CBS Sitcoms 'Out of Practice' 'Courting Alex' Head to Hiatus-land; 'Arrested Development' Done, For Now

Thursday, March 30, 2006

CBS Sitcoms 'Out of Practice' 'Courting Alex' Head to Hiatus-land; 'Arrested Development' Done, For Now

CBS has dropped sitcoms Out of Practice and Courting Alex after just two weeks in their new Wednesday 8-9 p.m. time-slot. Both sitcoms struggled quite a bit, especially in the 18-49 demo, where competing ABC sitcoms crushed them. CBS will give The Amazing Race that time period and will move it there for the rest of the season. CBS will now air repeats of crime dramas (CSI, CSI Miami, etc) and specials in Race's old time slot of Tuesdays at 10 p.m.
CBS did say: "...comedies Out of Practice and Courting Alex will return to the schedule at a later date." While that is good, I don't think the chances of both returning next fall are good. If they do return this season it will probably be only to burn-off the remaining episodes. Did CBS on purpose try to kill these sitcoms? I always felt it made no sense putting two rookies back-to-back to start off a night.

20th Century Fox made it official that low-rated but critically acclaimed sitcom Arrested Development is "done...for now, anyway." They released this statement: "While there are no plans to resume production at this time, we know all too well from our experience with Family Guy-- another brilliant comedy which didn't find its audience in its first network run -- that anything is possible," the statement read. "We'll always be a little hopeful that this is not quite the end for this amazing show." Ron Howard's Imagine TV, who produces the sitcom, had this to say: "If it is really over, and I'm not quite sure that it is, the show's been an incredible source of pride for Ron [Howard] and Brian [Grazer] and I," says David Nevins, head of Imagine TV noting there were "a few avenues left to explore" -- "I wouldn't write the obit."
Meanwhile, creator of the sitcom Mitch Hurwitz is leaving the show.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, April 21

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Your Own Medicine" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
After Dave’s disastrous attempt to dunk a basketball, Calvin takes care of his injured neighbor. Also, Gemma befriends a cool mom group while babysitting Daphne.

Poppa's House - "Babygirl" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Junior’s sister, Natalie (Amora Wayans), visits and reveals her engagement, he insists that she make up with their father, whom she still blames for their parents’ divorce.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 21)

Monday, April 21

Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) - Watch Quinta on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) - Hannah is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Anna Camp (Perfect Harmony/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/The Mindy Project) and Milana Vayntrub (Other Space) - Anna and Milana are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Christopher Meloni (Happy/Surviving Jack/Misery Loves Company/The Fanelli Boys) - E! News has an interview with Christopher at 11pm on E!. He will also be on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - Gayle King sits down with George on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Penn Badgley (Do Over) - Penn talks about You on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva stops by Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Annaleigh Ashford (B Positive) - Annaleigh chats with the hosts on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - NBC's Today catches up with Justina in the 9am hour.
Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That.../Divorce/Sex and the City/Square Pegs) - NBC's Today catches up Sarah in the 10am hour.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Chloe Fineman joins Drew and Valerie in the kitchen to share a delicious recipe on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Amy Schumer (Life & Beth), Jillian Bell (Bless the Harts/Idiotsitter/Eastbound & Down/Workaholics) and Brianne Howey (Dollface) - Amy, Jillian and Brianne about starring in Netflix's new comedy Kinda Pregnant on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
James Brolin (Life in Pieces) - James talks about Netflix's Ransom Canyon on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.