Sitcom Syndication Update; ABC's 'Stars' Finale on a Sunday; Bonus Episode Titles for Gimme a Break! DVD

Friday, January 27, 2006

Sitcom Syndication Update; ABC's 'Stars' Finale on a Sunday; Bonus Episode Titles for Gimme a Break! DVD

The annual NATPE convention was this week. The CW news was the main talk this year so everything else was really overlooked. We don't have a complete recap yet of what is coming up in syndication this fall, but we will soon. So stay tuned. We do have news on what sitcoms are coming to syndication this fall. 20th TV just announced an 86% clearance for sitcom Still Standing. Stations were not announced however. The show also is coming to cable network Lifetime this fall. Other sitcoms coming this fall to locals: According to Jim, Scrubs, and Reba. Reba will be on that daytime block on The WB, well The CW, or whatever you want to call it. Reba also is coming to Lifetime in August. Scrubs is also coming to cable network Comedy Central this fall. According to Jim is the only real syndication deal here. It will only come to locals this fall (WPIX in NY, WGN Chicago, and KTLA in L.A. are the top three) and it will come to cable a few years later on TBS; that's the way it should work! Having them both come to cable and locals at the same time is a disaster I think. Buena Vista is also selling George Lopez for syndication, but I don't think it'll be ready until fall 2007. Two and a Half Men is also in 2007.

ABC announced that the season finale of Dancing with the Stars will not be on Friday, Feb. 24. Instead we will get the finale on Sunday, Feb. 26! Right before Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy--what a Sunday that will be! It is not confirmed yet if it will be a one-hour finale or a two-hour finale. ABC will air a special two-hour AFV on Friday, Feb. 24. The last Thursday show for Stars will be Feb. 23 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. ABC also confirmed that Jake in Progress will not return on Mon. Feb. 20 afterall. A special two-hour Wife Swap will air instead from 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Finally, the Gimme a Break! Season 1 DVD is coming Feb. 14 as we all know. We now have episode titles for the bonus episodes on that set! There are three bonus episodes. One of Kate & Allie, the episode is from season one titled "A Very Loud Family." The second bonus episode is of Charles in Charge, the episode is from season one titled "Extracurricular Activity." And the last bonus episode is from the second season of Gimme a Break!, the episode title is "Nell Goes to Jail."
The Charles in Charge Season 1 DVD is also coming Feb. 14, and that set will have one bonus episode of Charles in Charge from season two. The episode title is still not confirmed, but all bets are on the first episode with the Powell family ("Amytville"). And the Kate & Allie season one DVD is coming this spring! Stay tuned for more news on that.