Wednesday, January 11, 2006

TCA Cable Winter Press Tour: Days 1 and 2

As I mentioned yesterday, the TCA Winter Press Tour Cable edition started yesterday. I'll recap the noteworthy news from yesterday and today. Among the networks that were up yesterday were Disney Channel, BET, TV One, Oxygen and E!
Disney Channel announced that it will be creating an original sitcom titled Hannah Montana--a sitcom starring 13-year-old Miley Cyrus as Miley Stewart who, unbeknownst to the students in her school, lives a double life as pop singer Hannah Montana. Her father is played by the young actresses' real-life father, country music recording artist and actor Bill Ray Cyrus (Doc). In the role of her best friend Lilly is talented 13-year-old actress Emily Osment who also comes from a family of actors. Miley Stewart is a typical, occasionally awkward teenager but she undergoes a transformation when performing on stage. As Hannah Montana, she travels the world, entertaining fans with music written by her manager/dad. A straight blonde wig combined with a flashy pop star style allows Miley to keep her identity as an international star a secret – and most importantly, she knows her friends at school like her for who she really is. When Hannah's two biggest fans – and Miley's closest friends Lilly and Oliver – discover the true person beneath the costume, Miley is relieved to share her secret as they endure the trial and tribulations of middle school together.

BET and TV One didn't really have anything noteworthy for us to announce, just original reality series and specials. However, BET did announce that a Black History Sitcom marathon is in the works for Saturday, Feb. 18 featuring all of its sitcoms (The Parkers, Wayans Bros, Jamie Foxx Show, Girlfriends and the sketch comedy In Living Color). I'm sure TV One will have something planned to, but they have not announced anything yet.

Oxygen announced details on an original sitcom. Campus Ladies is an original scripted comedy that chronicles the lives of Joan and Barri, two middle-aged housewives who decide it’s better to be freshmen at 40 than unhappy housewives forever. Ditching the suburban life of minivans and malls for keg stands and co-ed dorms, Joan and Barri enroll in school in search of the wild college years they missed the first time around. Throughout the ten half-hour episode series, the co-eds take on the fictional University of the Midwest (UMW) with wild naiveté and optimism, gliding through the raciest of situations with cheerful abandon. This series is
based on characters created by comediennes Carrie Aizley (Joan) and Christen Sussin (Barri) while performing with the famous comedy troupe, The Groundlings. It’s executive produced by Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Carrie Aizley, Christen Sussin, Paul Young, Peter Principato and co-executive producer E. Brian Dobbins of Principato-Young Entertainment (Reno 911).

E! TV's only noteworthy item for us was that the 400th episode of E! True Hollywood Story will premiere this spring. A special E! True Hollywood Story celebrating the 10th anniversary of the series is also in the works. I can't believe it has been 10 years already. The series debuted March 30, 1996.

Moving on to today's TCA Tour news. Lifetime, TV Land, Nick@Nite and VH1 were among the networks in the mix that fits our news. Like Oxygen and Disney Channel, Lifetime will also get into the original sitcom game. The sitcom Lovespring is slated to premiere on the network this summer. This half-hour comedy series is about looking for love in all the wrong places. “Lovespring” is the name of a matchmaking agency portrayed to customers as an “elite Beverly Hills” company, despite its location in Tarzana, California. The ensemble is made up of relationship counselors and a staff psychologist who try to convince loveless people that the
service can lead clients to the perfect mate.
They also announced that the long running sitcom Frasier will start Monday, March 6 and air weekdays at 6pm, 6:30pm, 11:30pm and 12:30am ET/PT. Three sitcom stars get together in an original movie airing Feb. 5 titled For One Night Only. Raven-Symone (The Cosby Show, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, That's So Raven), Aisha Tyler (Friends) and Jason Lewis (Sex and the City) star in a moving drama about a 12th grade student who risks her social and
academic standing to end her high school's long tradition of racially segregated proms, in the town of Mercier, Louisiana. When a gifted and popular senior (Raven-Symone) innocently suggests changing the policy, it re-ignites the town's smoldering racial tensions. The teenager gets some unexpected support from a New Orleans journalist (Aisha Tyler), who has her own complex relationship with Mercier.
Two original reality shows (Cheerleader Nation, Face the Family) are in the works too, starting March 12, airing Sunday nights.

And VH1 even has a new sitcom coming. Tori Spelling stars in So NoTORIous. Tori stars as…Tori Spelling, an actress who spent a decade playing the virginal “Donna” on the hit, Beverly Hills 90210, produced by her mega-producer father. She’s now grown up and has moved out of her parents’ gargantuan manor and lives in a high-rise building with her friend Pete. While being both encouraged and distracted by a close-knit group of friends, Tori slogs through parts on TV movies, tries to meet a normal guy and struggles to get out from under her sometimes burdensome family legacy and tabloid notoriety. While many events and people in the show mirror those in Tori’s (real) life, the show is a fictionalized version of her everyday life. Loni Anderson (WKRP) also stars.

Moving on to the big players for our blog--TV Land and Nick@Nite. I'll start with Nick@Nite. They announced reality series Hi-Jinks' second season starts on Feb. 28. They also laid out plans for the marathon of the hit '90s sitcom Mad About You. The marathon starts April 10 and runs through April 13, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. ET/PT each night. No regular timeslot has been announced yet. Mad is only one of the sitcoms coming this year. A Different World joins the Nick@Nite line-up in July. Home Improvement joins the line-up this September. Originally that was planned for June 2007, so they moved it up. And in a surprise move, Nick@Nite also acquired the '80s sitcom Designing Women starting this October. I think A Different World will be shared with Oxygen and Home Improvement will be shared with TBS. Mad About You leaves Lifetime Real Women in early March, so Nick@Nite has exclusive cable rights when they start airing it. And I think Designing Women is also exclusive, marking the end of its long run on Lifetime.
TV Land detailed its three-part black history special That's What I'm Talking About, gave details on its airing of the 1967 movie Barefoot in the Park, and detailed episodes of Living in TV Land, which comes in March. We announced that Benson was coming to TV Land in June, today they announced that 227 comes in July and The Jeffersons returns in September. 227 will likely be shared with TV One, similar to how Good Times is being shared right now between those two. They also detailed that the Universal library deal started this month, in which they can air The A-Team, Knight Rider, Miami Vice and Simon & Simon in limited airings and specials. Currently The A-Team and Miami Vice have made the schedule.
For COMPLETE details on the Nick@Nite and TV Land TCA Tour (a must read!), click here. You can also share your thoughts on all of these acquisitions there, too.

Tomorrow Hallmark, A&E, SOAPnet, and the NBC Universal networks are up. Hopefully some surprises show up like today.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, October 10

Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - "First Final" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Vee leaves Transylvania for boarding school to chase her musical dreams. As she keeps her vampire identity a secret, unexpected obstacles threaten to return her to the shadows.

Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - "First Holiday" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Vee leaves Transylvania for boarding school to chase her musical dreams. As she keeps her vampire identity a secret, unexpected obstacles threaten to return her to the shadows.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 6)

Friday, October 10

  • Seth Rogen (The Studio/Platonic/Undeclared) and Aziz Ansari (Master of None/Parks and Recreation) - Watch Seth and Aziz on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Carrie Preston (Crowded/Happyish/Emeril) - Carrie is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Rose Byrne (Platonic/Physical) - Rose appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also chats about If I Had Legs I’d Kick You with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office/Men, Women & Dogs/Cousin Skeeter) - Bill is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Michael J. Fox (Family Ties/Spin City/The Michael J. Fox Show) - Michael discusses his new book Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Kenzi Richardson (Vampirina: Teenage Vampire) - Kenzi talks about Vampirina: Teenage Vampire on ABC's The View at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris sits down for a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE to chat about the Season 2 premiere of Watson on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya stops by the studio to discuss Loot on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Greta Lee (HouseBroken/Russian Doll) - Greta talks about Disney's Tron: Ares on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Dermot Mulroney (The Righteous Gemstones/Four Weddings and a Funeral) - Dermot is a guest on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Idris Elba (Turn Up Charlie) - Idris and Rebecca Ferguson talk about A House of Dynamite on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) - Aubrey talks about her new book Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl stops by to chat with Sherri 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) - TV legend Henry shares details about his 40th book, Detective Duck: The Mystery at Emerald Pond, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Teri Hatcher (The Odd Couple/Sunday Dinner/Karen's Song/The Love Boat) - Teri and her daughter Emerson Tenney talk about the Desperately Devoted podcast on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Jeremy Piven (Entourage/Ellen/Pride & Joy/The Larry Sanders Show) - Jeremy is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (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)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

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

10/09 - Rachel Sennott's I Love LA Comedy Series Trailer; Kaley Cuoco Heads to MGM+
10/08 - Prime Video's Kevin Details; Trailer for Crutch with Tracy Morgan
10/07 - The CW's TV We Love Docuseries; Happy's Place Season 2 Trailer
10/06 - Dancing with the Stars Surging in Viewership, Especially Among Younger Viewers; Remembering Kimberly Hébert Gregory of Vice Principals
10/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 6, 2025)
10/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels The Great North; Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Set to Reunite for 30 Year Anniversary
10/03 - MeTV Acquires Everybody Loves Raymond; Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Trailer
10/02 - CBS Presents Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion; Apple TV+ Renews Peanuts Specials Through 2030
10/01 - The CW's Six Brand New Movies Starting November 16; Hulu's Family Guy Halloween Special Details
09/30 - Sarah Sherman HBO Comedy Special in December; Huluween Programming for 2025
09/29 - Netflix Renews Haunted Hotel for Season 2; Christmas Comedy Series Sicilia Express
09/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 29, 2025)
09/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Cast Comes Together for First Table Read for Reboot; Monopoly Game Show Moving Ahead
09/26 - Netflix Adds to Cast for Running Point Season 2; Stiller & Meara Apple TV+ Documentary
09/25 - Adam Pally HBO Comedy Special; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns with Huge Ratings
09/24 - Weigel's Newest Diginet WEST Launches Monday, September 29; New Baywatch Coming to Fox in 2026-27
09/23 - DMV Trailer for CBS; Mo Amer Returns to Netflix
09/22 - SNL Season 51 Guests for First Episodes; Prime Video's Bat-Fam Series
09/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 22, 2025)
09/20 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Paper to Get Linear Run on NBC; Saturday Night Live Announces New Hosts
09/19 - NBC Schedules The Paper and Stumble in November; Remembering Patricia (Pat) Crowley of Please Don't Eat the Daisies
09/18 - UPtv Acquires The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Camp Rock 3 Coming Soon to Disney
09/17 - FETV Acquires The Munsters Effective September 29; Apple TV+ The Morning Show Renewed for Season 5
09/16 - Disney's SuperKitties Adds to Voice Cast; Netflix Renews The Hunting Wives for Season 2
09/15 - 77th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Letterman TV Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 15, 2025)
09/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Looking to Merge with Warner Bros. Discovery; Samsung TV+ Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/12 - Emmy Awards to Create Special Moments; Ricky Gervais Netflix Animated Comedy Alley Cats Coming in 2026
09/11 - Remembering Polly Holliday of Alice and Flo; Prime Video's Overcompensating Renewed for Season 2
09/10 - Netflix Renews Leanne for Season 2; Hazbin Hotel Returns October 29
09/09 - HBO Comedy The Chair Company; Trailer for Disney's Vampirina: Teenage Vampire