Yet More Network Show Orders & Cuts (Cuts Include Arrested Development); TV Titles in the Works for Paramount on DVD

Friday, November 11, 2005

Yet More Network Show Orders & Cuts (Cuts Include Arrested Development); TV Titles in the Works for Paramount on DVD

We have so much news for you today! TGIF! I'll get the bad news out of the way first. The FOX sitcom Arrested Development has been cut from the full season order of 22 to only 13 episodes. That is not good news at all. And to make matters worse, FOX has pulled the show for the rest of November sweeps, replacing it with encores of the freshman drama Prison Break. The sitcom that follows Arrested, is also getting 'arrested' -- Kitchen Confidential is also being benched for the rest of sweeps and is not going to get picked up for the rest of the season. There is strong word that FOX will not bring Arrested Development back, so it is all but canceled now...but maybe not totally. There is still a shot it could move to cable next year, possibly on FX. The series is a critical hit, but viewers have not followed. Only 4 million viewers or so tuned into the last episode FOX aired.

Now to some good news! The ABC sitcom Freddie has been picked up for the rest of the season, meaning it will have 22 episodes this season. I was expecting "additional episodes" (more like 18), so this is sort of surprising, since Warner Bros. had a huge job paycut and is reducing costs. Freddie airs right before the mega-hit drama Lost, so that certainly helps. ABC has not announced any details yet on its other new sitcom Hot Properties, which is also a Warner Bros. property. I do expect at least "additional episodes" for this series. Tune in tonight for the famous "Oprah's friend" episode at 9:30 p.m. on ABC and also tune in this Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. for a special night & time airing on ABC!
Warner Bros. has also announced that its new mid-season sitcom for CBS has gone through a title change. Old Christine is now known as The New Adventures of Old Christine.

Now for some DVD news! We are very excited to announced some new titles and returning titles in the works for Paramount Home Entertainment! All of the following mix of sitcoms, dramas, westerns, and even an animated series will be released in early 2006 or so, starting in February: Wings Seasons 1 & 2, The Brady Bunch S5, I Love Lucy S6, JAG S1, The Sentinel S1, Star Trek: Animated, The Phil Silvers Show, Have Gun Will Travel S4, The Beverly Hillbillies, Touched by an Angel S3 Vol 1., NUMB3RS S1. I know for some of these shows TVShowsonDVD.com mentioned, like for NUMB3RS S1 and Touched by an Angel Season 3 Volume 1. Have Gun Will Travel is interesting because season three is not even out yet (it comes out in early January). The Beverly Hillbillies is interesting, too, since MPI will release two volumes of that show, so hopefully Paramount will continue off where they left off? These are the titles they have told me, I'm sure there will be more in early 2006. TVShowsonDVD.com will have more news on all of these for sure when they are officially announced.
A while back we had a Paramount week-long feature and mentioned four shows. Wings, Gomer Pyle, The Love Boat and Melrose Place. Gomer Pyle was penciled in for Jan. 31, and I'm not sure yet if that is still happening. Wings is slated for Feb. 7 with the first two seasons, as I stated above. And Melrose Place and The Love Boat will be in the second half of 2006 (July and August, as of now).

And finally fans of the drama Renegade can relax because Anchor Bay has announced "due to popular demand" they will continue releasing the show on DVD! BOTH Seasons 2 and 3 will be released in one box set on March 21. That's 44 episodes for you! Season 1 was released earlier this year and I think fans wanted to know when season two was coming when they canceled plans for a May 31, 2005 date. Now you'll get two seasons in one set!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, December 1

DMV - "Splash Fountain" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Colette’s effort to redirect holiday plans takes an unexpected turn when it lands her trapped in a car. Meanwhile, a surprising new friendship stirs up jealousy among the team.

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Babies and Bathwater" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Dave’s ambitious home improvement plans take a turn, prompting Calvin to step in, while Malcolm seeks Gemma’s help to overcome writer’s block. Meanwhile, Tina’s suggestion for Daphne sparks a parenting dilemma for Courtney.

St. Denis Medical - "I Left a Woman on the Table" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Matt struggles to deal with a patient from his past; Bruce tries to rekindle romance with a former flame; Joyce treats patients to cover a nursing shortage.

The Paper - "TTT vs the Blogger" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After learning that a snarky high schooler's blog has more readers than the paper, Ned and Esmeralda team up to embarrass the corner-cutting brat; Mare and Oscar cover a beloved music teacher's last production.

TV We Love - "Touched by an Angel" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
"Touched by an Angel" star Roma Downey and executive producer Martha Williamson reflect on the moving stories of faith, hope, and inspiration that captivated millions.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 1)

Monday, December 1

Sydney Sweeney (Everything Sucks!) - Watch Syndey on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Kristin Chenoweth (Stumble/Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Adam Sandler (The Cosby Show) - Adam talks about Jay Kelly on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - George talks Jay Kelly with Michael Strahan on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Minnie Driver (Emily in Paris/Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie talks about Emily in Paris on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Kyle Richards (Down to Earth) - Kyle talks about The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on Live with Kelly and Mark and on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Vanessa Bell Calloway (Kenan/Survivor's Remorse/Under One Roof) - Tamron Hall has A DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with rapper, writer and actor Vince Staples and award-winning actress Vanessa Bell Calloway, who play mother and son in the Netflix series The Vince Staples Show, so check your local listings.
Richie Moriarty (Ghosts) - Richie talks about Ghosts on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Cheyenne Jackson (Call Me Kat/30 Rock) - Cheyenne is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.
Reba McEntire (Happy's Place/Malibu Country/Reba) - Reba appears on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
Regina Hall (Black Monday/Grandfathered/Married/Second Generation Wayans) - Regina is a guest on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.