Thursday, January 19, 2006

TCA Network Winter Press Tour CBS Day 2; UPN

CBS was up for a second day at the TCA Tour and they gave information on some of its mid-season entries. Courting Alex, which premieres this Monday at 9:30 p.m., starring Jenna Elman is Alex, an attractive, single, workaholic attorney who has everything in life with the exception of one thing…a life. Executive producer Rob Hanning is comparing this show to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The official SitcomsOnline.com Review of the pilot for this new series is coming soon. So stay tuned to see what we think about the show and about that comparison. Another sitcom they have in the works is The New Adventures of Christine starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Can the Seinfeld alum break the post-Seinfeld curse? Well we can't tell yet because CBS has still not announced what night and time it will air. It'll be either Mondays or Wednesdays, I'm sure, and it will start this March. CBS also has a crime drama (yes yet another!) in the works as well, titled The Unit. No night and time for that yet either.

Elsewhere at CBS, they announced that Nickelodeon on CBS Saturday mornings will be gone starting fall 2006. DiC Entertainment has now teamed up with the eye net for Saturday morning cartoons and the block will be called CBS' Secret Saturday Morning Slumber Party. Shows have not been announced yet, but DiC has a vast array of shows on the air now in some form such as Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?, Sabrina: The Animated Series, Madeline, Strawberry Shortcake, Liberty's Kids, Trollz, Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century, Archie's Weird Mysteries, The Littles, Inspector Gadget's Field Trip, and Sonic Underground.

CBS has optioned the format rights to an internationally successful property dubbed Game Show Marathon, which will feature a half-dozen celebrity contestants competing in a different classic game show (The Price is Right, Match Game, Beat the Clock, etc.) each week.

Former Joan of Arcadia co-star Jason Ritter has enrolled in the CBS comedy pilot The Class.
The action begins with a party thrown by 27-year-old Ethan (Ritter) for his girlfriend, whom he met in third grade. Ethan invites six other people who were in the class with them, all of whom have since lost touch with one another. The party then becomes the springboard for following how the lives of the reunited characters continue to intersect.
Also cast in the pilot is Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who will play one of the schoolmates, a serious man going through a dark period in his life. The two join previously cast Lucy Punch.

In the UPN front, executive producers Chris Rock and Will Smith will direct episodes of their respective UPN series, Everybody Hates Chris and All of Us, which will air later this season on UPN.
In the Chris Rock directed episode of Everybody Hates Chris entitled "Everybody Hates Corleone," Chris grows tired of getting beat up by bullies at school, so he asks his parents to be transferred to the neighborhood school, but when they deny the request, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, Julius' new job at the fish market makes him stink up the house and everyone in it.
In the Will Smith directed episode of All of Us, Bobby says the "N" word at a birthday party, and it forces Robert to examine his own use of the term and whether or not it's appropriate.

UPN's comedy Half & Half will feature a three-episode HIV storyline guest starring Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child in which she plays Naomi Dawson, a rival record producer who is HIV positive with whom Spencer (Chico Benymon) is pursuing a relationship. The three-episode arc airs in consecutive weeks beginning Monday, February 13 (9:30-10:00 p.m, ET/PT) on UPN.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Monday, December 4

American Dad! - "The Pink Sphinx Holds Her Hearts on the Turn" (TBS, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Francine enters the strange and dangerous world of poker to learn how to hide her true feelings from Steve and Hayley.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 4)

Monday, December 4

  • Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) - Watch Ray on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie) - Sebastian appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Sarah Paulson (Leap of Faith) - Sarah is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Gabriel Iglesias (Mr. Iglesias/Cristela), John Witherspoon (The First Family/The Tracy Morgan Show/The Wayans Bros.) and Thea Vidale (Thea) - Gabriel, John (RIP) and Thea are guests on repeats of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
  • Rachel Bloom (Upload) - Rachel appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan talks about When I Was Your Age on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Kate Flannery (The Office) - Kate tells Sherri all about A Swingin’ Little Christmas, her holiday concert with Jane Lynch, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry discusses his new memoir Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Bellamy Young (The Other Black Girl) - Bellamy appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Marilu Henner (Taxi/Evening Shade) - Marilu is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:15am.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (September-December)

Family Matters - The Complete Series Step by Step - The Complete Series ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

12/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 4, 2023)
12/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Bob ♥ Abishola Coming to an End; Only Murders in the Building Gets Limited Run on ABC
12/01 - Abbott Elementary Post-Oscars Airing, Only Murders on ABC; Remembering Frances Sternhagen, Marty Krofft and Others We Recently Lost
11/30 - Bob ♥ Abishola Ending After This Season; NBC Renews Rookie Dramas
11/29 - Antenna TV January 2024 Schedule; Max December Comedy Specials
11/28 - Prime Video's Hazbin Hotel; Lacey Chabert Gets Hallmark Unscripted Series
11/27 - Sundance Now Gets Original Comedy; Hallmark Original Returns for Season 2 in January
11/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 27, 2023)
11/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Kelsey Grammer Ready to Do 100 Episodes of Frasier; TBS Cancels Miracle Workers
11/24 - Fox Winter 2024 Schedule; An Evening From the Heart John Ritter Foundation NYC 2023 Event
11/23 - 2023 Thanksgiving TV Marathons
11/22 - Kerry Washington's UnPrisoned Gets Season 2; Classic Comedy Shorts Celebrate 40th Anniversary
11/21 - NBC Winter 2024 Schedule; Netflix Renews Rob Lowe Comedy
11/20 - BUZZR Celebrates Bob Barker's 100th Birthday; Ted Prequel Series on Peacock Gets Premiere Date
11/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 20, 2023)
11/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Young Sheldon Coming to an End After Seven Seasons; The CW International Sitcom Approach Not Going So Well
11/17 - ABC Winter 2024 Schedule; CBS Celebrates 98th Birthday of Dick Van Dyke
11/16 - Whoa Mama! Urkel Is Back for the Holidays!; Hulu Gets Such Brave Girls Comedy
11/15 - COZI TV's A Very COZI Christmas Schedule; Young Sheldon to End This Season on CBS
11/14 - CBS Winter 2024 Schedule; The CW Pulls 2 Comedies
11/13 - Antenna TV 2023 Holiday Marathons Schedule; Rewind TV 2023 Holiday Marathons Schedule
11/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 13, 2023)
11/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: SAG-AFTRA Strike Finally Ends; New Digital TV Broadcast Networks Coming
11/10 - AXS TV's The Partridge Family Thanksgiving Marathon; AspireTV Holiday Programming
11/09 - Bookie Premieres November 30 on Max; Ted Lasso Star Holiday Special on Apple TV+
11/08 - FX Renews The Bear for Season 3; Hulu's Australian Original Series Premieres November 29
11/07 - Disney+ Holiday Specials Extravaganza; Apple TV+ Peanuts Feature Film Coming Soon
11/06 - NBC Holiday Specials; Fox Holiday Specials
11/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 6, 2023)
11/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Broadcast Networks Preparing for Shorter Seasons of Scripted Series; CBS Announces Host of After Midnight
11/03 - Futurama Renewed for 2 More Seasons; ABC Holiday Specials