heart on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
Dan Cortese (What I Like About You/Veronica's Closet) - Dan is part of the panel on Steve, so check your local listings.
Daniel Radcliffe (Miracle Workers) - Daniel is a guest on Couch Surfing at 8am.