Saturday, May 13, 2006

Upfront Notes; 'Knight Rider' Movie; and More!

As we have relayed our upfront picks this past week, networks have began picking up new pilots left and right and relaying other news, such as what series will be back and which won't be.

ABC has picked-up the following pilots already:
Dramas: Six Degrees, Day Break, The Nine, Ugly Betty, Traveler, Brothers & Sisters and Men In Trees.
Sitcoms: In Case of Emergency, Help Me Help You, Notes from the Underbelly, A Day in the Life and Let's Rob Mick Jagger.
(So, that is 7 new dramas and 5 new sitcoms. I don't think ABC will pick-up any more new shows. The sitcoms are all single camera comedies, which is strange for ABC. Multicamera sitcoms Women of a Certain Age and Patricia Heaton Show have been passed on, along with the drama Secrets in a Small Town.)
'On the Bubble' Shows Returning: According to Jim, George Lopez, What About Brian
'On the Bubble' Shows NOT Returning: Freddie, Sons & Daughters
'On the Bubble' Shows Unknown Still: Invasion, Hope & Faith, Wife Swap, Supernanny
Everything else should return and is not on the bubble.
The no chance stuff includes: Rodney, Less than Perfect, Crumbs, Jake in Progress, Emily's Reasons Why Not, The Evidence, Night Stalker, Miracle Workers, In Justice, and Hot Properties.

Fox has picked-up the following pilots already:
Dramas: American Crime, Primary, The Wedding Album and Vanished.
Sitcoms: 'Til Death, Happy Hour, The Winner (mid-season)
(Total of 7 pilots picked-up up, thus far.)
'On the Bubble' Shows Returning: The Loop, War at Home, The O.C.
'On the Bubble' Shows Unknown Still: Bernie Mac, Trading Spouses, Nanny 911, Unan1mous
Everything else should return and is not on the bubble.
The no chance stuff includes: Free Ride, Arrested Development, Kitchen Confidential, Stacked, Head Cases, Reunion, and Killer Instinct.

NBC has picked-up the following pilots already:
Dramas: The Black Donnellys, Kidnapped, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, and Raines.
Sitcoms: 20 Good Years, The Singles Table, Tina Fey Show
(So far, 9 pilots have been picked-up. Tina Fey is still pending because of Alec Baldwin, and two other sitcoms might get picked-up: Community Service and Andy Barker, P.I. The latter was passed on to Fox, but is said to be back in the running for NBC, but for a six episode mid-season order.)
'On the Bubble' Shows NOT Returning: Teachers
'On the Bubble' Shows Unknown Still: Scrubs, Surface
Everything else should return and is not on the bubble.
The no chance stuff includes: E-Ring, Apprentice: Martha Stewart, Conviction, Four Kings, Joey, Heist, Three Wishes, Inconceivable, Book of Daniel.

The CW and CBS have been quiet and have not officially picked up any additional pilots. CBS has picked up sitcom The Class, but that was known. CBS has passed on its drama pilot The Ultra to The CW for consideration. CW has picked up 7th Heaven for its 11th season, which was surprising. Invasion could head from ABC to the CW, but probably won't.

The 1980s TV action drama Knight Rider has become the latest TV show to find a new life as a feature film.
The Weinstein Company has acquired the rights to develop and produce a movie from Glen A. Larson, the original creator of the show. As part of the deal, Larson will write the script and co-executive produce the movie.
The project has bounced around several studios over the past decade, and most recently was in development at Sony-based Revolution Studios. Weinstein Company has already announced they are preparing feature films based on the TV shows Welcome Back, Kotter and The Equalizer. Other Larson TV series slated for the big-screen include The Fall Guy and Magnum P.I. Actor David Hasselhoff has apparently been dismissed from the upcoming film version of the show, even after he pleaded with the show's creator for a part in the adaptation, according to a published report.

Lovespring International, the new half-hour improvisational comedy series from Eric McCormack and Michael Forman's Big Cattle Productions and distributed by Lionsgate, has been picked up for an additional seven episodes, it was announced today by Susanne Daniels, President, Entertainment, Lifetime Entertainment Services. Initially given a six episode order, the series centers on a dating service marketed to customers as an "elite Beverly Hills" company, despite its location in Tarzana, California. Comprised of dysfunctional misfits or "relationship counselors," they desperately try to find love for their clients although they have no idea how to do it for themselves. Lovespring International premieres Monday, June 5 at 11 p.m. (ET/PT) on Lifetime Television.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, April 26

Animal Control - "Giraffes, Gorillas and Penguins" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The crew must contain a freak zoo break; Frank realizes that he needs to break up with Yasmin; Emily finds an unexpected benefactor in a celebrity businesswoman.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 21)

Friday, April 25

  • Kathy Bates (Disjointed) - Watch Kathy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Greta Titelman (Fantasmas/Search Party/Los Espookys) - Paul and Greta are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Yvonne Orji (Insecure) - Tamron Hall has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with Yvonne who is now hosting Pop The Balloon Live on Netflix, so check your local listings.
  • Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - Tiffany co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew and Valerie are joined by Carla Hall in the kitchen to whip up some delicious cozy food 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) - The cast of the new movie Kinda Pregnant join Drew to dish on their new film on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - Joel talks about Bravo's Love Hotel on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

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

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
04/07 - NBC Celebrates Joan Rivers with Special; Remembering Jay North of Dennis the Menace
04/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 7, 2025)
04/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Renews Three Animated Series and Brings Back a Fourth for Four More Seasons; ABC Renews Shifting Gears
04/04 - ABC 2025-26 Season Renewals for Scripted Series; New Season of Phineas and Ferb Returns June 5
04/03 - Fox Renews Animated Hits for 4 Additional Seasons and American Dad! Returns; South Park Season 27 Premieres July 9
04/02 - Rick and Morty Season 8 Premieres May 25; Netflix's Tires Returns June 5
04/01 - Disney Renews Wizards Beyond Waverly Place for Season 2; Prime Video Details Final Season of The Summer I Turned Pretty
03/31 - Prime Video's Dance-World Comedy Étoile; Netflix's Tom Segura Dark Comedy Bad Thoughts
03/30 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 31, 2025)
03/29 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Gives Pilot Order to A Different World Sequel; Malcolm in the Middle Reboot Recasts Role of Dewey
03/28 - Pat Sajak's Final Spin on Wheel and Return of Jeopardy! Masters; Remembering George Foreman and Wings Hauser
03/27 - IFC Renews SisterS for Season 2; Netflix Orders Live-Action Scooby-Doo Series
03/26 - Hulu Spring 2025 Slate; The Making of The Americas Special Narrated by Tom Hanks on NBC