Thursday, May 11, 2006

SitcomsOnline.com Upfront Preview: Fox; TBS Renews 'Saved by the Bell', But Not 'Mama's Family'

Fox has the strongest show in television right now and a hot drama called House. With that they will always be in the mix at the top for adults 18-49, especially after January. The question is can they find some new hits for the fall and try to build on that when that little show American Idol returns in January? Will Futurama be brought back from the dead like Family Guy? Will Fox actually pick up a decent sitcom? An no not Free Ride, Life on a Stick, Stacked and some of the other garbage they have aired over the last few years.

Here is the SitcomsOnline.com Fox 2006-07 preview:

New Series Already Picked-Up: American Crime (drama), Primary (drama), Til Death (sitcom) and Vanished (drama)
New Series We Think That Are Almost Good To Go: Southern Comfort (drama) and The Winner (sitcom).
New Series Perhaps Picked-Up for Mid-Season: Damages (drama) and Union Jackass (sitcom)

OUR FALL 2006 PREDICTION:

Sundays
7:00PM NFL Overrun
7:30PM King of the Hill
8:00PM The Simpsons
8:30PM Futurama (RETURN)
9:00PM Family Guy
9:30PM American Dad

Mondays
8:00PM Prison Break
9:00PM Vanished (NEW)

Tuesdays
8:00PM Primary (NEW)
9:00PM House

Wednesdays
8:00PM Bones
9:00PM American Crime (NEW)

Thursdays
8:00PM Til Death (NEW)
8:30PM The War at Home
9:00PM Bernie Mac
9:30PM The Winner (NEW)

Fridays
8:00PM The O.C.
9:00PM Southern Comfort (NEW)

Saturdays
8:00PM Cops
8:30PM Cops
9:00PM America's Most Wanted

Comments: Fox is tough to figure out. They have like two different line-ups for the fall and January. Of course 24 and American Idol will come back in January. Question is if American Idol will be Tuesday and Thursday next season instead of Tuesday/Wednesday? Bernie Mac will have to be back I think because they need something for the fall with Malcolm and That '70s Show ending, and it should be gone for good in January. The War at Home will probably be back, too, on another night. I think House will move to Wednesdays in January so American Idol can give another show a boost on Tuesdays. As for the results show, maybe Thursdays at 8:00PM followed by Til Death? Like I said, Fox is a tough one to figure out. And so many series are goners: Arrested Development, Kitchen Confidential, That '70s Show, Stacked, Head Cases, Reunion, Free Ride, The Loop, Malcolm in the Middle and Killer Instinct. I might have missed something. I think Nanny 911, Unan1mous and Trading Spouses will return at some point. Like when anything fails fast. Hopefully The O.C. fails. Futurama looks like it will return. If it does, then I say Bernie Mac is safe because a sitcom will be needed for another night. I can't comment anymore on this, because Fox is just weird. As long as American Idol is pulling big numbers, Fox will always be a contender in the second half and for the season in A18-49.

Remember, next Thursday (May 18) is the actual date when we will findout Fox's plans for the 2006-07 season. So, come on back next Thursday and we will let you know the details and you can see how much we were right (or wrong). Stay tuned tomorrow for a preview on The CW's upfront.

TBS has renewed its longest running show on the network yet again. Saved by the Bell reruns, which started in 1992 on the network, has been renewed yet again! It was set to expire after this August, but TBS has picked it up for another few more years. The show has done very well for them in the mornings in recent years. It even popped-up for two weeks on sister network Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block! Meanwhile, the news is not as good for another TBS favorite. Reruns of Mama's Family are also expiring after August, but TBS has decided they will not renew this one. Mama's Family has been on the network since 1997. It has been recently airing from 6-7am ET for a while. It will be replaced by Cosby Show at 6 a.m. and Drew Carey at 6:30 a.m. in September. Hopefully another cable network (TV Land???) will pick-up the series fast or better yet, Warner Home Video should release it on DVD. We don't have the full list of changes yet for TBS's September line-up, but we do know that reruns of The King of Queens will join the station in October. Cosby Show and Dawson's Creek will still be around this fall, too. I said before that they probably were expiring, but they're actually not. I think 2007 is the year when they expire. Dawson's Creek will ALSO be coming to The N in September. I guess another shared deal.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 8

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Ladies Love Brunch" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie tries to juggle his mom, his mother-in-law and Mandy on Mother’s Day. Meanwhile, Audrey wants to meet Connor’s girlfriend.

Ghosts - "The Devil Went Down to Woodstone" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam and Jay host a big party for the launch of Sam and Isaac’s vampire book. Mary Holland (Patience), Punam Patel (Bela) and Matt Walsh (Elias Woodstone) return as guest stars.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 5)

Thursday, May 8

  • Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) - Natasha appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle talks about Netflix's Survival of the Thickest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) and Doug Benson (You're the Worst) - Maria and Doug are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • John Benjamin Hickey (HouseBroken/The Big C/It's All Relative) - John stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
  • Patricia Clarkson (Davis Rules) - Patricia is a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
  • Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - E! News has an interview with Kerry at 11pm on E!. Kerry and Omar Sy discuss their highly anticipated new film Shadow Force on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Rebel Wilson (Super Fun Night) - Rebel chats about Juliet & Romeo on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/CafĂ© Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - In A Little Bit Extra Valerie and Ross Mathews are sharing more of their conversation with Al Roker in Charleston at the Food & Wine Classic on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) and Randall Park (Young Rock/Blockbuster/Fresh Off the Boat/Veep/Supah Ninjas) - Morris and Randall talk about Watson on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.


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


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

05/08 - CBS 2025-26 Schedule; Animal Control and Going Dutch Renewed by Fox
05/07 - Netflix's A Man on the Inside Bulks Up Cast for Season 2; The Studio Renewed by Apple TV+
05/06 - Netflix's Long Story Short Announces Cast; NBC Renews All Chicago Series for 2025-26
05/05 - Antenna TV's The Partridge Family Mother's Day Marathon; Rewind TV's 227 40th Anniversary Marathon
05/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 5, 2025)
05/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Equalizer; Wisteria Lane Offshoot of Desperate Housewives in the Works
05/02 - USA and SYFY Announce Summer Premieres; CBC in Canada Renews 5 Series, Including Wild Cards
05/01 - ABC Summer 2025 Schedule; Audible Scripted Comedy Podcasts for Summer
04/30 - The Carol Burnett Show Mother of All Marathons; Netflix Renews North of North
04/29 - Lifetime Adds New Ripped from the Headlines Movie; BET+ Orders Season 2 of Series
04/28 - Fox Summer 2025 Schedule; Final Guest Hosts for Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Season
04/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 28, 2025)
04/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels Poppa's House; Final Season 50 Hosts for Saturday Night Live Set
04/25 - Classic TV's Biggest Auction; Remembering Will Hutchins and Wink Martindale
04/24 - Jerrod Carmichael's 4th HBO Comedy Special; HBO's Pee-wee as Himself Premieres May 23
04/23 - Apple TV+ Announces Comedy Series Prodigies; ABC Renews Unscripted Series Slate
04/22 - Hallmark Channel's May For Moms Month; Prime Video Gets Korean Comedy Action Series
04/21 - Peacock's Twisted Metal Returns July 31; Poker Face Lines Up Big Guests for Season 2
04/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 21, 2025)
04/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Clueless Reboot in the Works at Peacock; King of the Hill Cast Reunion and Revival Preview at ATX TV Festival Next Month
04/18 - 2025 TIME100 on ABC; Atsuko Okatsuka: Father Premieres June 13 on Hulu
04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
04/14 - TV Stars Lineup for Summer of 69 Hulu Film; Jessica Kirson Comedy Special
04/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 14, 2025)
04/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: FX Sets Premiere Date for Adults; Netflix Picks Up Monopoly Themed Reality Competition Series
04/11 - Bounce TV Renews Mind Your Business; AMC Networks 2025 Upfront Highlights
04/10 - David Spade's Prime Video Comedy Special; Brett Goldstein's HBO Comedy Special Filmed in New Jersey
04/09 - Paramount+ Orders Season 3 of Colin from Accounts; FX's Adults Premieres May 28
04/08 - Prime Video's New Comedy Overcompensating; Nine Perfect Strangers Returns on Hulu in May