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

Wednesday, October 30

Abbott Elementary - "Costume Contest" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Halloween at Abbott Elementary! Janine and Gregory proudly show off their couple’s costume, but it fails to translate. Meanwhile, Barbara faces pushback from parents concerned about hygiene and her beloved apple-bobbing tradition.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Saved by the Spell" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On her first day of school, Billie uses magic to impress Roman's best friend; when a jealous Roman steals Billie's wand, he falls into the grasp of a wizard-hunting phantomus.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Something Wizard This Way Comes" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On Halloween, Billie tells Roman about Pumpkin Belly, a ghoul who eats anyone whose house isn't spookily decorated; Justin, Milo and Giada defend the home from pranksters.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 28)

Wednesday, October 30

  • Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Watch Sheryl on 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.
  • Kieran Culkin (Solar Opposites/Go Fish) - Kieran is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
  • Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri talks about The Diplomat on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty talks about improvising scenes on the hit show The Bear and how he started his career in restaurants on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is chatting with Drew about directing her first film Woman of the Hour, the crazy serial killer case the movie is based on, finding boundaries in her life, turning 40 and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - Mayan discusses her sitcom Lopez vs Lopez on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
  • Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
  • Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about NBC's Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Ropers - The Complete Series Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
02/04 - 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

10/29 - The Simpsons Monday Night Football Disney+ Telecast; Prime Video Announces The Sticky
10/28 - Fortune Feimster Gets 3rd Netflix Special; Cruel Intentions Series for Prime Video
10/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 28, 2024)
10/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Matlock Renewed for Second Season; Happy's Place Off to a Solid Start
10/25 - Peacock's Based on a True Story Returns November 21; CBS to Honor Jerry Mathers at Awards Show
10/24 - Family Guy's Gift of the White Guy Holiday Special; Laid Arrives December 19 on Peacock
10/23 - Bad Sisters Season 2 Returns November 13; Trailer for Hulu's Interior Chinatown
10/22 - Goosebumps: The Vanishing Premieres January 10; Michelle Buteau Gets 2nd Netflix Special
10/21 - Fox Adds Martin Short to Grimsburg; Secret Level Cast Announced by Prime Video
10/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 21, 2024)
10/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Rick and Morty Renewed for Two More Seasons; A Look at Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover
10/18 - Apple TV+ Renews Shrinking for Season 3; Guest Voices for Phineas and Ferb New Season
10/17 - Watson Premieres January 2025 on CBS; Anthony Jeselnik Gets 3rd Netflix Comedy Special
10/16 - Lifetime's It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2024 Schedule; YouTube Sitcom Gets Season 4
10/15 - Tom Papa Is Home Free on Netflix; Apple TV+ Reveals Season 2 Details for Silo
10/14 - ABC Halloween 2024 Schedule; Reba Creates Happy's Place Theme Song
10/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 14, 2024)
10/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Spinoff of The Big Bang Theory in the Works; Velma Canceled by Max
10/11 - Netflix Renews Nobody Wants This; Alicia Silverstone to Lead Acorn TV Series
10/10 - Max's The Sex Lives of College Girls Returns November 21; FETV Acquires Laramie
10/09 - HBO's Seth Meyers Special Debuts October 26; New Late Night Comedy Series Focuses on Crazy Florida
10/08 - Somebody Somewhere Returns for Final Season; Virgin River Season 6 Drops for Holiday Season
10/07 - Vice TV Announces Black Comedy in America Series; Netflix Stars Team Up for Netflix Movie
10/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 7, 2024)
10/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Cancels That '90s Show; Who's the Boss? Reboot Not Moving Forward at Freevee
10/04 - Family Guy Halloween Special: Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater; What We Do in the Shadows Returns for Final Season
10/03 - Jack Whitehall Holiday Comedy Special; Leighton Meester Joins Apple TV+ Series
10/02 - The Franchise Launches Sunday on HBO; Remembering John Amos of Good Times
10/01 - No Good Deed Premieres in December on Netflix; SNL Season 50 Opens Strong
09/30 - TV One Acquires black-ish; Whitney Cummings to Host Friends Game Show Event
09/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 30, 2024)