Monday, February 27, 2006

Don Knotts Tributes on TV Land Tuesday and Saturday/Sunday; Remembering Darren McGavin and Dennis Weaver

TV Land will pay tribute to dear friend Don Knotts with a Primetime Tribute Marathon of The Andy Griffith Show on Tuesday, February 28 starting at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) and a 48-Hour Don Knotts Tribute Marathon featuring The Andy Griffith Show and Three's Company this coming weekend, March 4-5.
The network will showcase a six episode presentation of Knotts' memorable work on The Andy Griffith Show as the lovable, bumbling small town deputy, Barney Fife on Tuesday, February 28 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/PT. Additionally, beginning Saturday March 4 at 6 a.m. ET/PT, TV Land will air a 48-hour marathon of both The Andy Griffith Show and Three's Company, the latter of which he played the eccentric landlord Mr. Furley. Andy will air 6a-11p & 5-6a both days while Three's Company will air 11p-5a both days.
For the full schedule for both the Tuesday and the weekend tributes, click here.

We have lost two more TV greats, too. Darren McGavin and Dennis Weaver. Darren McGavin something of a patron saint for rumpled old reporters in his role as Kolchak on the original ABC show, The Night Stalker, died on Saturday. McGavin also was known for his role as the father in the holiday movie classic, A Christmas Story. He was the title role in the TV series Mike Hammer. He was also the father of Candice Bergen's Murphy Brown, which earned him an Emmy nomination for a guest appearance. McGavin even had his own sitcom, a short lived 1983 sitcom that lasted six episodes for CBS called Small & Frye. He made the rounds on various TV series such as Grace Under Fire, The Commish, The Love Boat, Love American Style, and Mannix. McGavin was 83.
Meanwhile it was announced today that veteran actor Dennis Weaver also died this weekend. He died Friday. He was best known for his roles on TV classics Gunsmoke and McCloud, died Feb. 24 at his home in Ridgway, Colo. The serious actor was never in a sitcom but had a well respected dramatical TV career. Weaver was one of television’s original sidekicks, playing obtuse deputy Chester Goode (whose twangy "Miiister Dillon!" when addressing James Arness' Matt Dillon became a trademark), in the CBS Western Gunsmoke from 1955-64. He won an Emmy for the role in 1959. From 1970-77, Weaver portrayed the more quick-witted deputy Sam McCloud in McCloud, the sheriff from rural America who joins the NYPD. The series ran on NBC. Weaver reprised the role in a 1989 TV movie, The Return of Sam McCloud. Weaver’s most recent TV role was that of Henry Ritter on the ABC Family series Wildfire. Weaver was 81.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, February 25

Scrubs - "My Return" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
John “J.D.” Dorian unexpectedly finds himself back at Sacred Heart, reuniting him with new and old faces.

Scrubs - "My 2nd First Day" (ABC, 8:32PM ET/PT)
J.D. navigates a new normal, while Elliot and Turk clash over the budget.

Scrubs - "My Return" (ABC, 9:58PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
John “J.D.” Dorian unexpectedly finds himself back at Sacred Heart, reuniting him with new and old faces.

Scrubs - "My 2nd First Day" (ABC, 10:31PM ET/PT)
J.D. navigates a new normal, while Elliot and Turk clash over the budget.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Don't Grow Weary" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Calvin is pulled from each direction as he struggles to balance work and family. Ella must face a puzzling conclusion.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Mighty in Battle" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Vinny has the entire assisted living facility reeking of his special batch of baked goods.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 23)

Wednesday, February 25

  • Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Watch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Jackson White (Mrs. Fletcher) - Jackson is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Bradley appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Ahmed Ahmed (Sullivan & Son) and Rondell Sheridan (Raven's Home/Cory in the House/That's So Raven/Cousin Skeeter/Minor Adjustments) - Ahmed and Rondell are guests on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Piper Curda (I Didn't Do It) and Bobby Moynihan (Mr. Mayor/Me, Myself & I) - Piper and Bobby talk about Hoppers on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Ted McGinley (Shrinking/Hope & Faith/Married with Children/Happy Days) - Ted talks about Shrinking on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - Michael talks about Shrinking on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda tells Sherri about her new film Undercard on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method) - The Drew Barrymore Show has a little extra with father-son duo Michael and Cameron Douglas, so check your local listings.
  • Halle Berry (Living Dolls) - The Drew Barrymore Show A Little Bit Extra with Drew, Halle Berry and Kristina Zias who are celebrating aging helping a viewer over 50 achieve a glow up look, so check your local listings.
  • Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talksa about Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about her film Operation Taco Gary 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

02/25 - Scrubs Returns Tonight, Sneak Peek at Title Sequence; Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Reveals Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter
02/24 - Netflix's Wednesday Season 3 Adds to Cast; Wonder Pets: In the City Returns March 20
02/23 - Celebrities for ABC's Celebrity Jeopardy! All-Stars; Hallmark's Mistletoe Murders Renewed for Season 3
02/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 23, 2026)
02/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Hulu Orders New Adult Animated Comedy From Creator of Bluey; Casting News for Upcoming CBS Comedy Regency
02/20 - ABC Wednesday Comedies Find Valentine's Magic; Netflix Announces Dang!
02/19 - The Golden Girls Coming to MeTV in March; Adult Swim Announces My Two Cars
02/18 - Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Coming to Disney+; Fox Spring 2026 Schedule and Finale Dates
02/17 - New Animated Comedy from Big Mouth Creators Coming May 22; Scottish Comedy Returns to Hulu February 25
02/16 - Saturday Night Live Returns Following the Olympics on February 28; Fox Pays Tribute to James Van Der Beek on Wednesday
02/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 16, 2026)
02/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for Scrubs Reboot; Tubi to Add 100 Cartoon Series from Warner and Cartoon Network Library
02/13 - Remembering James Van Der Beek of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23; The Way Home Returns for Final Season in April on Hallmark
02/12 - ABC's Scrubs Revival Trailer and Details; XO, Kitty Returns April 2 on Netflix
02/11 - The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Gets Post Saturday Night Live Encore; Chris Fleming HBO Special
02/10 - Celebrity Jeopardy! All Stars Premiere Shifting by Two Weeks; Virgin River Season 7 Trailer
02/09 - Shoresy Returns with Season 5; HBO Max Acquires Schitt's Creek
02/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 9, 2026)
02/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Roku Adds New Channels for Bernie Mac, Blossom, and Cougar Town; Catchy Comedy Introduces Catchy Loves Lucy
02/06 - Rooster Premieres March 8 on HBO; MGM+ Comedy American Classic Trailer
02/05 - NBC Unveils Trailer and Guest Stars for The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins; Adult Swim's Anime Series Rooster Fighter Premieres March 14
02/04 - Netflix Renews A Man on the Inside for Season 3; Apple TV Premiere Date for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
02/03 - NBC Renews St. Denis Medical and Happy's Place for Season 3; Pilot Orders for Comedy Projects on NBC
02/02 - Remembering Demond Wilson of Sanford and Son, Catherine O'Hara of Schitt's Creek, Yvonne Lime of Father Knows Best, and TV Director Bruce Bilson
02/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 2, 2026)
01/31 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Orders Pair of Comedy Pilots; Final Episode Airdate Announced for The Late Show
01/30 - Jury Duty Returns March 20 on Prime Video; Katt Williams 4th Netflix Special
01/29 - Season 4 of Ted Lasso Premieres This Summer; Shrinking Renewed for Season 4 as Season 3 Premieres
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)