Tuesday, April 11, 2006

TBS Makes Some Schedule Changes for June; ABC Offering Four Shows Online for FREE

As promised this week is "TV schedule week" here at Sitcoms Online. Today, I will tell you that TBS is expected to make some changes in June. Nothing drastic but still some changes. Becker will be moved to early mornings at 5 and 5:30 a.m. replacing The Parent'hood. Becker's old slot of 12 noon and 12:30 p.m. will now be another hour of the popular and durable Saved by the Bell (which already airs weekday mornings from 7 to 9 a.m.). TBS's contract for the Tom Hanks '80s sitcom Bosom Buddies is expiring at the end of May, so TBS will replace that show with Becker. That is all the changes they are making but it should be interesting come this fall as Mama's Family, Saved by the Bell, and possibly more shows such as Cosby Show and Dawson's Creek are expiring. I would expect a renewal or two of some of these at least. TBS does have The King of Queens coming this October, so that will fill an hour block at least. Full details of the June changes at TBS are here.
Meanwhile sister network TNT will be airing Without a Trace five days a week now starting June 5. They will air it at 7 p.m. weeknights, with more episodes on some days running until 10 p.m.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more TV schedule updates. We hope to have some from TV Land, Nick@Nite and more (maybe a sitcom is coming to Adult Swim on Cartoon Network...that is all that I will say right now) this week.

And TBS announced they have original sitcoms in the works at their annual upfront presentation:

In Production at TBS
MY BOYS – Half-hour scripted comedy series from Sony Pictures Television and Pariah, executive producers Gavin Polone (Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Gilmore Girls) and Jamie Tarses and writer/executive producer Betsy Thomas (Run of the House) – Premieres in Q4 2006
In this half-hour comedy series, PJ, played by Jordana Spiro (JAG, Must Love Dogs), is a twenty-something “guy’s girl” who tries to find romance within her world dominated by male friends. As a huge sports fan and professional sportswriter, she’s got a masculine, no-nonsense, sports-analogous approach to dating that often freaks out potential boyfriends. Her only female friend advises her to dress and act more feminine, but it’s hard for PJ to shake off her tomboy qualities. Jim Gaffigan (That ‘70s Show, Ed), Jamie Kaler (The Family Stone), Michael Bunin (Scrubs), Reid Scott (American Dreams), Kyle Howard (Related, Orange County) and Kellee Stewart (Guess Who?) co-star.


10 ITEMS OR LESS – Half-hour scripted and improvised comedy series from Sony Pictures Television and executive producers/actors Robert Hickey, Nancy Hower and John Lehr (Memron) – Premieres in Q4 2006
In this loosely scripted comedy series, John Lehr plays a less-than-successful businessman from New York City who moves back home to take over the family supermarket after the death of his father. But the staff quickly realizes his management style is markedly different from that of his father, making for a comically chaotic workplace.


COMIC RELIEF – Three-hour comedy extravaganza premiering in November from The Comedy Festival
TBS is working with HBO on a COMIC RELIEF event as part of HBO and AEG Live’s second annual The Comedy Festival, taking place in Las Vegas Tuesday, Nov. 14 - Saturday, Nov. 18. As it did with last year’s inaugural edition of The Comedy Festival, TBS will once again serve as title sponsor.

In Development at TBS
MY EMBARASSING LIFE – Half-hour scripted comedy series from writer/executive producer David Rosenthal (Gilmore Girls, Spin City)
This coming-of-age story features 14-year-old Henry Einstein, who deals with ridicule at school and his first real crush while trying to survive his quirky family.

LARRY MILLER PROJECT – Half-hour scripted comedy series from Sony Pictures Television and writer/executive producer/star Larry Miller
Renowned stand-up comedian and actor Larry Miller provides a unique take on suburbia as he plays a dad, husband and newspaper columnist with two kids.

Disney-ABC Television Group announced that it will offer ad-supported, full-length episodes of four ABC primetime series online at www.ABC.com as part of a two-month-long experiment. Current episodes of Lost, Desperate Housewives, and Commander In Chief, as well as the entire present season of Alias, will be available for streaming during May and June, marking the first time a broadcast network has made multiple series available for viewing online, free of charge to consumers.
As part of the trial, ABC has offered ten advertisers the opportunity to test possible in-stream broadband advertising models as well as the ability to take advantage of sponsorships. The unique interactive video ads will take many different forms and will be seen within each episode. Participating advertisers include AT&T, Cingular, Ford, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Unilever's Suave, Universal Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures, among others.
Combining an all-new sleek, modern design with user-friendly functionality, ABC.com will offer episodes the day after they premiere on the linear channel. Consumers will be able to pause and move back and forth between "chapters" within each episode, but will not have the ability to fast-forward through advertisements. Episodes will be streamed in 16x9 formatting which offers a cinema-like feel to the viewing experience.
Encoded and streamed in Flash 8, which offers the best video quality and allows users on both Mac and PC platforms to watch the video episode, will be offered in two different sizes. The standard viewing size is 500x282 pixels (streamed at 400kbs), and the larger viewing size is 700x394 pixels (streamed 700 kbps).

Additionally, the Group announced it will launch SOAPNETIC, the first-ever, always-on broadband channel dedicated to soap fans, on April 17, 2006. Providing comprehensive coverage of all nine current soap operas, as well as classic and original programming, the gated broadband service, an extension of the linear SOAPnet channel, will be accessible at launch to Verizon consumer broadband customers.
Previously, the Disney-ABC Television Group announced that full episodes of popular original series from Disney Channel and Jetix will be available for viewing online starting later this spring. Kids will be able to log on to DisneyChannel.com and Jetix.tv and stream full-length episodes of the hit series That's So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Kim Possible, Power Rangers and Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, among others, free and on-demand.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, May 14

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "House of Outrage" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
House of Payne is the hilarious comedy about Retired fire chief Curtis Payne and his lovely wife Ella.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Spare The Rod" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Jeremy and Leah are forced to put their foot down upon receiving disappointing news concerning Phillip.

The Ms. Pat Show - "Boo, B...!" (BET, 10:30PM ET/PT)
Ghosts of the past can affect the present, and that's what happens when Pat and Denise's abusive mom Mildred returns to haunt her daughters and interfere in their family life.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 12)

Wednesday, May 14

  • Dax Shepard (Bless This Mess) - Watch Dax on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana) - Emily appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Terry Crews (Everybody Still Hates Chris/Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) and Howie Mandel (Good Grief) - Terry and Howie talk about America's Got Talent on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. Terry will also be on in the 9am hour.
  • Sofia Vergara (Modern Family/The Knights of Prosperity/Hot Properties) - Terry talks about America's Got Talent on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Jameela Jamil (Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin/The Good Place) - Jameela chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Mario Cantone (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City) - Mario talks about Max's And Just Like That... on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series 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)

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)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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