"i" Network Now Acquires Sony Owned TV Shows; Stiller to Produce CBS Sitcom, McClanahan on Here! Network

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

"i" Network Now Acquires Sony Owned TV Shows; Stiller to Produce CBS Sitcom, McClanahan on Here! Network

Fresh off their announcement last Thursday of acquiring classic TV shows and movies from Warner Bros. Television, the "i" network has now announced a similar deal with Sony Pictures Television! Today they announced a programming agreement that provides ION Media (i network) with the rights to broadcast dozens of classic television series and a large selection of award-winning feature films from the Sony library on the i television network, reaching over 90 million homes.
Under the terms of the agreement, "i" will have access to many of SPT’s most popular TV series from the last three decades, including Charlie’s Angels, Starsky & Hutch, The Partridge Family, The Monkees and Silver Spoons, among others.
They will begin scheduling the Sony movies on the i network this month, with plans to launch the television series in August. So, both Warner and Sony TV shows will both be scheduled starting this August. It is unclear right now how many shows from Sony they have acquired, but I'll try to find out. And we will bring you their launch schedule very shortly--it will include both Warner and Sony TV shows.
To discuss this wonderful news, click here.

Ben Stiller is back on television. Well...sort of. He will executive produce and direct a sitcom project for CBS that will star his wife Christine Taylor. The project has been likened to a Curb Your Enthusiasm-type show featuring Taylor’s life in Hollywood and her career as an actress. The project, from CBS Paramount will be executive produced by Stiller and Ajay Sahgal.
Rue McClanahan has signed on for a sitcom pilot for the Here! network, B&C reports. Here! is a gay TV channel. The show, which it targeted for a 2007 launch, will feature McClanahan as the "crazy and wise" grandmother of a gay teenager "coming of age and coming out." The network describes the veteran actress (The Golden Girls, Maude) as having a strong fan base in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. The six-episode series is based on a short film from writer Nick Wauters, who will also pen the series.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 21

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Funky Chili and Friends Who Take Their Clothes Off" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Mandy and Jim butt heads when they take over the store for a sick Georgie and Ruben. Meanwhile, Audrey panics when Connor rekindles an old flame.

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A New Beau and Someone Else's Mom’s House" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Georgie and Mandy take matters into their own hands when Mary starts warming up to Fagenbacher (Matthew Letscher). Also, Audrey struggles to cope with Connor’s absence.

Ghosts - "Up the Creek" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When Woodstone’s future is put in jeopardy, Sam and Jay join forces with the ghosts to protect the mansion by securing its place in history.

Ghosts - "Across the Pond" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
A trip abroad could determine Woodstone’s fate. Meanwhile, a major career opportunity takes Sam out of town, leaving others to step in and help with the ghosts.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 18)

Thursday, May 21

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Watch the series finale of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andrew is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) and Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Andy Cohen interviews Keke and Brooke on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
LaKeith Stanfield (Atlanta) - LaKeith chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laure discusses Death of a Salesman on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Niecy Nash (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy is Sherri's special guest on the final Sherri show, so check your local listings.
Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle stops by for a very special Sherri's Laugh Lounge on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - The Drew Barrymore Show has a little bit extra from Drew-crewers Ross Mathews, Sunny Anderson and Valerie sharing their tips in the kitchen with knife skills 101, so check your local listings.
Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) and Nick Jonas (Jonas) - Paul and Nick can be heard on the Morning Mash Up on SiriusXM.
Judith Light (Who's the Boss?/Phenom/Transparent) - Judith talks about AMC+'s The Terror: Devil in Silver on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts) - Utkarsh talks about Ghosts on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.