Carsey-Werner Central: More on Cosby Show DVDs; Status of 'A Different World' DVDs; and more!

Monday, September 05, 2005

Carsey-Werner Central: More on Cosby Show DVDs; Status of 'A Different World' DVDs; and more!

Happy Labor Day everyone! Today is Carsey-Werner DVD news day. We have a first look on the Different World (cast pictured) DVDs. Will they be edited or unedited? But first we have more information regarding The Cosby Show. We know that seasons 2-8 will be unedited, as TVShowsonDVD.com told us late last week. But I have now found out that UrbanWorks has no plans at this time at all to release a replacement for Cosby Show Season 1 with the broadcast versions. While that is too bad, but at least the rest of the series will be shown in their original form. TVShowsonDVD.com is reporting a March 2006 target for season 2 on DVD.

Moving on to the spin-off series, A Different World, UrbanWorks will be releasing all six seasons eventually. Season 1 is slated for November. Will they be the syndicated prints or the original broadcast prints is the question many fans have been asking ever since we found out that its parent show had syndicated prints for season 1. The answer is ... syndicated prints. UrbanWorks has told me that they are too far along in production to make the change, so we will have to expect syndicated prints for the series' first season. As for seasons 2-6, they will indeed use the original broadcast versions, so just like The Cosby Show, not all is lost. Personally, I liked the first season of A Different World the best, since I'm a Cosby Show fan and Lisa Bonet from The Cosby Show is in it. Bonet left the series after season one due to her real life pregnancy. She later returned to The Cosby Show.

So what about Carsey-Werner's other series that have hit DVD with edited episodes? Anchor Bay is dealing with Roseanne and 3rd Rock from the Sun, and still there is no real statement, besides what they have been e-mailing fans saying to expect the broadcast versions soon. Hopefully that means the rest of the series and a replacement for season one, but I doubt the latter. I really don't understand why Carsey-Werner didn't give the broadcast versions to UrbanWorks and Anchor Bay in the first place. Did they not realize fans would not notice?

The internet has had a fair share of rumors on C-W's other titles, some included that the 1996-2000 Cosby would be released by UrbanWorks. I asked UrbanWorks that and they told me they don't have the rights to it. So, I don't think we can expect that series on DVD soon, at least not from UrbanWorks. No information so far on the other popular C-W titles Grace Under Fire and Cybill. That '70s Show Season 3 is coming November 15 though from 20th Century FOX and Grounded for Life is coming soon from Anchor Bay.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, April 20

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to Purse Dog" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Calvin reluctantly agrees to dog-sit a glamorous little companion, only to face an awkward twist when someone else lays claim to it. Meanwhile, a joint celebration prompts Malcolm to question whether he and Mercedes are moving too fast. Amber Stevens West guest stars as Mercedes, Malcolm's Girlfriend.

DMV - "Drive-ory Tower" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Colette tries to bridge a growing divide at the office by bringing the driving examiners and counter clerks together. Meanwhile, Vic stubbornly avoids seeing a doctor after an unusual injury, forcing Barb to get creative to help him.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 20)

Monday, April 20

Kal Penn (The Santa Clauses/Sunnyside/We Are Men) - Watch Kal on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) - Quinta appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Don Cheadle (The Wonder Years/Black Monday/House of Lies/The Golden Palace) - Don is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Hazardous History with Henry Winkler on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Lea Michele (The Mayor) - Lea appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Aaron Tveit (Schmigadoon!) - Aaron is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
B.J. Novak (The Office) and Jim Parsons (Young Sheldon/The Big Bang Theory) - Andy Cohen interviews B.J. and Jim on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
William Stanford Harris (Abbott Elementary) - William talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Ramy Youssef (#1 Happy Family USA/Ramy/See Dad Run) - Ramy chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laurie talks about Big Mistakes on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) - NBC's Today catches up with Jane in the 9am hour.
Christopher Briney (Hacks) - Christopher talks about Hacks on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair tells Sherri about his new memoir A Soldier's Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Phoebe Dynevor (Younger) - Phoebe is telling Drew about her new movie Thrash on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Dan Bucatinsky (The Comeback/Marry Me/Web Therapy) - Dan appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.