More on Golden Girls' 20th Anniversary Marathon on Lifetime; Extra Exposure for Hot Properties

Monday, October 31, 2005

More on Golden Girls' 20th Anniversary Marathon on Lifetime; Extra Exposure for Hot Properties

We first brought you news back in early October that Lifetime was planning a Golden Girls marathon on Veteran's Day (Nov. 11). Now Lifetime has officially announced it! Twenty years -- and still laughing! To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the The Golden Girls, one of television's most beloved and enduring sitcoms, Lifetime Television is throwing a gala on-air, on-line, wireless party beginning Friday, November 11 from 12noon-11PM (ET/PT) showcasing the series' 20 greatest episodes, followed by an encore presentation of The Golden Girls Reunion -- the network's highest-rated special ever. We posted the schedule back in early October, so see our archives. Lifetime's celebration of The Golden Girls, where more than 16 million people watch the series on Lifetime in any given week -- and which boasted Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry as a writer for three seasons --includes a trivia game at http://www.lifetimetv.com along with innovative wireless features that fans can download onto their cell phones, such as:

-- Ring tones -- The theme song, "Thank You For Being a Friend," available as a ring tone
-- Voice tones -- Funny lines from each of the Girls available as both ring tones and ring backs
-- Original voicemail greetings -- Bea Arthur, Betty White and Rue McClanahan have recorded special greetings fans can send as gifts, such as an Arthur 'Happy Birthday' message
-- Graphics -- The cast of The Golden Girls and series logo accessible as cell phone wallpaper

Additionally, during The Golden Girls Reunion, fans will have the opportunity to text in their "shout out" which will be scrolled on screen throughout the program. As well, comedians Mo Rocca and Judy Gold, along with Michael D. Craig, author of Thank You for Being a Friend: A Golden Girls Trivia Boo, host an on-air roundtable discussion aired as interstitials throughout the day. These interstitials feature the most 'obsessed' "Golden Girl" real life fans expressing their love for this classic sitcom by singing the theme song, showing off their
memorabilia and even doing a dance inspired by the Girls.

In other news, ABC will be trying the new sitcom Hot Properties on a special night and time to try to lure more of an audience to this well written sitcom. The special night and time will be on Tuesday, November 15 at 8:30 p.m. with an all-new episode, pre-empting the sitcom Rodney for the night. This will be a one week showing only, but it could be a test for how Hot Properties performs there (with the best new series Commander in Chief following it) . If it does well, I'm sure they'd move it there and bump Rodney to another night or completely. Hot Properties is coming off a series high in the ratings this past Friday, but with just a 4.4 rating. Hot Properties will still air on Friday at 9:30 p.m. (its regular night & time) the week it will have a special episode on a special night and time. In other sitcom news, NBC has ordered two more episodes of My Name is Earl, bringing the already renewed new sitcom to 24 episodes.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, October 9

Abbott Elementary - "Back to School" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
The neighboring construction site of a new golf course is causing issues at Abbott, forcing the teachers to find creative solutions. An HR representative visits the school. Following their kiss, Janine and Gregory’s relationship status is revealed.

Everybody Still Hates Chris - "Everybody Still Hates Cheat Codes" (Comedy Central, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Chris debates using a cheat code to win a free Nintendo.

Everybody Still Hates Chris - "Everybody Still Hates Halloween" (Comedy Central, 10:30PM ET/PT)
Chris spends Halloween at a church event, hoping to hook up with Tasha.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 7)

Wednesday, October 9

Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) - Watch Quinta on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. She also talks about the new season of Abbott Elementary on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Rachel Sennott (Call Your Mother) - Rachel is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Eric Idle (Suddenly Susan/Nearly Departed) - Eric stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Michael Keaton (Report to Murphy/Working Stiffs/All's Fair) - E! News has an interview with Michael at 11pm on E!.
Ali Wong (Big Mouth/American Housewife/Are You There, Chelsea?) - NBC's Today catches up with Ali in the 10am hour.
Rita Wilson (Girls) - Rita stops by to talk about her new album on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
Goldie Hawn (Good Morning World) - Goldie appears on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl Lee talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm. She chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Josh Gad (Wolf Like Me/Avenue 5/The Comedians/1600 Penn/Back to You) - Josh talks about his new children's book PictureFace Lizzy and fatherhood on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jessica St. Clair (Avenue 5/Playing House/Best Friends Forever/In the Motherhood) - Jessica is sharing her breast cancer experience with Drew and Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz is talking about breast cancer diagnoses on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Abigail Spencer (Extended Family/Burning Love) - Abigail discusses her television series Shatter Belt on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Kim Matula (LA to Vegas) - Kim is a guest on PIX 11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:39am.
Lea Thompson (Caroline in the City) - Lea appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.