Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Benson Coming to TV Land in June

TV Land has finally made a mention that '80s sitcom Benson is coming! This is the fourth new sitcom that will make its debut since this past July. Benson will premiere on TV Land in June, 2006. I have said many times that TV Land had bought six sitcoms for 2005 and 2006, and now only two sitcoms remain to be announced. TV Land will launch the sitcom with a 48-hour marathon. June is still far away, so more details will follow in the coming months. But this is very good news as Benson has been rarely seen in recent years. It last aired briefly on the syndicated one-hour block The Screen Gems Network a few years back. Share your thoughts and find more information when available right here.

Benson, the popular butler from Soap, takes on a new, challenge—maintaining order in the household of a widowed governor—and the result is a hilarious. Benson has agreed to help Gov. Gatling and his young daughter, Katie, settle into the executive mansion as a favor to Jessica Tate, the governor's cousin. In effect, Benson, who for years has been the only thoroughly sane adult in the Tate household, moves from one very mixed up family to another.

In his new position, Benson, as always, will be his own man and, besides coping with the wild and wonderful interrelationships in the executive mansion, will have time for a personal life of his own. Benson even falls in love. He confronts a lot of bureaucracy, and because of his close friendship with the governor, he often will have the enviable opportunity to cut through overwhelming red tape. By season six, Benson is being elected lieutenant governor, Gretchen Kraus becoming his aide, noted character actress/comedienne Billie Bird joining the cast, and the filming of a special two-part episode in Hong Kong. Although Benson will became the lieutenant governor, he still remains involved in the uproarious activities of the state chief executive's household.

Robert Guillaume stars as Benson. Other stars are James Noble as Gov. Gatling; Missy Gold as his precocious daughter, Katie; Inga Swenson as the formidable housekeeper, Ms. Gretchen Kraus; and Caroline McWilliams as the governor's secretary, Marcy. Rene Auberjonois as Clayton, Ethan Phillips as Pete, Didi Conn as Denise, and Billie Bird as Mrs. Cassidy also star later in the series.

Now that Benson has been announced. As I said before, two other sitcoms remain for 2006. What do you think they will be? I will only give one hint. It will be in the same era as the four that have already been announced (Good Times, Night Court, What's Happening!!, Benson). To share what you think will be coming, click here. Now if Sony can only bring on the DVD of Benson, all will be be even more well!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, January 28

Shifting Gears - "Uncle Sam" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Matt is thrilled to show off his military-hero son Sam, but a shift in Sam’s career could finally give Riley a chance to be the golden child. Meanwhile, Andy’s singing hits all the wrong notes for Riley. Jesse Williams and Luke Macfarlane guest star.

Abbott Elementary - "Picture Day" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When picture day catches the teachers at Abbott by surprise, chaos ensues.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 26)

Wednesday, January 28

  • Katherine LaNasa (Three Sisters) - Watch Katherine on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. She also discusses The Pitt on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Denis Leary (Going Dutch/No Good Deed/Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/The Job) - Denis is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - Michael appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Kevin James (The Crew/Kevin Can Wait/The King of Queens) - Kevin talks about Solo Mio on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Patrick Dempsey (Fast Times) - Patrick talks about Memory of a Killer on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Peyton List (Bunk'd/Jessie) - Peyton talks about School Spirits on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Laura Dern (F Is for Family/Enlightened) - NBC's Today catches up with Laura in the 9am hour.
  • Chris Redd (Kenan/Disjointed) - Chris Redd drops into Sherri's Laugh Lounge, so check your local lisitngs.
  • Jennifer Tilly (Out of Practice) - Jennifer talks about Paramount+'s School Spirits on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

01/28 - Nikki Glaser's New Hulu Special Premieres April 24; HBO Announces Late-Night Series
01/27 - Trailer for The Muppet Show Special Event; New Evolution of The Handmaid's Tale Series
01/26 - FETV Acquires '70s S.W.A.T. Series; Paramount+ Releases Date for Can You Keep a Secret? Comedy Series
01/25 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 26, 2026)
01/24 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Kenan and Kel Back Together for Upcoming Movie; Amazon Barbershop Series Adds to Cast
01/23 - CBS Renews 10 More Series for 2026-27; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Return Big in January
01/22 - Dancing with the Stars Live Tour Starts TODAY; Beef Returns April 16
01/21 - Prime Video's Bait Premieres March 25; Production Underway on Season 2 of Arctic-set Comedy North of North
01/20 - Baywatch Casting Call for Reboot on Fox; Mike Epps Netflix Special Trailer
01/19 - MGM+ Comedy Series American Classic; Taylor Tomlinson Returns to Netflix
01/18 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 19, 2026)
01/17 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Rockford Files Reboot at NBC; Daniel Stern Fired From ABC Comedy Pilot
01/16 - Ted Season 2 Trailer Released; Remembering T.K. Carter of Punky Brewster, TV Director Tom Cherones, and Others We Recently Lost
01/15 - The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Gets Special Preview; ABC Midseason Changes for Monday and Tuesday Night Lineups
01/14 - NBC Orders Pilots, Including The Rockford Files; The CW to Premiere Celebrity Series
01/13 - 83rd Golden Globe Winners; Tubi's Upcoming YA Film Slate
01/12 - Peacock's The 'Burbs Trailer; The Jeff Foxworthy Show Launch Back on COZI TV
01/11 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 12, 2026)
01/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Henry Winkler to Star in NBC Legal Comedy Pilot; First Look at Peacock's The 'Burbs
01/09 - HBO's Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! Documentary with Interviews Including Rob Reiner; 83rd Annual Golden Globes Presenters
01/08 - Netflix Orders Nick Kroll Comedy Series; Saturday Night Live January 2026 Hosts and Music Guests
01/07 - Saturday Night Live Bobbleheads from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum; Fox Entertainment Signs Tracee Ellis Ross to Deal
01/06 - Emily in Paris Renewed for Season 6; Audible's New Comedy Series Starring Jenifer Lewis, Cedric the Entertainer, and Niecy Nash-Betts
01/05 - Trailer for The Muppet Show Special Event; Season 3 of Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal on Adult Swim
01/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 5, 2026)
01/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Premiere Date Set for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; NBC Pulls The Paper
01/02 - Bridgerton Season 4 Details and Live Premiere Event; NBC Pulls The Paper from Mondays
01/01 - Happy New Year; Shrinking Season 3 Trailer
12/31 - In Memoriam: Remembering the Sitcom Stars We Lost in 2025
12/30 - Antenna TV and Rewind TV's New Year's Eve and Day Marathons; Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair Premieres April 10
12/29 - COZI TV Postpones The Jeff Foxworthy Show Launch; Netflix Releases Free Bert Trailer
12/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 29, 2025)